How Does Falco's Jaw Titan Possess the Ability to Fly in Attack On Titan?
Falco's Jaw Titan possesses extraordinary abilities, including a striking set of wings covered in feathers that enable him to soar through the sky unlike any previous titan holders
Highlights
Falco's Jaw Titan has the ability to fly, which was hinted at by his name "Falco" meaning falcon, and his bird-like design.
The Jaw Titan boasts exceptional speed and agility among the Nine Titans, making it a perfect choice for precise attacks and evading enemy assaults.
The transfer of Titan powers can lead to the acquisition of additional abilities, like hardening, when consuming spinal fluid. In Falco's peculiar case, he inherited the flying capability from a previous holder of the Beast Titan.
Although the foreshadowing in Attack on Titan may not have been the most calculated, it is not a major surprise that Falco's Jaw Titan is capable of flying. The hint lies in his name, which can be traced back to the Latin word for "falcon." However, the process through which he gained this ability is more complex, and it has significant implications for how individuals can acquire the power of the Nine Titans.
Unlike previous Jaw Titans such as Marcel Galliard, Ymir, and Porco Galliard, Falco's Titan has a bird-like design, particularly with its protruding maw resembling a bird of prey's beak. This unique circumstance of becoming a Titan shifter contributes heavily to this abnormality. Moreover, this design quirk also allows certain members of the main cast to participate in the final battle, which is why it is sometimes overlooked.
What Are The Jaw Titan's Abilities?
Previous versions of the Jaw Titan were relatively small compared to the other Nine Titans, most of which stood at over 12 meters in height. The Jaw Titan, in fact, was only five meters tall, making it comparable in size to the smallest of them all, the Cart Titan, which stood at four meters. However, its size disadvantage was more than compensated for in other ways.
The Jaw Titan is unquestionably the swiftest and most agile of the Nine Titans. It is capable of covering long distances in mere moments, effortlessly leaping between buildings, and delivering powerful attacks with great momentum. This makes it perfect for executing precise strikes on designated targets, catching them off guard while evading enemy fire with its impressive acrobatic abilities. Its mobility is particularly advantageous in challenging terrains such as uneven landscapes, urban areas full of structures, and even Titan Forests, where it can easily swing between tree branches.
Most notably, the biting and crushing power of the Jaw Titan was its most prominent attribute. This tremendous strength derived from the titan's formidable claws and teeth. However, the manifestation of these abilities varied amongst different individuals. For instance, Ymir's Titan only possessed hardened teeth, while Falco, Marcel, and Porco had armored masks and claws. These additional defensive features proved advantageous in shielding against enemy attacks, as they were sturdy enough to withstand bullets. Moreover, the jaws and claws of this titan demonstrated exceptional crushing force. It was capable of effortlessly biting and slicing through the fortified crystal armor of the War Hammer Titan—a feat that even the Attack Titan could not accomplish.
The Transference Of Titan Powers
Multiple Titan shifters in the series displayed abilities that were not typically associated with their specific Titan power. A notable example is Eren, who only obtained the ability to harden his Titan form after consuming the "armor" serum found in the Reiss Chapel during the Uprising Arc's climax. This suggests that the capability to harden was not inherent to the Attack Titan, raising questions about the actual composition of the serum.
From one perspective, it can be inferred that the serum may contain the spinal fluid of a previous Armored Titan or War Hammer Titan. These two Titans are the only ones among the Nine Titans to have a natural hardening ability. This suggests that consuming spinal fluid can potentially alter a Titan's abilities. This theory is somewhat supported by the case of Rod Reiss, who improperly ingested the "Strongest Titan" serum in the Reiss Chapel, resulting in the creation of a massive but poorly formed Titan.
Likewise, both Annie Leonhart's Female Titan and Zeke Yeager's Beast Titan exhibit hardening abilities similar to the War Hammer's. This indicates that they may have consumed a different type of "armor" serum to acquire these abilities. Additionally, Zeke's Beast Titan possesses the unique ability to create Pure Titans using his spinal fluid, a trait inherited from his royal lineage.
Taking To The Skies
The last crucial fact in Falco's case was when he unintentionally consumed Zeke's spinal fluid through contaminated Marleyan wine, which transformed him into a Pure Titan. During the intense battle in Shiganshina, where the Warrior unit and Survey Corps fought to prevent Eren and Zeke from accessing the power of the Founding Titan, Falco underwent a transformation into a Pure Titan upon hearing Zeke's powerful scream. Fortunately, an injured Porco willingly sacrificed himself by allowing Falco's Titan to devour him, resulting in Falco inheriting the Jaw Titan.
Towards the conclusion of the manga, during the ongoing conflict between the Survey Corps, Warriors, and Eren's Founding Titan, there was a subtle suggestion that Falco experienced a memory from a previous Beast Titan holder who possessed the ability to fly. Considering the design of Zeke's Titan, which drew inspiration from primate physiology, it was not far-fetched to speculate that other Titan holders had abilities associated with various animals. The unique feature of feathers adorning Falco's Jaw Titan, unlike any other iteration of the Jaw Titan, further supports this theory, as these characteristics are typically attributed to the Beast Titan.
Falco's situation is unique in that he was able to enhance his Jaw Titan by acquiring the abilities of a specific Beast Titan, similar to how Eren, Annie, and Zeke gained the power of hardening. This raises speculation about whether Zeke's royal blood played a role in amplifying the transfer of special Titan abilities, as this was previously unheard of until Falco's transformation with wings. Additionally, the absence of wings in Falco's initial depiction is puzzling, as such abilities typically manifest during the first transformation. Regardless of the truth, this plot device effectively contributed to the final battle in Attack on Titan, enabling key characters to participate in taking Eren down. Watch Attack on Titan on Amazon Prime.
