Attack on Titan has no shortage of powerful characters, but one often-overlooked hero could have changed the entire storyline if only he had just survived a little longer. Just think about it: one soldier’s sense of smell couldโve changed the entire war for Paradis. That’s exactly what fans are now saying about Miche Zacharias, the second-strongest soldier in the Survey Corps after Levi, who met his end far too early in the series at the hands of Zekeโs Beast Titan.
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Miche had a rare gift: he could literally smell Titans from a distance, a power that was far more valuable than most fans realized at the time. A recent Reddit thread has reignited interest in his character, with user u/j-dimes pointing out that if Miche had survived into Season 4, he likely wouldโve sniffed something odd in the wine that the Marleyans gave to the Scouts. That wine, as we now know, was secretly laced with Zekeโs spinal fluid, and had Miche been around, he mightโve caught it in time and saved hundreds of lives.

The Wine Plot: A Disaster That Could Have Been Prevented
In Season 4, Marley sends over special wine for the top officers of Paradis Island as a gift. But, as viewers later learn, this wasnโt a gift at all; it was a trap. The wine contained Zeke Yeager’s spinal fluid, turning unsuspecting soldiers into potential Titans that Zeke could forcefully transform and command with his Beast Titan scream. Itโs a tragic turning point in the series that couldโve been avoided entirely.
According to Reddit user u/j-dimes, Miche, with his sharp nose, likely would have been able to sense the strange scent of Titan fluid in the wine. Other fans quickly jumped in to support this theory, with u/Horror_Experience_80 suggesting that the wine would’ve smelled strongly of Titans, allowing Miche to immediately recognize the danger and potentially save the military leadership of Paradis. And we totally agree โ his sense of smell was extremely acute, to the point that he could detect approaching Titans far before they were in visible range. So yes, he might not have known it was spinal fluid, but he wouldโve sounded the alarm before anyone had a chance to drink, blowing up Zekeโs entire plan before it started.
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Beyond the Wine: Other Critical Moments
On top of that, Micheโs abilities couldโve changed more than just the wine incident. Redditor u/SHIFT_978 pointed out that he could have smelled the Cart Titan during the Shiganshina mission, sensed the soldiers hiding underground, and even picked up Reinerโs scent through the smell of his coffee. Itโs crazy to think that in those tense moments, Micheโs nose couldโve completely changed the entire battle.
Reddit user u/TEEJHERO added that Miche probably wouldโve caught on to Zeke’s trap as early as Season 3, way before everything escalated. His survival couldโve prevented multiple disasters and exposed hidden enemies early. This makes it clear that Miche wasnโt just a strong fighter; he was a walking surveillance system the Scouts desperately needed.

A Character Too Powerful for the Plot?
Micheโs death happened really fast and brutally. In one of Zekeโs first appearances, Miche gets killed by Zeke and the Titans under his command after a short but intense fight, leaving fans shocked that someone so strong fell so fast. Looking back, itโs possible that his death wasnโt just another tragic moment, but a smart, calculated move by creator Hajime Isayama.
Reddit user u/vantablackwizard suggested that if Miche had survived, heโd either be stationed with Levi guarding Zeke or have been killed by Floch and Yelena. His presence couldโve unraveled schemes before they fully formed. This raises a bigger question: did Isayama deliberately remove Miche early because his abilities wouldโve made later plot twists impossible?
If Miche had lived, his nose wouldโve exposed where the enemies were hiding and even exposed Titan traps, making things a bit too easy for the Scouts. And maybe thatโs why he had to go. Additionally, with Attack on Titanโs time-travelling nature, itโs even possible that Eren foresaw the threat Miche would present to his and Zekeโs future plans and interfered himself.

A Different Ending for Paradis?
Next time you rewatch Attack on Titan, pay close attention to Miche and think about how different everything couldโve been if he hadnโt died too early. His extraordinary sense of smell could have helped figure out enemy plans, and potentially given Commander Erwin and Captain Levi the information they needed to make better strategic moves. The butterfly effect of his survival couldโve resulted in a completely different future for Paradis.
In a world where secrets and surprise attacks determined the fate of entire populations, having someone like Miche wouldโve been the ultimate advantage. His death wasnโt just the loss of another soldier; it was the loss of a strategic asset that couldโve altered the power dynamic between Paradis and its enemies. This really shows how removing just one character can change an entire story, proving how deeply layered and carefully written Isayamaโs world truly is.
H/T: Reddit