Attack on Titan: Why Some Titans Can Talk While Others Can't?

Daksh Chaudhary
Apr 18
3 min read

Updated: May 9

Why some Titans can talk while other can't

Have you ever noticed that some Titans can talk while others just groan and scream? It’s one of Attack on Titan’s biggest mysteries. You’ve got Titans like the Jaw Titan or the Beast Titan speaking full sentences, while regular Titans act like mindless monsters. What’s the difference? Why can some Titans talk while others can’t?

It all comes down to consciousness. The Titans that can talk aren’t just monsters, they’re people trapped in Titan forms, still aware of who they are. The mindless ones? Their human minds are completely gone. But how does this happen? And why do some Titans retain their voices while others lose them forever? Let’s break it down.

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Mindless Titans: When The Human Inside Disappears

Most Titans can’t talk because the person inside isn’t in control anymore. When a human is turned into a Titan (usually by getting injected with Titan serum), their mind gets wiped clean. They forget who they were and become pure monsters, driven only by the instinct to eat humans.

This is why the Titans outside the walls just wander around groaning - there’s nobody home in their heads. The human consciousness is still in there somewhere, but it’s buried so deep that it might as well be gone. That’s why Eren’s first Titan form was mindless, he hadn’t learned how to stay in control yet.

The Shifters: Titans That Can Talk

Now, the Titans that can talk? Those are the Titan Shifters, humans who can transform into Titans at will. Individuals like Eren, Reiner, and Zeke retain their human consciousness when they transform. This is because they possess the Power of the Titans, a special ability passed down through bloodlines or by consuming another Shifter.

Shifters can talk because they're still fully conscious inside their Titan forms. They're not mindless monsters; they're humans operating Titan bodies like armor. However, not all Titan Shifters can speak in their Titan forms.

For instance, Zeke's Beast Titan has a facial structure that allows for clear speech, enabling him to communicate effectively. On the other hand, Reiner's Armored Titan has a heavily armored face, which likely hinders his ability to speak.

The Exceptions: Abnormal Titans That Can Speak

Here's where it gets intriguing. Some Titans can speak even if they're not Shifters. For example:

Ilse’s Notebook: In this OVA, a Pure Titan addresses Ilse Langnar as "Lady Ymir" and bows to her. This Titan was once a cultist who revered Ymir Fritz, and upon seeing Ilse, who resembled Ymir, it displayed reverence instead of hostility.
Connie’s Mother: After being transformed into a Titan by Zeke's spinal fluid, Connie's mother was found lying on her house, immobile. She uttered the words "Welcome home" to Connie, indicating a fragment of her human consciousness remained.

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However, these moments are fleeting. Over time, most Pure Titans lose any remnants of their human selves and become entirely mindless, unless they consume a Titan Shifter and inherit their powers.

Why Some Titans Can Talk: The Paths' Role

The reason why some Titans can talk comes down to Paths, the weird spiritual network that connects all Eldians. When a person becomes a Titan, their mind gets sent into the Paths. If they’re a Shifter, they stay in control. If they’re a normal Titan, their mind fades away.

But sometimes, fragments of memory slip through. That’s why Titans like Ilse’s Titan could say a few words - their human instincts were still fighting to be heard.

Final Verdict: Talking Titans And The Remnants Of Humanity

So, why can some Titans talk? It's because remnants of their human consciousness persist. Titan Shifters retain full awareness, allowing them to control their actions and, in some cases, speak.

Rare instances, like the Talking Titan from Ilse's Notebook, suggest that fragments of identity or memory can occasionally surface in Pure Titans, especially when triggered by strong emotional stimuli or recent transformations.