Gross is a male Marleyan public security officer in Attack on Titan, holding the rank of sergeant major, known for his sadistic cruelty toward Eldians and his role in several key atrocities.
Gross serves in the Marley Public Security authorities, operating at the border and at sites used for Eldian persecution.
He is depicted as hypocritical, indulgent toward himself and his own family but merciless toward Eldians.
Gross is outwardly composed in his official capacity, but his inner nature is twisted and sadistic.
He takes pleasure in watching Eldians being eaten by Titans or mauled by dogs, treating their suffering as entertainment.
He shows blatant favoritism toward his own children, especially his sons.
In contrast, he sees Eldians as disposable and less than human, feeling no guilt over brutalizing or killing them.
Gross is first notable for his encounter with Grisha Yeager and his younger sister Fay Yeager near a flight-ship (airship) terminal.
He and Eren Kruger find the two Eldian children on a riverbank close to the airship facility, where they have trespassed into a restricted Marleyan area.
Pretending to follow correct procedure, Gross claims he will escort Fay safely back to her home.
Instead, he takes her to an isolated location, where he lets his sons’ pet dogs attack and kill her, then covers up the incident.
Gross later appears years afterward during the purge of the Eldian Restorationists.
He is responsible for escorting Grisha Yeager and other Restorationists to Paradis Island, where many of them are to be turned into Pure Titans as punishment.
On the island, Gross oversees the process of transforming the Restorationists and feeding them to Titans.
When Grisha confronts him about Fay’s murder and his other crimes, Gross casually dismisses the accusations and prepares to have Grisha eaten by a Titan as well.
At this crucial moment, Eren Kruger betrays Marley and turns on Gross.
Kruger pushes Gross off the top of the wall on Paradis Island, sending him tumbling down into the area where Titans roam below.
As Gross lies on the ground, a nearby Titan leans in and bites off and devours the entire right half of his body.
He dies in terror and agony, becoming a victim of the very monsters he once used to torment others.
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