The following article contains major spoilers!
One of the most difficult things to pull off properly in a story is betrayal. When done badly, it becomes cheap or unnatural. When done justice, it leaves characters permanently scarred, changes the whole direction of a story, and puts viewers in silence long after the episode finishes. Betrayal is not merely shocking twists; it is emotional moments earned, which redefine everything that has occurred up to this point.
In the last ten years, anime has become a source of some of the most devastating betrayals, not necessarily due to the shock value but due to the cumulative nature and the psychology of the characters and the resultant consequences. These scenes not only altered the course of the plot, but also redefined relationships, identities and, in certain instances, worlds. These are the seven betrayals which were written with accuracy, agony, and memorable influence.
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8 Hawks Works With League of Villains
My Hero Academia
Hawks first introduces himself as an ideal hero: a charismatic, efficient, and naturally cool person. The betrayal becomes all the more effective when it becomes known that he has been cooperating with the League of Villains in the shadows and, as such, instantly casts doubt. Hawks is very intentionally positioned in the story as one who might have crossed an unbearable line, which is creating tension not just among the audience but among the heroes who are now doubting his real loyalty.
What makes this a betrayal so brilliant is the unfolding of the fact that it was not a betrayal in the first place, at least the way it appeared to be. Hawks was a double agent, and he compromised his reputation, morality, and emotional well-being to provide intelligence information on the inside of the enemy lines. The fact that he kills Twice after giving him several opportunities to give in further provides a tragic dimension to the scene, as it demonstrates that betrayal is sometimes involved when making a choice of the lesser of the two evils, even when it shatters something within one permanently.
7 Rachel Pushes Bam
Tower of God
One of the most emotionally inhuman scenes in modern anime is the betrayal of Rachel. She is first presented as docile, warm, and seemingly weak, which later turns out to be the emotional counterpoint to the whole journey of Bam. Her presence symbolizes hope, meaning, and a reason why one needs to continue climbing the Tower. Her entire story arc indicates that she is someone to be trusted and someone you can rely on.
The illusion breaks altogether when Rachel pushes Bam to his supposed death. What is so great about this betrayal is not merely the act, but the cold-blooded justification of the act. Rachel is ready to betray anybody, even a person that loved her, without any kind of conditions to achieve her aim. The series does not attempt to redeem her in any way or to soften her actions, but offers betrayal as an expression of desperation, jealousy, and bare human selfishness.
6 Aoyama is Revealed as the U.A. Traitor
My Hero Academia
Aoyama was forever depicted as being quirky, awkward, and strangely appealing. His feeling of insecurity made him feel safe, nearly unseen by other, much stronger students in his class. When the reality dawns on them that he and his family had been reporting all along to All For One, the betrayal hits too close to the heart of the viewers, not just to Class 1-A, but to the audience.
The backstory of this betrayal is what makes it even greater. Aoyama had never been evil or willing to go through with this, he was terrified. Born Quirkless and coerced into submission because of his family, his betrayal is a tragedy of force and not hate. His subsequent choice to betray All For One in full knowledge of his repercussions turns his betrayal into one of the emotionally complicated story lines of the series.
5 Nagi Betrays Reo
Blue Lock
What makes the betrayal of Nagi so devastating was how random it was, it was at the spur of the moment. During the Second Selection, Nagi decides to abandon Reo to join Isagi in his team not because of the desire to be evil or betray Reo, but because he is curious and wants to learn more, as this was the first time ever he enjoyed playing soccer rather than just for the sake of Reo. To Nagi, this choice seems rational. Isagi is a new obstacle, a push that forces him out of the comfort zone of being guided by Reo.
To Reo, however, it felt like a massive betrayal, and no matter how Nagi had worded it, it was a stab in the back to him. The dream they had together — to become the best in the world together — gets broken in an instant. Nagi had no intention of ever seeing Reo again. In his mind, this separation was only temporary, a step that had to be taken before he became stronger to go back. It is one of the most emotionally-based betrayals of the entire series, a point in which Blue Lock constantly reinforces the idea that occasionally the greatest betrayals are not done by an opponent, but by the very people who should never turn their back.
4 Kanjuro Betrays The Red Scabbards
One Piece
The betrayal of Kanjuro is a long-term masterpiece. He has been standing with the Kozuki retainers all these years, suffering with them, fighting with them, and appearing as a true comrade in the struggle to rebuild Wano. This betrayal was so well crafted and written that most fans are able to guess whenever a betrayal is coming, but there was no obvious villain posing, none of the melodramatic hints — just silent, steady company that ended with a betrayal.
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The discovery that Kanjuro had been a Kurozuni spy since the very beginning changes everything. His lack of drawing abilities, his ability to remain emotionally reserved, and his survival in unimaginable situations all acquire a horrifying new definition. In contrast to the betrayals that were impulsive, that of Kanjuro was a decades-long show, fed by identity erasure and devotion to a revenge-driven clan. It is betrayal not based on hatred, but emptiness.
3 Eren and Zeke In The Paths
Attack On Titan
The Paths sequence first introduces Eren and Zeke as two tragic brothers who have a common mission of ending suffering with the Euthanasia Plan. It is only a moment, but Eren seems to have finally chosen a different path that does not involve mass slaughter, giving some credence to the twisted yet earnest ideology of Zeke. Zeke thinks that he has finally liberated Eren out of the clutches of their father and that it was Grisha who made him a weapon of hatred and violence.
This belief is broken when Eren comes out and tells the truth — Grisha was not the one who was pulling the strings. Eren was. In one of the most mindboggling plot twists and betrayals in recent anime, Eren reveals that he has already rigged the future, causing his father to murder the royal family and seize possession of the Founding Titan. The betrayal has grown to be not just between brothers, it splits time. Zeke understands that he was not in any way leading Eren but only observing the desire of a person who had decided on the path of destruction. The discovery makes it more of a betrayal, making it one of the most shocking and well-written plot twists of the last ten years.
2 The Eclipse
Berserk 2016
Several decades later, the betrayal by Griffith cannot be compared with anything less horrible. Although the initial reveal was shown long before the past decade, the current versions have returned to this scene and reminded fans over and over again of the horrific events that transpired here, reminding readers of why and what makes it one of the most devastating yet brilliantly written betrayals in any anime.
Griffith kills the Band of the Hawk, his closest to being the only family he had, his men, his friends, to fulfill his dream. The brutality and violence done to Guts and Casca are not onlyphysical, but also existential. In one instant, trust, love, and ambition are corrupted. The reason as to why this betrayal is unbearable is that it is by someone whom one could make oneself loyal to without a doubt, and turn dreams into instruments of cruelty.
1 The Titans Reveal
Attack on Titan
Reiner and Bertholdt's revelation was one of the few moments in anime history that completely annihilated trust. Instead of opening with dramatic context or explosive music, the scene develops almost casually, as though the truth itself is too heavy to properly announce. Bertholdt's confirmation that he is the Colossal Titan and Reiner's quiet admission that he is the Armored Titan immediately put everything in perspective. These weren't far-off adversaries lurking in the shadows; rather, they were allies who trained, battled, and endured hardships with Eren, acting as emotional support systems and protectors when the world was already collapsing.
In addition to being one of the most shocking and tragic human revelations of the decade, the story depicts betrayal as a consequence of war, brainwashing, and difficult choices rather than as hatred. The way AOT handles and writes each story arc feels like no one is in the wrong here. It's all about perspective. This may have been the most shocking and well-written betrayal in the eyes of fans and Eren, but to Reiner and Bertholdt, this was a path to redemption and freedom.
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