- Angst Aversion: The SHEER amount of trauma that Dillon goes through across can be wearying to read. The author acknowledges this in a note and admits its gotten annoying to write, noting they made the mistake of throwing too much trauma Dillon's way while trying to move through the plot without considering how it would affect the story.
- Arc Fatigue: Dillon's character arc of learning to live with himself and his girlfriend Annie, has been criticized for constantly being reset with every new trauma that gets piled on him. This is in addition to canon storylines taking much longer than necessary due to a slow update cycle. The plotline ends when Annie breaks up with him.
- Broken Base: The characterization of Levi and Zoe Hange, something the author fully expected to warrant an entry. Are they being unreasonable and irrational towards Dillon or are they reacting as any military official would in a tense situation? Muddling it is the fact that Levi seems to have a Jerkass Realization and gives the remaining members of the 104th a chance to leave after he's released from jail. Levi later admits that even if Dillon was an insubordinate idiot, he and Hange hold some responsibility for pushing him there.
- Jerkass Woobie: Dillon lashes out, is prone to self-pity, and makes poor decisions, but the amount of crap that life throws at him makes him rather pitiable. Even more when its revealed Ymir Fritz was subtly pushing him towards many of his reckless decisions.
- Paranoia Fuel: With his girlfriend being the Female Titan and his parents not being the people he thought they were, Dillon starts questioning everything. His speech to Mikasa when she goes to talk to him is just the right amount of disturbing.
"There are things about you I don't know, Mikasa. For all I know, the woman standing in front of me isn't the woman that really exists. A long con for a dark purpose. Hell, the same could be said for me. You don't know everything about me. I could be working with Annie to kill every single one of you, but perhaps unwillingly." taps head. "In here, a phrase that could bend me to the will of others. This life I live may not even be my life. A fabrication to hide the horrible truth that lurks within. And with my powers...So much I could do. Break bones without a single touch, busting capillaries with a glance, carving out every single memory at my whim. Perhaps it is better for you to kill me. You'd be a hero."
