Christa Lenz originates as an identity assumed by Historia Reiss after a traumatic childhood event. Born Historia Reiss, the illegitimate daughter of Rod Reiss, head of the Walls' true royal family, she endured severe neglect and emotional abuse. Raised in isolation on a Reiss farm, Historia received little attention from her mother, Alma, who openly regretted her birth and violently rejected Historia's single attempt at physical affection. Her only positive experiences stemmed from secret visits by her half-sister, Frieda Reiss, who taught her to read and encouraged kindness—memories later erased by Frieda using the Founding Titan's power. Ostracized by neighborhood children who threw rocks, Historia internalized a belief that her existence was a mistake and burden. Following Wall Maria's fall, Rod Reiss attempted to bring Historia and Alma into the Reiss household. Soldiers of the First Interior Squad, led by Kenny Ackermann, intercepted them to eliminate perceived threats to the family's honor. Alma was murdered after desperately denying Historia was her daughter, her final words expressing hatred for Historia's existence. To save Historia's life, Rod negotiated her erasure: she renounced her name and heritage, adopting the new identity "Christa Lenz" and enlisting in the military with the expectation she would die in service. The name "Christa" derived from a storybook heroine Frieda had read about, symbolizing the ideal of kindness Historia felt compelled to embody. Enlisting in the 104th Cadet Corps under this false identity, Christa Lenz cultivated a persona defined by extreme kindness, selflessness, and gentleness. This facade earned her peer admiration as angelic or goddess-like. However, this behavior stemmed from a pathological need for validation and a desire for an honorable death to erase the shame of her existence and ensure fond remembrance. During a snowstorm training exercise, she attempted to rescue the unconscious cadet Daz, fully aware it would likely kill her. Ymir, another cadet who recognized her true identity and motivations, intervened, saving Daz and forcing Christa to confront her self-destructive tendencies. Ymir extracted a promise that Historia would reclaim her true name when possible. Christa graduated ranked 10th, a position Ymir deliberately manipulated to secure Christa safer duty in the Military Police Brigade. Christa's facade fractured after Ymir left with Reiner and Bertholdt to protect her. Abandoned and disillusioned, Christa descended into apathy and emotional numbness. She openly acknowledged the disconnect between her "Christa" persona—a kind, caring figure—and her real self, "Historia," whom she described as fundamentally empty and devoid of inherent identity. Though Eren Yeager observed she seemed more genuine and "less creepy," she remained lost and directionless. Her trajectory shifted during the Survey Corps' coup d'état. Forced to confront her heritage and her father's machinations—which involved manipulating her into consuming Eren Yeager to inherit the Founding Titan—Historia actively rejected both the "Christa" persona and her father's expectations. She defied Rod, declaring her own worth and choosing to fight for her friends and herself. This culminated in her delivering the killing blow to Rod after his transformation into a massive Titan. Embracing her true name and lineage, Historia was crowned Queen of the Walls. As queen, Historia forged an identity distinct from the fabricated "Christa" and the broken "Historia" of her past. She demonstrated assertiveness and agency, seizing land from corrupt nobles to fund social initiatives. Her defining act was establishing an orphanage where she actively participated in caring for children, symbolizing her rejection of a life defined by neglect and her commitment to creating genuine connections. She later became pregnant.