Dot Pyxis (Anime)

"If we humans go extinct, it won't be because we were eaten by Titans! It'll be because we killed ourselves off! We cannot afford to die any further inside. I kindly ask of you! Please die here!"

- Pyxis motivates the soldiers

Dot Pyxis (ドット・ピクシス) is the Garrison Regiment's top officer of the southern territory (南側領土最高責任者), which includes Trost District. He is often simply addressed as "commander" (司令). In matters of defense, he is given full authority.

Appearance
Pyxis is a bald man with a structured build. He has gold eyes and a distinguished mustache, with light skin and notable wrinkles under and around his eyes. As a commander, he also wears a purple bolo tie, much like his fellow commanders Erwin Smith and Nile Dawk. As the highest ranking Garrison officer, he is only seen wearing his Garrison uniform paired with a white button-up shirt and a red sash with gold trim.

Personality
Pyxis is an eccentric man. While observing Titans breaching Wall Rose, he said he would not mind being eaten by a Titan if "it happened to be a stunning beauty." He retains a calm, and light-hearted demeanor, even in the midst of chaos, and he understands the strife and suffering of others, as he is seen allowing soldiers who wanted to leave because he understands the extreme amounts of terror and fear in those soldiers. Yet, Pyxis is an effective leader, as seen when he quiets all the soldiers attempting mutiny and successfully convinces them to continue fighting to retake Trost. He is an expert strategist and is able to gauge a situation carefully, but also knows when to take risks, which lead to his decision to trust Eren Jaeger to stop the breach. However, he stated himself that he is a sore loser, and along with this, he says that the idea of giving up to the Titans makes him sick, representing his determination to attempt to defeat the Titans and save humanity. He is a man who makes smart choices, putting Ian Dietrich in charge of the elite squads protecting Eren proved to be a wise move as Rico Brzenska and Mitabi Jarnach both called that they should give up on the operation, which Ian denied, that eventually led to being a success.

A Sudden Visitor: The Torturous Curse of Adolescence
When the 104th Cadet Corps participates in a mock defense of Trost District, Pyxis is given charge over them, but would frequently doze off during their training.

Afterward, Pyxis comes across three cadets, Jean Kirschtein, Sasha Braus, and Conny Springer, fighting with each other. Insisting that they should not use their training as an excuse to one-up each other, Pyxis suggests that they settle their differences via a cooking competition, which he will judge.

Once Jean and Sasha have prepared their dishes, Pyxis tastes Sasha's dish first, a slab of meat. He is so impressed by the taste, that he momentarily experiences a hallucination in which he fights off numerous Titans, before growing to the size of a Titan himself, at which point he is confronted by a number of cadets who are able to transform themselves into Titans. He next tastes Jean's dish which, to everyone's surprise, is a simple omelet. Even more surprising, he crowns Jean the victor, explaining to an enraged Sasha that she lost because she relied on meat alone.

The Struggle for Trost arc
While playing chess with Lord Wald, a soldier brings Pyxis news that Wall Rose has been breached, and that Titans are invading Trost. Pyxis decides to head over to the scene, calmly refusing the noble's request to stay and protect his property.

After it is discovered that Eren Jaeger can transform into a Titan, Eren is sentenced to death. Pyxis, however, happens to be nearby when Armin Arlelt gives a passionate speech in defense of his friend, vouching for the strategic and tactical benefits that he could bring to turn the tide of the battle. The Garrison captain in charge, Kitz Woermann, is not swayed, but as he is about to give the kill order, Dot Pyxis stops him, believing Armin's words.

Pyxis brings the three soldiers on top of Wall Rose and clears up the matter of Eren's transformation by saying he will see the proof in Eren's basement. He questions Armin about his plan to use Eren's Titan form to seal the hole in Wall Rose and is so encouraged he decides to use it. He calls up his staff officers to begin planning for the assault. However, the Garrison, already extremely low on manpower and morale after the evacuation, is in no condition to fight again and many soldiers attempt to mutiny in order to spend the little time they have left with their families. In order to give the soldiers hope, he introduces Eren as being a part of a secret government experiment to turn humans into Titans to fight them on equal footing. Unsurprisingly, Pyxis is not taken seriously and soldiers turn to leave, some even fighting each other. Finally, he gives an order to pardon all deserters, which shocks higher ranking soldiers. However, he states that by leaving, they will put their families at risk and expose them to the same terror that has paralyzed themselves. This argument convinces the soldiers to reassemble their ranks and begin the operation. Pyxis assembles an elite squad, placing Ian Dietrich in charge. He gives the elite squad the orders to protect Eren Jaeger, whilst acting at their own discretion.

Pyxis reflects on the troops he had sacrificed by authorizing the operation to retake Trost District. He admits he would gladly be remembered as a murderer for the sake of mankind's survival. He continues to oversee the operation, ordering his men to continue luring the Titans to the corner of town, and keeps this stance even once the elite squad meet difficulty. Pyxis' operation ends in success, and mankind's first victory over the Titans, with the gate to Trost being successfully plugged. Pyxis then deploys reinforcements to rescue the elite troops.

Eve of the Counterattack arc
Pyxis later meets Commander Erwin Smith atop the Wall, and the two speak about the trial to be held to decide Eren's fate. Pyxis informs Erwin that the outcome of the trial will be decided by Dhalis Zachary, depending on if Eren is beneficial or not to mankind. Later, Pyxis attends the trial. When questioned by Dhalis Zachary, he informs the courtroom that it is impossible to launch an expedition from Trost.

Clash of the Titans arc
Pyxis receives word from a member of the Garrison that Wall Rose has been breached. The next day, he is found sleeping atop the Wall in Trost, until his aide, Anka Rheinberger, awakens him with a slap. He is scolded for drinking too much alcohol, and told that she does not want to care for him by changing his nappy. Anka reports the lack of Titans spotted within Wall Rose and he surmises from this that the Wall has not been breached. Erwin Smith arrives shortly and Pyxis congratulates him for capturing the Female Titan. He also hopes that the invasion of Wall Rose will convince the nobles in the interior to reconsider their motives.

Shortly thereafter, one of his soldiers reports in, confirming that Wall Rose is still intact. Pyxis is informed that three Scout Regiment recruits from the 104th Cadet Corps are Titans. The Garrison's advance squad witnessed a fight break out on top of Wall Rose between the Scouts and the Armored and Colossal Titans, but the fight was over by the time they were able to help.

Following the rescue of Eren Jaeger, Pyxis meets with Levi and Erwin at the latter's bedside, since Erwin lost an arm in the battle. Hange Zoë reports in along with Conny Springer regarding their findings at Ragako Village. Pyxis asks if that is the village the Titan invasion originated from and Hange confirms it. She has a hypothesis that the villagers and the Titans are the same.

The Uprising arc
Pyxis receives a letter from Erwin, informing him that he plans to orchestrate a rebellion against the royal government. Pyxis visits Erwin immediately to confirm Erwin's intentions. Erwin reassures Pyxis that, depending on whether his suspicions are correct, they will be able to take power peaceably, rather than by force. As he waits for confirmation of his theory, Erwin tells Pyxis the story of how his father died.

As Erwin finishes his story, Hange and Moblit arrive with information that the Reiss family is the true royal family, and that Historia is the next in line for the throne. Erwin explains to Pyxis that he plans on rescuing her, and then publicly installing her as Queen in order to force a regime change. Sufficiently pleased with Erwin's plan for a bloodless coup, Pyxis agrees to support it and departs.

Pyxis soon devises a plan to determine whether or not to execute the coup. He decides to test whether or not the current government is worthy to continue operating, by faking an announcement that Wall Rose has been breached during Erwin's trial. If the government officials elect to allow refugees into Wall Sina for shelter, despite the food shortages that would be caused, then he will turn himself, and all of his accomplices, over to them for judgement. If the idea of civil war and the endangering of their own livelihoods leads them to turn away the refugees however, the military will know that they are unfit to lead and must be replaced.

Pyxis is among the military commanders that attend Erwin's trial. When asked for his input during the trial, Pyxis claims that he does not want to be associated with the Scouts, preferring to avoid the human vs. human conflicts that the Scouts are seemingly instigating. After hearing Pyxis's input, the nobles confer and announce that Erwin will be executed for treason.

On the heals of the sentencing, Anka arrives and announces that Wall Rose has been breached. Pyxis begins to give evacuation orders for the refugees but is stopped when the capital officials decree that no refugees will be allowed to enter Wall Sina. Satisfied with their reactions, Pyxis discreetly sends Anka to fetch Premier Dhalis Zachary and his soldiers. Zachary arrives shortly, revealing that the breach of Wall Rose was a ruse, and Pyxis announces everyone's role in rooting out the corruption present within the royal government. Erwin is then released and the officials are then taken into custody for valuing their wealth over the lives of the people.

The nobles do not bother trying to keep any secrets, freely telling everything they know to the military, including the information that the Reiss family has the power to alter the populace's memories, which will allow them to take back rule from the military. Upon learning of this, Pyxis informs Erwin, telling him that unless they recover Eren before he is devoured, Rod Reiss will be able to completely undo all of their work. Pyxis unhappily states that he, unlike Erwin, is not a fan of gambling, and only backed the coup because he felt it was in humanity's best interests. Had the government proved him wrong, and put mankind's survival first, he would have been prepared to stand with them and fight off Zachary's troops. As he leaves, Pyxis solemnly wonders when humans will stop fighting against each other.

Trivia

 * The name "Pyxis" may refer to the constellation "Pyxis Nautica" - Latin for "The Naval Compass."
 * In 2010, Isayama posted a blog post admitting that Dot Pyxis was modeled after, a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, to whom Isayama said: "I respect for leading such a simple and frugal life." This brought a large controversy and even death threats against the mangaka that lasted for years (and may still continue to this day) from sectors of the population where Yoshifuru is deeply hated.
 * In an issue of Bessatsu Magazine, Isayama revealed that Pyxis is married and has children.

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Dot Pixis (Anime)