Nile Dok

"It's not my place to think about that. All I do is carry out the job given to me."

- Nile Dok after being asked by Erwin Smith if handing Eren Yeager over will save humanity.

Nairu Dōku (ナイル・ドーク), often formally referred to as Commander Nile Dok (ナイル・ドーク師団長), is the Commander of the Military Police Brigade.

Appearance
Nile is a man of average height and build. He has short, thin, black hair that is cut shorter on the sides and back, and his eyes are dark in color. He also sports a very light mustache and goatee. He is always seen wearing the standard military uniform bearing the Military Police symbol, but also wears a red bolo tie similar to that of his fellow military commanders.

Personality
Nile prides himself on being a very rational individual. Whenever he is faced with a tough choice, he weighs all possible options and chooses the one that makes the most sense to him. He wanted to have Eren Yeager executed, but was not blind to his usefulness like Minister Nick was. He determined that the potential civil war within the Walls was too great a cost, especially considering the Survey Corps could not guarantee anything about Eren. However, he relented his position when Levi Ackerman brought up the fact that the Military Police would be ill equipped to deal with Eren in his Titan form. Nile is never totally committed to one way, and will change his opinion as the situation develops. A similar instance is when he questioned Erwin Smith due to him violating laws and command structure, but allowed his plan to go on since the Female Titan was already released and it would be very difficult to stop it without Erwin leading the Survey Corps.

However, with Nile's rational thinking comes a lack of empathy, or indifference. When told of Nick's murder and asked about why the Military Police wants Eren, he replied that he was just following orders and it is not his decision to make or question. Despite this, he violated orders and betrayed the King when he found their decision to doom half of humanity to be wrong. This shows that even though Nile strictly follows orders he does have a moral code. This code is apparently so strong that he was willing to risk his own life, since he certainly would have been executed for insubordination had the monarchy not been overthrown.

Nile has not been seen taking part in corruption within the Military Police. He does not seem to exercise a great deal of control over his branch of the military, since he admitted that the First Interior Squad is beyond his authority. He was also unaware of the First Interior Squad's anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment, and had such little knowledge of the branch that he feared they may use the equipment against himself. In his youth, he was good friends with Erwin and wanted to join the Survey Corps, but he gave up that aspiration to have a family with a woman named Marie. This decision sets him at odds with the idealistic Erwin who has no family due to the nature of his work, meanwhile, Nile believes his greatest achievement is his family.

History
Nile was a member of the same Training Corps as Erwin Smith, and the two were good friends. They agreed to join the Survey Corps together, but then Nile met a woman named Marie at the bar the group often frequented. Both men fell in love with her, but Nile ultimately chose to abandon his comrades to be with her. He enlisted in the Military Police Brigade, and started a family with Marie.

The Female Titan arc
Nile first appears as the leader of the Military Police during the trial of Eren Yeager. He advocates killing Eren due to the impending civil war, but he does analyze and weigh the different pros and cons of Eren before making his final decision. He recognizes that Eren's Titan powers had saved Trost District, but threaten the balance of power within human society. While mainly business and Wall Rose residents support Eren, most people of importance such as the clergy, view Eren as a danger. Thus, Nile concludes that to avoid civil war, Eren must not be allowed to live. Eren responds by calling him and his group a bunch of cowards, and Nile wants to have him killed; however, Levi interferes by beating Eren in front of everyone. Darius Zackly ultimately places Eren in the Survey Corps, and Nile is displeased that he lost the trial; however, he asks Erwin Smith how the Survey Corps intends to perform a mission to Wall Maria.

He later learns from Erwin Smith that Annie Leonhart is the Female Titan and that Wall Sheena has been breached. Going by his suspicions, Nile orders Marlowe Freudenberg, Hitch Dreyse, and the other members to assist the Survey Corps in capturing Annie.

Clash of the Titans arc
The meeting for Eren's judgment is put on hold when Erwin and Nile are ordered to attend a meeting to discuss the recent turn of events. However, the meeting is cut short when they learn that Wall Rose has been breached and Erwin rushes to investigate, while Nile sends members of the Military Police but does not go himself.

The Uprising arc
Nile meets up with Erwin when the latter is called to Mitras for a royal summons. However, he is not in the mood to reminisce over their days in the Training Corps together. Erwin asks if Nile is aware of Nick's murder by the Military Police's Interior First Squad and Nile admits that is he not. Their chains of command are different and he has no contact with them. Officially no one controls them. Nile is canny enough to realize that Erwin already knows this and that is probably not the reason for his visit, but when pressed as to whether handing over Eren would solve anything, Nile declines to answer. It is not his place to think about such things.

To Nile's irritation, Erwin inquires about Marie, Nile's wife, who is expecting their third child, and guides the conversation to their shared past. Nile met Marie at their favorite bar and ended up choosing her over joining the Survey Corps. He feels he betrayed his fellow soldiers by surviving this long, but he does not regret it because he is proud of the fact he has a family.

Erwin warns Nile that protecting his position and protecting his family may not be the same thing, which is enough to make Nile realize that Erwin is planning something.

In parting, Erwin confesses that he also had feelings for Marie. Nile is startled by the sudden confession, but admits he already knew that and thought Erwin was insane for choosing the Titans over her. As the carriage pulls away, his expression darkens as he considers Erwin's words.

Following the battle in Stohess between the Survey Corps and the First Interior Squad, Nile requests that the media not inform the public of too much information concerning the First Interior Squad. As he leaves, Nile reflects on the First Interior Squad's anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment, wondering if such weaponry will one day be used against him.

Nile next appears at the trial of Erwin Smith in the King's Throne Room. Erwin calls disbanding the Survey Corps a mistake by noting that they are a spear which eliminates threats, not a shield to hide behind. He goes on to say that if Wall Rose were breached there would be a civil war over the lack of resources in Wall Sheena. When a government official asks if the Survey Corps could prevent this, Erwin responds that they would be proactive and remaining on the defense will not solve anything. The government official understands that despite torture Erwin still believes in what he is saying, but notes that under Erwin's leadership Dimo Reeves was killed and recently Levi went on a killing spree of Military Police members. Given Levi's focus on action rather than diplomacy, the official declares that the Survey Corps does more harm than good. The monarchy asks Dot Pixis if he feels the same as Erwin to which he replies that he does not, but at the same time strongly believes that pushing humanity towards self-destruction is foolish. The monarchy tells Erwin he is finished and orders his captors to take him to the gallows. Nile appears worried at Erwin's fate, however just before he is taken away Anka Rheinberger, assistant to Pixis, bursts in. She loudly announces that Wall Rose has been breached by the Colossus Titan and Armored Titan, and that refugees are fleeing towards Wall Sheena. Nile is in disbelief as he exchanges glances with Erwin and has a flashback. Erwin, chained to the Wall after being tortured, is lectured by Nile. Nile told Erwin the irony that now he is lecturing Erwin, and the roles were reversed before. Nile informed Erwin that shortly he will be called to the King, who will no doubt announce his fate and disband the Survey Corps. Erwin asked Nile how his family was doing and where they were living. Nile replied that they are fine and living in Karanes District, although he did mention that he had not been home in a while. Erwin told Nile that he entrusted Pixis with a task, and that if the time comes, he would be watching Nile for his reaction. As Pixis tells the garrison to support the refugees Nile has his chance to make a decision. The official overrides Pixis' order and announces that all Wall Sheena gates are to be sealed, lest a civil war break out. Nile shockingly states that this will doom half of humanity and the civil war may not happen. The monarchy are not taking any chances and talk among themselves that they need only wait a few days for those guys to acquire that power. As the Military Police who are present look to Nile for clarification about orders, he declares his intention to rebel against this command. A soldier asks if he is betraying the King and he responds that if this is their choice, he is.

At that very moment, Commander-in-Chief Darius Zackly appears with a group of soldiers while telling Nile that he can count him in as well. The monarchy question his presence here and he announces that what Anka said was a fabrication, Wall Rose has not been breached. As the official demands an explanation, Pixis provides one. He reveals how he devised this plan with Erwin Smith that if the monarchy was unfit to lead it would be proof that they need to be overthrown. However, he would have confessed the plot and served them totally had they chosen the right option. Pixis tells them that despite the power of Titans and their origin being unknown, that is preferable to following the monarchy. Anka reveals that the First Interior Squad has been disbanded while the official shouts that the people and nobility are loyal to the monarchy, so this coup will not work. Zackly announces that it is no longer up to them, and hands Erwin a report from the Berg Newspapers. It speaks of the testimony of one Flegel Reeves, who reveals that the First Interior Squad killed his father and framed the Survey Corps. The report also unveils that the monarchy has been forcing the media to print propaganda, and that King Fritz is a puppet for a noble family who remains in seclusion. As the official shouts at the king for being a senile old man, Nile remarks that Erwin won his bet. Erwin tells Nile that despite that, humanity must now embark on a perilous road.

Nile is next seen speaking to a group of citizens about the military coup d'etat, explaining that the latter's true goal was not to impose military rule on the Walls. He claims that suspicion of the royal government on the people's part poses a great danger to humanity, and that the true royal family must reclaim their place on the throne if trust is to be restored. He encourages the people listening to ask questions, remarking that the people who had worked to suppress their free speech were now imprisoned. Internally, he realizes that he switched allegiances rather quickly. When the citizens reveal to him that these recent events have caused great doubt and a sense of uncertainty among them, he appears to visibly hesitate.

Return to Shiganshina arc
On the evening of the mission to retake Wall Maria, Nile Dok stands among the other Military leaders, saluting the Survey Corps farewell before their expedition to Shiganshina District.

As Armin Arlert explains his plan for victory against the Colossus Titan to Eren, Nile sits with the other military leaders drinking tea and worrying if the operation to retake Wall Maria and humanity's land will be successful.

While they wait for the return of the Survey Corps, Nile discusses with the military leaders a question Erwin proposed once. He claimed that Erwin asked how humanity was really sure that they were extinct outside the Walls, and that he said that so long as humanity could not walk around freely outside the Walls, it should not have been possible to determine that the rest of humanity was wiped out by the Titans. However, Nile went on to say that the textbooks claimed humanity had been wiped out like it was a fact, rather than saying that they were thought to be wiped out. Nile claimed that at the time, he laughed at Erwin's seemingly ridiculous notion and made fun of him. Looking back on the past, Nile now believes that Erwin had made a good point. Commander-in-Chief Zackly then says to Nile that his only option is to apologize to Erwin once he returns. Pixis then wonders aloud why the corps has not returned yet as it was nearing dawn. However, he is interrupted when Anka Rheinberger barges in the door and claims that the corps has returned to Wall Rose.

Relationships

 * Erwin Smith - Nile and Erwin were good friends in their youth, both of whom attended the same Training Corps. They both fell in love with the same woman, Marie, and Nile eventually chose not to join the Survey Corps in order to start a family with her. After the fall of Wall Maria, their relationship has been strained and Nile has forced himself to doubt Erwin and his intentions due to the reckless behavior of the Survey Corps, but the differences are eventually settled. Though not as close as they used to be, Nile and Erwin still talked occasionally. Later, Erwin revealed to Nile that he had been in love with Marie, as well.
 * Marie - The wife of Nile Dok and the mother of his three children. She met Erwin and Nile in a bar, but because Erwin chose to join the Survey Corps, she ended up eventually marrying Nile instead. Nile says his family is his greatest achievement, so protecting Marie and their children is his top priority.

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