Djel Sannes (Anime)

"I have the King, I...I believe in the King and peace in the Walls. That all the things we've done were justified...But...To think it hurts this much...Go on and torture me to death already. That's all I ever did with this blood-stained life of mine."

- Sannes on his life

Djel Sannes (ジェル・サネス) is a former member of the Military Police Regiment and was a part of the Interior Police.

Appearance
Sannes is a tall man with a short crop of dark-colored hair and brown eyes. He is usually wearing the Military Police uniform but after his imprisonment, he wears typical jail attire.

Personality
Sannes is an individual who holds a strong sense of loyalty to the king and keeping the security of the Walls, to the point of adhering to the murder and torture of others regardless of who they are to maintain peace. Like most Military Policemen, he looks down upon those from the Scout Regiment, regarding them as useless goons who never get things done, unlike valuable soldiers such as himself. However, he has shown a degree of carelessness and did not take much caution when disposing of people viewed as threats, as seen when he revealed how he was aware of Nick's status in the Order of the Walls and how his valuables would be a motive for murder-robbery when the Pastor's identity was concealed as a chair craftsman without a single piece of luggage, Sannes also left signs of torture on Nick's body and evidence of torn skin on his own knuckles.

In spite of that, even when held captive and tortured, he refused to tell his abductors his knowledge about the Reiss family. He believes that humanity was able to come this far in peace and without war was due to the efforts and sacrifices of the First Interior Squad, who would quickly murder these threats, and how people should be grateful towards their actions. It is later revealed, however, that Sannes has feelings of guilt and regret for his own actions of the past as Levi and Hange continue to torture him, crying to them that they should have fun and continue to hurt him without holding back, finally coming to realize just how much pain he inflicted on others during his life, asking to be tortured to death as compensation.

History
Djel Sannes joined the Military Police out of an extreme sense of loyalty and desire to serve the king. As part of the First Interior Squad, one of Sannes' main jobs was to discretely dispose of any citizens who threatened the government's reign inside the Walls.

When a young boy began talking to his friends about his father's theories that the royal government had forcibly removed humanity's memories of the outside world in order to more easily control them, Sannes apprehended the boy's father and killed him.

Sannes later met the serial killer Kenny Ackermann while attending a speech that King Uri Reiss was giving to the Order of the Walls. Kenny attempted to apologize for killing a large amount of Sannes' comrades during his time as a killer, but Sannes was unconcerned as long as the man was now loyal to the king.

The Fall of Shiganshina arc
Sannes is among the Military Police members who accompany Kenny Ackermann to kill Rod Reiss's mistress and his illegitimate daughter. Although they kill Alma, Rod convinces them to spare Historia by giving her an alias to live under.

Royal Government arc
After receiving word that Pastor Nick from the Order of the Walls has divulged valuable secrets to the Scout Regiment, Sannes and Ralph are ordered to find out how much he told. Visiting the man, the two savagely beat and torture Nick. Despite their best efforts Nick refuses to talk and eventually dies without saying anything.

Sannes and Ralph cover up the torture by claiming that Nick was killed during a burglary gone wrong. When Nick's friend Hange Zoë attempts to investigate, Sannes refuses to allow them entry, claiming they will interfere with the crime scene. As Hange persists, Sannes forcefully grabs Hange's jacket to inspect which unit they came from, but is held back by Moblit, who properly introduces Hange and himself. Hange notes that it is odd that the First Interior Squad is investigating the crime and Sannes simply insults Hange before claiming that cases like Nick's are not a rarity.

Sannes later attends an audience with various nobles and King Fritz, who are dissatisfied with him for failing to get any information from Nick. He volunteers to continue searching for more information but Lord Reiss tells him that it will not be necessary.

Sannes and Ralph receive word that the merchant Dimo Reeves knows the location of Levi Ackermann and his squad. However, upon arriving they are swiftly taken captive by Levi's squad. Not bothering to ask him any questions, Levi immediately begins torturing Sannes until Hange and Moblit arrive to help. Sannes points out that they have yet to ask him any questions, but upon hearing what they want to know he refuses to talk.

After another round of torture, Hange shows Sannes all his pulled off nails and apologizes for not being as skilled as him, wondering aloud how many people had to torture to get so good at it. Sannes admits that the number is higher than he would like, but insists that what he did was necessary to maintain peace within the Walls. Although he claims to still be loyal to the king, Sannes asks to kill him for putting others through the pain that they are causing him.

The three torturers take a break, and Sannes is left alone. He soon hears Ralph's voice outside of his cell, and is shocked to learn that Ralph has apparently cracked from his torture, and revealed everything to their captives. Shortly after, his torturers return and a broken Sannes readily reveals to them that the Reiss family is the true royal family.

He is later put in the same cell as Ralph where he tries to strangle him for betraying the king, Hange reveals that Ralph did not talk. He was used as a means to trick Sannes into revealing everything. Hange berates Sannes for what he did before leaving. As Hange leaves, Sannes wishes them good luck and warns Hange that one day there will be someone to take on their role again.

After Rod Reiss is finally defeated and Historia Reiss is crowned as the queen, Sannes is seen inside of a prison. His wounds have healed and he has a relaxed look on his face.

War for Paradis arc
When members of the Scout Regiment begin acting on their own to undermine the military, Hange is reminded of Sannes's warning that there will always be people to perform the government's role, and to play the mutineers' role.

Relationships

 * Ralph - Sannes' companion and friend, the pair was almost always seen together and appeared to be close. When Sannes was captured he trusted that Ralph and his companions would continue on with their tasks and bring down the Scout Regiment after his death, showing concern and fear for his friend when he found it he had been captured as well. Sannes was very upset to hear his companion, blatantly insulting him about being a pain, not caring about his injured condition and asking for him to be killed, never fully realizing that was possibly never Ralph's true feelings, as he was being forced to read from a script. Upon meeting him again, Sannes attempts to choke Ralph, however, he soon learns that Ralph was forced to read from a script and it was only Sannes who revealed all the secrets to the Scout Regiment.
 * Kenny Ackermann - Despite the fact that they were very close to the king, the only seen interaction between them was during their first encounter, during a speech given by Uri to the Church of the Walls. Kenny sarcastically apologized to Sannes for the members of the Military Police he murdered in the past, though Sannes did not seem to hold a grudge against him; and even admired the fact that Uri made him his bodyguard despite that. Kenny noticed Sannes' infatuation with the king, and Sannes also observed that Kenny was very attached to him too. Kenny remembered Sannes during his last moments, when he thought of him and his devotion to the king as one of the reasons people live for.

People killed

 * Mr. Smith
 * Nick

Trivia

 * He and Mr. Rall share the same Japanese voice actor.

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Djel Sannes (Anime)