Nick (Anime)

"Hold your tongue, you miscreant! You would suggest that humans meddle with Wall Rose, a gift from God?!"

- Pastor Nick arguing with a merchant

Nick (ニック), often formally referred to as Pastor Nick (ニック司祭), was a high standing, devoted member of the Order of the Walls, a religion that worships the Walls and considers them to be holy.

Appearance
Nick was a very tall and older looking man with noticeable wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes, which have dark circles over them despite an overall pale tone to the rest of his skin. His hair was high up on his head and is parted to the left, with the sides and back being much shorter. He wore a black cassock with three golden colored bands near the top that has the symbols of the Walls, or three goddesses or saints, on them.

Personality
Nick could be characterized by one word: extreme. Any attempt to interfere with the Walls is a sin and considered the worst kind of offense in his mind. He never hesitated to make his opinion known and was extremely quick to condemn anyone who disagreed with him. This is proven true at the trial of Eren Jaeger, where he loudly called for his execution and publicly argued with a merchant who suggested sealing the Walls. Any viewpoint besides his is considered horribly wrong.

So great is his devotion to keeping the Wall Titans a secret, even the threat of death did not sway him.

History
As a religious leader, Nick used his influence to oppose any modification of the Walls, be it permanently sealing the gates or even mounting cannons on the top. Though he claimed it was blasphemy for humans to "maim" the Wall, the real reason was to reduce the risk of workers discovering the Titans within during renovations.

The Fall of Shiganshina arc
Nick is seen preaching in the streets of Shiganshina District shortly before the first appearance of the Colossal Titan.

Eve of the Counterattack arc
Nick attends Eren Jaeger's military trial. He and Nile Dawk advocate for Eren's execution because of the danger his power poses. During the trial, a merchant suggests permanently sealing Wall Rose to stave off another Titan attack, enraging Nick. Calling the man a heretic, Nick argues that the Walls should not be altered, growing so intense in his argument that Dhalis Zachary is forced to silence him.

Assault on Stohess arc
He is later seen preaching in a church in Stohess District about the sanctity of the Walls when Eren's Attack Titan punches Annie's Female Titan into the building, killing everyone inside except for Nick. Dread fills him as he notices that the two Titans are gradually making their way towards Wall Sina, realizing that their fight could potentially damage the Wall.

Clash of the Titans arc
After Annie breaks a portion of Wall Sina and exposes a Titan within, Nick pleads that it be covered up immediately to prevent sunlight from awakening it. Realizing that Nick knew the truth about the Titans within the Walls the entire time, Hange Zoë threatens him in an attempt to get him to reveal more, but he refuses. Hange threatens to throw him off the Wall, but he responds by claiming to be a sinner and that it is his duty to not divulge secrets.

Nick is forced at gunpoint to travel with Levi and Hange to Ehrmich District. After arriving in Ehrmich, Nick is horrified by the sight of the hundreds of refugees fleeing from Wall Rose. Nick tries to avert his gaze but Levi forces him to watch and accept the reality of his decision to withhold information. Nick meets with Hange and tells them that, although he is not at liberty to disclose everything he knows, he can point them to a member of the Scout Regiment who can tell more: Christa Lenz.

Royal Government arc
Nick is given a room in Trost's military barracks to stay in. In the middle of the night, he is visited by two members of the Military Police's First Interior Squad. Fearing that Nick might have given away capital secrets to the Scout Regiment, the two policemen were dispatched by the royal government to find out what, if anything, Nick had said and then dispose of him.

Although he is brutally tortured, Nick refuses to say anything, and the two men eventually kill him. To cover up their deed, they declare the area a crime scene, claiming that Nick was killed during a burglary gone wrong.

Trivia

 * Nick and Armin's grandfather share the same English voice actor.
 * Nick is a common diminutive of the Greek name Nicholas, meaning "people of victory".

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Pastor Nick (Anime)