You’re wandering through the Carja Sundom, minding your own business, and you stumble upon a pile of bandit corpses. Then you see him. Lean, oddly calm, and covered in intricate red tattoos that look like they were painted with a heavy hand. Nil isn't your average NPC. In a world like Horizon Zero Dawn, where most people are just trying to survive the next Thunderjaw attack or find their lost sister, Nil is an anomaly. He’s a guy who actually enjoys the apocalypse. Honestly, he’s probably the only person in the entire game who seems truly relaxed.
Most players treat Nil as a side-quest delivery system. You meet him, you clear a Bandit Camp together, he says something vaguely poetic about blood, and you move on. But there is so much more going on with the Horizon Zero Dawn Nil dynamic than a simple "kill the bad guys" loop. He represents a dark mirror to Aloy’s own journey. While Aloy kills out of necessity or to protect the innocent, Nil kills because it’s the only time he feels alive. It’s a bit messed up, right? But in the context of a world that ended once already, his perspective starts to make a weird kind of sense.
The Soldier Who Never Came Home
To understand Nil, you have to look at his history with the Carja military. He didn't just wake up one day and decide to become a serial killer of bandits. He was a soldier during the Red Raids. That was a brutal, ugly time in the lore of Horizon Zero Dawn. Under the Mad Sun-King Jiran, the Carja were basically tearing the world apart, sacrificing people from other tribes to appease the sun. Nil was right in the middle of that meat grinder.
He served in the military, specifically in a unit that saw some of the worst action. Most soldiers came out of the Red Raids traumatized or seeking redemption—like Avad or Erend. Nil? He just realized he was really, really good at it. He found a purpose in the chaos. When the war ended and the new Sun-King called for peace, Nil didn't know what to do with himself. You can't just go back to farming or trading when your hands are stained that deep. So, he turned his "talents" toward bandits.
It’s a clever bit of writing by Guerrilla Games. By making his targets "bad people," the game gives you a reason to hang out with him. If he were just killing random villagers, he’d be a boss fight. Instead, he’s a companion. He lives in that grey area where justice meets psychopathy.
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Why Nil and Aloy’s Relationship is So Weirdly Compelling
Aloy is a pragmatist. She’s focused on the "Big Picture"—the machines, the Blight, HADES, the literal end of the world. Nil is the opposite. He is hyper-focused on the present moment. He often talks about the "clarity" of combat. To him, every bandit camp is a conversation. He even calls the bandits "tenants" and the camps "properties" he’s helping to vacate. It’s dark humor, but it’s also how he justifies his existence.
Their banter is some of the best in the game. You've probably noticed how Aloy reacts to him with a mix of disgust and fascination. She doesn't like him. She tells him he’s disturbed. But she also doesn't stop him. Why? Because she needs him. In the harsh reality of the Sundom, a man who is willing to do the dirty work of clearing out cutthroats is an asset.
- Nil sees Aloy as a kindred spirit, even if she denies it.
- He constantly tries to get her to admit that she enjoys the kill.
- Aloy maintains a moral distance, but her actions (clearing camps) align with his desires.
This creates a tension that most other RPG companions lack. Usually, your friends in games are there to cheer you on. Nil is there to hold up a mirror and ask, "Are we really that different?"
The Choice at Spearshaft Point: To Kill or Not to Kill?
This is the big one. After you’ve cleared all the bandit camps in the base game, Nil invites you to a final meeting at Spearshaft Point. No more bandits. No more machines. Just a duel to the death.
This is where many players get stuck. Should you kill Nil?
If you choose to fight him, it’s an honorable duel. He dies happy, finally finding the "ultimate" challenge he’s been looking for. If you spare him, he’s disappointed. He walks away, essentially telling you that you’ve ruined his day. But here’s the kicker: if you let him live, he actually shows up later. He joins the fight at the Spire during the final battle against the Eclipse.
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Seeing Nil show up to help defend Meridian is one of those "holy crap" moments. He isn't there for the politics or to save the world. He’s there because there are thousands of people to kill and he doesn't want to miss the party. It’s incredibly consistent for his character.
What Happens if You Fight Him?
If you decide to engage in the duel, you get a short, sharp boss fight. Nil is fast, and he uses his bow with the same precision he’s displayed throughout the game. Once he's defeated, there's a brief moment of dialogue where he thanks you. He’s at peace. You don't get any legendary loot or a secret trophy for this. You just get the closure of his character arc.
What Happens if You Walk Away?
Walking away is the "canon" choice if you want the "All Allies Joined" trophy (though Nil isn't technically required for the achievement, his presence adds a lot of flavor). He stays in the world, and his story continues into the final act. Most players recommend sparing him just for the extra dialogue during the endgame. It feels more "Aloy" to refuse to give him the bloodbath he wants.
Nil’s Philosophical Nihilism
There’s a reason his name is Nil. It literally means "nothing" or "zero." It’s a nod to his nihilistic worldview. He doesn't believe in the Sun-King’s divinity. He doesn't care about the Old Ones. He doesn't care about the future. To Nil, the world is a series of moments that are either boring or bloody.
He’s a reminder that not everyone in the post-apocalypse is going to be a hero or a villain in the traditional sense. Some people are just broken. The collapse of civilization didn't just break the machines; it broke the human psyche. Nil is a byproduct of a world that has been in a state of constant, low-level warfare for generations.
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Common Misconceptions About Nil
A lot of people think Nil is a member of the Shadow Carja. He isn't. He hates them as much as anyone else, mostly because they're organized and boring. Others think he’s a "secret" villain. He’s not that either. He never betrays Aloy. He is remarkably honest about who he is from the very first second you meet him.
Another big misconception is that his questline is mandatory. You can actually play the entire game without ever speaking to him. You can clear every bandit camp solo. But if you do that, you miss out on the most unique voice in the game. He provides a perspective that balances out the somewhat "chosen one" vibes of Aloy’s main story.
How to Maximize Your Time with Nil
If you’re starting a new playthrough or jumping into Horizon Zero Dawn for the first time on PC or PS5, here’s how to handle Nil properly.
- Find him early: He first appears near the Devil's Thirst Bandit Camp. Don't skip the dialogue.
- Clear the camps together: While you can do them alone, having him there provides unique combat barks and post-mission conversations that flesh out the Carja history.
- Listen to his "poetry": Nil has a very specific way of speaking. It’s almost Victorian in its formality, which contrasts wildly with the fact that he’s talking about decapitation.
- Save the duel for last: Don't rush to Spearshaft Point. Finish everything else first so the decision feels weightier.
The Actionable Takeaway for Players
Nil is a masterclass in NPC design because he challenges the player's morality without forcing a "Good/Evil" meter on you. When you interact with him, don't just mash the skip button. Look at the way he’s framed in the shots. Notice how he never looks at the machines—only at the people.
Next Steps for your Playthrough:
- Check your map: If you’ve missed a bandit camp, Nil might be waiting nearby. He usually hangs out on the outskirts of the camp markers.
- Go for the "All Allies" run: Even if you find him creepy, keep him alive until the Battle of Alight. His dialogue with the other defenders is gold.
- Observe the contrast: Compare Nil to Rost. Both are outcasts, both are killers, but their motivations are light-years apart. It shows the range of human experience Guerrilla built into this world.
Nil might be a "monster" by our standards, but in the world of the 31st century, he's just a man who found a way to be happy. Even if that happiness is found at the end of an arrow.