Deconstructing Griffith

Birth of a Dream
“There were days when I had not even a slice of bread to eat. But now I can even talk like this to you, the
Princess of a whole kingdom.” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 6

Griffith was born into poverty. I can only assume he was an orphan, because unlike other character
backstories, no parental figures are mentioned. Even the noonday sun could not reach his eyes past the
cramped buildings of this seedy part of town. The brightest thing he knew was light reflecting off the castle
that towered overhead atop a steep cliff.

“I made up my mind. The junk* I would get for myself would be that thing.” Griffith, Vol. 10 Ch. 2

Yes, though he humored his friends by playing war on the streets for cheap trinkets, Griffith had much
bigger plans. He was too proud to tolerate being looked down upon, and too stubborn to let societal
limitations hold him back. He knew he was born different, better, stronger than the masses who submit to
the laws of man and are content to simply live another day. He was determined to rise above them and forge
a life worthy of him. “I will get my own kingdom.” Griffith aimed for the castle.

“In life, unrelated to one's social standing or class as determined by man, there are some people who, by
nature, are keys that set the world in motion. They are the true elite, as dictated by the golden rule of the
universe. That's what I want to know!! What is my place in the world? Who am I? What am I capable of?
What am I destine for?” Griffith, Vol. 3 Ch. 3

What do you get when you try to squeeze the spirit of a great man into the body of a peasant? Perhaps it was
a spirit too great to be contained in any human body, for that matter. Griffith was larger than life. He had the
looks, the brains, the charisma, and most importantly the will to get anything he wanted. He was a visionary
who saw past his social standing and aspired to rule a nation. And he was right, the universe did have great
things in store for him, for he was destined to become the fifth and last member of the God Hand.

The Hand of God

“In this world, is the destiny of mankind controlled by some transcendental entity or Law? Is it like the hand
of God hovering above? At least it is true, man has no control, even over his own will.” Narrator, Vol. 5 Ch.
3

You see, there’s something you have to understand about the Berserk universe. The Law of Causality
controls all, fate is absolute, and God is no different from the Devil. Indeed, the only God-figures we have to
go on are the God Hand: a quintet of souls who have forsaken their humanity to become Demon Lords. But
these are not the true God of Berserk. The true God was revealed in a lost chapter of the manga (removed
because it told too much too soon), and is called The Idea of Evil (the God, not the chapter). Born from “the
darkness that dwells in every human heart” because “they wanted reasons for the destiny that kept
transcending their knowledge,” it is “an ocean of feelings all humans have deep in their souls, a common
consciousness that transcends individuality” and controls fate.[2] Yes, folks, this is the foundation of the
Berserk universe. Cheerful, isn’t it? Yet not as farfetched as you might think! After all, many of our own
religions arose from the need to explain the suffering in the world.

“The leaping of one fish would never disturb the flow of the river.” Slan, Vol. 13 Ch. 8

Fate in Berserk can be thought of as a river, and Slan here likens a person fighting the natural flow of
destiny to a jumping fish. It might briefly escape the current, but it cannot change it, and inevitably plunges
back in. Technically, I can end my analysis of Griffith right here: he literally had no choice. But what fun
would that be? Moving on...

“The Behelit. Also called the Egg of the King. You see, it's said that whoever possesses this is destined to
obtain the world in exchange for his own flesh and blood.” Griffith, Vol. 5 Ch. 2

Several questions might be popping up in your head right now, such as "what is a Behelit?" and "why is
Griffith naked?" The first is easy enough to answer. The second? Well, that is one of the many tantalizing
mysteries of Berserk! Anyway, the Crimson Behelit was a very special, very evil artifact that surfaced once
every 216 years to mark the birth of a new God Hand member. It allowed its bearer to trade that which is
dearest in their heart for the realization of their dreams. Griffith bought it from an old gypsy woman when he
was little. He didn’t know what it was or how it worked, but thought of it as a good luck charm that helped
him focus on his goals. He carried it with him always, and it saved his life on numerous occasions. This
gave him further confidence to push for his dream.

Band of the Hawk

“It was as if the image of some Saint adorning the wall of my village church had just come to life. He was
awe-inspiring... an otherworldly spectacle..” Caska, Vol. 6 Ch. 10

To call Griffith charismatic is an understatement. He shone with a supernatural aura that beguiled men and
women, Kings and Princesses alike. He was very beautiful, and he certainly knew how to use his physical
assets to his advantage, but it went beyond than that. He was nothing short of a savior to his men and
inspired worship.

“All of us are here because of his charisma.” Judeau, Vol. 5 Ch. 2

Griffith’s spirit was a beacon to all the lesser beings fumbling in the dark, and they were drawn to him like
moths to a flame. It did not take him long to amass a crowd of loyal followers. They started out as thieves to
raise war funds, but quickly progressed to mercenaries, and later to a full-fledged army. These were the
Band of the Hawk, and Griffith was the White Hawk himself. His skill with the sword was outdone only by
the vastness of his tactical intellect. Though the Hawks were average in their own right, under Griffith’s
command they transformed into an invincible force nicknamed the Grim Reapers of the Battlefield for their
flawless strategy. But that was not their only way they differed from other armies.

“While we do spend every blood-filled day killing and being killed, it's strange, but we can also cry, laugh,
get angry, whatever.” Judeau, Vol. 5 Ch. 2

The Hawks were very human. Despite the fact that they came from all walks of life, and many different
backgrounds, they remained a family of good friends that cared about one another. More than anything, they
were bound by a shared belief in Griffith’s dream and the promise of a better life.

“Does being born of the nobility mean that you're chosen by God?” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 10
Griffith stood for equality. Although his crusade was his own, he served as a living example that if you want
something badly enough, you can be delivered from social injustice. Griffith did not discriminate between
rich and poor, young and old, men and women. He used everyone equally! He gave every individual the
opportunity to prove their worth. Griffith was perhaps the only one in all of Midland to have a woman in his
army. And not just in his army, but as his second in command. Besides, if he saw women as helpless, he
would have rescued Caska from the noble that tried to rape her himself instead of throwing her a sword.

“Whether you come along or not is your decision.” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 10

Unlike the fear-driven minions of standard armies, the Band of the Hawk followed Griffith out of love and
admiration. Every single one of them chose to be there. He did not need to use force to implement his
commands because they trusted him completely – with their lives, with their hopes, with their futures. Yet
still he could seem unknowable to even his closest confidants.

The Horrors of War

“Maybe my dream is what killed this boy.” Griffith, Vol. 7 Ch. 1

Griffith’s private world was a lot more turbulent than the perfect persona he projected to his soldiers. He
took time to get to know each of his soldiers, but that was sometimes too much to bear. A particularly
poignant moment came when he found the body of a young boy on the battlefield. Few people would think
much of a nameless corpse, but not Griffith. He recalled that this boy joined the Hawks half a year ago to
train, and idolized Griffith as if he was the hero of an epic story. Now he was dead. Did he dream of
becoming a knight? Was he living these dreams in death? Was his death Griffith’s fault? As battles escalated
and the stakes got higher, Griffith had to remodel his thoughts.

“When suffering so profound as to make someone rip himself apart is confronted, a heart is frozen." Idea of
Evil, Vol. 13 Ch. 3

He realized that in order to preserve his own sanity he must keep an emotional distance with his soldiers. He
could not let himself feel guilty for their deaths. After all, he was not responsible for lives given freely to his
cause. It could be said that Griffith cared by not caring. A leader distracted by sentimental anxiety would
cost more lives than one guided by a clear vision to victory. Griffith’s single-minded pursuit of his dream
was the reason why so many followed him. They looked up to him and piled upon him impossible
expectations that he was under constant pressure to meet. The only way to do that was to keep on winning.
The only way to keep on winning was to stay detached.

“My dream can only be realized by building upon their corpses. It's a blood-smeared dream after all. I have
no regret nor remorse about that.” Griffith, Vol. 7 Ch. 1

Facing death on the battlefield is the definition of war. There is no way around this. The only difference
between Griffith and the other Commanders was that those who fought for Griffith did so eagerly and of
their own free will. In return, he gave them a life more glorious than they could ever have imagined. They
went from the dusty streets to the glamour of the palace! They were greeted by cheering crowds and danced
at royal parties. And what could he do for the dead? The only thing he could do to justify their sacrifice was
to keep on reaching for his dream as hard as he could, by any means necessary, so that they would not have
died in vain.

“But... for hundreds, thousands of lives to hang in the balance and myself alone not to be unclean... What I
want... won't enter my grasp so easily as that.” Griffith, Vol. 7 Ch. 1

Griffith actively worked to suppress his emotions in favor of cold logic. Though it was possible to raise
money for supplies through raids, those cost precious lives. Griffith found a less risky way to raise funds by
selling his body to an old perverted Baron for one night. This was a very rational thing to do in theory, and it
certainly helped acquire money, but it wreaked havoc on his mind. He denied that it had any effect on him,
and insisted it was just a mutually beneficial business agreement, but the image of Griffith obsessively
trying to wash himself clean the next morning before clawing his arms to blood is worth a thousand words.
He never went back to that Baron for easy war funds again.

“Just when you think it looks like he's got some strange wisdom, he seems just like a kid. Just when you
think he has a spine-chilling look on his face, he smiles innocently like a baby.” Judeau, Vol. 5 Ch. 2

Griffith rose to power at a very young age and had a lot resting on his shoulders. It was hard for him to
balance the expectations of his troops with the mounting death toll of his army, and stuffing his feelings
deeper into his subconscious didn’t come without a price. While his intellect soared, his emotional growth
was stunted. He simply never had the chance to properly socialize and develop it past the ego of a child!
This gave way to a kind of split personality that swung between innocent charm and absolute creepiness.
Woe to those who misconstrued Griffith’s friendly conversation as a weakness, for he could then dislocate
their shoulder without batting an eye.

“To me, a friend is something else. Someone who would never depend upon another's dream... someone
who wouldn't be compelled by anyone, but would determine and pursue his own reason to live. And should
anyone trample that dream, he would oppose him body and soul, even if the threat were me myself. What I
think a friend is, is one who is my equal.” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 6

Another transformation in Griffith’s thoughts was more subtle, but much more profound. He could no longer
afford to see his soldiers as “friends” in the true sense of the word. The way he figured, the world was driven
by the extraordinary wills of special people. Special people like him, who thought for themselves, fought for
themselves, and worked to establish their own identity. These were the only people that mattered, and
everyone else were willing pawns in the games played by these great beings. Yes, to a force such as Griffith,
this whole undertaking was a game and the entire world his playground.

Enter Guts
“You will fight for my cause. Because you belong to me. I will decide the place where you die.” Griffith,
Vol. 5 Ch. 2

Just when Griffith believed he had all his thoughts in order, enter Guts. The moment Griffith saw Guts, he
instinctively knew that he found someone who approached his ideal of an equal. He would never admit this,
of course, and insist he was only interested in gaining a powerful addition to his army, but his actions spoke
louder than words. On the first day, he ordered Caska to keep Guts (who was unconscious from bloodloss)
warm with her own naked body. Judging by Caska’s indignation, this could not have been standard
procedure.

“I don’t dislike doing things by foce.” Griffith, Vol. 4 Ch. 4

Griffith also felt that it was worth his while to convince Guts to join the Hawks by force. Guts’ initial refusal
intrigued him almost as much as Guts’ peculiar immunity to his charm, but what really endeared him to
Griffith was his innovative fighting tactics and ability to catch him off-guard. Griffith strove to be the best
and did not tolerate defeat, so while he made sure to drive his superiority home, he was also thrilled at the
prospect of sharpening his skills against a worthy opponent. Moreover, it convinced him that Guts was
someone who would not go down easily. In a career with such a high turnover rate, here was someone he
could depend on to stick around... someone who was safe to get close to without fear of abandonment
through death.

“I've taken a liking to you. I want you, Guts.” Griffith, Vol. 4 Ch. 4

Griffith has never said that to anyone before. A fact that Caska didn’t stop whining about for the entire
series!
“Do you remember? That day... what Griffith said to you on top of that hill. Those words... he never says
anything like that. Griffith had never said such a thing to anyone. Nor has he since then. You know, I
couldn't stand it. You got Griffith to say that to you so easily... I envied you. But, even so, I tried to convince
myself that Griffith wanted you just for your strength. But Griffith, so calm and composed, always gets
impulsive when it comes to you!! It's as if... as if...” Caska, Vol. 7 Ch. 2

Some would say that introducing an unrequited romantic element between Griffith and Guts is wishful
thinking, but I say it is real, and a very important piece of the puzzle.

Yes, Griffith’s relationship with Guts was different from any he ever felt before. It changed him and made
him act irrationally. But let’s see what the man himself has to say about this.

Guts is Special I
“Having acquired such an excellent soldier, I didn't want to lose him in such a petty battle.” Griffith, Vol. 5
Ch. 2

This was Griffith’s reply to Guts’ question of “During the battle... Why'd you come back to save me?” Fair
enough. But, thinking back, it gets weirder (homoerotic waterfight notwithstanding). Even though it was
Guts’ first mission with the Hawks, Griffith assigned to him the most important and most dangerous task of
rear guard. It was a lot of responsibility, but Griffith believed in him, and later personally returned with a
couple of bodyguards to rescue him from hundreds of pursuing soldiers. Now fast-forward a few years, to
the battle with Zodd the Immortal.

“Griffith, where are...?!” Caska, Vol. 5 Ch. 6

This time around, Guts was growing impatient that a single mystery warrior was holding back 500 men, and
went alone into a dark tunnel to investigate. He soon realized that this wasn’t a human at all, but a giant
demon named Zodd the Immortal, and he had no chance against him. And who do you think miraculously
showed up at the first hint of Guts in trouble? Griffith! With reinforcements! They did no good, though, and
Griffith ordered them to retreat while himself running straight into the monster’s path to help Guts escape.
“Griffith, where are you going?” indeed. He got knocked unconscious against a column, and they were both
about to get killed, but then Zodd saw Griffith’s Behelit.

“Here's a word of warning... No, a prophecy. If you can be said to be a true friend of this man, then take
heed. When his ambition collapses, death will pay you a visit!! A death you can never escape!!” Zodd the
Immortal, Vol. 5 Ch. 7

If it wasn’t for Zodd’s penchant for prophecy, both Guts and Griffith would be dead by now. This was the
first foreshadowing of things to come. As Guts watched Zodd fly away, he didn’t know what to make of it
all. Was he going to die? Was he really Griffith’s friend? What mattered right now was that they survived.
He’d worry about the rest later. But something was still bothering him.

“Three years ago you said 'I can't lose such an excellent soldier.' But to put your life on the line for just one
soldier. That's a hotheaded thing for a calm, composed guy like you to do.” Guts, Vol. 5 Ch. 8

Guts recognized that Griffith was acting above and beyond any reasonable sense of strategy by knowingly
throwing himself into a hopeless situation. The logic of wanting to save an exceptionally powerful soldier
broke down when doing so endangered the rest of the army, and especially its precious Commander. When
confronted about it, Griffith became increasingly evasive. “You keep bringing up that topic. There’s no
reason. No reason at all.” He’d stare off into space and turn the question back on Guts, “Is it necessary? A
reason... A reason for me to help you. Do I need a reason for that?”

Guts is Special II
"When Griffith decided to send out a search party to find you two, the nobles around him strongly opposed
his decision for various reasons. But Griffith said, and plainly, 'Those two are vital to the Band of the Hawk.
I will not lose them.' That's a big deal, him saying all that. Truthfully, I am a tad jealous." Judeau, Vol. 7 Ch.
5

Time and time again Griffith went out of his way to make exceptions for Guts, even when it would have
been more advantageous for him not to. When Guts and Caska were stranded at the bottom of a ravine and
surrounded by enemies, Griffith sent a rescue party after them. This created tension between Generals and,
to a much lesser degree, among the Hawks. They were not used to Griffith paying such special attention to
anyone.

"Griffith's come back!! He said he heard you two were safe and advanced his schedule a day!" Rickert, Vol.
7 Ch. 6

Once Griffith started concentrating on climbing the social ladder, he had considerably less time to spend
with his troops. "Those officials all think they can gain favor by appearing to care for a wounded man day
after day. It's enough to make me sick. But, oh well, it can't be helped. It's absolutely necessary in order to
gain status in this kingdom." The Hawks accepted this explanation, since they could see the wisdom in it,
and it did help them gain rank in the royal court. But Griffith was even willing to cut short the important
business of mingling with the nobles when he heard that Guts and Caska were found.

"You're the first person I've ever spoken to like this." Griffith, Vol. 3 Ch. 3

Griffith liked spending time with Guts. Guts took Caska's place as Griffiths closest confidant, and spent
more time alone with him than anyone. But Griffith talked with Guts... well, at Guts... about topics he never
felt comfortable talking with anyone else. He shared his deepest thoughts on destiny, morality, and the
nature of reality.

Political Intrigue
“Those who die on the battlefield are not royalty, nobility, or commoners. They are the defeated who die.”
Griffith, Vol. 8 Ch. 6

Death was the great equalizer. Griffith was inspired by the impartiality of death in war, and took that
mentality with him to the upscale arena of political intrigue. Since he was born a commoner, Griffith was
often underestimated by the upper class, and he took full advantage of this fact. Although he was generally
well-liked, there were some who saw his rapid rise in station as a threat not only to themselves, but to the
very foundations of society. To Griffith, however, manipulating the interests of squabbling nobles was
child’s play. He saw right trough the assassination plots laid down against him, and countered with his own.

"Those eyes... Like he was trying to daunt me. Like he was looking down on some worthless thing... That
was his expression. Ridiculous!! I'm royalty!! Second in line to the throne of Midland!! Compared to that
common boy, there's a world of difference in both social standing and rank!! And yet it was the same during
the hunt. For one instant, like a beast hunting prey... Yes! Looking at me with eyes just like a hawk's...!!"
Julius, Vol. 6 Ch. 3

It is important to note that Griffith never initiated violence, only exacted revenge. It was simply not worth
his energy to do otherwise. Humble and sweet as his public face was, there was no doubt in Griffith’s mind
that he was superior in every way to the overdressed monkeys that called themselves aristocrats. But when
one stepped out of line, he would make sure they knew their place.

“You caught sight of my eyes then. I knew from that time that you would never permit my existence. At that
instant your eyes betrayed your fear. When a man is faced with something he truly fears he cannot ignore it.
He has only two options... He can become subordinate and fall under its wing, or he can strike out and erase
the fear.” Griffith, Vol. 8 Ch. 6
Nobody could withstand the true intensity of Griffith’s gaze. It stripped away the masks of etiquette and let
him see a person’s underlying motives. He liked to test people from time to time, and if he sensed foul play,
he moved quickly to sabotage any developing conspiracy. He would scout the terrain by gathering evidence,
close in by enlisting turncoats or spies, and strike at the most opportune moment. It was very much like
setting up a battlefield, except that afterwards there’d be no trace of his involvement. When all the pieces
were in place, Griffith would unleash upon his enemies his ultimate weapon: Guts.

Guts is Special III

“It ain't like you. Just cut to the chase, and order me to do it. Like always.” Guts, Vol. 6 Ch. 4

This was Guts’ response to Griffith pulling him aside and actually giving him an option on whether or not to
participate in an assassination plot that he was apparently concerned might infringe on Guts’ morals. “Can
you help me?” he asked. A most unusual choice of words for Griffith, both in terms of effectively admitting
he needs help and in leaving the decision up to an underling. It was almost as if he was asking for Guts
opinion, or even approval. Griffith hadn’t told anyone else about this mission, yet took the time to explain
the reasoning for the assassination to Guts. If he meant for it to stay top secret, wouldn’t he keep those
reasons classified, no questions asked?

“Does it seem cruel? I involved you in this filthy scheme and I didn't even get my hands dirty. Do you think
that I'm cruel?” Griffith, Vol. 8 Ch. 6

This is a more blatant example of Griffith asking for Guts’ opinion/approval. It involved an elaborate plan
kept secret from the rest of the Hawks, in which Griffith played along with an assassination plot and faked
his own death in order to catch those who conspired against him off-guard. He forced one of the conspirators
to turn on his colleagues by kidnapping his daughter, and set fire to the rest of them while they were all
gathered in one room. He returned the daughter unharmed, but had Guts kill both the agent sent to poison
him and the kidnappers who he himself hired. However, he let both the daughter and her father live, which
was unusual for Griffith, who likes to keep a clean slate against blackmail.

“Ain't this part of the path to your dream? You believe that, don't you? So what's with this crap? Now, of all
times.” Guts, Vol. 8 Ch. 8

This was Guts' reply to Griffith's question. It was simple enough, but Guts' input was so important to
Griffith, that it would replay in his head a couple more times during key moments in the plot. Right now, it
relieved Griffith's doubts about himself and about Guts' feelings.

“Guts, don't tell the others about this. It's not that I don't trust them. The Hawks are bound by one fate, after
all. But I don't want to reveal to them my dirty side... They need only feel as though we're rising up.”
Griffith, Vol. 8 Ch. 8

Was this statement a case of genuine concern? Or a ploy to preserve his image among the Hawks? A bit of
both, I’d say. Though he trusted the Hawks fully in battle, he did not trust them with the depths of his soul.
He trusted Guts on a different level and treated him differently. He felt safe leaving himself completely
vulnerable with Guts. He let him see his darker side, and exposed his secrets, believing that Guts would
understand and accept him for who he was. Guts’ feelings, opinions, and input were very important to
Griffith. Did this mean he already saw him as an equal?

“A man should envision such a lifetime once. A life spent as a martyr to the god named 'Dream.' Ultimately
to be born, and to then simply live for no better reason... I can't abide such a lifestyle.” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 6

Griffith valued ideas more than people, and his most sacred principle was that life had no purpose without a
dream to guide it. So powerful was his dream that it overcame obstacles insurmountable for lesser wills and
drove him forward. It was his greatest form of self-expression. It was also something that Guts sorely
lacked, which is why Griffith’s speech about dreams and friendship made such a huge impact on Guts.
Turning Point
“I want to stand beside him by attaining something of my own. He's the only one I can't stand looking down
on me.” Guts, Vol. 8 Ch. 7

He realized that despite all he had accomplished, and everything he had done for Griffith, it only amounted
to glorifying somebody else’s existence. Guts could never hope to stand beside Griffith as an equal until he
found his own reason for living. It ate away at him ever since, but he was not the type to run off on a whim.
The Hawks were his family and Griffith was still his best friend. He would stick around through the end of
the war. When the dust cleared and peace reigned throughout the land, Griffith was awarded the highest rank
in the Midland army – White Phoenix General – and the rest of the Hawk Captains would be promoted to
nobles. Guts waited about a month before breaking the news: he was leaving to find himself. Griffith would
have none of that.

“I thought I told you then that you belong to me. I won you with this [sword]. Your fight and you death, I
hold both. If you want to leave my grasp, then it'll be the same as that time. Wrest yourself away by your
sword.” Griffith, Vol. 8 Ch. 9

Well, at first, he calmly approached Guts and asked, “Are you... leaving?” Guts said yes. Then he asked
again, “Do you really... mean to leave the Band of the Hawk?” Guts said yes, adding that he was sorry.
There was some commotion as Ricket tried begging Guts to stay, Judeau explaining that Guts had already
made up his mind, and Corkus outright telling Guts that he never liked him anyway. Meanwhile, Griffith
was flipping out and silently drew his sword.

“Do you want to go?! Is this how badly you want o leave my grasp?! You can't... You can't!! I won't have
it!! I won't let you!!” Griffith, Vol. 8 Ch. 10

Of course, he wouldn’t actually say that out loud. This was the first time in the series that you started seeing
inside Griffith’s head, and sometimes it wasn’t pretty. He thought he had everything firmly in his grasp, he
believed he could anticipate every possible outcome, yet Guts’ announcement took him by surprise. Griffith
quickly analyzed his environment and debated several strategies that would help him overcome Guts’
advantage of a much larger, much heavier weapon. He found one he thought would work, but it had a
chance of killing Guts in the process. This worried him for a moment, “But... If I can’t keep him here... It
doesn’t matter!!” Yes, Griffith was in ‘if I can’t have him no one can’ mode. I don’t even think it was even a
matter of possessiveness, this was pure desperation. He charged in with perfect technique, and would have
won, but Guts’ sword cut clean through his blade. Though Guts stopped short of actually injuring Griffith, it
was an enormous blow to his pride – in front of his men, no less.

“It's all right. It's like stumbling on a rock on the roadside. It's petty... a small thing. The place you want to
go is more distant... farther off. So... it's all right. You'll stand up. And you'll start walking. Soon...” Guts,
Vol. 8 Ch. 10

Guts believed that Griffith was so strong, so determined, so inspired by his goals, that he couldn’t truly hurt
him. But Guts was wrong. Griffith’s iron will was founded on denial of his feelings, and now that false sense
of strength was about to unravel. The world of emotion was uncharted territory for him. Guts didn’t know
how much he meant to Griffith because even Griffith didn’t know how much he meant to Griffith. All
Griffith knew was that the only person he believed he could trust with his innermost thoughts, insecurities,
and darkest secrets was leaving. He felt abandoned and betrayed. It is here that the logic of keeping Guts
around as a military asset fails completely. The war was over and the only path to claiming his own kingdom
was through Princess Charlotte, not Guts. Furthermore, "those who'd interfere with Griffith's ambitions are
all dead." Griffith’s reasons for wanting Guts to stay were 100% personal.

Downward Spiral
“Griffith had to make himself strong!! But Griffith isn't a god!! A person's heart can't be sustained by ideals
and dreams alone!! You!! You made Griffith weak!! He's no... Griffith's... no good without you!!!” Caska,
Vol. 9 Ch. 9
In many ways, Guts was Griffith’s anchor to sanity. While everybody else held him to the standard of an
infallible god, he felt he could relax and be himself around Guts. Although Guts knew that Griffith was very
special, he was also able to accept him as a human being, with mortal weaknesses and flaws. Guts was
always outspoken, but never judgmental, and truly the closest thing Griffith ever had to a friend. More than
that, Guts was the only person Griffith ever truly cared about. Sadly, since he had little experience with
rejection, Griffith had a tendency to take people for granted.

“He never came back to the barracks yesterday. I guess he really was in shock.” Rickert, Vol. 9 Ch. 4

Well if that wasn’t the understatement of the year! The floodgates were open, and Griffith had no clue how
to deal with the torrent of emotions that assaulted his painfully rational mind. What the hell happened?
Things were going so well. Why would he want to leave? Did he do something to drive Guts away? How
could he not foresee this? Should he be feeling angry, sad, or bitter? Why did he care so much? Griffith
could manipulate his surroundings better than anyone, but he could not handle losing control over himself.
Desperate for a way to restore stability, he clawed through the haze of mental chaos and aimed for the one
thing that was still in his power. Perhaps if he could shift his focus back towards the realization of his dream,
he could forget about Guts. So what did he do?

“Lord Griffith?! Wh-what in the world are you doing?! In the rain... and at this hour...?!” Charlotte, Vol. 9
Ch. 1

That’s right, he stood in the rain like a zombie waiting for Charlotte to come to her room. She let him in
through the window and fell into his arms, sobbing about how much she missed him and worried when he
was at war, but his mind was elsewhere. Griffith was here for one thing and one thing only: to speed up the
process of becoming royalty. It didn’t take him long to seduce her, and soon they were having wild,
passionate sex on her bed. Well, at least Charlotte was. Griffith was zoning out throughout the whole thing
and flashbacking about Guts. And then, after Charlotte fell fast asleep, he sat restless on the bed nursing the
mark left by Guts’ sword. I guess it could be said that he was still in shock at being defeated, but come on!
The guy just got done climaxing with a female and all he could do was curl up in a fetus position and cry,
apparently longing for someone else.

“You believe that, don't you?” Guts, Vol. 9 Ch. 2

Speaking of flashbacking about Guts, there's that line from the Queen assassination again. It is followed by a
flashback of Guts leaving. What could this mean? How are those two scenes connected? When those words
were spoken a month earlier, they were words of encouragement, assuring Griffith that Guts would stand by
him in pursuing the dream forever. He thought he could enjoy the fruits of his ambition and have the
emotional satisfaction of someone to share it with. But he was wrong, the path of relationships had betrayed
him, and he truly was alone.

It is important to note that of all the flashbacks Griffith would have, none of them were about losing a
swordfight. Instead, they focused exclusively on his emotional attachment to Guts. Proud as he was, the
shock of his first defeat seemed petty compared to the pain of losing his closest friend. So, in the end, was it
worth it? If the paths of love and ambition were mutually exclusive, did he pick the right one? Perhaps the
reason he saw those memories back to back was because he was weighing Guts' presence in his life against
his dream as personified by Charlotte.

Worthless
"Why on earth is the White Hawk sneaking out of the palace at this hour...?" Guard, Vol. 9 Ch. 2

Not only did Griffith’s plan fail as a distraction from Guts, it blew up in his face. His muddled thoughts
made him reckless, and he was spotted in Charlotte’s room by a servant who reported it to the palace guards.
Moreover, he carelessly let himself be cornered because he didn’t bring a weapon, and was hauled off to
prison.
What follows is my attempt to explain a one-page scene of Griffith in prison in chapter 3 of volume 9 that
has always puzzled me. It involves the word "worthless," variously translated outside of Dark Horse as
"boring" or "tedious." The following interpretation is not standard at all, and can get convoluted at times, but
I haven't seen it elsewhere, so I present it here for your consideration as an alternate take on these scenes.
Take from it what you will.

"The great King on the throne of Midland, once renowned with majesty throughout all lands, is actually
nothing more than a lonely, miserable old man who can't find any reason to live beyond his beloved 17-year-
old daughter." Griffith, Vol. 9 Ch. 3

Deflowering a Princess was a charge of high treason, made worse by the fact that the King had a “thing” for
his own daughter (she was beginning to look too much like her dead mother). No amount of sweet-talking
could get him out of this one. So... he stopped trying. Instead, he went off on a philosophical tirade, some of
which could apply to himself as much as it did to the King. This line in particular paralleled Griffith's own
worldly renown, which he unwittingly threw away over his love for Guts due to his simultaneous deep-
seated loneliness.

"While you were born to the sword called the throne and held it, it was nothing more than a burden to you.
You've done nothing more than not fail. How worthless..." Griffith, Vol. 9 Ch. 3

The King was born to the sword called "the throne" while Griffith was born to the sword called "destiny,"
but were they really that different? Griffith's own dream felt like a burden to him sometimes, weighed down
as it was by the corpses of those slain in its name. While the King practiced "not failing" by sitting on his ass
and Griffith practiced it actively on the battlefield, and the end of the day, wasn't "not failing" all he had
accomplished? Or, as an alternate translation would put it, he "merely didn't make a mistake." Griffith calls
this worthless (or "boring"), because now - now that he did make one stupid mistake and doom his dream -
what was all the rest worth anyway? Was there something amidst that big jumble of memories that had
worth beyond worldly success and failure?

“You are young. No doubt your heart burned with dreams and ambition. If you had but known your place,
you might possibly have attained them. ... It's disappointing. ... This is the end of your dreams, you ambition,
everything. The Hawk has fallen to earth. It will never take flight again.” King, Vol. 9 Ch. 3
They locked him up in the lowest level of the Tower of Rebirth and threw away the key.

“...Yes ...Worthless. This is worthless.” Griffith, Vol. 9 Ch. 3

Here is that stand-alone, one-page scene of Griffith in solitary contemplation. I find it unlikely that this line
deserved its own scene if Griffith was simply expressing his annoyance at being stuck in prison. He uses the
same "worthless/boring/tedious" word here that he used during the King's interrogation, so I correlate these
two scenes.* And what did he associate it with then? With Kingship and therefore with his dream. So, I
wonder, is this the exact moment when Griffith begins to consciously acknowledge that Guts had outshone
his dream, and that the prospect of it seems boring/worthless without someone to share it with??

The Tower of Rebirth

“Darkness. Deep darkness without even a trace of light. How much time has passed since I was cast into this
darkness...? An eternity, but it also seems like an instant. All my senses are numbed and I can't feel a thing.
What of my body? It's like it's floating in mid-air. Have I retained my sanity? Did I go insane long ago?”
Griffith, Vol. 10 Ch. 2

There’s some amazing internal monologue in the prison that requires little commentary from me. Griffith
was stuck there for a year, drifting in darkness, with time measured only by pain of torture. Or did he even
care about that? Griffith seems to have a very high resistance to physical pain. The only things that really
troubled him were his thoughts and his eroding sanity. He was losing touch with reality, his identity, and his
memories.
“In all this emptiness only one thing is vivid. Only him. Like lightning on a dark night, he rises up within
me, blazing. And again and again like a tidal wave, an infinite number of feelings surge upon me. Malice,
friendship, jealousy, futility, regret, tenderness, sorrow, pain, hunger... So many recurring, yearning
feelings.” Griffith, Vol. 10 Ch. 2

Griffith missed Guts. Through the mishmash of fragmented memories, Guts was the single spark of
coherency. His image was seared into Griffith’s brain, reinforced by a storm of conflicted emotions. Their
power was overwhelming.

“That giant swirl of violent emotions in which none are definite but all are implied. That alone is the bond
which keeps my consciousness from vanishing amidst the numbness.” Griffith, Vol. 10, Ch. 2

In truth, Guts was the only thing Griffith felt anything towards anymore. He had vague recollections of his
old life, his army, his comrades, but the substance behind those memories was rapidly fading. He knew they
were important to him, and he tried very hard to cling to these shattered pieces of his humanity, but it was
getting progressively more difficult. The fact that Griffith lasted as long as he did, and held onto his
memories for as long as he did, is a great testament to his inner strength, and perhaps even his goodness. In
response to his growing despair, he started having visions of demons coming to worship him and calling him
Prince, even visions of the God Hand itself. These were no hallucinations. After all, he was imprisoned in
the very place the first sacrificial ceremony took place this millennium.

“But why is it when it comes to him, I always lose my composure? He was the reason I've been thrown into
this darkness, and now he's the sole sustenance keeping me alive. Out of so many thousands of comrades
and tens of thousands of enemies, why just him? How long ago did someone I was supposed to have in hand
instead gain such a strong hold on me?” Griffith, Vol. 10, Ch. 2

Griffith had a lot of time to reminisce about Guts in the prison. He could no longer deny that his feelings
about Guts were very different from any he’s encountered before. He did not know when the balance of
power shifted, but he resigned to the fact that Guts had somehow usurped control of their relationship. These
realizations did not come without a sharp stab of pain, however. Griffith blamed Guts for his predicament.
But how much, and in what way? Was it love or hatred that was keeping him alive? Was it his inability to
answer that question that was driving him insane?

“That endless play begun so long ago on the cobblestone of the back alley. That pilgrimage to claim what to
me was the most sacred piece of junk*. But now, as he shines so glaring within me, the junk grows dull.
Guts...!!" Griffith, Vol. 10, Ch. 2

Griffith also blames Guts for bringing down his dream. No, overpowering his dream. All his talk of life
purpose and equals pales in comparison to his feelings towards this one man he once considered his inferior.
On the one hand, these feelings were a weakness that he violently opposed. On the other hand, they were a
warmth that he desperately longed for. How could he allow himself to get so close to someone who could so
easily walk out on their friendship? Of course the tragic irony was that Guts left in order to strengthen their
friendship. Just a couple of volumes ago, it was Guts gushing over how grateful he was to have found
someone to watch over him, and that despite Griffith’s harsh standards, “the more clear that becomes, the
more dazzling he is in my eyes.” Now their roles were reversed. It was Guts’ turn to watch over Griffith, and
Griffith’s turn to be blinded by Guts’ glory.

Rescue Party
“This can't... be... It can't be Griffith...” Guts, Vol. 10 Ch. 7

Indeed, when the Hawks’ rescue party broke into his cell, Guts was the only thing Griffith responded to. His
first impulse was to strangle him, but when Guts broke down sobbing and embraced him, any bitterness
Griffith clung to seemed to melt away in a resurgence of warmth. His beloved friend had come back for him,
and he was relieved to simply hug and hold his hand. Their touching reunion was cut short by the prison’s
grotesque Warden, who was kind enough to explain what Griffith and he have been up to the past year.
“Firsht, to keep him from running away, I cut the tendonsh in hish armsh and legsh. Then whenever he
washn't eating or shleeping, I'd take off hish shkin and nailsh. I'd ushe hot ironsh, boiling water, you name it.
Thish pasht year, I've sheen to him conshtantly, like we were hushband and wife. I'm alsho the one who'd
nurshe him sho he wouldn't die. You couldn't shplit ush apart, we wash sho closhe.” Warden, Vol. 10 Ch. 7

The most important consequence of this was that Griffith could no longer walk or hold a sword. But wait,
there’s more!

“And you know. When you're ash professional a torturer ash I am, beauty ishn't jusht shkin deep. When I
peel the shkin away, I can recognize the beauty of mshcles and blood vesshels too. Oh, I wash sho moved.
When I opened up that beautiful fasche, the pink mushcle that peeked out at me from the wound... His shkin
and flesh are one in a hundred... No, one in a thoushand.” Warden, Vol. 10 Ch. 7

And to top it off...

“Oh, yeah, yeah. Thish is the besht part of my collection. Look. Eeheehee. Thish, thish. My good-luck
charm. A tongue. Hish tongue...” Warden, Vol. 10 Ch. 7

I’m sure he could’ve gone on and on, but at that point Guts snapped and rammed straight through the door to
impale him on a wall with his sword.

Futility
“.............” Griffith, Vol. 10+

It is fascinating that Griffith is robbed of his power to speak just when his input would be the most telling
about his mental state. Frankly, for someone who just survived a year of unspeakable torture, he seemed...
normal. That’s kind of creepy in itself. What’s more, he seemed softer and genuinely grateful at being
rescued. He was nice to the Princess, who helped rescue him, and took a poison dart hit for him. Though she
still wanted to stay by him afterwards, he convinced her to leave for safety by mouthing the words “I will
come back for you.” True, he could’ve simply realized that she was slowing them down, but it was
nevertheless a sweet gesture. He was also vigilant as ever. Even while being carried on Pippin’s back, he
was very perceptive of his surroundings, and managed to alert the team of an exit they have overlooked. He
quickly picked up on the chemistry between Guts and Caska, and was concerned that Guts appeared to be
enjoying her touch. A lot had happened while he was gone. It would take him a bit to figure out how he fit
into this new world, but for now he was happy to be among friends.

“I know you're in a rush, but you're not ready yet. I mean, it's been a year since you've even worn armor.
Soon you'll be able to swing that [sword] all you want. Soon...” Guts, Vol. 11 Ch. 10

After Griffith was thrown in prison the Hawks were hunted like criminals and their numbers dwindled.
Some were killed, some left on their own. The ones who were left were loyal followers, but they were
followers of a dream. They believed their troubles were temporary, and once they had Griffith back, they
would be reborn like a phoenix from its ashes. Nobody yet realized the true damage done to their flawless
leader in that dungeon. They thought it was only a matter of time before he returned to his former glory, and
encouraged him by saying he would soon get better. Griffith was even inclined to believe them. Being
crippled certainly didn’t diminish his warrior instincts. When Guts or Caska were fighting Wyald, he did
everything in his power to help them. He tried grasping his sword, but all he managed to do was knock it
over. He tried breaking free of his human crutches, but only fell down. It made him so aggravated to watch
helplessly from the sidelines that he clenched his teeth to blood.

“I bet you planned to carry him up and make something of yourselves again. Too bad, it'll never happen. He
can't do battle anymore. Or ride a horse. Or wield a sword. Hell, he can't even stand up on his own. You're
lucky if he can crawl around like a bug. He can't live on his own the rest of his life.” Wyald, Vol. 11 Ch. 10
Judeau and Caska knew the dark truth of Griffith’s injuries, but they wanted to break the news gently to
Griffith and the rest of the Hawks. Now all hope for that was gone. Wyald tore off Griffith’s bandages and
revealed to his troops everything Judeau and Caska were trying to hide. This stripped away any illusions
Griffith had about his condition, and the gravity of the situation finally sank in. Furthermore, he was
humiliated in front of his entire army in the worst possible way.

Nothing Left
“Griffith... You were always looking up. Rising to the top... paying heed to nothing but ascension. Flying
along above all... the Hawk. Yes... you would never come down to the land where we crawl.” Guts, Vol. 10
Ch. 3

No analysis of Griffith would be complete without discussing his icy sense of pride. He was always above
everyone and held the whole world in his hands. He came from nothing and soared to unimaginable heights,
only to drop down lower than he started with. He was an inch away from achieving his ultimate goal, but
one mistake was enough to take away not only his accomplishments, but also his dignity. All the people he
towered over in his prime, who loved and admired him as a living god, now looked down on him with pity.
His life was at the whim of others. Many of his remaining soldiers gave up on him and looked for new
leadership, but at least he still had Guts and Caska.

“I wanted someone to be near me.” Caska, Vol. 12 Ch. 1

Griffith spent most of his time huddled alone in a wagon, but now and again he would overhear happenings
from outside. This time Caska was telling Guts about the Hawks' dwindling morale after the Wyald incident,
but the thing that Griffith took note of the most was her closing statement of wanting someone to be "near"
her. Now, Griffith was well aware that Caska had wanted to get in his pants for the entire series. Could her
newfound connection with Guts eradicate that desire entirely? Griffith was willing to test that theory in an
attempt to reestablish his self-image of being needed and desirable. It backfired. Badly. Her refusal hurt him,
and the pity hug that followed only put salt on the wound. The extent to which things have changed - to
which he has changed - came crashing down. Despite the fact that Griffith's feelings for Guts were
considerably stronger than they were for Caska, it still bothered him that someone so enamored of him in the
past could choose someone else. Or did it bother him because that someone was Guts?.

“Griffith... He's so small now... so fragile... That proud Griffith... is so... I can't leave him... There's no way I
can leave Griffith like that. I'm sorry...” Caska, Vol. 12 Ch. 2

It must be a very special kind of hell... being stuck mute and helpless in a wagon while people talk about
how pathetic you are within earshot. One time, when Caska thought he was asleep, she figured it was safe to
discuss her plans with Guts. This was the first time Griffith knew beyond any reasonable doubt that Guts
and Caska were an item. See, before Griffith became such an inconvenience, Caska was determined to run
off with Guts on his quest for the meaning of life. Now she felt obligated to stay. Out of pity. Oh joy, rub
that in why doncha? And to make matters worse...

“You have to go. If you’re Griffith’s friend and equal, you have to. Even if it's alone, you have to go.”
Caska, Vol. 12 Ch. 2

...Guts was planning to leave – again. Caska reminded him of Griffith’s speech about dreams and friendship
back at the Prom Rose Palace, and told him that if he truly considered himself Griffith’s friend and equal, he
had to follow his own dream. Griffith would’ve wanted that...

Griffith would’ve wanted that, my ass!! Didn’t the incident from last year teach anyone anything?! Griffith
snapped – again – and when Griffith snaps and does something stupid, bad things happen!!

“What do you fear in this place?” Ghost of Griffith's Past, Vol. 12 Ch. 3
It was bad enough that he lost his good looks, his fighting prowess, his reputation, his army, and his ability
to do basic tasks, but he was also being abandoned by the person he cared about most in the world. A person
whose undivided attention he no longer had, because he was in love with Griffith’s second favorite person in
the world, and this effectively took both of them out of his reach. Griffith’s fall from grace was now
complete. He had nothing else to hold onto, not even his sanity. As he lay there soaking in the news,
Griffith's coping mechanisms kicked in. He was stretched too far one way, so he rebounded in the other.
Griffith was visited by a vision of his former glory. It berated him for giving into his fears and promised him
that his dream was not yet over.

“Yes... I rested a bit too long. I've got to go now. This playtime still hasn't ended. That back alley
cobblestone path still goes on.” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 3

His hope restored, Griffith took up the reins (in his mouth) and hijacked the wagon. Yes, he didn't want
Caska's pity, he didn't want Guts' pity, but most of all he didn't want to be affected by what they thought or
did. Ever since he was rescued from prison he had allowed himself to become much too dependent on the
opinions of others. It was time to put the focus back on himself. Everyone had forsaken him, so he would
forsake them to pursue his ambition. He didn’t get very far, though.

An Ordinary Life
“Oh, were you sleeping? ... Daydreaming again. Was it about the past?” Caska, Vol. 12 Ch. 3

As Griffith was catapulted out of the wagon he had another vision, this time about the future. He went from
flying topsy turvy to sitting comfortably in a chair. Caska greeted him as if he was just dozing off. This
sequence is important precisely because Griffith is made to believe it is real, and reality is the dream.

“A lot has happened. It's all memories now. I think I'm better suited to this lifestyle.” Caska, Vol. 12 Ch. 3

Yes, all that horrible stuff was in the past. He now had a quiet life with Caska, which isn't all that far-fetched
since she was the one insistent on staying to take care of him anyway. The Hawks' memorabilia was on the
walls, and they had a child named Guts and a dog named Pippin. Well, technically it would be Guts'
illegitimate child. I mean, considering how much Griffith was mutilated in prison, thinking his reproductive
organs were untouched would be rather naive.* But as fucked up as being stuck in a loveless relationship
taking care of your rival's progeny would be, it didn't appear to bother Griffith at the time.

“That's true... This peace and quiet... Isn't so bad...” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 3

What mattered was the peace and quiet. It might not be happiness, it might not be joy, but it was a kind of
empty pleasantness, and that was a hell lot better than the nightmare he just came from. All the heart-rending
pain and humiliation was behind him, and even though he was still crippled, he felt accepted. It was not pity
that kept Caska at his side now, but the tranquil lifestyle they both shared. Their old comrades would come
to visit once in a while, but any judgment they held towards him would have faded with time. Yes, an
ordinary life. It was not a life he had envisioned for himself, but given his circumstances it was the best he
could hope for. And, truthfully, it wasn't so bad... or so he told himself.

Hey, what's that in the soup? Crap...

Griffith was jerked out of the reverie and back to hurtling through the air. The intensity of such a sudden
shift from contentment to crushing agony was too great. It made him unstable. The resolve he felt just a
short while before was gone, replaced by the despair of a man broken in body and soul. He had always tried
so hard to deny his weaknesses, to be his ideal of unwavering dedication to his dream, but that couldn't
change the fact that he was still human. It was so tempting to believe the vision as a way to escape the
gravity of his current situation.
But he didn't have a place with the Hawks anymore, he had been humiliated far too much in front of them.
He couldn't handle waiting for that to wear off and become the peace and quiet of his vision, because he was
stuck in the present right now, and it was unbearable. And while his heart was being ripped apart, his mind
began to grasp some further implications of the dream.

“Ultimately, to be born, and to then simply live for no better reason... I can't abide such a lifestyle.” Griffith,
Vol. 6 Ch. 6

Even if the vision of the future didn't lie, even if it was what he could look forward to if he waited, was that
really the best he could hope for? A life devoid of direction or purpose? It might be fulfilling for Caska, but
such a lifestyle went against all that Griffith stood for, against the self-image he was so desperately trying to
cling to. It was the opposite of everything he ever wanted. And yet, while immersed in the vision, it was a
lifestyle he was almost willing to settle for. Was this how far he'd fallen? Did he truly lose himself along the
way? Was there nothing left for him at all?

The Eclipse
“You decided to end you own life to escape that despair. However, your despair itself was part of the wheel
of fate.” Ubik, Vol. 3 Ch. 2

Okay, so that line isn’t about Griffith, but it applies to him just the same. He got knocked out of the wagon
and tossed into a lake. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, with no horses, no wagon, and newly broken
bones, Griffith couldn’t help but laugh at how pathetic he’d become. His first impulse was suicide, but no,
that didn’t quite work out. He was still terrified of death. He missed his throat and only accomplished a
stream of blood trickling down his arm. His Behelit was lost in the prison, carried away by an underground
river. But as fate would have it – literally – his splashing about in the lake brought it back into his hands.

“Griffith...!! Was it me? The one who drove you... Was I the one who brought all this upon you? What
should I do...?! What do you want of me?!” Guts, Vol. 12 Ch. 4

Well it certainly wasn’t your dazzling intellect. Yes, Guts still didn’t get it. Never had, never would. But he
still chased after Griffith because, whether out of love or hatred, it’s the only thing he’d ever know how to
do. And also because somewhere, deep down, he felt responsible for all this. Now, I’m not saying the
ensuing carnage was Guts’ fault. I’m just saying that if Guts hadn’t left, none of it would’ve happened and
everyone would live happily ever after. Caska certainly thought so.

“What can I do!? Once I catch up to you... what then...? What then...?! What the...?” Guts, Vol. 12 Ch. 4

Hmm... there seems to be an ominous-looking solar eclipse looming overhead.

“...Unhh.......!!” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 4

Griffith was as confused as everyone else because he didn’t plan for this to happen. He had no clue how the
Behelit worked. While dangling him around the other day, Wyald did mentioned something about
summoning some “guardian angels,” but Griffith didn’t know who they were or how to do that. The Behelit
was being triggered passively by his fresh blood and tears to usher in a demonic festival that took place once
every 216 years. Day turned to night and strange creatures emerged from the lake.

Point of No Return
“Stay away... Stay away!!!” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 4

And there he was, the reason for this whole mess as far as Griffith was concerned. The one who with a
single gesture could melt his heart or drive him mad. The one who abandoned him and left him to rot in
prison for year, and now came back to do it all over again. The one person he could not let himself be near,
and the one person who, despite all this, he could not let go. To make matters worse, Guts had all the Hawks
on his tail. Griffith couldn't bear to face them right now, he just couldn't!
“If you touch me now... If you put your arm on my shoulder now... I'll never... I'll never!!...” Griffith, Vol.
12 Ch. 4

He knew he was highly unstable, that the slightest touch could send him over the edge, but Guts was
stubborn, and the fact that Griffith couldn’t speak didn’t help. And then, that final warning before everything
went to Hell:

“I’ll never be able to forgive you again.” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 4*

Forgive what? Forgive Guts for leaving? “Again”?? Would that mean that the first time Griffith forgave
Guts was during the reunion in the dungeon? But I guess Griffith had his limits. He would not tolerate his
heart being broken twice. The Behelit wept tears of blood and uttered an unearthly scream that plunged
everyone in the immediate vicinity into another plane of existence. The ground became a sea of twisted
faces, and the four members of the God Hand made their appearance.

Invocation of Doom
“I bid thee welcome to this distant setting, this abstract time. Ye lambs of the ungodly God born of man,
enjoy this sacred nocturnal festival to the fullest. Thee, honorable child consecrated by the laws of causality.
The Hawk. Thou art the chosen one. At this time, in this place... the one chosen by the hand of the great
God. We art kinsmen, O blessed king of longing.” Void, Vol. 12 Ch. 6

A lot of Berserk truths squeezed into a very cryptic paragraph. Void started off by welcoming the humans to
this realm, addressing them as beings who have created God – the Idea of Evil spawned from the darkness of
humanity’s unconscious. He then turned his attention to Griffith, the chosen one through whom the infallible
Law of Causality brought this time and place into being. He was one of them – a mighty Demon King ready
to claim his throne. Of course none of this made any sense to the Hawks except for Griffith, who was slowly
beginning to connect it to his demonic visions in the dungeon. He’s had a wide-eyed deer-caught-in-
headlights look on his face ever since the eclipse. Was it fear, denial, doubt, guilt, or hope? Trembling, he
started to ‘say’ something, but was cut off by Guts.

“Enough 'a your stupid crap!! First you drag us into this godforsaken hole, then you say whatever the hell
you want?!... Keep your stupid crap to yourself!!! I've even seen this guy naked before!! He ain't got so
much as a tail growin'!! Don't lump him together with you freaks!!” Guts, Vol. 12 Ch. 6

Guts would not be intimidated by an army of demons and their Olde Englishe (/Japanese) speaking
overlords! He jumped right in to defend his best friend’s innocence, drawing some softer glances from
Griffith. Would that mean that he was comforted by Guts’ words? That he was moved by his friend’s faith in
him and didn’t intend to become a demon?

“Such beautiful friendship. I am sure you will make for an excellent sacrifice... A precious sacrifice so that
he may become a demon.” Slan, Vol. 12 Ch. 6

There it was, the true purpose of the festival, without all the sugarcoating: Sacrifice to become the fifth God
Hand. After all, there were currently four God Hand members, and a hand had five fingers. Guts
immediately assumed it was these monsters who wanted to change Griffith by killing the rest of them, but
Slan assured him this was not the case. “What will do that is his will. He will offer all of you as a sacrifice.”
This was news to Griffith, and he was as shocked as anybody, but that didn’t matter. The God Hand spoke
with confidence because fate was absolute, determined the moment Griffith first acquired the Behelit.

“All lies within the currents of causality. Everything has been determined. All your lives have been spun
into this sacred point in time, 'The Eclipse.' The time is now at hand for us to perform the Invocation of
Doom.” Void, Vol. 12 Ch. 7
The ground shook and a huge pillar rose under them. Even now, in the midst of this spectacle, Griffith
couldn't bear to be separated from Guts. When Guts slipped, he instinctively reached out to catch him, but
had no strength in his mangled arm to support the bulky warrior. The hold broke, and Guts continued his
fall, while Griffith was taken to the very top of what grew into the huge Hand altar of the God Hand. This
was significant because Griffith was now alone in the grips of the God Hand, isolated from the only
humanizing influence in his life. Wasting no time, Guts frantically scaled the side of the altar to rescue the
person he saw as his poor, helpless friend. But Griffith was in no danger from the God Hand.

The Only Road to the Castle

“Are you afraid? One such as yourself?! Of extraordinary beings such as us? Or perhaps of the future you
will follow?” Void, Vol. 12 Ch. 8

Unlike the rest of the world, they did not talk down to him or pity him. He was their guest of honor, and
their equal. They surrounded him with great anticipation, because they were eager to become whole again,
like a spine-chilling family reunion. Ubik explained to Griffith that “before going into the future, you may
once again return to the past, and know what kind of person you are.” The God Hand gave him a symbolic
vision of his past, and though they claimed that “this is no illusion, this is the reality of your conscious
world,” they also guided the experience for their own purposes.

“Hello, ma'am? Which way's the castle?” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 8

It is interesting to note that in his mind’s eye, Griffith reverted to his childhood persona. Aside from the fact
that these early years were the decisive crossroads of fate, was it also reflective of his core inner self? Was
this the point at which his emotional development shut down and he dedicated himself entirely to his dream,
setting in motion a chain of events that would make him incapable of dealing with feelings beyond his
control? Or was it simply a longing for more innocent times, when things weren’t so complicated, and the
consequences for actions weren’t so severe? In any case, here was Griffith, back in the streets of his
hometown, trying to find the castle. He got lost, so he asked an old lady for directions. She pointed the way,
adding that “your friends said they’d go on ahead and wait for you.”

“This is the only road to that castle. There aren't any others.” Granny, Vol. 12 Ch. 8

He stumbled into a dark alleyway which, upon closer inspection, was littered with dead bodies. This was too
much for little Griffith. He floundered around shrieking, until the calm voice of the granny interrupted him.
He accused her of misleading him, but she insisted that she did not lie. This was, indeed, the only road to the
castle. It was paved with the bodies of thousands of comrades, tens of thousands of enemies, and even
nameless bystanders. The more bodies he piled up, the closer he would get to the castle, and if he stopped,
he may join them. Poor White Hawk, his face rubbed in the harsh reality of his quest. Though Griffith
always took an active part on the battlefield, rarely was his sparkling armor soiled with the blood of corpses
– he left that dirty work to Guts!

“Aren't you the one who did this to all of them? Well, aren't you?” Granny, Vol. 12 Ch. 8

Oh come on, this is getting ridiculous. You’re going to guilt trip Griffith about dead people now? Dead
people who chose to follow him?? The first to emerge from his subconscious was the little boy whose death
drove Griffith to seek financial help from a Baron by questionable means. The fact that this memory came
up at all proves that Griffith was capable of feeling remorse. The boy told him that he wanted to become his
knight, and asked to be taken to the castle. Griffith told him he couldn’t. This was not an “I don’t want to
take you to the castle,” this was a “you’re already dead, so I literally CAN’T take you.” But it didn’t end
there. More dead soldiers came out of the mists, demanding to be taken to the castle. Griffith didn’t know
what to tell them besides stating the obvious: “I can't take you with me...!! Because you're dead...!! You're
not alive anymore!! So you'll never reach that castle...!! I can't take you with me... I just can't!!” Granny
scolded him for being so mean to his friends: “You brought them all so far. If only you'd never said you
were going there, none of this would have happened.”
“Why couldn't you have been satisfied just gazing at the castle from the back alleys?!” Granny, Vol. 12 Ch.
8

Why the hell should he be?! Why should anyone? Those who followed him weren’t satisfied with their
quality of life either! I say again, they chose to follow Griffith of their own free will, for their own reasons.
Yes, they believed in his dream, but more importantly, they believed he could lead them to a better life for
themselves along the way. And Griffith delivered! They went from being beggars and thieves to heroes and
nobility! They knew what they were getting themselves into, and it could be said that they used him as much
as he used them. The only person Griffith ever forced to join the Hawks was Guts, as testified by Caska’s
surprise at Griffith’s active recruitment of Guts.

“If you want to go all the way to the castle you'll have to pile up many, many more corpses. What's wrong?
Are you afraid now? Do you want to turn back?! You mustn't! Don't think that way!! If you do that, this
time you will become one of these corpses!! See?! Look at your own arms and legs!!” Granny, Vol. 12 Ch. 8

Ahh, and now comes the manipulative fear-mongering. Little Griffith’s body began to waste away – a
poignant reminder of the older Griffith’s physical deterioration. It was either him or them, and he had to
choose fast! From fear-mongering, granny progressed to outright coercion: “It's still not too late!! Before
you become one of them, pile up the corpses!! There's nothing else you can do!!” We finally see that the
granny is a puppet controlled by Ubik and Conrad. Gee, I wonder where this was going... Could it be that
the God Hand had a bias they wanted to impose on Griffith’s subconscious? Well, it's not like Griffith wasn't
looking for a reason. But, perhaps stronger than that, were Guts' old words of encouragement: "Ain't this
part of the path to your dream? You believe that, don't you? What's with that? Now, of all times."

“Yes... what good is regretting it now? What can I say to the dead now? What good is repenting my sins
now? I can't so much as apologize. This is the path I have traveled. To get what I wanted, I can't apologize.
No... I won't apologize.....!! If I apologize, if I repent, everything will come to an end. I'll never get to reach
that place.” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 8

He could not let himself feel responsible for those who chose to fight his battles. He had done all he could
for them, but he could not turn back. He had gone too far, climbed too high to let it all end now. The twisted
flashback reminded him how much he hurt and why he cut off his feelings in the first place. It started as a
way to avoid emotional instability in battle, which divorced him from his humanity, and mutated to
rationalize pursuing his dream over the lives of others. Finally, it evolved to protect the only thing he had
left: himself. To keep winning was all he could do to honor the dead.

Wings of the Hawk

“Eyeing the castle in the sky. Taking it by piling up corpses endlessly. That is you.” Void, Vol. 12 Ch. 9

The God Hand did not lie, but they did blow the truth out of proportion. There was nothing about Griffith
that uniquely qualified him to become the fifth God Hand. Yes, the only way to the castle was through dead
bodies. That is the nature of war! Every King, every Baron, every General traveled that road to claim their
rank. They taxed and bullied their subjects, and obligated them to die for politics they cared nothing about.
Compared to them, Griffith was a saint! Though he was ruthless, he was also highly efficient, and didn’t
destroy more than he had to. Even after scoring a decisive victory against a most hated enemy, his orders
were to “If they flee this place, well enough!! Slaughter every last one who offers opposition!!” He never
struck first, but if somebody did oppose him, his vengeance was undeniably swift, brutal, and cruel. None of
these things made him a monster.

“Bury everything in exchange for the past, in the ruins of your dream.” Slan, Vol. 12 Ch. 9

The God Hand were essentially giving Griffith the chance to start over. They could take all his pain and
despair, and make this whole nightmare go away. But first he had to choose between the pursuit of his
dream and the lives of his comrades. This was a choice he made many times before, although it was never
presented quite so literally.
“Chant the words 'I sacrifice' in your heart, and you shall be granted raven-black wings upon which you
shall soar in the heavens, higher than any summit.” Void, Vol. 12 Ch. 9

The Hawks that followed Griffith to this place were his most loyal soldiers. They loved and trusted him as a
person, and would stand by him even if the dream they fought so hard for was in shambles. They weeded
themselves out from the rest as unknowing but willing sacrifices through whom Griffith could truly live
again. Each of them would become a feather in the wings of the hawk reborn. It was a great honor to nourish
the birth of a god! The God Hand insinuated that his soldiers would forgive him, and would welcome his
transformation. When they saw Griffith was still having trouble coming to terms with all this, Void gave
him an ultimatum.

“If even now, that castle is in your eyes more dazzling than anything, then pile it up, take all you have left.”
Void, Vol. 12 Ch. 9

There is a running theme of "brightness” in Berserk. Brightness symbolized the intensity of a thought,
desire, or concept in one’s mind. About Griffith, Guts once said “the more dazzling he is in my eyes.” About
Guts, Griffith said “he shines so glaring within me,” when he realized that his desire for Guts was overriding
his own dreams. The brighter the thought/desire/concept, the more power it had over the psyche. Now Void
was asking Griffith to decide once and for all what was brightest in his mind, what was more important to
him, Guts or his dream?

Runaway Dream
“Among thousands of comrades and tens of thousands of enemies, you're the only one. You're the only one
who made me forget my dream.” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 9

When Guts finally crested the summit of the God Hand altar, Griffith greeted him with a mysterious smile.
His swirling thoughts have clicked into crystal clarity. They were as much a declaration of love as they were
of blame. He blamed Guts for ruining his life, but he blamed himself even more for letting Guts distract him.
Love does that to people. It scrambles our priorities and makes us act irrationally. Only when separated from
Guts and under the sole influence of the God Hand was Griffith able to see that. And it was ultimately this
realization that pushed him over the edge.

“Whether it suits them or not, people yearn for a dream. Sustained by a dream, hurt by a dream, revived by a
dream, killed by a dream. And even after being abandoned by a dream, it continues to smolder from the
bottom of one's heart... probably until the verge of death.” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 6

Griffith’s dream validated his existence. It was the foundation upon which he built his identity. It had
supported him, and he suffered for it, but without it he was nothing. If he allowed Guts to outshine it in his
own heart, it would be nothing short of losing himself. He would become one of those lesser creatures that
depended on the light of another to give them purpose. Indeed, he had already fallen into that trap before,
when his feelings for Guts drove him to sabotage everything he accomplished. This was a weakness he
could not live with. He had to choose the castle, if only to prove to himself that he still could.

“I sacrifice.” Griffith, Vol. 12 Ch. 9

Well, I hope you all know the story from here. The God Hand altar closed, the demonic blood orgy began,
and Griffith emerged from his cocoon as Femto, the Wings of Darkness. Then there’s that nasty Caska-
raping scene which I can only assume was Femto’s way of getting back at Guts and Caska for emotionally
abandoning Griffith. Or was it just to get back at Guts for hooking up with Caska? Anyway, Femto aside, let
us backtrack here for a minute... What did Griffith really do?

The Nature of Sacrifice

“They are my valuable comrades, devoting themselves to the dream I envision.” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 6
Griffith never took anything that wasn’t his. He had never lied about his intentions, or the lengths to which
he would go to see them done. His wo/men admired him for that. All the Hawks swore to die for his dream.
Was his dream selfish? Maybe. That didn’t make it wrong, and it didn’t make him evil to ask of his troops
that which they would freely give him: their loyalty, their lives. Sure, they expected the sacrifice would take
place on the battlefield, but it would still be a sacrifice. There’s no fundamental difference between sacrifice
on the battlefield and sacrifice to demons... if both further Griffith’s dream, heh. “I will decide the place
where you die.” Of course, Griffith would never have sacrificed his men before the prison incident – he had
far too much confidence in himself for that! But with everything else taken away from him, they were his
last trump card, and he was willing to use it. This raises the question of whether he cared about his soldiers
at all, or merely saw them as stepping stones on his path to glory.

“I simply have no emotional interest in you at all. Resentment, endearment, nothing. I just took the liberty of
using you when the opportunity appeared. You were like a stone lying by the side of the path I walk. That,
and nothing more.” Griffith, Vol. 8 Ch. 2

These were Griffith’s words to the Baron who he sold himself to when he was younger – right before he
killed him. Were those words meant purely for the Baron, or could they apply just as easily to any member
of the Hawks? Frankly, at the point they were spoken, it was hard to tell, but let’s take this one step at a
time. No matter what Griffith told himself or others, the night he spent with the Baron did traumatize him.
How much he repressed that pain by the time these words were spoken is anyone’s guess. The reason he
gave himself to the Baron at all was because he wanted to lower the death toll of his troops, inspired by his
sympathy for a little boy that died under his command. This could be interpreted in either a purely caring or
a purely rational way, but that boy’s appearance in Griffith’s guilty conscience showed it was at least both.
The stone metaphor was later used by Guts to describe his leaving as “like stumbling on a rock on the
roadside” Surely we could all agree that it rocked Griffith’s world more than a little rock. The only question
that remains is... How much did he care?

“As a sacrificial offering for the Invocation of Doom, not just any lump of flesh will do. It must be someone
important to you, part of your soul... Someone so close to you that it's almost like giving up a part of you.”
Slan, Vol. 3 Ch. 2

Ironically, it is the fact that the Hawks qualified as sacrifices that proves how much he loved them. You
NEED people you care about for the ritual to work! There is no way around this! In the past, people have
sacrificed their parents and their children... all who fit the Behelit's requirement of "own flesh and blood."
Perhaps blood ties are designed to work by default, yet what Griffith sacrificed was much more significant:
emotional ties that matched, if not surpassed, the strength of blood ties.

Descent into Darkness

“By making such a sacrifice to demonkind, you'll be able to sever any last remnants of your own humanity.”
Ubik, Vol. 3 Ch. 2

The real meaning of the ritual is less about the physical act of sacrifice, and more about the symbolic
sacrifice of your own humanity. It serves to sever mortal ties with the human race. By the age-old logic of
sacrifice, the more you have to give, the more you gain in return. In the past, loved ones were sacrificed to
become minions like Zodd or Wyald. No small feat! Yet consider how much greater Griffith's sacrifice must
have been if it had the power to turn him into a god! Yet a question still remains: was this the result of the
intensity of his caring? or simply the result of the special type of Behelit he had? I would say both. The type
of Behelit he had was the direct result of his capacity for love, which he would then be driven to sacrifice
when cornered so cruelly by fate.

“A fissure in your heart will open up into which Evil will surge.” Conrad, Vol. 3 Ch. 2

Of course, in order to sacrifice your humanity, you must first have it, and once you lose it, you change. You
become an empty vessel which, according to Conrad, gets filled with "Evil." But what is this Evil?
“All their deaths are piercing through me! I wished for it. I killed them. It's strange... I don't feel anything.”
Griffith, Vol. 13 Ch. 3

Yeah, pay no attention to the text in the picture, it's all wrong. Griffith took ownership of his decision to
sacrifice his comrades, yet as he sensed their deaths fueling his transformation, he felt numb. He had
sacrificed the last remnants of his tears along with them. Unable to contain his pain, his heart had frozen
over. Femto would become the sterile, callous personification of not his dream, but his ambition. And it was,
indeed, what he wished for: a form free of mortal weaknesses like love and pain that could distract him from
his goal. His soul body was disintegrating, and he was falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Conclusion... or is it?
Well, this is where my analysis of Griffith ends. As a Griffith apologist, I don’t expect anyone to condone
what he did, but I do hope you could sympathize with why he did it. He did not just flippantly choose to
become Femto for the hell of it. This was the most compelling case for turning to the Dark Side that I have
ever seen!

There can be no blame here, just a horrific sequence of events that set up an epic tragedy. For this is the path
of all fated to the Behelit. First your life gets destroyed in ways specifically tailored to your worst fears, until
you are completely broken in mind and/or body. And then, at your absolute lowest point of despair, the God
Hand shows up, playing on those weaknesses and offering you a way out. It is explicitly designed to be an
offer you can't refuse.

It is the story of a street urchin who, inspired by a beautiful dream, took himself and those who followed him
all the way to the top. And just when his dream was within reach, he was torn from it in the cruelest way
imaginable. After being mutilated and tortured for a year, he lost not only his reputation, his friends, and his
freedom, but also such basic human dignities as talking, walking, and feeding himself. With his sanity
hanging by a thread, he even came close to losing himself, but he would not let that happen. I challenge
anyone to put themselves in Griffith’s place and say they would not make the same choice a lot faster!

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Just as Lucifer was once the most radiant angel in Heaven,
so too was Griffith’s rise and fall a result of his enormous pride. It’s not that Griffith didn’t care about
others, he just cared about himself more. When it came to Guts, he sometimes cared about himself less.

"A man should envision such a lifetime once. A life spent as a martyr to the god named 'Dream.'" Griffith,
Vol. 6 Ch. 6

Griffith's story is important to me, because I relate to his idea of "dreams" very strongly. Who among you
have something in your lives that you feel so strongly about, you would do anything for it? Who exist not
for your own sake, but as an embodiment of an idea? Whose purity of heart is enough to overcome any
obstacle? It is people like this who make or break the world. But how far would you go? How far should you
go? At what point do the ends not justify the means? And, perhaps scariest of all, at what point does
protecting yourself and your dream actually destroy who you are?

“Someone who would never depend upon another's dream. Someone who wouldn't be compelled by anyone,
but would determine and pursue his own reason to live. And should anyone trample that dream, he would
oppose him body and soul... even if the threat were me myself. That is what I think a friend is.” Griffith,
Vol. 12 Ch. 2

Perhaps it is fitting that, by Griffith ’s logic, Guts’ raging thirst for revenge on Femto solidified their
friendship... or at least it ensured that Guts would be chasing after him for a long time to come. Was this his
last-ditch effort to get Guts’ attention? Or was it simply a matter of Griffith’s taking his own words to heart?
He saw that Guts was threatening his dream, and he held onto it with everything he had. In this way, he
acknowledged Guts as a friend, an equal, and an adversary.
Descent into Darkness Reloaded
Here be parts from the "lost chapter 83," which was published in Young Animal but pulled from official
Berserk compilations, and certainly not mentioned in the anime series. It was taken out because Kentarou
Miura, the creator of Berserk, felt this chapter revealed too much too soon. Considering that the manga is
many volumes past this chapter by now, I don't know if Kentarou Miura taken advantage of its unofficiality
to make conceptual changes to his universe as the story evolved, so it is unclear how much of it still applies
to Griffith, but here it is nonetheless in all its glory! (Translation by Oliver Hague)

"I am this world, the darkness that dwells in every human heart. The Idea of Evil. This is God." Idea of Evil,
Ch. 83
As Griffith fell into the abyss, he realized he wasn't alone. He was drifting towards a giant lump of flesh
cloaked in whirlpools of energy and staring at him with a million eyes. This was the Berserk universe's God,
or at least a part of it.

"Violence and loneliness... This place is filled with all kinds of blurred negative feelings. It is truly the will
that defines human nature." Idea of Evil, Ch. 83
It was a swirling mass of every negative emotion that cried out for meaning. Those feelings ran deep, deeper
than joy and happiness, deep enough to create this great being. It was the collective unconscious of the
species, and as such it was a very human place. By this logic, the sacrificial ceremony wasn't about severing
ties with humanity at all. Rather, severing the superficial individual ties and developing a stronger
connection to the mass consciousness in order to see the bigger picture.

"Obeying the will of the essence of human kind, I weave every man's destiny." Idea of Evil, Ch. 83
The Idea of Evil was created by humans, for humans. It existed to explain all the misery, suffering, and
absurdities in the world. It was willed into existence by humanity, and shaped destiny to reflect the desires
of humanity as a whole. These were not necessarily conscious wishes. The power of the rational mind is
weak compared to the irrational force of feelings. Feelings of vengeance, hatred, and despair that most
people try to hide. But they don't go away, they fuel the Idea of Evil, and create a world that reflects them.

"Does that mean that you're the one that controls my destiny?... That you're the one... who arranged
everything so that it would be this way?!" Griffith, Ch. 83
When Griffith understood this, he was at first shocked that something this terrible would be humanity's will
for him.

"To pave the way for the times you would be born in, I manipulated history. And created an appropriate
context for you. All the encounters you have had so far were part of the destiny that led you here." Idea of
Evil, Ch. 83
Yep, this was in the works for a veeery long time.

"We are all at the mercy of a great tide... fate, or whatever you wish to call it... and we all disappear in the
end, our lives spent, never even knowing who we were." Griffith, Vol. 3 Ch. 3

Griffith was always fascinated by the whole "destiny" idea. He knew he was special, but he was afraid he
would disappear before he ever truly understood who he was, just like everybody else. He had a dream, and
he wanted to make that his destiny, but he still longed for confirmation. But after that dream crashed and
burned to the ground, he thought he was lost. Was he following the wrong path all along? Would he die
ignorant like all the rest he crushed along the way? He thought he would. For a little while, he even wanted
to.

"...The destiny... My... God! What do you want from me?!" Griffith, Ch. 83

Yet here was God itself! He could ask these questions straight to its face! It gave him hope and motivation.

"Be as you will... Do as you will, Chosen One." Idea of Evil, Ch. 83
Mmmm... "Chosen One." Griffith likes being chosen. Griffith likes being special. Apparently, his destiny
wasn't just to become King, but to become a god! And here was THE God basically telling him that, since
he was also A god, he could create his own destiny!

"I dwell deep in your heart, I am a part of you. You are part of your kind's consciousness, a part of me. Your
desire is my desire as well." Idea of Evil, Ch. 83
No, really, do whatever the hell you want! Not only was God telling him all this, but a God speaking for the
will of humanity. It was humans who elected Griffith to become one of their five immortal Kings!

"You actions themselves shall prove suitable for your kind as a whole. May they bring pain or salvation to
mankind." Idea of Evil, Ch. 83
Griffith now assumes the dual nature of Savior and Destroyer. It is up to him how to use his powers!
Although getting sucked into a God-vortex during a fit of insanity doesn't bode well for his mental state.

"Take with you the power of the feelings this inner world is filled with." Idea of Evil, Ch. 83
Is this the "evilness" that Conrad was referring to? In that case, it's not really evil at all. It is simply the
deepest longings of humanity, and the knowledge of how they shape the world. It could even be called
wisdom.

"Change this physical field that is your body into a shape suitable for your task." Idea of Evil, Ch. 83

Here we have a much more assertive Griffith. He's ready to OWN this whole choose-your-destiny thing!!
His soul body is not disintegrating. On the contrary, it is fully formed... and he wants wings, damnit!! Truly
Griffith made a conscious decision to become Femto. But this is a Griffith who has not only went through
hell on earth, but also the literal hell of the Idea of Evil. It taught him to stop running away from his pain and
embrace it as the driving force in the universe. It became a source of power! His mind had definitely
mutated. It was infused with the mass consciousness of the world and now had a transcendent perspective on
life. The God Hand were the most accessible, and the most benevolent gods humanity had. It was a lot of
responsibility!

I guess it's only proper that I say a few words about Femto and his current relationship with Guts.

Femto: the Wings of Darkness

"Still squirming around in your pitiful existence, I see." Femto, Vol. 3 Ch. 2
Femto is trying hard to play the part of his new persona. At least he's got the mocking part down! He found
his calling in life, and it was greater than he ever dreamed of. His delusions of grandeur have become a
reality. I think he truly wants to figure out what he can do for this world.

"His petty existence is beneath our notice." Femto, Vol. 3 Ch. 2

Now, obviously Griffith didn't think that before. So what happened? Is he in denial, still frustrated by his
weakness? Has he truly cut off his emotional ties, or did he just bury them again?

"My petty existence...? Don't make me laugh! You're where you are now thanks to this petty existence.
Thanks to me, who's fighting an army of the dead because of you...!! Thanks to me, who's writhing around
in my own blood!! You stand there putting on airs like you're some kind of godly being!!" Guts, Vol. 3 Ch.
2
Well, I'd say they're both a little bitter at each other, with good reasons.

"Yes, you're nothing but a squirming, sacrificial offering." Femto, Vol. 3 Ch. 2
Translated as: "You distracted me from my dream and ruined my life, but at least you were useful for getting
me these nifty wings, even though you didn't actually die." Is Femto challenging Guts? Protecting him?
Ignoring him? I really can't tell. Perhaps Griffith's traumatic experiences as a mortal and then in the spirit
realm warped his psyche so much that such relatively petty things don't concern him anymore. But, frankly,
it's very hard to make excuses for Femto.
"Such beauty... It touches me. Love, Hatred, Pain, Pleasure, Life, Death. All are there. This is to be human.
This is to be Evil." Slan, Vol. 13 Ch. 7
And yet, Femto is not entirely devoid of emotion. He is filled with the melting pot of mortal desires that
fuels the Idea of Evil. He also has his own memories, and is motivated by much the same things as human
Griffith was, albeit in more twisted ways. The fact that he makes such a big deal over forcing Guts to watch
him rape Caska is in itself an indication of feelings. I mean, he barely broke eye contact with Guts
throughout that entire scene! As Slan eloquently explains, it is moments like these that show the full
spectrum of what it means to be human. The God Hand, as enforcers of humanity's will, have a very
intimate relationship with the mass consciousness of the species. In this way, they are perhaps more human
than the individual humans themselves.

Griffith/Femto is definitely set up to do great things in the manga. There was too much effort put into the
development of his personality, his history, and his relationship with Guts and Caska to have him flatline
into a purely evil character. Dare I say he is a lot like Anakin/Darth Vader in Star Wars? Perhaps he is meant
to unify the Light and Dark sides of the Force! There is still struggle inside him. And if there isn't now, there
will be. I believe his dual nature will decide the fate of the Berserk universe.