Episode 274

[Griffith]

Anticipating episode 275 to see how Miura writes Guts out of this mess. I'm sure he'll survive, but I don't know if he'll be the same (physically or spiritually) or even conscious when the group gets out of Vritanis. I just hope this problem resolves itself without any outside interference.

Good post, and that was basically the point I was trying to make, not whether or not Guts would live, but how (both the act of survival and coping with whatever the aftermath).

Anyway, yeah, Daiba got a depth injection; typical Miura material too. Makes you wonder if Daiba is another loser with a pie in the sky dream of taking over, or if he just wants a piece of the pie should Ganishka win out. Content to live under the dream of another, or does he want something he wins for himself!?

 

[Graywords]

"Deactivated armor".

What *really* happened to the berserk armor?  Was it deactivated/incapacitated?  All we really saw was the armor sort of unfold off of Guts, and then it just sort of isn't shown.  Could the lightning have destroyed it, or "killed" it?  Possible, but not likely. Yes, it could definitely have been deactivated, but... the main question in my mind is, where the hell did the armor disappear to?  I almost wonder if it might have taken a form in itself to cushion the blow from Guts.  Yeah, I know it's far-fetched, but the vaguely human-shaped black blob in the final lightning strike might have been the armor. *shrug*

Of course, I'm only half-serious about this. ^_^  Not to mention only half-awake. *yawn*

 

[grendelrt]

Not so much gone, mostly just lurking quietly.  What, gotta Fighter with a few barbarian levels.  (Guts)
Got a rogue.  (Serpico)
Got a low level ranger. (Isidro)
Got a sorcerer or wizard.  (Schierke)
oh, no cleric... damn... Maybe I've just been spending too much time building a campaign lately. 

Not to help you push this forward at all, I dont agree, but Puck would be your Cleric damnit!

 

[Aazealh]

Maybe I've just been spending too much time building a campaign lately.

Yeah, I think so. There's a big guy with a sword and a girl using magic, man, it's JUST like D&D. Let's put a stop to this crap before it annoys me please.

Locus using his lance as a ground-wire for the lighting-bolt
Griffith himself appears and protects his sacrifice

Great possibilities you have there man.

The pterodactyl (for lack of a better term) "familiar"

Garuda!

While I hope this means that the Kushans have a bunch more aerial familiars at their disposal (imagine those things along with Ganishka's other monstrosities against Griffith's apostles ), I'm also thinking this is a special type of beast for high ranking officers like Daiba (ala the Kundalini).

I think they have more of them yeah. However while they're probably less common than say the crocodiles, I don't think we should put them on the Kundalini's level. It wasn't just a familiar or anything like that, it was a very powerful astral creature with an amazing control over water. Schierke even said that it could be considered a god in polytheist religions, that's quite something.

Something Daiba said also got my eyes: as he was being flown away from Guts and Serpico, he commented it is his earnest wish to create a vast empire in this world

That was interesting indeed, but for now I think he was just expressing his desire to see Ganishka succeed (I'm not saying that he doesn't have the same wish to see the realization of a great empire himself). So in parallel with what Griffith said I think he wants a piece of the pie should Ganishka win out, and is content to live under another man's dream while having some faith in this same dream himself (and what about his talk of praying everyday in previous episodes?).

I think it would be interesting if Daiba had "summoned" Ganishka, or the astral form/spirit/what ever the hell of him to this plain of existence.

The problem here is that Ganishka is the boss and Daiba the minion, so I doubt he'd "summon" him. However what could be interesting would be for the Kushans attacking Vritannis to have released "magic fog" over there by themselves and to have casters concentrate so that Ganishka can materialize while being remote in Wyndham or somewhere else. That would also make it possible to resolve the current situation by cutting this magic link (he'd disappear).

What *really* happened to the berserk armor? Was it deactivated/incapacitated? All we really saw was the armor sort of unfold off of Guts, and then it just sort of isn't shown. Could the lightning have destroyed it, or "killed" it?

It retracted itself in the position it is when Guts isn't fighting using its full potential. Basically the arms and helmet just went back "in". Nothing unusual here and we actually saw the reverse process before (the armor covering Guts out of nowhere). I don't think it was destroyed or "killed" or anything like that. It doesn't look like the lightning really damaged it and besides it's a powerful magic item, I think it'd take a lot more to destroy it (notice how it repaired itself from the damage the Makara caused earlier).

where the hell did the armor disappear to?

That's a good question, the amovable parts are probably stored somewhere inside that we haven't seen yet. Then there's also the black fluid that appears to be covering Guts' body when the armor takes over... It's a magical armor after all, no use trying to rationalize it too much. I'm sure Miura will show us some small details about its inner workings later on in the story.

I almost wonder if it might have taken a form in itself to cushion the blow from Guts.

Nah, that'd be contrary to its reputation.

 

[Rhombaad]

"Deactivated armor".

What *really* happened to the berserk armor?  Was it deactivated/incapacitated?  All we really saw was the armor sort of unfold off of Guts, and then it just sort of isn't shown.  Could the lightning have destroyed it, or "killed" it?  Possible, but not likely. Yes, it could definitely have been deactivated, but... the main question in my mind is, where the hell did the armor disappear to?  I almost wonder if it might have taken a form in itself to cushion the blow from Guts.  Yeah, I know it's far-fetched, but the vaguely human-shaped black blob in the final lightning strike might have been the armor. *shrug*

Of course, I'm only half-serious about this. ^_^  Not to mention only half-awake. *yawn*

It looks like the helmet just morphed back into the cape, like it has done before. The armor is still present on his torso and upper-arms, so I think "deactivated armor" describes it perfectly.

 

[Griffith]

It looks like the helmet just morphed back into the cape, like it has done before.

On that note, when the armor is fully transformed the cape also somewhat loses definition, almost like it's become liquidish or alive. The "symbiote cape" might be the key to the ooze and the armor's power (where everything comes from and goes when it transforms).

 

[CnC]

On that note, when the armor is fully transformed the cape also somewhat loses definition, almost like it's become liquidish or alive. The "symbiote cape" might be the key to the ooze and the armor's power (where everything comes from and goes when it transforms).

I noticed that as well. very cool effect, albeit a tad played out already

 

[SaiyajinNoOuji]

The problem here is that Ganishka is the boss and Daiba the minion, so I doubt he'd "summon" him. However what could be interesting would be for the Kushans attacking Vritannis to have released "magic fog" over there by themselves and to have casters concentrate so that Ganishka can materialize while being remote in Wyndham or somewhere else. That would also make it possible to resolve the current situation by cutting this magic link (he'd disappear).

I guess a better way of putting it is somewhat like... a satanic group doing rituals to try and bring back their evil god to help rule the land! Sounds just about right!

 

[Rhombaad]

On that note, when the armor is fully transformed the cape also somewhat loses definition, almost like it's become liquidish or alive. The "symbiote cape" might be the key to the ooze and the armor's power (where everything comes from and goes when it transforms).

The helmet and the pieces covering his forearms retracting into the cape is something I had considered, too. It's pretty convenient way to store the "excess" armor when it's not in use.

 

[Sparnage]

Most gripping EPISODE I've read in a fair while, thanks Aaz.

Yeah, Ganishka is the perfect antagonistic foil for Griffith; the devil to his messiah in this fairy tale life Griffith is living. Makes you wonder what he could be like on the flip side (King Griffith is really the devil), if he has a place in that World (besides slain dragon). He's interesting outside that role because he's such a wild card. He could help Guts, or he could just kill him...

Agreed. The only way I can see Guts surviving is with Ganishka voluntarily stopping the onslaught, because it doesn't seem like anyone else has any chance of stopping him.

Schierke might be able to thwart him off for enough to to let them escape, or at least summon a spell strong enough to prove to him they are worth something. Ganishka would surely know his best chance of beating Griffith is with the strength of magic users, hense Daiba and might perhaps see some use in a group that already opposes Griffith, should he realise that they are.

Speaking of which, I honestly can't remember there ever quite being another cliffhanger where Guts could literally be getting killed, and nobody wants to talk about this? Are we just too conditioned into knowing Guts can't die to get sucked in? C'mon, he won't just be okay somehow; he could be seriously hurt this time... seriously. =)

Seems like this will be the first time he will be seriously hurt since he first put on the Berserker armour fighting Gurunberd. But yeah... not gonna die, he's tough.

BTW I might've missed someone else saying this, but isn't it possible that the ship Guts and the group were about to grab has been destroyed?

 

[Aazealh]

I might've missed someone else saying this, but isn't it possible that the ship Guts and the group were about to grab has been destroyed?

Well it's possible of course, since we haven't seen it yet anything could have happened to it. However since the group has been distracting (well, annihilating) the Kushan troops at the port and since it's supposed not to be in the harbor but away from the other ships I think it'll be Ok. Besides what would they do if it was destroyed? Stay in Vritannis? Sounds unlikely to me.

 

[windeline]

I don't really have much to contribute to the discussion at hand but I just had to say you had me fooled with that "preview," Aazealh. XD

I do hope Guts isn't going to be terribly hurt, although it doesn't really look like the outcome will be that good. Or enjoyable for that matter.


Winde, BZZT

 

[pippin22]

I do hope Guts isn't going to be terribly hurt, although it doesn't really look like the outcome will be that good. Or enjoyable for that matter.

What makes you say that?

 

[windeline]

Oh I don't know. Large lightening bolts of doom never seem to be doing anyone any good these days.

 

[pippin22]

OHHHHHHHHH, I thought you meant it wasn't going to be interesting or something...

 

[BiQ_]

Whoopsie-whoops.

I really did not expect Ganishka to make an appearance here. Anyways, not too much to say except that this is the very first episode of berserk I have got to read from a real Young Animal issue, right at the day of publication. This is thanks to the fact I am in Japan right now... :) It was really something great to do. Also bought some tankoubons of berserk at mandarake for bargain price.

This is the first time in my 2-week trip that I actually have a really working chance to get into internet from my own laptop, and I'm leaving the day after tomorrow back to home... :/ oh well, I really haven't had so much "free" time for internet since there is just too much to do in Japan. But that is not a topic for this thread.

 

[Synbios]

Well I just hope there is no deus ex machina to save the day here.

Maybe Ganishka will notice the brand, if he hasn't already, and will realize who Guts is. I doubt he will ally with him, but they both have the same enemy

 

[Donald Shimoda]

Personally, I think Gatsu's just gonna take the blow, get up, reactivate the berserker armor, go berserk and kill Ganishka.

 

[Walter]

Personally, I think Gastu's just gonna take the blow, get up, reactivate the berserker armor, go berserk and kill Ganishka.

That's quite a theory ya got there Donny. How's Gustzu going to hit a being made of fog though?

 

[Donald Shimoda]

That's quite a theory ya got there Donny. How's Gustzu going to hit a being made of fog though?

And how does he weild a 200lb+ sword without any kind of counterbalance for the leverage of the thing? He just does, hes Gutsu, he'll find a way.

 

[SaiyajinNoOuji]

And how does he weild a 200lb+ sword without any kind of counterbalance for the leverage of the thing? He just does, hes Guts, he'll find a way.

Cause like Gutz is EXTREME!

 

[Walter]

And how does he weild a 200lb+ sword without any kind of counterbalance for the leverage of the thing?

If you notice his stance when he uses it, his legs counter balance the swings, and he's had a lot of practice with large swords his whole life I'm not saying it's 100% realistic, but it's justified within the boundaries of the story. Your hitting fog theory however, is a little out there though.

He just does, hes Guts, he'll find a way.

I'm not saying it won't happen, but ... since you seem interested in physics, how will it happen, Professor? Will Guts become enchanted by an Ice elemental and turn Ganishka's form into solid?

 

[Donald Shimoda]

If you notice his stance when he uses it, his legs counter balance the swings, and he's had a lot of practice with large swords his whole life I'm not saying it's 100% realistic, but it's justified within the boundaries of the story. Your hitting fog theory however, is a little out there though.
I'm not saying it won't happen, but ... since you seem interested in physics, how will it happen, Professor? Will Guts become enchanted by an Ice element and turn Ganishka's form into solid?

I didn't come to these forums to be talked down to, by someone like you. I came here because I love Berserk.

Yeah I misspelled Gatsu's name, big deal, it doesn't mean you should treat me like this.

I don't really know how guts will kill Ganishka, he'll find a way to kill him (maybe though magic) or he may not. He may get away, or maybe something will happen that none of us thought of. Miura's plots are often difficult to predict.

 

[Walter]

I didn't come to these forums to be talked down to, by someone like you. I came here because I love Berserk.

Hey, that's cool. I wasn't trying to talk down to you, I'm just watching Guts' back. And I wanted to get your insight into how you think it'll go down, since at the moment, your prediction seems a little impossible. But like you say, Miura is very unpredictable. Who knows what will happen.

But due to the increasing stress he's put on his body throughout this long ordeal, this blow just may put him in the worst condition he's yet experienced. Certainly in no condition to launch a counter-offensive. If he did indeed give in to the armor, I'd say that'd be it for our hero. The armor tears his body apart, and in this state...

PS: Saiya, Stfu.

 

[Donald Shimoda]

Hey, that's cool. I wasn't trying to talk down to you, I'm just watching Guts' back. And I wanted to get your insight into how you think it'll go down, since at the moment, your prediction seems a little impossible. But like you say, Miura is very unpredictable. Who knows what will happen.

Yeah I probably took your comments a little too seriously, I over reacted, I'm sorry man. Its just, there was someone from another forum community that I'm from that used to talk down to me a lot, any little gramatical/spelling mistake he'd point out or maybe that was just his little fan club, he was a real jerk, and I really just hated him.


Haha, as for my theory about whats going to happen, that was a bit of a joke more or less. But in all seriousness yeah Guts does look pretty messed up/wornout, though I think if it comes down to it, if he has to, he will keep fighting untill he dies, even if it means reactivating the Berserker armor again. I mean think about it, if he falls here, whats to happen to Casca and the others? He'll probably keep fighting till this is over or can get away, like he always has. We thought after he fought the Marraka(sp?) and was periced that'd he be out of it soon, but he got up again and fought Daiba (sp?). So who knows, Guts is a pretty tough guy after all, and he doesn't give up easily.