Episode 359

[TheWillOfT]

After the Judeau memory sequence, what i truly wonder about is what will cause Casca to remember the rape and specifically Femto? It could be as simple as someone mentioning Griffith, but one gutwrenching scenario that i have been thinking about is the Boy being responsible for it. It would be a very dualistic scene as the boy could be the bringer of her worst memory and also the one to make her cope with what happened. There is also the fact that the demon child was her last memory fragment, which was all about the eclipse.

 

[Jabaru]

Casca's line in that first picture: "I thought so. I'm quite rusty. This small sword feels heavy."

Some (very) early thoughts:

I like the path Miura has chosen for dealing with Casca's trauma. I had pictured it as being something that would her take a long time to deal with, not unlike Guts' own demons.
That seems like the only sensible way to go about it, because introducing it just to have her struggle for a few episodes would have felt like a needless delay of an inevitable resolution (her "returning to normal").
Instead it's a burden she will have to carry, but one that doesn't prevent the restoration nor the evolution of her character going forward. It's just that she isn't magically devoid of trauma.
She was brought back, but she still has to deal with what happened. And I think the group will help. One of the things I'm perhaps most excited about is seeing her and Guts support each other in that regard.
Guts has had no one with whom to really share that loss until now. It's a new paradigm for him and for his revenge. That's another thing I'm really curious to learn about: how will Casca feel about Griffith?
Obviously there's the matter of their son, but what about Griffith himself? Will she feel an all-consuming hatred like Guts? Will it be paralyzing fear? Bottomless sorrow? Something else? There are truly a myriad possibilities going forward...

When it comes to Casca's feelings towards Griffith/Femto I think she will want to return him to normal or to separate him from the Moonlight Boy/Cursed Child. The Child itself will likely be a blessing and a curse. Speaking of which he should be on his way to Elfhelm since last we saw Griffith it was a full moon.

I think things are about to get really intense right now as Miura wasted no time confirming for us that Casca can still fight at a relatively high level. Elfhelm has been protected so far, but what happens when Griffith discovers it? I'm sure Griffith either has recollection of whatever he does as the Moonlight Boy or that Zodd reports what happens.

Skull Knight has also appeared. If Skull Knight knows about the Moonlight Boy and if indeed that is Griffith's weakness, will Skull Knight try to kill Griffith by killing the Moonlight Boy? How would Guts feel? Casca?

I don't think Miura will keep this group all together and happy with each other. Something has got to give.

 

[Talon419]

I think it’ll be more of Skull Knight will talk to Guts and ask him what he’ll do and Guts will surprise us and say that despite Casca not being able to look at him, he’s not leaving her again because he swore to. He’s not exactly happy with how things are going but it’s a start

 

[Theozilla]

I had interesting (albeit tense) discussion with a fellow friends/fan who was expressing disappointment that with the way Miura had constructed the current set-up to Casca’s recovery/capacity to address her trauma. Specifically, my friend felt that it was important for the narrative to have Casca directly confront Guts on his sexual assault (and two year abandonment) of her. But with the way things have currently been set-up, my friend told me that he has lost some faith that said trauma/issues will be specifically address and not just lumped together with her trauma from the Eclipse.
I disagreed, at least in regards to personally thinking that it’s too early to judge whether said issue/plot point will be properly addressed eventually. But my friend felt that Miura could/should have set-up the narrative in a manner that allowed for more immediate addressing (said subject matter is a very sensitive/significant issue to them personally).

 

[Walter]

I'm loving the Isidro/Casca dynamic. I think it was Aaz who said it on a podcast in the past, but Isidro truly can learn more from Casca than from Guts. Also the idea of Casca training a kid who aspires to be like Guts is a pretty cute image.

Oh yeah, and there's a symbol on the sword Casca uses that caught my eye:

Now where have I seen that before...? I'm not going try and convince anyone that Gaiseric and/or his people were vikings. Nevertheless, the symbol isn't just a throwaway detail. We've seen it numerous times, and a mutated version of it is on the walls of Falconia as well. What's the significance of it? I think it simply dates the weapon from "that time."

Finally, the full-page horror of Guts and the apostles, I'm having a tough time with it. I can't really rationalize it very well in a way that's suitable for me. Obviously, Casca can talk to Guts, but his body is a living reminder of that hellish moment, so seeing his body is what triggers the memories of the Eclipse. But it's not just that. She has fused the two things in her mind. He's something that terrifies her.

I realize that we're just 2 eps into her coming to grips with everything, and we're certain to dig deeper into that association as we progress through her coping with the trauma, but to be honest it's already rougher than I expected it would be. After all Guts has done, first to be thought of as a dog on a futile quest, and then to be lumped in with those fuckers, come on... give this man a fucking break! If seeing Guts is the problem, then what I want is for Schierke to give a lock of her hair to Guts and Casca, put them in separate rooms, and just shout it out with thought transference until they can emerge hugging.

one gutwrenching scenario that i have been thinking about is the Boy being responsible for it. It would be a very dualistic scene as the boy could be the bringer of her worst memory and also the one to make her cope with what happened. There is also the fact that the demon child was her last memory fragment, which was all about the eclipse.

The child is certainly the result of the Eclipse. But I don't know that the above logic means that the child will be repellent to her because of that association. But who is most suitable to bring about that moment, and who is simultaneously en route? Femto.

When it comes to Casca's feelings towards Griffith/Femto I think she will want to return him to normal or to separate him from the Moonlight Boy/Cursed Child.

What would "normal" be for Femto? And why would she feel any obligation to do anything for him at this point?

Speaking of which he should be on his way to Elfhelm since last we saw Griffith it was a full moon.

Yep, we've all been talking about that since April. And it's not just because it was a full moon. His hair was changing color, too.

I'm sure Griffith either has recollection of whatever he does as the Moonlight Boy or that Zodd reports what happens.

You've got no basis to be sure of such a thing. And Zodd hasn't been seen around the boy since Vol 28. The boy hasn't needed him as transportation since then.

If Skull Knight knows about the Moonlight Boy and if indeed that is Griffith's weakness, will Skull Knight try to kill Griffith by killing the Moonlight Boy? How would Guts feel? Casca?

Yes, another thing we've talked a lot about since April when it became clear that the boy was headed to meet his parents again. I don't think we need to guess how Guts and Casca would feel. The question for me is really how far SK would go in such a scenario, or if he would even recognize it as a dilemma. After all, Flora wondered about her old friend's remaining humanity after all this time. Now, realistically, is he going to skewer the kid? Of course not. There are bigger possibilities for the child than to become moonlight-infused shish kebab. But if SK actually approaches the child with murderous intent, and Guts has to cross swords with him, it'd inevitably change their relationship a bit, I think. Or at the very least, lead to a VERY cool moment for readers o==||===> .

I don't think Miura will keep this group all together and happy with each other. Something has got to give.

The group is not all together or happy.

I disagreed, at least in regards to personally thinking that it’s too early to judge whether said issue/plot point will be properly addressed eventually. But my friend felt that Miura could/should have set-up the narrative in a manner that allowed for more immediate addressing (said subject matter is a very sensitive/significant issue to them personally).

It'll be addressed.

 

[Talon419]

I had interesting (albeit tense) discussion with a fellow friends/fan who was expressing disappointment that with the way Miura had constructed the current set-up to Casca’s recovery/capacity to address her trauma. Specifically, my friend felt that it was important for the narrative to have Casca directly confront Guts on his sexual assault (and two year abandonment) of her. But with the way things have currently been set-up, my friend told me that he has lost some faith that said trauma/issues will be specifically address and not just lumped together with her trauma from the Eclipse.
I disagreed, at least in regards to personally thinking that it’s too early to judge whether said issue/plot point will be properly addressed eventually. But my friend felt that Miura could/should have set-up the narrative in a manner that allowed for more immediate addressing (said subject matter is a very sensitive/significant issue to them personally).

Ah well that’s understandable. The way I see it, yeah it’s Gut’s fault it went too far and nearly raped her himself, but it could be justified with his rage and even being fed up with having to constantly protect her and all that. Real complicated situation where yeah Guts assaulted her but he didn’t mean to.

 

[NBK]

After the Judeau memory sequence, what i truly wonder about is what will cause Casca to remember the rape and specifically Femto? It could be as simple as someone mentioning Griffith, but one gutwrenching scenario that i have been thinking about is the Boy being responsible for it. It would be a very dualistic scene as the boy could be the bringer of her worst memory and also the one to make her cope with what happened. There is also the fact that the demon child was her last memory fragment, which was all about the eclipse.

Given how Miura likes to shit on Guts it'll be when they're about to have sex for the first time since forever.

I had interesting (albeit tense) discussion with a fellow friends/fan who was expressing disappointment that with the way Miura had constructed the current set-up to Casca’s recovery/capacity to address her trauma. Specifically, my friend felt that it was important for the narrative to have Casca directly confront Guts on his sexual assault (and two year abandonment) of her.

Wouldn't have made any sense, Guts way of coping with the trauma was to go into a murderous rampage, Casca on the other hand simply shut down, it would've not been coherent with her character to just simply snap out of two years of being a husk and confront him on how he almost raped her, it's like if Guts skipped the black swordsman and conviction arcs and directly realized killing apostles, not trusting anybody and damning himself to a path of self-destruction was a bad idea right off the bat. I don't expect that Miura will spend the same time on developing Casca's progress as he did with Guts, obviously he's the main character so he'll have more screen-time by default and time simply won't allow it given the frequency of the releases, but still it will be there and it will take a bit, it simply is more consistent with the serie.

Oh yeah, and there's a symbol on the sword Casca uses that caught my eye:
Now where have I seen that before...? I'm not going try and convince anyone that Gaiseric and/or his people were vikings. Nevertheless, the symbol isn't just a throwaway detail. We've seen it numerous times, and a mutated version of it is on the walls of Falconia as well. What's the significance of it? I think it simply dates the weapon from "that time."

Gaiseric did try to conquer all known world though, so even if it doesn't confirm that he's a viking, it may hint that he could've tried to invade the island in his time and I don't believe for a second that he and Danan don't know each other.
Which brings me to Skull Knight being on the island, she has to know he's there but how did he arrive? I don't think he rifted with his sword, given what happened last time he used it, so I'm going with the tree of fast travel, but what if he left a track on it for Griffith to follow?
If Gaeseric and Griffith are parallels in trying to conquer the world, and if Casca's sword theory holds true, then it's safe to assume that Griffith will come and it will be PTSD galore.

Casca can trigger her PTSD just by thinking of certain people, but when she sees Guts she sees the complete package, is it because he was there physically in front of her or because he bathed in so much apostles' blood that he retained its scent like the Dragonslayer did and she's able to feel that?

 

[Aazealh]

The Child itself will likely be a blessing and a curse. Speaking of which he should be on his way to Elfhelm since last we saw Griffith it was a full moon.

Yeah no shit. He'll arrive by nightfall like always. But depending on how Miura paces things up, that could be at the end of episode 360, or 361 or 362... Can't say. It could have very well been at the end of this episode had he wanted to play it that way.

I don't think Miura will keep this group all together and happy with each other. Something has got to give.

Uhhh, well unless you've missed it, things could be better. This episode ends with Casca having a panic attack and then a seizure and Guts walking away, presumably crying.

Specifically, my friend felt that it was important for the narrative to have Casca directly confront Guts on his sexual assault (and two year abandonment) of her. But with the way things have currently been set-up, my friend told me that he has lost some faith that said trauma/issues will be specifically address and not just lumped together with her trauma from the Eclipse.

Like I've been saying for years, it's going to be addressed eventually, alongside other topics, but this particular thing won't be as big of a deal as some people have been convincing themselves of over the years. The point of that scene at the time was that Guts was at the edge of a cliff and couldn't take care of Casca just by himself (well, and with Puck) anymore. And that had immediate and very drastic repercussions that continued for years. Now to be honest, if your friend thought that would be a bigger deal to Casca than the Eclipse, the deaths of all her comrades, and her actual rape by Femto, well... The problem lies with him.

Another thing to consider: it's possible that whole volume 23 thing is already being played out right now. The lines between good Guts and bad Guts blurring, all that mixed him with the Black Swordsman persona and probably not helped by the Berserk's armor and what it can turn Guts into. People (casual and long-time readers alike ) need to lay back, enjoy the show, and not jump to conclusions or be too impatient.

I'm loving the Isidro/Casca dynamic. I think it was Aaz who said it on a podcast in the past, but Isidro truly can learn more from Casca than from Guts. Also the idea of Casca training a kid who aspires to be like Guts is a pretty cute image.

Yep.

Oh yeah, and there's a symbol on the sword Casca uses that caught my eye:

Nice catch man! And the sun symbol on the bottom of the sword should also be highlighted I believe. Those two commonly go hand-in-hand.

I'm not going try and convince anyone that Gaiseric and/or his people were vikings. Nevertheless, the symbol isn't just a throwaway detail. We've seen it numerous times, and a mutated version of it is on the walls of Falconia as well. What's the significance of it? I think it simply dates the weapon from "that time."

Who said that specific sword came from the Vikings though? The Golems' gear did, but nothing says the same goes for that sword. Especially since its design differs from that of the sword one of the golem wields. Plus from what we know, Gaiseric's empire had more of a Greco-Roman vibe. That being said, to fully word out the idea you've got here, I believe it's not impossible that this specific sword once belonged to Gaiseric.

If seeing Guts is the problem, then what I want is for Schierke to give a lock of her hair to Guts and Casca, put them in separate rooms, and just shout it out with thought transference until they can emerge hugging.

It's not that simple. Hearing his voice seems to have shocked her, that's why she fell on the ground. It made it worse. I mean, she was already trying to make it work in this episode, she tried to talk to him in this one-way manner so that he'd have something. But she still had trouble with it. I think it's really super early, too early for us to make projections maybe. However I think we shouldn't overlook the fact it's not just all about Guts. She started going into shock when she mentioned Judo, so it's not like Guts triggered it, he "just" made it worse. And it makes sense, doesn't it? He was a big part of the Band of the Falcon, and it's logical that she would associate it with that era. What I got from this episode is that she's fine being in the present and talking to her new friends, but her past is off-limits for now, and Guts is associated with that past. Of course it's bound to evolve and there are other aspects that will complicate the equation.

I don't believe for a second that he and Danan don't know each other.

I don't think anyone does really... He's the one who mentioned her to Guts (thanks for nothing, Puck) and she must have played a part in how he became what he currently is.

Which brings me to Skull Knight being on the island, she has to know he's there but how did he arrive? I don't think he rifted with his sword, given what happened last time he used it, so I'm going with the tree of fast travel, but what if he left a track on it for Griffith to follow?

Wait... You do know that Griffith is already on the way right? But not in the way you think. At the end of episode 358, we saw him begin to transform into the Moonlight Boy (since he shares a body with Guts and Casca's son) and then take off. It's a given he's coming to his parents to help them deal with their problems.

Casca can trigger her PTSD just by thinking of certain people, but when she sees Guts she sees the complete package, is it because he was there physically in front of her or because he bathed in so much apostles' blood that he retained its scent like the Dragonslayer did and she's able to feel that?

The Dragon Slayer doesn't have a "scent", it's been permeated with astral properties because of all the creatures Guts has killed. That's what Schierke saw about it in volume 24. That's why Guts could hurt Slan in the Qliphoth or Ganishka's cloud form in Vritannis. Regarding Casca's troubles, it seems to be visual and auditory when it comes to Guts. Is there an astral component to it? It's possible I guess, but not likely to me at this point.

 

[Victor]

Oh yeah, and there's a symbol on the sword Casca uses that caught my eye:

Nice catch, the similarity is there, but I find it a bit confusing. See what I mean below.

I'm not going try and convince anyone that Gaiseric and/or his people were vikings.

Who said that specific sword came from the Vikings though?

I find it weird that the symbol in question is found on that specific sword. Danan doesn't mention where she got it, but judging from the design, it looks like it came from the same place as the other viking stuff we see just a few moments later. I guess the confussion comes from the assumption that historical periods in Berserk are based comparably to real life, which would mean that the viking warriors and Gaiseric existed during different times in the past, but that's probably not the case. A more likely case is this being another instance where Miura used visual designs from different historical periods when coming up with the armor and weapons of these guys. It looks like he combined some ancient Celtic desings with viking age ones. If that's the case then it's entirely possible they coexisted with Gaiseric and the symbol would not be so out of place.

EDIT: Just to make it clear, I don't exclude the possibility that the sword is much older than the rest of the stuff. Considering how Danan just gives it to Casca without a word and the fact that it has the symbol. There is a special air about it, that was my first impression, but the more I think of it the more likely it seems this is just another anachronistic mixture of designs from Miura. I actually hope I'm wrong and the sword turns out to be of importance. If it really is related to Gaiseric that would be super cool.

Gaiseric's empire had more of a Greco-Roman vibe.

To be honest, it seems more Eastern to me. The symbol on this shield and armor, which looks a lot like a crescent moon conjointed with a sun, is representative of Ancient Near East iconography. His armour ornamentation also looks pretty oriental, but as I said above, very high chances Miura just fused different designs together.

Obviously, Casca can talk to Guts, but his body is a living reminder of that hellish moment, so seeing his body is what triggers the memories of the Eclipse.

I don't know if it's just seeing his body, I think his voice also has an effect on her. Notice how immediately after she remembers Judeau and starts panicking, Guts calls out to her, but before he can finish she reacts to his voice and collapses. That's what prompts him to come out from behind the tree revealing Casca's disturbing image of him. At the moment his presence seems to be the only thing that doesn't bother her, as long as she doesn't see or hear him. There could be varying extents to this, maybe his voice wouldn't have bothered her if she hadn't been in the middle of a distressing memory. This is likely to get better with time, but damn, is it painful to see right now.

EDIT: I realize this looks like I'm just pointelessly reiterating everything Aazealh said, but I was actually just about to hit post before his message popped up and I didn't stop to read it in its entirety, sorry if it comes off as redundant.

come on... give this man a fucking break!

You can say that again.

 

[Aazealh]

judging from the design, it looks like it came from the same place as the other viking stuff we see just a few moments later.

In what specific way does the design seem similar to you?

To be honest, it seems more Eastern to me. The symbol on this shield and armor, which looks a lot like a crescent moon conjointed with a sun, is representative of Ancient Near East iconography. His armour ornamentation also looks pretty oriental, but as I said above, very high chances Miura just fused different designs together.

Gaiseric's figure as shown in the mythical story told in volume 10 is a mix of designs from various cultures. That's a given. And the fact Miura can use any design from any culture and mix and match them as he pleases is also a fact and well-known. Gaiseric's name itself refers to a historical figure that led the Vandals, a Germanic tribe. His helmet has a design reminiscent of a particular Renaissance Italian Burgonet. His shield has a medusa head on it. And so on. Putting all that aside though, Gaiseric's capital was clearly Greco-Roman in inspiration, which I think tells us something.

 

[Victor]

In what specific way does the design seem similar to you?

Well, the design is kinda all over the place. First of all, it's a two handed sword, which was extremely uncommon both during viking times and antiquity. The blade is again much longer than the standard for the time. The blade geometry is pretty much that of a viking sword, but the hilt design looks Celtic inspired. Because of this it's hard to judge when or where it originates from, and also enforces the supposition that Miura was just experimenting with different visual elements without much regard for the chronological fidelity. I added an edit to my other post in case you haven't noticed it yet, should make my position on this a bit clearer.

 

[Aazealh]

First of all, it's a two handed sword, which was extremely uncommon both during viking times and antiquity. The blade is again much longer than the standard for the time.

I don't know if it's really a two-handed sword. My interpretation is that it's a bit big for Casca (and heavy because she's out of shape), but I wonder how it'd look in the hands of a bigger fellow... (yes I'm thinking of the Skull Knight). The reason I say that is because while she does use with with two hands, the blade isn't that long and the hilt doesn't have that much real estate either.

The blade geometry is pretty much that of a viking sword

Like I said in my previous post, one of the golems has a sword. If you check it out, you'll see that the blade is completely different on that one (as is everything else).

EDIT: Just to make it clear, I don't exclude the possibility that the sword is much older than the rest of the stuff. Considering how Danan just gives it to Casca without a word and the fact that it has the symbol. There is a special air about it, that was my first impression, but the more I think of it the more likely it seems this is just another anachronistic mixture of designs from Miura.

I think we agree. My first thought was that it was just part of the forest guardian outfit. Makes sense, right? She gets the clothes and the weapon. And I definitely wouldn't bet my life on it being Gaiseric's sword, but it's a cool idea that could actually be true if Miura wanted it to.

 

[Victor]

Gaiseric's figure as shown in the mythical story told in volume 10 is a mix of designs from various cultures. That's a given. And the fact Miura can use any design from any culture and mix and match them as he pleases is also a fact and well-known. Gaiseric's name itself refers to a historical figure that led the Vandals, a Germanic tribe. His helmet has a design reminiscent of a particular Renaissance Italian Burgonet. His shield has a medusa head on it. And so on.

Yeah I know, I've done the research on Gaiseric and the possible inspirations for his character, believe it or not he's quite an interesting personage. It's a well-known fact that Miura mixed designs up in the past, but it's not a guarantee he does so in every instance. Although, knowing he is predisposed to do it makes it highly probable he did it in this episode as well.

Gaiseric's capital was clearly Greco-Roman in inspiration, which I think tells us something.

Fair point, I agree.

Looks more like a long sword (or a bastard sword if you want) than a two-handed sword to me.

I was talking about the fact that the length of the grip is designed to allow two handed use, not that it's a two-hander, but fair enough. Bastard sword would probably be the closest term indeed.

Like I said in my previous post, one of the golems has a sword. If you check it out, you'll see that the blade is completely different on that one.

I noticed, I was referring to real life viking swords when I made the comment. The sword the golem uses is in turn a mixture of viking and other designs, so I guess the conclusion would be that the only real similarity between them is that they both borrow from other places. The overall look of it still fits the theme though, if you ask me.

 

[Aazealh]

Yeah I know, I've done the research on Gaiseric and the possible inspirations for his character, believe it or not he's quite an interesting personage.

Oh, you're telling me, the man who's had a Skull Knight avatar for most of the last 20 years on the skullknight.net forum? Well, I agree.

I was talking about the fact that the length of the grip is designed to allow two handed use, not that it's a two-hander, but fair enough. Bastard sword would probably be the closest term indeed.

Yeah I realized that after posting and edited my post in consequence, sorry for the misunderstanding. My main point is about the general design of the sword though. I don't know, check out the one the Skull Knight uses. It's what this one immediately reminded me of when I saw it.

I noticed, I was referring to real life viking swords when I made the comment. The sword the golem uses is in turn a mixture of viking and other designs, so I guess the conclusion would be that the only real similarity between them is that they both borrow from other places. The overall look of it still fits the theme though, if you ask me.

I mean, to me it doesn't matter what historical context they might have. It's just that their actual designs as presented in the manga are about as different as you can make them. Pommel, handle, guard, blade design. I'm not saying it's impossible they came from the same ship, but I don't find them similar at all.

 

[Victor]

Oh, you're telling me, the man who's had a Skull Knight avatar for most of the last 20 years on the skullknight.net forum? Well, I agree.

Yeah I realized that after posting and edited my post in consequence, sorry for the misunderstanding. My main point is about the general design of the sword though. I don't know, check out the one the Skull Knight uses. It's what this one immediately reminded me of when I saw it.

It's no problem. I don't know if I find them all that similar to be honest. They both have about the same dimensions I guess, but Skull Knight's sword has got the whole thorn theme going for it, and it's overall a much more extreme and unique fantasy design.

My interpretation is that it's a bit big for Casca (and heavy because she's out of shape), but I wonder how it'd look in the hands of a bigger fellow... (yes I'm thinking of the Skull Knight). The reason I say that is because while she does use with with two hands, the blade isn't that long and the hilt doesn't have that much real estate either.

Well, going back to what I said about the blade geometry, real life viking swords were pretty hefty choppers, so if you applied the same laws of physics for Casca's sword blade I guess it's less nimbler than her old one, that's for sure. The length is on the short side of a longsword I would say, basically a bastard sword. It should be possible to use effectively with both two hands and one hand, but maybe not for Casca. This was only her first display of sowrdsmanship since recovering though, and the sword might take a little getting used to. There are still fight scenes ahead I would expect, so we'll eventually get to see more ways in which she uses it hopefully. (if she gets to keep it)

Not sure where you're going with the Skull Knight interventions, maybe you could clarify a bit more. Are you suggesting that because it seems like it would fit his stature and build perfectly there is a chance it was Gaiseric's sword at some point, or am I missing something?

I mean, to me it doesn't matter what historical context they might have. It's just that their actual designs as presented in the manga are about as different as you can make them. Pommel, handle, guard, blade design. I'm not saying it's impossible they came from the same ship, but I don't find them similar at all.

I guess so. They both have real life viking sword inspired features, but in the context of the story they are pretty different. I will give it up.

 

[Aazealh]

I don't know if I find them all that similar to be honest. They both have about the same dimensions I guess, but Skull Knight's sword has got the whole thorn theme going for it, and it's overall a much more extreme and unique fantasy design.

Oh sure thing, I just meant the dimensions. His current sword goes along with his magic armor, so it's pretty far from these more practical designs.

The length is on the short side of a longsword I would say, basically a bastard sword. It should be possible to use effectively with both two hands and one hand, but maybe not for Casca. This was only her first display of sowrdsmanship since recovering though, and the sword might take a little getting used to.

Yep yep. The Skull Knight is a pretty large fellow. His sword is relatively short for his stature, but for a smaller person?

Not sure where you're going with the Skull Knight interventions, maybe you could clarify a bit more. Are you suggesting that because it seems like it would fit his stature and build perfectly there is a chance it was Gaiseric's sword at some point, or am I missing something?

That's exactly what I'm suggesting yeah. I said so earlier in reply to Walter.

 

[Victor]

That's exactly what I'm suggesting yeah. I said so earlier in reply to Walter.

Oh, good. As I said, it would be pretty cool if that were the case. We'll see how things turn out I guess.

 

[NBK]

Wait... You do know that Griffith is already on the way right? But not in the way you think. At the end of episode 358, we saw him begin to transform into the Moonlight Boy (since he shares a body with Guts and Casca's son) and then take off. It's a given he's coming to his parents to help them deal with their problems.

The Dragon Slayer doesn't have a "scent", it's been permeated with astral properties because of all the creatures Guts has killed. That's what Schierke saw about it in volume 24. That's why Guts could hurt Slan in the Qliphoth or Ganishka's cloud form in Vritannis. Regarding Casca's troubles, it seems to be visual and auditory when it comes to Guts. Is there an astral component to it? It's possible I guess, but not likely to me at this point.

I do know, what I don't know is if Griffith retains all the memories when the Moonchild is in control, if he does it doesn't matter if the kids helps them or not, Griffith will come with guns blazing.

Yeah that's what I meant with scent, Guts being permeated with astral properties, in fact he had so much blood on him that I have reason to believe he got affected: he had some full baths during the eclipse, facing Rosine and facing Slan and they parallel similar scenes in various mythologies, obvious one is Achilles in the Styx river, it was water but the idea is kinda the same and the closest one, is with Sigfried where he much similarly took a shower in dragon's blood, plus its nordic lore and Miura has been plucking a lot from it (see Jotunn chapter and the tree that connects everything)
Moral of the story, after being dipped they both gained some sort of invincibility with a vulnerable spot, Achilles's heel and Sigfried's back between his shoulder, for when he bathed a leaf fell on that spot.
Guts could be the same with Slan's strike being the weakness, I don't think he'd be full blown out invincible but it'll make him somehow more durable and it's the only way he can get a reasonable physical power-up without it being an asspull.

And also my reasoning was, if he's altered it could be why Casca snaps so much when he sees him, 'cause she sees/feels the apostles aura on him.

 

[Aazealh]

I do know, what I don't know is if Griffith retains all the memories when the Moonchild is in control, if he does it doesn't matter if the kids helps them or not, Griffith will come with guns blazing.

Well it's not that simple. When Casca was in danger in volume 22, the boy took control of Griffith's body to protect her. Of course he could send out a "task force" to deal with them without being there himself (a better scenario), that's something we've speculated about extensively both over the years and more recently after episode 358 came out.

Yeah that's what I meant with scent, Guts being permeated with astral properties, in fact he had so much blood on him that I have reason to believe he got affected: he had some full baths during the eclipse, facing Rosine and facing Slan and they parallel similar scenes in various mythologies, obvious one is Achilles in the Styx river, it was water but the idea is kinda the same and the closest one, is with Sigfried where he much similarly took a shower in dragon's blood, plus its nordic lore and Miura has been plucking a lot from it (see Jotunn chapter and the tree that connects everything)

Miura takes inspiration from a lot of different folklores, not just Nordic. I see the allure of the "blood bath" myth, but to be honest I don't think it's likely to be the case. Guts already has a foot in the astral world on account of being branded. That's why he's relentlessly attacked by specters at night. Both him and Casca exist within the Interstice between the corporeal and astral worlds.

Guts could be the same with Slan's strike being the weakness, I don't think he'd be full blown out invincible but it'll make him somehow more durable and it's the only way he can get a reasonable physical power-up without it being an asspull.

Guts is definitely not invincible, he's been getting beaten to a pulp during his recent battles. And he's already got something that physically "powers him up" (I absolute hate that term, so reductive), which is the Berserk's armor. The entire point of the armor is that it allows him to be ridiculous strong and not feel injuries but it takes a huge physical toll, so coupling that with more durability doesn't make sense to me. Besides I don't expect him to become Superman either, he's already extremely powerful as it is. Together with his friends I believe they can take on anything aside from Femto right now, and I don't expect that fight to be decided by physical strength.

And also my reasoning was, if he's altered it could be why Casca snaps so much when he sees him, 'cause she sees/feels the apostles aura on him.

Yeah I get it, but like I said it seems more psychological to me at the moment.

 

[mvillasboa]

What still is not clear to me is why Casca does not question the situation she is in now. I mean, she remembers the hawk band, she even mentioned that she remembers going to rescue Griffith, so why doesn't she wonder what happened to the band and Griffith?
Like why is she even traveling with these new people? Maybe she doesn't remember the eclipse but if she is able to remember her past, that should be questioned. I don't know, I may have missed some details.

Btw, sorry for my english, but I really want to know what you guys think about it

 

[Walter]

Another thing to consider: it's possible that whole volume 23 thing is already being played out right now. The lines between good Guts and bad Guts blurring, all that mixed him with the Black Swordsman persona and probably not helped by the Berserk's armor and what it can turn Guts into. People (casual and long-time readers alike ) need to lay back, enjoy the show, and not jump to conclusions or be too impatient.

I agree, and tried to allude to that in my post, because if there was ever any moment in the series where he might become fused with her perception of apostles, it's the sequence of events between them in vol 23. Right now she doesn't know why she fears him, and I think readers are meant to be guessing as to why as well. Maybe SK will know and spell it out to Guts: "Aaaaaah means Aaaaaah, Guts."

What still is not clear to me is why Caska does not question the situation she is in now. I mean, she remembers the hawk band, she even mentioned that she remembers going to rescue Griffith, so why doesn't she wonder what happened to the band and Griffith?
Like why is she even traveling with these new people? Maybe she doesn't remember the eclipse but if she is able to remember her past, that should be questioned. I don't know, I may have missed some details.

The form of her trauma isn't illogical, and seems like fantasy-fueled PTSD, to me. The knowledge is either already there and processed, or still fresh and being processed as she strides forward through the present, but touching or triggering painful memories from the past causes episodes of terror. Her memory isn't stored chronologically after all.

It's all the result of her being forced out of a state of not processing her trauma. She couldn't deal with it, so she bottled it up. And when the group chose to bring her back, her box of nightmares is still sitting in her heart, ready to burst at a moment's notice. Only now has she begun to truly grapple with those memories.

 

[Grail]

Looking at the episode again recently, and considering much of the discussion in this thread, a few thoughts have popped up:

1. I think it's interesting (not surprising, but interesting!) that Casca hasn't had any thoughts about Griffith from before his torture. Before the Eclipse, Casca's whole existence revolved around Griffith, so it's cool to see her talking and interacting with people with seemingly no thought of him. It's natural that she's so distracted by her immediate surroundings and new companions that Griffith may not come up, but I think it's almost as if her subconscious is protecting her right now. As if thinking of Griffith, who was the person on whom her personal image was based for so many years, would cause her to spiral into a much worse episode than the one we saw just recently. Seeing her thinking of Judo, and all that came after, certainly suggests that to me.

2. It's a crazy thought that the Moonlight Child might appear as soon as the next episode! As it's finally sinking in, and having been experiencing a lucid Casca in the past few episodes, a random thought came into my mind: will she decide to give her kid a name?! We've all been calling him "Moonlight Child" and "Moonlight Boy" for over a decade now, but this poor kid needs a name! What do you guys think he would be called? My vote goes to Judo Jr. (RIP )

 

[Khalamir]

I don't feel like I can add anything about the Guts and Casca situation that wasn't already said, but there's something else I'd like to talk about.
Those "forest guardians" Danan was talking about peeked my curiosity. I went back to episode 346 and noticed some bigger elf-like people who were dressed similarly to how Casca is now. Are they who she's talking about? Are they actual warriors, or is it more of a ceremonial thing? I'd like to know about them at some point. I wasn't sure if Elfhelm had some kind of defense force other than magic users and golems.

 

[Aazealh]

1. I think it's interesting (not surprising, but interesting!) that Casca hasn't had any thoughts about Griffith from before his torture. Before the Eclipse, Casca's whole existence revolved around Griffith, so it's cool to see her talking and interacting with people with seemingly no thought of him. It's natural that she's so distracted by her immediate surroundings and new companions that Griffith may not come up, but I think it's almost as if her subconscious is protecting her right now. As if thinking of Griffith, who was the person on whom her personal image was based for so many years, would cause her to spiral into a much worse episode than the one we saw just recently. Seeing her thinking of Judo, and all that came after, certainly suggests that to me.

Yes, even the image that sprang to her mind in episode 355, that of his ruined body in the cell, is a very interesting choice from Miura. To me, that and the fact it's not showing up for now suggests Miura is keeping it in store for the big dramatic moment. It's the elephant in the room really, and the "main culprit" behind her illness to begin with. The ultimate, multi-faceted betrayal she endured. I honestly don't envy Miura for having to concoct a way to make it all work out. What's sure is it's not going to be pretty.

2. It's a crazy thought that the Moonlight Child might appear as soon as the next episode! As it's finally sinking in, and having been experiencing a lucid Casca in the past few episodes, a random thought came into my mind: will she decide to give her kid a name?! We've all been calling him "Moonlight Child" and "Moonlight Boy" for over a decade now, but this poor kid needs a name! What do you guys think he would be called? My vote goes to Judo Jr. (RIP )

I've been thinking about the name for a while yeah. I believe I've mentioned a couple times on here how important it might be (because of the whole Mana deal), but beyond that it'd just be such a cool moment, you know? I feel like it would be momentous for them (or her most likely as I don't think Guts will have much of a say in it ) to give him a name. Because yeah, "The Boy in the Moonlight" is really just the name of the episode he first appeared in, and it's like, a literal description.

As for what it could be... I've actually also thought of Judo in the past, because out of all the old members of the Band of the Falcon he's the one who makes the most sense (and whose death affected her most). It would be a way to honor him. On the other hand, maybe it would feel a bit lacking and unoriginal. I would probably prefer an original name, and maybe one with meaning behind it. But I haven't been able to think of anything that would feel right.

 

[Keratos]

I don't feel like I can add anything about the Guts and Casca situation that wasn't already said, but there's something else I'd like to talk about.
Those "forest guardians" Danan was talking about peeked my curiosity. I went back to episode 346 and noticed some bigger elf-like people who were dressed similarly to how Casca is now. Are they who she's talking about? Are they actual warriors, or is it more of a ceremonial thing? I'd like to know about them at some point. I wasn't sure if Elfhelm had some kind of defense force other than magic users and golems.

These Guys?

Spoiler

Yeah, their clothing is pretty similar to what Casca is wearing right now.