Episode 306

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Vampire_Hunter_Bob said:
Just a non-related question for everyone. What makes you guys so certain Enoch Village is fucked all over again just because these trolls showed up? I mean, just my assumption which doesn't mean anything, I imagined those [Enoch Village] trolls were exterminated by Guts and friends.

And the Qliphoth was sealed. I believe it's just a fun possibility people like to think about; I know I did joke about it with Walter myself. But clearly there's nothing certain about it.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Yeah, the trolls around Enoch could very well be completely gone already thanks to Guts and co, but then again, that might have only been one pocket of them that appeared before, and there could always be more not too far away appearing now, not to mention God knows what else! :zodd:
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I think Enoch is only being brought up non-specifically, because it's a good way to understand what's happening to the world. We've seen this happen before, only on a smaller scale. So, it's our natural reference point for what to expect.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
So anyway, I was thinking earlier today that if anyone can fuck with Guts' mind and conjure the Beast of Darkness against him, it would be Ubik. Say what you will but the man sure takes "mindfuckery" to a whole new level. I guess it's nothing we didn't already know (and that goes for all the God Hand), but those shots of them were awesome nevertheless. :void:
 

Dani

Smile!
Am I the only one getting a mental image of Skullknight, sitting atop of his horse, over looking some landscape while this is all going on and thinking to himself, "D'oh!"?
 

Th3Branded0ne

I'll be back.
I'm just perplexed for this episode and all that's going on. Like Miura said, that these last episodes might seem like an Illustration book, I concur. But these images are just so great, no words are needed. Now a well deserved break for Miura. Thanks Miura for bringing so nice art to enjoy until you return with more neat stuff.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Dani said:
Am I the only one getting a mental image of Skullknight, sitting atop of his horse, over looking some landscape while this is all going on and thinking to himself, "D'oh!"?

This is the mental image I'm getting, personally:

NoBrainer.jpg
 
Walter said:
I acknowledge that being Void's #1 fan, I'm completely biased. However I really think what's going on with Ganishka looks like synapses firing off, which is interesting, considering the page that precedes the Ganishka shots -- Void's brain (ok, well it's just a giant fucking brain, could be ANYTHING! =) ), filling up the entire 2-page spread. I think these are related somehow.

To paraphrase a quote from Olivier Hague, regarding an interview with Miura back in the late 1990s,

Obviously, we've seen if not the full plan, then the first hand in the God Hand's deck during the past few episodes. But if this interview was correct, then there's still Void's unique role yet to play. :void:

Actually, now that you mention it, there are diffuse bright spots scattered throughout the gyri of Void's brain. At first, I just assumed it was from the scanning or printing, but maybe they're supposed to be related to the light Ganishka's generating, either reflecting or encompassing it (probably just nothing at all though.)
 

jackson_hurley

even the horses are cut in half!
Aazealh said:
And would Ganishka transform into a giant floating brain? I don't know, I like the tree idea more, but I don't want to spoil your fun either, so I'll stop here. :void:

At last my old speculation will come to plan. Ganishka transforms into a giant brain. The first set of the God Hand forms the left hand. The new one the right hand. And then the Idea will come out as the heart the reveal his ultimate plan : It only wanted a body!! :idea: Just in case, I'm not serious at all

Edit: Off topic but since we saw an homage to Bosch in this episode, can anyone tell me what artist did the painting that was inspired for volume 3 with all the weird stairs? I can't remember and I know I've seen it.
 
jackson_hurley said:
Edit: Off topic but since we saw an homage to Bosch in this episode, can anyone tell me what artist did the painting that was inspired for volume 3 with all the weird stairs? I can't remember and I know I've seen it.

Pretty sure that was this guy http://www.mcescher.com/
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Finally, I'm home from work and able to take a look at the episode in all its glory. What a way to end a volume! Other than that, I don't have much to add to the discussion that hasn't already been said.

Aazealh said:
This is the mental image I'm getting, personally:

http://aazealh.net/Divers/NoBrainer.jpg

This had me laughing my ass off for a good minute or two. :ganishka:
 
i am a new fan, but even i understand the hugeness of all this, which is incredible, by the way so im guessing the sk is just hanging around?, i didn't see him leave, it would be awesome if some sort of fight happened with the sk and some of those creatures, but who knows i don't want to speculate too much. kudos for posting the pics here!!
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
Mage said:
Actually, now that you mention it, there are diffuse bright spots scattered throughout the gyri of Void's brain. At first, I just assumed it was from the scanning or printing, but maybe they're supposed to be related to the light Ganishka's generating, either reflecting or encompassing it (probably just nothing at all though.)

Yup i saw that too and thats why I though it had something to do with the light.
 
I can't help but wonder if the world would have been better off just letting Ganishka stomp all over everyone. Unless someone rushes in to save the humans, I just don't see them standing much a chance here. Other than the possibility of krakens and the statement that the sea was like an entrance or connection or something to the spiritual world, it seems like a good time to be heading to magical happy elf island (assuming it hasn't been overrun :sad:).
 

Dar_Klink

Last Guardian when? - CyberKlink 20XX before dying
Man, I bet the apostles look pretty friendly to everyone now. I have a feeling it's gonna just bring the people closer to Griffith now that the only ones that can protect them are the apostles, who they just shared a great battle with.
 
All of this stuff happening leaves me wondering if the Behelit will change any? Before this merging, it acted as some sort of a Key to the Nexus and drew all the God Hand out, but if the God Hand are all in the same plane what does it do?

I also wonder if we'll see an increase in the apostle numbers as humans rush to gain strength to fight these fantastic creatures.


But all in all, i'm so placated by the appearance of dragons (and Ubik's Bosch setting!) that waiting won't be that difficult.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Malachai said:
All of this stuff happening leaves me wondering if the Beherit will change any? Before this merging, it acted as some sort of a Key to the Nexus and drew all the God Hand out, but if the God Hand are all in the same plane what does it do?

As I found out from Aazealh not too long ago, "Nexus" isn't actually an official term for the setting of the Occultation. As for how beherits will behave in this new world, your guess is as good as mine. For all we know they'll be constantly screaming and crying blood, hehe.
 
I wonder if these places that the GH dwell in can now be transversed (by humans) like passing from one region to another. I see the rats and skeletons represent that Conrad is the manifestation of pestilence; or perhaps this is what he perceives himself to be. Slan's domain is made up of only female bodies? Could this mean something? Is Ubik's domain the painting or does it reflect that he is insane or that he represents the surreal unconscious human mind?
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Judas Priestly said:
I wonder if these places that the GH dwell in can now be transversed (by humans) like passing from one region to another.

Something tells me that they're only temporary, but at this point anything is up for grabs.

Judas Priestly said:
Slan's domain is made up of only female bodies? Could this mean something?

It looks like both male and female bodies to me. She's always been related to lust and sexuality, so it fits her nicely.

Judas Priestly said:
Is Ubik's domain the painting or does it reflect that he is insane or that he represents the surreal unconscious human mind?

No idea at this point. These could be the God Hand's sephiroth becoming visible for a brief moment or they could just be a part of making a flashy entrance, hehe.
 
Rhombaad said:
God Hand's sephiroth

Forgive my ignorance, but that's a term I've not come across before, and a search for 'God Hand sephiroth' only turns up two results, both from yesterday.

Would you be able to explain it to me? Currently, I can only guess at it's meaning from context ('entrance'? 'how their entrance into other planes affects said planes'?). Is it a canonical term, or does it hold a meaning that I'm not aware of? :???:
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Bekul said:
Forgive my ignorance, but that's a term I've not come across before, and a search for 'God Hand sephiroth' only turns up two results, both from yesterday.

Would you be able to explain it to me? Currently, I can only guess at it's meaning from context ('entrance'? 'how their entrance into other planes affects said planes'?). Is it a canonical term, or does it hold a meaning that I'm not aware of? :???:

From volume 26, Slan to Skull Knight regarding the location of the other God Hand members:
They likely melted into their preferred sephira, and are floating, formless.
It just means they gravitate toward certain domains of the astral world. And people in this thread have been assuming that what we're seeing now are their "preferred sephira."
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Judas Priestly said:
I wonder if these places that the GH dwell in can now be transversed (by humans) like passing from one region to another.

Well, speaking of the Ubik one, it certainly looks like the population there is on the move, sure I wouldn't want to run into them in a dark ally. :schnoz:

Judas Priestly said:
I see the rats and skeletons represent that Conrad is the manifestation of pestilence; or perhaps this is what he perceives himself to be.

Yeah, or just death in general.

Judas Priestly said:
Slan's domain is made up of only female bodies? Could this mean something?

I don't think she's a lesbian. :slan:

Like Conrad with death and pestilence, she's just always been tied to hedonism and lust.

Judas Priestly said:
Is Ubik's domain the painting or does it reflect that he is insane or that he represents the surreal unconscious human mind?

Well, the original painting represented Hell as compared to the Garden of Eden, so while it was full of all kinds of disturbing surreal imagery, it was also quite literally supposed to be a torturous place; people being stabbed, raped, and eaten alive by human-animal horrors. Though as you point out, it's not the same as the painting, toned down actually, but it clearly and intentionally is incorporating elements directly from it (most notably the "Tree Man" Ubik is now inside).



Anyway, Wally and I were discussing the last page and what will become of Ganishka finally, a great tree, a god brain, the emerald city, nothing, etc. So, here's a thought, which Aaz may have covered already, but, that's approximately where Gaiseric's Imperial Capital once was, something which still exists in the minds of the people of Midland, and like that water shrine in Enoch or Flora's tree, who's to say it can't exist again? Rome... rebuilt in a day. :SK:
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
short_reader said:
by the way so im guessing the sk is just hanging around?, i didn't see him leave, it would be awesome if some sort of fight happened with the sk and some of those creatures, but who knows i don't want to speculate too much.

I don't think he's still where he was the last time we saw him. He probably left when Ganishka opened up. Might still be overlooking the scene from a distance, though.

CowTip said:
I can't help but wonder if the world would have been better off just letting Ganishka stomp all over everyone. Unless someone rushes in to save the humans, I just don't see them standing much a chance here. Other than the possibility of krakens and the statement that the sea was like an entrance or connection or something to the spiritual world, it seems like a good time to be heading to magical happy elf island (assuming it hasn't been overrun :sad:).

Well that's the whole point of it: the false savior really isn't saving people at all. As for Elfhelm being overrun, like I said before, if we assume that it always was in the astral world, then there's no reason for it to have changed at all (unless humans started interfering with it).

Darklink286 said:
Man, I bet the apostles look pretty friendly to everyone now. I have a feeling it's gonna just bring the people closer to Griffith now that the only ones that can protect them are the apostles, who they just shared a great battle with.

Pretty much. Swell plan all around, don't you think?

luc2010 said:
Good stuff, Miura getting back to the narratives. :isidro:

Well it's not like the past 10 episodes haven't been extraordinarily good themselves...

Malachai said:
All of this stuff happening leaves me wondering if the Beherit will change any? Before this merging, it acted as some sort of a Key to the Nexus and drew all the God Hand out, but if the God Hand are all in the same plane what does it do?

Nothing allows us to say that beherits summoned the God Hand together. Rather, they transported the humans who activated them to a place deep within the astral world, where the God Hand resided (maybe they were called from different places when this happened, maybe not). And like Rhombaad told you, the term "Nexus" doesn't designate anything in particular here, so it'd be preferable if you didn't use it.

Malachai said:
I also wonder if we'll see an increase in the apostle numbers as humans rush to gain strength to fight these fantastic creatures.

That's a good question that brings out even more questions: can the God Hand still create apostles like they used to? Can they do it more easily now?

Judas Priestly said:
I wonder if these places that the GH dwell in can now be transversed (by humans) like passing from one region to another.

Hard to say at this point, but probably not. It shows their emergence more than anything else IMHO.

Judas Priestly said:
I see the rats and skeletons represent that Conrad is the manifestation of pestilence

Not the first time we see him associated with rats and disease. Like I said in a previous post, there isn't really anything new about each member of the God Hand in this episode, except maybe for Ubik.

Judas Priestly said:
Slan's domain is made up of only female bodies? Could this mean something?

Male and female. Like others said, she's closely associated to lechery and has been ever since she was first introduced.

Judas Priestly said:
Is Ubik's domain the painting or does it reflect that he is insane or that he represents the surreal unconscious human mind?

Could be both. But what we just saw doesn't necessarily have to be the entirety of their "domain" per se. It could be a simple representation or a glimpse of their personal worlds (or of the parts of the human psyche that they oversee, etc.).

Bekul said:
Would you be able to explain it to me? Currently, I can only guess at it's meaning from context ('entrance'? 'how their entrance into other planes affects said planes'?). Is it a canonical term, or does it hold a meaning that I'm not aware of? :???:

It's originally a term from the Kabbalah. Its meaning in Hebrew is "enumeration". It traditionally refers to 10 attributes that God can manifest himself through. I'm not going to post lists here, but note that those attributes are metaphysical in nature and can be rather vague (stuff like "knowledge", "compassion", "determination", etc.).

The precise meaning of the word within the Berserk universe is unconfirmed as of today. Don't believe anyone that tells you otherwise. However, based on the word's meaning in our world, I believe it is safe to assume that it refers to equally vague notions and concepts in Berserk (e.g. Conrad: death, disease, misery; Slan: lechery, pain, punishment; Femto: ambition, ruthlessness; Void: knowledge, etc.).

It is also important to note that the real Sephirot are purely positive notions. God in the Kabbalah is known as a "Limitless Light". And the negative equivalent of the Sephirot (not accepted by all schools as really existing), considered to be shells around them, are called the Qliphoth. Now you must be wondering: "what's the relation with the Qliphoth in Berserk?" Well there isn't really any coherent relation. So let this be a warning against the temptation to equate what the terms mean in the real world with what they might mean in the Berserk world too confidently. Miura often borrows real-world terms without sticking to the meaning associated with them.

Walter said:
It just means they gravitate toward certain domains of the astral world. And people in this thread have been assuming that what we're seeing now are their "preferred sephira."

Actually, we don't know that it relates to certain domains of the astral world. Could be more abstract and refer to the ideal world directly. In fact, it would be more fitting with the original meaning of the word, for whatever it's worth. The bottom line is that we don't know anything for sure at this point.

宮本 グリフィス said:
So, here's a thought, which Aaz may have covered already, but, that's approximately where Gaiseric's Imperial Capital once was, something which still exists in the minds of the people of Midland, and like that water shrine in Enoch or Flora's tree, who's to say it can't exist again? Rome... rebuilt in a day. :SK:

I wonder how SK would react to that. :SK: Would Griffith change the decoration? Or just sit on his old throne? :griffnotevil:

Anyway, I'd covered an even cooler idea in a previous thread: Griffith's dream castle on top of the hole that the Tower of Rebirth sat upon, and gruesome secret rituals taking place in the heart of the night, straight out of a Conan adventure.

:griff: : "Brings the prisoners to my private chambers!"
 
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