Episode 328

Walter said:
I'm curious about why this particular elf is hanging around a jail cell. Also about the particular circumstance Guts was in that he was able to see her: exhaustion, loneliness? Both?

From just looking at the episode, it wasn't clear to me that Guts was actually able to see her, rather it looked to me like he passed out as we was trying to see something, and then we the audience get a full reveal of her. Did I interpret those panels incorrectly?
 
I figured he was able to see her because he was starting to fall asleep thereby allowing him to see things he might not see otherwise. Like how the Hawk of Light was able to appear to Zodd in Revelations, Part 3. ("This is within your dozing. The dusk between dream and consciousness.") Maybe being between dreaming and consciousness allows people to see ethereal beings easier (the Berserk version of hypnagogic hallucinations).

Walter said:
I'm curious about why this particular elf is hanging around a jail cell.

I'm wondering about that too. She might have some kind of connection to that lone weed/flower since her appearance matches it. Maybe she can't or won't leave it for some reason? Maybe some elves are tied to or have a special connection with specific plants or locations like the nymphs from Greek mythology? If that's the case, maybe Guts saved her or her plant by stopping that rat. :ganishka: (Or maybe she lured it over to her so he could eat something? :isidro:) I'm just spitballing here. I can't wait to hear what she has to say assuming she talks to Guts.
 
Aazealh said:
Anyways, I'm still curious about the reason for Guts' alleged displeasure with elves. Aside from everything cited so far, I also thought about their fickleness, the fact they're so very carefree. Depending on the situation, it could make them seem... unreliable.

While Guts is rotting in a cell, they're free to come and go, talking and possibly mocking him. Just to begin with, that is frustrating/annoying. And as you said, if not everybody is unaware of elves, in that particular context we can imagine that the keeper(s) only see a restless guest, a trouble maker.

Do you guys think Guts & co could travel back to the main land using anything but the seahorse ? I really can't picture them going back the same way they came.
 

Aazealh

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Jaze1618 said:
From just looking at the episode, it wasn't clear to me that Guts was actually able to see her, rather it looked to me like he passed out as we was trying to see something, and then we the audience get a full reveal of her. Did I interpret those panels incorrectly?

I think you did. It looks to me like he does see her on the last page.

The Good Reverend Skeleton said:
I figured he was able to see her because he was starting to fall asleep thereby allowing him to see things he might not see otherwise.

It's possible that he saw her because he was slipping into unconsciousness, although like I said before not everybody is unaware of elves (it's not the "natural" state of humans to not see elves and other astral beings, it's something they develop after living for too long in a certain environment/mindset).

The Good Reverend Skeleton said:
Like how the Hawk of Light was able to appear to Zodd in Revelations, Part 3.

That's not the same mechanism at all.

Ryouma said:
Do you guys think Guts & co could travel back to the main land using anything but the seahorse ? I really can't picture them going back the same way they came.

Got weary of waiting for it to be answered on the podcast, did you? :iva:

Anyway, I think it is possible, but I also don't think it'd be a big deal to have them go back by sea. The trip could easily just be skipped or quickly summed up.
 

Walter

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Aazealh said:
Maybe just open-minded? Not everybody is unaware of elves.
What I mean is, we see her appear in front of Guts' eyes, as if he experienced the transition from not-seeing to seeing. I wonder what the trigger for that was.
 

Aazealh

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Walter said:
What I mean is, we see her appear in front of Guts' eyes, as if he experienced the transition from not-seeing to seeing. I wonder what the trigger for that was.

Hard to say with the lighting effect, IMHO. Not sure it's related to that specific not-seeing-them notion, given how it's presented.
 
Aazealh said:
That's not the same mechanism at all.

You're right. That was my fault. I meant to show that the Zodd-Falcon of Light encounter took place during the time between dreaming and consciousness. I was trying to point to that as an example of how it might be possible for someone's perception to be altered during that time in the Berserk world. Therefore it might not be so far-fetched to say that the reason Guts was able to see the elf was because he was between dreaming and consciousness. But I ended up saying that the elf was appearing to Guts in the same way the Falcon of Light appeared to Zodd. I didn't word that sentence the right way at all. I can't believe I didn't catch that when I proofread my post. What a stupid mistake.

You made a great point though about it being an unnecessary explanation since Guts could most likely see elves all along. The scene just reminded me of that concept. I guess I just assumed that's what happened without putting any thought into it.
 

Aazealh

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Episode title seems to be something like "The Spring Flower of Days Long Passed".

Gambino's advice to Guts, on which he reflected on in this episode, is that on the battlefield you should trust only your head and arms, no one else, not even your parents. After Martino's betrayal Guts thinks about how he was right.

The Good Reverend Skeleton said:
I was trying to point to that as an example of how it might be possible for someone's perception to be altered during that time in the Berserk world.

Or even the real world. :slan:

The Good Reverend Skeleton said:
The scene just reminded me of that concept. I guess I just assumed that's what happened without putting any thought into it.

Don't be too hard on yourself, I don't think it's a bad idea at all. I also think a state of altered consciousness could have been a trigger, if one was required.
 
Elves can most certainly potentially appear to anyone unless you outright deny their existence. I never really considered Guts an open minded character in the early stages we are seeing here though. I'll probably just think to myself that it has something to do with being born from a corpse, closest to death to easiest to escape it, tied to fate and charma and all that as being the supernatural influence on him that would allow him to see things like Elves.
 

Aazealh

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Draculoid said:
Elves can most certainly potentially appear to anyone unless you outright deny their existence.

Well we don't really know of a reason that Guts would have had to "outright deny their existence".

Draculoid said:
I'll probably just think to myself that it has something to do with being born from a corpse, closest to death to easiest to escape it, tied to fate and charma and all that as being the supernatural influence on him that would allow him to see things like Elves.

I'm going to go ahead and call bullshit on that. Some erroneous notions in there... And it contradicts what you just said above.
 
I mean, your willingness to believe in something "other" would cause you to be the type of person to encounter an elf at some point. I just don't generally see Guts when he is younger as this type of character and much more hard facts. I don't really have much to support that with other than that's my generally impression of him. He seems to become accustomed to the supernatural slowly and to great surprise at first like with his encounter with Zodd. I guess I'm just trying to find a deeper meaning behind this first super natural encounter and if they can really happen just by chance. I guess i meant before that I believed his mental consciousness was in disbelief in these elements but his ordained fate forced the encounter.
 

Aazealh

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Draculoid said:
I mean, your willingness to believe in something "other" would cause you to be the type of person to encounter an elf at some point.

Which is basically the standard state of humans when they are born.

Draculoid said:
I just don't generally see Guts when he is younger as this type of character and much more hard facts.

Guts tends to be pragmatic in general, but I don't think we're shown anything about him as a kid that hints that he could be close-minded enough to subconsciously refuse to acknowledge supernatural phenomenons.

Draculoid said:
He seems to become accustomed to the supernatural slowly and to great surprise at first like with his encounter with Zodd.

I disagree, I think Guts is rather accepting of the supernatural and adapts to it very quickly. He didn't seem too bothered by Griffith's beherit aside from his initial surprise (same reaction than Puck's when they found the Count's), and with Zodd I'd say he was more overwhelmed and scared than anything else. Yet he integrated the information and fought on instead of being stupefied, a sign of great adaptability.

Draculoid said:
his ordained fate forced the encounter.

Guts doesn't have an "ordained fate".
 
Impressive episode and I love some of panels, like the bottom half of page 17. Page 09, hawk in the sky? Can't wait to read it translated. For those who haven't bought the issue yet, here are 2 images ... one is the DVD that came with it and the other is movie news.

B2.jpg


B1.jpg
 
S

supa_pokute

Guest
Great episode, although I did have one question that will probably be answered as the next few come out. Didn't Guts mention during his first encounter with Zodd that he couldn't believe how such monsters existed in the world? At that time, shouldn't he have not been surprised if he knew that elves exist due to this flashback?
 

Walter

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supa_pokute said:
Great episode, although I did have one question that will probably be answered as the next few come out. Didn't Guts mention during his first encounter with Zodd that he couldn't believe how such monsters existed in the world? At that time, shouldn't he have not been surprised if he knew that elves exist due to this flashback?
Giant minotaur/bat ≠ Elf.
 
Walter said:
No title yet. The Miura comment says something about it telling the story of an encounter Guts had with an elf in his past:

"Now it's time for me to show why Guts hates elves." (Thanks to Puella for translating.)

This new boyhood arc is also telling a secondary story of why Guts doesn't trust anyone with devil eyebrows.
 

Aazealh

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Miura's complete comment: "I've always thought to show why Guts is uncomfortable with elves. Since the movie is available, I think it's a good occasion to show it."
 
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