What is 'Evil' in the Berserk universe?

Wyrm

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Aazealh said:
Femto was petty enough to rape Guts' girlfriend in front of him.

Yes, quite indifferent to Guts, wasn't he?

Aazealh said:
Do you have a problem comprehending what you read? Because it certainly seems to be the case here. Allow me to quote myself so that you can re-read what I have told you.

You seem to be unable or unwilling to have a discussion without questioning the other person reading comprehension or intelligence.

Aazealh said:
Do not hesitate to re-read it as many times as necessary.

I've read it and I disagree with your interpretation.
 

Aazealh

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Wyrm said:
Yes, quite indifferent to Guts, wasn't he?

He did not show much (if any) emotion while doing the deed, as a matter of fact.

Wyrm said:
You seem to be unable or unwilling to have a discussion without questioning the other person reading comprehension or intelligence.

Well you're clearly not understanding something rather easy to get, despite several efforts to explain it to you. So you'll excuse me but that seems to be the logical conclusion to reach.

Wyrm said:
I've read it and I disagree with your interpretation.

This isn't my interpretation, it's what's in the manga. You have the right to wallow in your ignorance and misconceptions if you so choose, but don't lie to yourself about what you're doing.
 

Walter

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Wyrm said:
And when he says "I am now...Free" wasn't he aware that he was free when he met him during the Count's sacrificial ceremony? It seems a bit convoluted that he means "I am now free unlike I was before I became Femto"
I think this is the key to your misunderstanding, Wyrm. It's really pretty simple: Now that Griffith is flesh AGAIN (as Femto, he was spirit), he's checking to see if he still has his old weakness. That's it. Keep in mind Femto was a different sort of being--pure spirit. And this new form of Griffith is composed of flesh, due to a supernatural process that Griffith wanted to double-check the effects of personally. It has nothing to do with the child. He wasn't aware of that influence yet, and it's only convoluting things by even mentioning it for this particular part of the story.

Does that make things more clear?
 

Wyrm

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Aazealh said:
He did not show much (if any) emotion while doing the deed, as a matter of fact.

I'm sure Femto raped Casca while looking Guts in the eye just to show him his indifference.

Aazealh said:
Well you're clearly not understanding something rather easy to get, despite several efforts to explain it to you. So you'll excuse me but that seems to be the logical conclusion to reach.

You totally figured me out, chief! That was amazing! Do you also do Bar Mitzvah's? More seriously though, repeating things over and over, comme un sourd, is not "explaining."

Aazealh said:
This isn't my interpretation, it's what's in the manga.

It's a piece of dialogue. Like I said, maybe in the original japanese is clear as water what Griffith meant. Not in the translation.

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Walter said:
I think this is the key to your misunderstanding, Wyrm. It's really pretty simple: Now that Griffith is flesh AGAIN (as Femto, he was spirit), he's checking to see if he still has his old weakness. That's it. Keep in mind Femto was a different sort of being--pure spirit. And this new form of Griffith is composed of flesh, due to a supernatural process that Griffith wanted to double-check the effects of personally. It has nothing to do with the child. He wasn't aware of that influence yet, and it's only convoluting things by even mentioning it for this particular part of the story.

Does that make things more clear?

That would make more sense, yes. But why would the incarnation have any influence on Femto's personality. I've read (as far as my intelligence allows me) lots of times on this forum that the character is no longer Griffith but merely looking like Griffith. If one assumes that being made flesh could potentially reawaken old feeling then I wonder what would happen if it was possible to remove all Evil Power from an Apostle or even a member of the God Hand.
 

Aazealh

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Wyrm said:
I'm sure Femto raped Casca while looking Guts in the eye just to show him his indifference.

No matter how you word it, the facts still remain. Maybe instead of making a fool of yourself you should go re-read all those scenes you don't quite remember?

Wyrm said:
You totally figured me out, chief! That was amazing! Do you also do Bar Mitzvah's? More seriously though, repeating things over and over, comme un sourd, is not "explaining."

I wasn't the only one to explain things to you, and yet you still do not understand them. Furthermore, this entire business should not require any clarification to begin with.

Wyrm said:
It's a piece of dialogue. Like I said, maybe in the original japanese is clear as water what Griffith meant. Not in the translation.

I have already told you what you wanted to know. No interpreting is necessary.

Wyrm said:
That would make more sense, yes. But why would the incarnation have any influence on Femto's personality. I've read (as far as my intelligence allows me) lots of times on this forum that the character is no longer Griffith but merely looking like Griffith. If one assumes that being made flesh could potentially reawaken old feeling then I wonder what would happen if it was possible to remove all Evil Power from an Apostle or even a member of the God Hand.

As Griffith, he had believed that his feelings toward Guts held him back. Those were gone when he became Femto. When he was incarnated into a new body (coincidentally a copy of the former one), he wanted to ascertain that what he'd perceived as a weakness then had not somehow returned, as if being made of flesh could by itself make him more prone to emotionality. It was not the case, as we were shown. This is what has been repeated to you so far.

Also, apostles and members of the God Hand do not merely receive a power that could then be taken from them, they are transformed by it.
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Aazealh said:
Maybe instead of making a fool of yourself you should go re-read all those scenes you don't quite remember?

Well, you're the one insulting someone you don't know due to a disagreement on a few lines of dialogue. So what does that make of you? Why do you have the need to be verbally abusive over something that should have no bearing on your life? You can talk to me. I'm here for you. :schierke:

In any case I read the episodes from Volume 3 and I cannot comprehend how can you say that Guts was indifferent to Femto. All the dialogue from Femto and the comments from the rest of the God Hand point to Guts being anything but just another human to them.

Aazealh said:
When he was incarnated into a new body (coincidentally a copy of the former one), he wanted to ascertain that what he'd perceived as a weakness then had not somehow returned, as if being made of flesh could by itself make him more prone to emotionality.

That is based only on a sentence from Femto. To Guts. Why would Femto think that being incarnated would have any influence on his feeling towards Guts?

Aazealh said:
Also, apostles and members of the God Hand do not merely receive a power that could then be taken from them, they are transformed by it.

If Femto himself, who should now better, thought that being incarnated could somehow affect his personality then who knows what can happen if the God Hand take away the Evil Power, or if you prefer, revert the transformation on a given apostle.
 

Walter

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Slime_Beherit said:
Ok, now I'm confused. All this talk of Femto's indifference. Now makes me question why he raped Casca at all.
He went from having no power (remember the scene in the wagon with Casca?) to having the power of a demigod. He used it in an evil manner.

It also, of course, served a higher purpose.
 

Aazealh

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Wyrm said:
Well, you're the one insulting someone you don't know due to a disagreement on a few lines of dialogue. So what does that make of you?

Someone wasting his time because of a misguided desire to enlighten the clinically obtuse?

Wyrm said:
In any case I read the episodes from Volume 3 and I cannot comprehend how can you say that Guts was indifferent to Femto. All the dialogue from Femto and the comments from the rest of the God Hand point to Guts being anything but just another human to them.

Yes, I had previously noted your lack of comprehension.

Wyrm said:
That is based only on a sentence from Femto. To Guts. Why would Femto think that being incarnated would have any influence on his feeling towards Guts?

Both Walter and I have already answered that question.

Wyrm said:
If Femto himself, who should now better, thought that being incarnated could somehow affect his personality

He thought it could affect how he felt. And I don't think that was without basis. Being a pure spirit and being a living, breathing human being are not quite the same thing. He should know better why? Says who?

Wyrm said:
who knows what can happen if the God Hand take away the Evil Power, or if you prefer, revert the transformation on a given apostle.

If the process was completely reversed, then they'd be back to what they were before. That's not a very hard conclusion to reach. However nothing indicates that this is at all possible, and I don't see what relevance it has to the topic at hand anyway.

Slime_Beherit said:
Ok, now I'm confused. All this talk of Femto's indifference. Now makes me question why he raped Casca at all.

Well Femto's obviously not completely indifferent to Guts, that's just Wyrm harping on words so as not to let go of his misconceptions. It stems from his original statement that Femto visibly feels "hatred" towards Guts during their encounter in volume 3, whereas, like I replied, Femto actually seems rather indifferent to Guts' fate. Which is to say, he shows no emotion when Guts is smashed down, nor when he's grabbed by the souls from the Vortex, nor when he shoots at him with his arm cannon, and still nothing when Guts is sent back alive to the normal world.

Wyrm's original point was that he believes there is a very clear distinction between Femto's behavior in volume 3 and Griffith's behavior in volume 22 (which is not the case). He probably believes that said distinction is clear enough and big enough to indicate that they are two different beings, with his ulterior goal being to show that the "true, original Griffith" was somehow restored during the Incarnation ceremony, as opposed to Femto just receiving a fleshly body. That is why this conversation has been led to where it is now.

Anyway, putting this ridiculous belief aside, Femto is not a robot. Much like apostles, members of the God Hand retain a strong human component to them. Does Femto actually not feel anything whatsoever towards Guts? Is he completely neutral? No, I don't think so. He raped Casca to spite Guts, and he taunted him in volume 3 to spite him as well. One could even argue that showing himself like he did in volume 22 wasn't without malice either. But does that mean he feels an intense hatred for Guts? No, I don't think so. Nor is he obsessed by him like his former self was, long ago.

Now, I have written many long posts on the question, which I invite you to check out if you're interested, but to conclude, I'll say that one interesting thing to observe is that Femto has had a lot of opportunities to kill Guts. He did not take them. He has also gone out of his way to make it clear to Guts that he is nothing, can do nothing and means nothing. This can be interpreted in different ways, but the finality of it is that it will eventually prove to be his downfall.
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Aazealh said:
Someone wasting his time because of a misguided desire to enlighten the clinically obtuse?

Aazealh said:
Yes, I had previously noted your lack of comprehension.

Oh my god. Please stop! Your profound and intelligent insights are hurting my feelings. :schierke:
Must be great being a living and breathing fallacy.

Aazealh said:
He thought it could affect how he felt. And I don't think that was without basis. Being a pure spirit and being a living, breathing human being are not quite the same thing. He should know better why? Says who?

Of course! How stupid of me to think that a member of the God Hand would know the nature of the power they wield and it's effect on themselves and human beings.

Aazealh said:
If the process was completely reversed, then they'd be back to what they were before. That's not a very hard conclusion to reach. However nothing indicates that this is at all possible, and I don't see what relevance it has to the topic at hand anyway.

So Femto, just because he has a physical body, supposedly expected to feel something akin to what Griffith felt and you say it isn't relevant? I'd say that if you are right and Femto had basis to think that being incarnated made him have a tiny piece of it's humanity back then it sets a precedent.

Aazealh said:
Well Femto's obviously not completely indifferent to Guts, that's just Wyrm harping on words so as not to let go of his misconceptions.

We're getting somewhere. Nice of you to turn around. He isn't indifferent after all.

Aazealh said:
Wyrm's original point was that he believes there is a very clear distinction between Femto's behavior in volume 3 and Griffith's behavior in volume 22 (which is not the case).

Because reasons!

Aazealh said:
He probably believes that said distinction is clear enough and big enough to indicate that they are two different beings, with his ulterior goal being to show that the "true, original Griffith" was somehow restored during the Incarnation ceremony, as opposed to Femto just receiving a fleshly body. That is why this conversation has been led to where it is now.

That is amazing! But you are quite wrong. That is not my point. My point was simply that Femto, as you already confirmed, was not indifferent to Guts and that it doesn't make much sense that he would go from hatred to wondering if Guts could have another kind of effect just because he got a "fleshy body." My point is that he is Femto all along and that dialogue (about seeing if his heart would be shaken) is either a lie or just something Miura thought it would be cool for Femto to say to Guts.

Aazealh said:
But does that mean he feels an intense hatred for Guts? No, I don't think so. Nor is he obsessed by him like his former self was, long ago.

Well, I think he does. The same hatred that made him sacrifice everyone when he laid eyes on Guts on top that hand. Hatred that probably started brewing when his body was being ripped appart in the dungeon. Hatred that made him try to strangle Guts when they were on the carriage.
 

Aazealh

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Wyrm said:
Oh my god. Please stop! Your profound and intelligent insights are hurting my feelings.

I wish they'd make you understand things instead.

Wyrm said:
Of course! How stupid of me to think that a member of the God Hand would know the nature of the power they wield and it's effect on themselves and human beings.

What are you talking about? Femto had just been incarnated into flesh. That's a "once in a thousand years" event. Pretty clearly, Femto was not entirely sure of what effects that might have on him, hence why he acted in the way he did.

Wyrm said:
So Femto, just because he has a physical body, supposedly expected to feel something akin to what Griffith felt and you say it isn't relevant?

That's not what we were talking about. We were talking about reversing the process that transforms someone into an apostle, which is completely different from and unrelated to Femto's incarnation. So yeah it's irrelevant.

Wyrm said:
I'd say that if you are right and Femto had basis to think that being incarnated made him have a tiny piece of it's humanity back then it sets a precedent.

Wait, who said anything about "having a piece of his humanity back"? That's not at all what was at stake here. How do you even define "humanity" in this case? It's just not an appropriate wording. In any case, Femto was as unmoved by Guts as he had been before.

Wyrm said:
We're getting somewhere. Nice of you to turn around. He isn't indifferent after all.

I have not "turned around", as anyone who's been reading this thread can tell. You are the one who's been focusing on the word "indifferent", taken out of its original context, as if proving it wrong could somehow validate your point, which is not the case. So I'll repeat it again here: Femto seems indifferent to Guts' fate in volume 3. He displays no emotion whatsoever when Guts gets wounded, etc. Much like he appears cold and emotionless on the Hill of Swords, or how he keeps a blank expression while raping Casca, while trying to kill the Skull Knight, and while watching him escape.

Wyrm said:
Because reasons!

How about re-reading those scenes?

Wyrm said:
That is not my point. My point was simply that Femto, as you already confirmed, was not indifferent to Guts and that it doesn't make much sense that he would go from hatred to wondering if Guts could have another kind of effect just because he got a "fleshy body." My point is that he is Femto all along and that dialogue (about seeing if his heart would be shaken) is either a lie or just something Miura thought it would be cool for Femto to say to Guts.

I see that your comprehension problem is beyond any hope. I guess that means the end of this derailing, as there is no point in talking to you any further. You've already been explained everything you wanted to know, but the truth is, you don't want to know it.

Wyrm said:
Well, I think he does. The same hatred that made him sacrifice everyone when he laid eyes on Guts on top that hand. Hatred that probably started brewing when his body was being ripped appart in the dungeon. Hatred that made him try to strangle Guts when they were on the carriage.

Beyond any hope indeed. Add the scene of the sacrifice to the list of things you should be re-reading.
 

Walter

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Wyrm said:
My point is that he is Femto all along and that dialogue (about seeing if his heart would be shaken) is either a lie or just something Miura thought it would be cool for Femto to say to Guts.
Th-that's your point? All this spiteful shit for this garbage? If you have that low an opinion of the series and its writer, why do you even bother reading it, or even still posting on a fan forum for it?

Well, I think he does. The same hatred that made him sacrifice everyone when he laid eyes on Guts on top that hand. Hatred that probably started brewing when his body was being ripped appart in the dungeon. Hatred that made him try to strangle Guts when they were on the carriage.
Sorry, but you're just plain wrong here. It's either a lie, or just something you thought would be cool to say.

Hatred was just one of a flurry of emotions he felt toward Guts, and it wasn't the driving one. See every scene they're in after they escape Wyndham. They're friends. You should seriously re-examine their relationship, and that scene in particular. Just the look on his face is enough. Griffith did not sacrifice Guts and his friends because he hated them. In fact, he couldn't have if he had wanted to.
 
Wyrm, unless I missed something you've yet to present us with your take on it. Why did he confront Guts on the Hill of swords? Did you even reach a conclusion?
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Aazealh said:
Beyond any hope indeed. Add the scene of the sacrifice to the list of things you should be re-reading.

Sure. I will read everything all the necessary times until I see things your way. That attitude would work better on factual thinks that require not a single ounce of critical thinking but just an exercise in memory.


Walter said:
Th-that's your point? All this spiteful shit for this garbage? If you have that low an opinion of the series and its writer, why do you even bother reading it, or even still posting on a fan forum for it?

Not sure what you mean here. Do you believe Berserk is absolutely flawless? That finding a given scene less stellar somehow equates with a low opinion of the series and its writer? And what do you mean "spiteful?" It wasn't me who started to throw insults left and right...
 

Aazealh

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Hanma_Baki said:
Wyrm, unless I missed something you've yet to present us with your take on it. Why did he confront Guts on the Hill of swords? Did you even reach a conclusion?

As you can tell from his lack of response to you, he has no take on it. The reason why is probably because his original point was just what I outlined in my reply to Slime_Beherit. :slan: But of course he couldn't admit it, as that would have been such a blow to his ego, and so now he's moved on to this new "argument" that basically the scene sucks and makes no sense. Simply brilliant.

Wyrm said:
Sure. I will read everything all the necessary times until I see things your way. That attitude would work better on factual thinks that require not a single ounce of critical thinking but just an exercise in memory.

Sorry, let me rephrase that for you then, since you did not understand my point. Please carefully re-read those scenes while paying close attention to all the details, and try to commit them to memory so that you do not omit or misrepresent facts like you have so far. Then please think about those scenes both critically and logically, more so than you have until now. Finally, please stop arguing in bad faith.
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Aazealh said:
But of course he couldn't admit it, as that would have been such a blow to his ego, and so now he's moved on to this new "argument" that basically the scene sucks and makes no sense. Simply brilliant.

Please, pretend that you are the utmost eminence on everything Berserk but do not pretend to know me or my intentions. I never had any other intention than understanding the scene so I tried to have a polite discussion. All the things I had wrong (Void's words or Femto's precise actions during that sacrifice) have no impact on my interpretation of the scene. And in fact, there are no facts here, just lose dialogs that I just interpret differently than you. As I still don't agree with what you're saying then, for me, the only justification for the Hill of Swords scene is that Femto lied to Guts and had other intentions or, yes, Miura just found that dialogue cool. And honestly I don't know why this would make the scene suck.

Oh, and I thought my original point was that the incarnated Griffith was no longer Femto... :slan:

Aazealh said:
Finally, please stop arguing in bad faith.

What do you mean "bad faith?" We're strangers discussion fiction on a website, just for a little perspective. How "bad faith" comes into play?
 

Aazealh

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Wyrm said:
All the things I had wrong (Void's words or Femto's precise actions during that sacrifice) have no impact on my interpretation of the scene.

Rest assured, we have all noticed that nothing whatsoever can have any impact on your interpretation.

Wyrm said:
And in fact, there are no facts here, just lose dialogs that I just interpret differently than you.

Yes, yes, we get it, nothing is factual enough to stand in the way of what you wish things to be like. The characters are liars and scenes only happen because the author thinks they're cool, no rhyme or reason to them! Only you see things for what they really are!

Wyrm said:
What do you mean "bad faith?" We're strangers discussion fiction on a website, just for a little perspective. How "bad faith" comes into play?

I invite you to consult the dictionary. I have already given up on explaining things to you.
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Maybe you should come to Amsterdam. I'll take you to a coffee shop, we can smoke a joint and have a quiet conversation on the subject.
I do believe you're the kind of person that is infinitely more polite face to face that face to screen.
 

Aazealh

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Wyrm said:
Maybe you should come to Amsterdam. I'll take you to a coffee shop, we can smoke a joint and have a quiet conversation on the subject.
I do believe you're the kind of person that is infinitely more polite face to face that face to screen.

Hahaha, I think you would be surprised. But thanks for the offer, and I guess maybe those herbal delights your city is so famous for have played a role in our misunderstanding here. :slan:
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Aazealh said:
Hahaha, I think you would be surprised. But thanks for the offer, and I guess maybe those herbal delights your city is so famous for have played a role in our misunderstanding here. :slan:

Not really. I only smoke on special occasions and never to read manga. Come for the weekend, the Fyra only takes 4 hours and a nice joint of indica would make wonders for all that pent up tension. :griffnotevil:
 

Aazealh

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Wyrm said:
Not really. I only smoke on special occasions and never to read manga. Come for the weekend, the Fyra only takes 4 hours and a nice joint of indica would make wonders for all that pent up tension. :griffnotevil:

Yeah I was just teasing you. So easy, I couldn't resist. :iva:

Anyway, I do honestly think you should re-read those scenes man. I don't mean to repeat myself endlessly but I really believe that revisiting them might make you view things differently. Much like I think it would be too bad if your final opinion on the Hill of Swords remains what it currently is.
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Aazealh said:
Yeah I was just teasing you. So easy, I couldn't resist. :iva:

Anyway, I do honestly think you should re-read those scenes man. I don't mean to repeat myself endlessly but I really believe that revisiting them might make you view things differently. Much like I think it would be too bad if your final opinion on the Hill of Swords remains what it currently is.

I did read them but not with full focus so I will read again: the Count's ceremony, the Occultation Ceremony and the encounter at the Hill of Swords. But even if my opinion doesn't change it's OK. It's my loss and it doesn't take away anything from the manga.
 

Walter

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Wyrm said:
Not sure what you mean here. Do you believe Berserk is absolutely flawless? That finding a given scene less stellar somehow equates with a low opinion of the series and its writer? And what do you mean "spiteful?" It wasn't me who started to throw insults left and right..
It's not perfect, but Miura is not at fault in this case. You're blaming the writer for you not understanding a particular line, despite explanations being offered by others. You have a particular way you want the scenario to be, but because it doesn't fit that preconception, it's either a lie or just some bullshit cooked up by Miura to sound cool. Gross.

As for the tone of the conversation, it's a two-way street. It got heated, and all for your "point," which was a waste of everyone's time.
 

Wyrm

HEMA
Walter said:
You have a particular way you want the scenario to be, but because it doesn't fit that preconception, it's either a lie or just some bullshit cooked up by Miura to sound cool.

I don't have any preconception. I may be wrong but I just felt it was non-sequitur from what I had seen of Femto. And even if Miura did write the scene because he found it cool, I would never call it bullshit. It IS a great scene.


Walter said:
It got heated, and all for your "point," which was a waste of everyone's time.

And here I was thinking that at least it was entertaining for you guys throwing tomatoes at the heretic! :ganishka:
 

Walter

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Wyrm said:
I may be wrong but I just felt it was non-sequitur from what I had seen of Femto.
Flesh ≠ Spirit. Femto incarnated into flesh was a new kind of being, as has been explained to you maybe five times at this point. Furthermore, his utterance of the line underscores that it's important, and not just a throwaway "cool" thing to say. But that's not sufficient for you, apparently. It really is your loss.

But since earlier you were picking on the wording, here is Dark Horse's translation of the scene, if you're interested:
[quote author=Femto]"I came here to know for certain whether anything will shake my heart, while I stand before you in this new body of flesh. But it seems... I am free."[/quote]
 
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