It disgusts me horribly. I cannot believe that someone would take a look at everything Berserk has been so far, from beginning to hiatus, and go to THIS extreme opposite in storytelling. I'm calling it now, they're gonna try to give Griffith a redemption arc at this rate. As far as I'm concerned, Berserk is still on hiatus.
Episode 380
- Thread starter Aazealh
- Start date
TheItCrow
Knight without Title
Sorry to report, but Berserk isn't on hiatus - it has ended.
Unfortunately, this has crossed my mind as well. It's the ultimate slap to the readers, to Guts, to the story as a whole and to Miura. So it would make perfect sense for them to do so.
Seems like basing Griffith on Mori wasn't a bad move on Miura's part regarding the self-serving betrayal of his late friend's life work, though Mori is much less of a competent chess-master than Griffith ever was.
He didn't base Griffith on Mori. He based the relationship between Guts and Griffith on his relationship with Mori. Big difference, which is among the many things Mori himself doesn't seem to understand.
Rakshas will return and he will ally with Guts
My theory is that Rakshas will be an ally to Guts in the coming conflict. I will say upfront that there is some reaching going on in this theory, and you may not agree with my interpretation, but I will at least start with facts and explain my reasoning from there. I will also preface by stating my assumption that there exists a sense of respect, understanding, and competence of Miura’s work by those heading the continuation. Call me an optimist.
I will separate this into two parts: 1. Why I believe he will return to the story after the events of Ch. 380. & 2. Why I believe he will align himself with Guts.
Part 1. Loose End
At the time of writing this (release of Ch. 380) Rakshas has seemingly been slain, rather unceremoniously, by Silat. However due to the circumstances of his prior return / revival in Ch. 377, I believe that we will see him reappear in a similar fashion. (I will refer to his reappearance in Ch. 377 as his revival, as Rakshas himself assumes he died, although it is possible he is mistaken).
I won't argue that him not reverting to his human form and being taken by the vortex of souls is indicative at all of his death, as we saw in the attack on Flora’s cottage that does not necessarily always happen when an apostle dies. In any case, I am arguing that Rakshas is not dead, or at least is not dying in the traditional sense and so this point is moot. I will also not argue that Rakshas is anything but an apostle, as that idea is not supported in any way. Rather I will point to the narrative need for certain questions concerning Rakshas to be answered.
We have no understanding of how or why Rakshas seemingly revived out of nowhere in the Kushan temple, with him even being confused himself. That indicates that he is being used by a force beyond him, like a Godhand member. I do not bring them up lightly, but we have no reason to suspect that Rakshas is capable of opening a rift to Qlipoth. Unless we get some sort of indication that it can happen another way, we can only assume Slan is to blame for this. She would afterall surely revel in the pain Guts is experiencing. This event is very different however from the first time we encountered Qlipoth, but it is the strongest lead we have.
With both Rakshas’ revival and the rift being opened seemingly simultaneously, I believe we can assume the two events are linked. The only real reasoning I have for this is the link between Slan and Qlipoth already established, and the logical conclusion that narratively they are retreading old ground for a reason and not just reusing assets to spawn fodder for an action sequence. Again, giving the continuation team the benefit of the doubt on this one. If he is being used, then it stands to reason that whatever use that is, has not been fulfilled yet as Rakshas did not achieve much of anything before being put down by Silat, therefore Slan/whomever is cursing him, will revive him again.
Narratively speaking, it would not make sense for them to introduce this resurrection idea in the first place if they did not plan on answering it. They could have just as easily had Rakshas infiltrate of his own will to enact revenge on Silat/Rickert for the blast to the face. The mystery of his revival is a loose end that needs to be tied up, and since Rakshas himself questioned it, it stands to reason that he will be given some closure. My reason for this is because nobody else will question this return as they all assume it is a strategic attack (which very well could have been, just not one orchestrated by Rakshas). They may even assume that Rakshas survived Rickert’s blast due to him being able to conceal the location of his head (a fact he surely would have mocked Silat over if that was the reason for his return, as he did in Falconia).
On that matter, his ability to move his true head around may even be the method in which he survives this “second death” at the hands of Silat, or could be a Red Heron to distract us from the theory that a higher being is controlling the situation. Therefore it makes more sense for Rakshas to return either by the same force that enacted his first revival, or by way of his own abilities to fake his supposed death by the hands of Silat, perhaps biding time till the moon rises, as he does in Ch. 339 after Silat slices through one of his masks while protecting Rickert. Simply put, for these chapters to make any sort of sense whatsoever for the overarching story, there has to be more to come from this mystery, and any sort of answer will require Rakshas to be present as a vehicle to deliver that explanation to the readers.
Part 2. The Enemy of My Enemy…
There is more than one unanswered mystery concerning Rakshas. His past as a member of the Bakiraka has been mentioned several times, as well as his subsequent banishment. To top that off his rivalry with Silat seems to be in full swing, with little dialogue being traded between the two after his revival in the Kushan temple. That could either be a sign of Mori and the continuation team not being able to write dialogue between the two of them for some reason (not enough info provided to them from Miura) , or maybe it is because this was meant as a confusion filled, strike first ask questions later altercation where no dialogue was necessary or even possible. The confusion and anger we are all feeling, as voiced by Silat at the end of Ch. 380, was purposefully created to blindside us with an unlikely alliance.
The elephant in the room however is Rakshas’ desire to Kill Griffith himself. There isn't much that I can say on this that Rakshas hasn't made abundantly clear himself, and that is that he will take Griffiths head himself one day. See Chapters 184 and Chapter 340. This alone does not mean Rakshas will ally himself with Guts, but it does come halfway. For the other half we need to look at Guts.
Guts story has been about accepting help from people around him, and valuing their lives as his was not. It's about giving when you have nothing left to give, fighting when you have no fight left in you. Changing yourself for the better for yourself and those around you. Guts even allied himself with Zodd temporarily to beat Ganishka when his life and the lives of his friends were in jeopardy. It is the antithesis of fighting unnecessarily, and all about seeing the good around you to protect what you have not yet lost. As Puck stated to Vargas way back in Chapter D0, “living for the future is more important than avenging the past”. Guts accepting help from an outside source he should by all rights have an unyielding desire to kill (or be killed by apparently) is a step into that direction that Griffith is incapable of. Griffith sacrifices those around him for his own gain while Guts sacrifices himself for those around him, with him constantly taking hits for those he cares for, further exemplified by the Berserker armor eating away at his life every time he uses it. Griffith is none of these things, he is the “Blazing inferno” that the “little flames throw themselves into” (Ch. 22). He uses those around him as his stepping stones to rise to greatness, while Guts allows himself to be used for those around him to find security. The point is that Guts does not consume or overshadow the flames around him, he ignites them, and that is why Griffith will lose support while Guts will gain it.
The idea of apostles turning away from Griffiths is not only shown by Rakshas, but by Zodd as well. Along with the aforementioned temporary truce, Zodd is unlike other apostles, he doesn't seem to have the same type of natural subservience, as he did not immediately follow Griffith the person, but rather follows his strength. Rather he follows his own desires that allign himself with Griffith. In his quest to find the "Ultimate Strong One" he has allied himself with Griffith, all the while harboring a certain respect for Guts as a warrior. I believe Zodd will no longer follow Griffith soon, as he sees the weakness in him via the moonlight boy. Griffiths most vile deed coming back to haunt him, serving as the chink in his armor that crumbles his defenses, with Zodd leaving as him losing his ultimate defense. I'll admit this is where the reaching comes into play and you may not agree with my interpretation of Zodd here, fair. I also recognize that there is groundwork laid for apostles rebelling against Griffith by Ganishka, but I assert that Zodd is unique in that he has expressed ulterior motives, does not partake in the type of senseless acts that other apostles do, and therefore will be able to "break out" of his absolute adoration. If the redacted chapter is to be believed, then perhaps Griffiths power may lessen due to those around him shedding their fear/respect. All I have is Zodd and Guts' relationship, and I pose the question of what exactly does Zodd value in a warrior? Will Griffith maintain that status or will Guts exemplify the true warrior spirit, enough so to sway Zodd? If the story's aim is to delegitimize Griffiths actions and praise Guts' then the answer is clear.
Obviously this would be a problem with Skull Knight but that is why they may not necessarily fight alongside Guts but rather will not work to thwart one another, or perhaps I'm jumping ahead and they will only find themselves allied at the eleventh hour in the finale. In any case that unyielding vengeance Skull Knight may show would only further prove the growth that Guts has achieved, and how he has succeeded where Skull Knight has failed. Further ideas for this point is the theory that Guts will save his love where SK could not, and that Guts will wield the armor with more control than SK, thus retaining his humanity but at the cost of his revenge. That is another theory by itself. it is also my belief that both Zodd and Skull Knight are cautionary tales for Guts' future, and will rise above them. Allying with select apostles, would be the catalyst for this.
This shift in allegiances is made more likely narratively due to it potentially solving multiple problems. That is where the wildcard Sonia comes in. Shierke is currently looking for Casca in Falconia, but what will she do once she finds her? Schierke and Sonia had a meeting in Chapter 246 where they made friends with one another. I believe that will become relevant again as Sonia may be able to detect Schierke while she is surveying in her astral form. She may even converse with her and have evidence shown to her of Griffith's true nature, either from Schierke or Casca. Sonia may just be the ace in the hole that our team needs. Not to mention the dramatic irony in Griffiths most staunch supporter turning against him. Sonia may not be too keen on allying herself with Kushans after what happened with her parents (Ch. 182) but all the more reason she may not come into direct contact with our group for a while, she would be more useful as a spy or as a friend to Cascas and/or facilitate her escape. With the prospect of gaining an edge over Griffith, along with assurance that Casca is still safe, that may be just the right push for Guts to overcome this crushing defeat, showing that all of his work was worth it, as the little flames he has stoked this entire time have come back to reignite him. As Guts finds the strength to continue fighting, he may even remember Godot's words to him, wouldn't that be somethin.
We are coming to the end of the story and there will need to be some things that happen before the scales are tipped between Guts and Griffith. It fits the themes of Berserk for Griffiths power to erode as it is ill gotten and unsustainable, while Guts reaps the rewards of all of his hard work, with the help of those around him. That is why I believe we are amidst major turning points in the story which will make minor details / interactions from dozens/hundreds of chapters ago relevant now more than ever.
My theory is that Rakshas will be an ally to Guts in the coming conflict. I will say upfront that there is some reaching going on in this theory, and you may not agree with my interpretation, but I will at least start with facts and explain my reasoning from there. I will also preface by stating my assumption that there exists a sense of respect, understanding, and competence of Miura’s work by those heading the continuation. Call me an optimist.
I will separate this into two parts: 1. Why I believe he will return to the story after the events of Ch. 380. & 2. Why I believe he will align himself with Guts.
Part 1. Loose End
At the time of writing this (release of Ch. 380) Rakshas has seemingly been slain, rather unceremoniously, by Silat. However due to the circumstances of his prior return / revival in Ch. 377, I believe that we will see him reappear in a similar fashion. (I will refer to his reappearance in Ch. 377 as his revival, as Rakshas himself assumes he died, although it is possible he is mistaken).
I won't argue that him not reverting to his human form and being taken by the vortex of souls is indicative at all of his death, as we saw in the attack on Flora’s cottage that does not necessarily always happen when an apostle dies. In any case, I am arguing that Rakshas is not dead, or at least is not dying in the traditional sense and so this point is moot. I will also not argue that Rakshas is anything but an apostle, as that idea is not supported in any way. Rather I will point to the narrative need for certain questions concerning Rakshas to be answered.
We have no understanding of how or why Rakshas seemingly revived out of nowhere in the Kushan temple, with him even being confused himself. That indicates that he is being used by a force beyond him, like a Godhand member. I do not bring them up lightly, but we have no reason to suspect that Rakshas is capable of opening a rift to Qlipoth. Unless we get some sort of indication that it can happen another way, we can only assume Slan is to blame for this. She would afterall surely revel in the pain Guts is experiencing. This event is very different however from the first time we encountered Qlipoth, but it is the strongest lead we have.
With both Rakshas’ revival and the rift being opened seemingly simultaneously, I believe we can assume the two events are linked. The only real reasoning I have for this is the link between Slan and Qlipoth already established, and the logical conclusion that narratively they are retreading old ground for a reason and not just reusing assets to spawn fodder for an action sequence. Again, giving the continuation team the benefit of the doubt on this one. If he is being used, then it stands to reason that whatever use that is, has not been fulfilled yet as Rakshas did not achieve much of anything before being put down by Silat, therefore Slan/whomever is cursing him, will revive him again.
Narratively speaking, it would not make sense for them to introduce this resurrection idea in the first place if they did not plan on answering it. They could have just as easily had Rakshas infiltrate of his own will to enact revenge on Silat/Rickert for the blast to the face. The mystery of his revival is a loose end that needs to be tied up, and since Rakshas himself questioned it, it stands to reason that he will be given some closure. My reason for this is because nobody else will question this return as they all assume it is a strategic attack (which very well could have been, just not one orchestrated by Rakshas). They may even assume that Rakshas survived Rickert’s blast due to him being able to conceal the location of his head (a fact he surely would have mocked Silat over if that was the reason for his return, as he did in Falconia).
On that matter, his ability to move his true head around may even be the method in which he survives this “second death” at the hands of Silat, or could be a Red Heron to distract us from the theory that a higher being is controlling the situation. Therefore it makes more sense for Rakshas to return either by the same force that enacted his first revival, or by way of his own abilities to fake his supposed death by the hands of Silat, perhaps biding time till the moon rises, as he does in Ch. 339 after Silat slices through one of his masks while protecting Rickert. Simply put, for these chapters to make any sort of sense whatsoever for the overarching story, there has to be more to come from this mystery, and any sort of answer will require Rakshas to be present as a vehicle to deliver that explanation to the readers.
Part 2. The Enemy of My Enemy…
There is more than one unanswered mystery concerning Rakshas. His past as a member of the Bakiraka has been mentioned several times, as well as his subsequent banishment. To top that off his rivalry with Silat seems to be in full swing, with little dialogue being traded between the two after his revival in the Kushan temple. That could either be a sign of Mori and the continuation team not being able to write dialogue between the two of them for some reason (not enough info provided to them from Miura) , or maybe it is because this was meant as a confusion filled, strike first ask questions later altercation where no dialogue was necessary or even possible. The confusion and anger we are all feeling, as voiced by Silat at the end of Ch. 380, was purposefully created to blindside us with an unlikely alliance.
The elephant in the room however is Rakshas’ desire to Kill Griffith himself. There isn't much that I can say on this that Rakshas hasn't made abundantly clear himself, and that is that he will take Griffiths head himself one day. See Chapters 184 and Chapter 340. This alone does not mean Rakshas will ally himself with Guts, but it does come halfway. For the other half we need to look at Guts.
Guts story has been about accepting help from people around him, and valuing their lives as his was not. It's about giving when you have nothing left to give, fighting when you have no fight left in you. Changing yourself for the better for yourself and those around you. Guts even allied himself with Zodd temporarily to beat Ganishka when his life and the lives of his friends were in jeopardy. It is the antithesis of fighting unnecessarily, and all about seeing the good around you to protect what you have not yet lost. As Puck stated to Vargas way back in Chapter D0, “living for the future is more important than avenging the past”. Guts accepting help from an outside source he should by all rights have an unyielding desire to kill (or be killed by apparently) is a step into that direction that Griffith is incapable of. Griffith sacrifices those around him for his own gain while Guts sacrifices himself for those around him, with him constantly taking hits for those he cares for, further exemplified by the Berserker armor eating away at his life every time he uses it. Griffith is none of these things, he is the “Blazing inferno” that the “little flames throw themselves into” (Ch. 22). He uses those around him as his stepping stones to rise to greatness, while Guts allows himself to be used for those around him to find security. The point is that Guts does not consume or overshadow the flames around him, he ignites them, and that is why Griffith will lose support while Guts will gain it.
The idea of apostles turning away from Griffiths is not only shown by Rakshas, but by Zodd as well. Along with the aforementioned temporary truce, Zodd is unlike other apostles, he doesn't seem to have the same type of natural subservience, as he did not immediately follow Griffith the person, but rather follows his strength. Rather he follows his own desires that allign himself with Griffith. In his quest to find the "Ultimate Strong One" he has allied himself with Griffith, all the while harboring a certain respect for Guts as a warrior. I believe Zodd will no longer follow Griffith soon, as he sees the weakness in him via the moonlight boy. Griffiths most vile deed coming back to haunt him, serving as the chink in his armor that crumbles his defenses, with Zodd leaving as him losing his ultimate defense. I'll admit this is where the reaching comes into play and you may not agree with my interpretation of Zodd here, fair. I also recognize that there is groundwork laid for apostles rebelling against Griffith by Ganishka, but I assert that Zodd is unique in that he has expressed ulterior motives, does not partake in the type of senseless acts that other apostles do, and therefore will be able to "break out" of his absolute adoration. If the redacted chapter is to be believed, then perhaps Griffiths power may lessen due to those around him shedding their fear/respect. All I have is Zodd and Guts' relationship, and I pose the question of what exactly does Zodd value in a warrior? Will Griffith maintain that status or will Guts exemplify the true warrior spirit, enough so to sway Zodd? If the story's aim is to delegitimize Griffiths actions and praise Guts' then the answer is clear.
Obviously this would be a problem with Skull Knight but that is why they may not necessarily fight alongside Guts but rather will not work to thwart one another, or perhaps I'm jumping ahead and they will only find themselves allied at the eleventh hour in the finale. In any case that unyielding vengeance Skull Knight may show would only further prove the growth that Guts has achieved, and how he has succeeded where Skull Knight has failed. Further ideas for this point is the theory that Guts will save his love where SK could not, and that Guts will wield the armor with more control than SK, thus retaining his humanity but at the cost of his revenge. That is another theory by itself. it is also my belief that both Zodd and Skull Knight are cautionary tales for Guts' future, and will rise above them. Allying with select apostles, would be the catalyst for this.
This shift in allegiances is made more likely narratively due to it potentially solving multiple problems. That is where the wildcard Sonia comes in. Shierke is currently looking for Casca in Falconia, but what will she do once she finds her? Schierke and Sonia had a meeting in Chapter 246 where they made friends with one another. I believe that will become relevant again as Sonia may be able to detect Schierke while she is surveying in her astral form. She may even converse with her and have evidence shown to her of Griffith's true nature, either from Schierke or Casca. Sonia may just be the ace in the hole that our team needs. Not to mention the dramatic irony in Griffiths most staunch supporter turning against him. Sonia may not be too keen on allying herself with Kushans after what happened with her parents (Ch. 182) but all the more reason she may not come into direct contact with our group for a while, she would be more useful as a spy or as a friend to Cascas and/or facilitate her escape. With the prospect of gaining an edge over Griffith, along with assurance that Casca is still safe, that may be just the right push for Guts to overcome this crushing defeat, showing that all of his work was worth it, as the little flames he has stoked this entire time have come back to reignite him. As Guts finds the strength to continue fighting, he may even remember Godot's words to him, wouldn't that be somethin.
We are coming to the end of the story and there will need to be some things that happen before the scales are tipped between Guts and Griffith. It fits the themes of Berserk for Griffiths power to erode as it is ill gotten and unsustainable, while Guts reaps the rewards of all of his hard work, with the help of those around him. That is why I believe we are amidst major turning points in the story which will make minor details / interactions from dozens/hundreds of chapters ago relevant now more than ever.
Haha I doubt it considering there’s probably no material to contort into that. What’s more likely is that the Godhand’s plan died with Miura and we’ll never know what the precise purpose of all of these upheavals was leaving idiots to speculate that it was something less than nefarious. Obviously Falconia was never going to be a mass sacrifice or anything that on the nose.
The idea that Guts would collaborate with an apostle against Griffith is fundamentally incompatible with "respect and understanding of Miura's work", not to mention competence. See what he had to say to Ganishka in volume 32.
It always happens. Just not necessarily on screen. That said, Rakshas instantly turned into a puddle here and that's the bigger issue.
Just want to point out that "opening a rift to the Qliphoth" is not possible in the manner depicted in the Continuation in the first place, it completely contradicts everything Miura had established. That's really all there is to know about it: it's meaningless and nonsensical. And like many other things they've done, I personally don't expect it to get a sound explanation.
These were two different situations, Ganishka was attempting to essentially conscript Guts. Also Guts had another mission at that moment, which has since achieved so he may be more willing to hear someone out on that account now, not to mention his fragile state and the fact he is still chained up and couldn't fight back if he wanted to.
While I respectfully disagree on your first point as we cannot say for certain, we also cannot say he didn't also turn to a puddle seemingly dead after Rickert blasted him. So we cannot say there is a contradiction occurring here yet without more context.
Agreed, which is why we have no reason to suspect Rakshas is behind it.
Allying himself with an apostle is completely antithetical to Guts' character. No offense but if you don't understand that, you don't understand the series. I'm not even going to go over the fact Rakshas wouldn't actually betray Griffith (to say nothing of Zodd) because that feels like a waste of time. Still, I would advise you to re-acquaint yourself with volume 32 to understand why Guts riding on Zodd was an exceptional and non-repeatable scenario.
Yes we can. Femto explains it to the Count in volume 3. That's just how it works. Apostles go to hell when they die.
Yes we can. It happens almost instantly when Silat strikes him, whereas he just fell from the sky when Rickert's rocket hit him. Besides, his nature and powers are completely different between Berserk and the Continuation. For one thing he's supposed to be made of fabric, which isn't the case here.
It wouldn't make sense either if Slan was "behind it". It's just not how it works. Anyway, there's about a hundred other issues that have no explanation in the Continuation. It's not unique at all.
If the basis of your theory is that the continuation has some unanswered questions to address, then why can't Guts ally with the mystery fog that transported them across the world, or the gnawers? Rakshas' reappearance here is only the latest inexplicable occurrence the continuation has introduced and subsequently completely ignored. There are dozens. What makes you think THIS ONE will get resolved satisfactorily?
You're right, it doesn't make sense. But that's the status quo under the Berserk Continuation.
A temporary truce made under immediate danger from a mutual enemy. In essence this is my theory. Guts having already found himself in a situation that demanded it when he rode Zodd is why this would work. Also I don't believe its inherently antithetical to Guts' character, I'm not saying they'd be friends or anything like that. But that is just my interpretation of the characters, your mileage may vary.
If that is the case then that only gives credit to the theory that Rakshas is still alive.
Perhaps the nature of whatever curse he may be under at the moment is affecting what his supposed "death" looks like.
Yes I cant quite account for that one yet, only listing the most likely scenario that comes to mind. What's important is that it seems unlikely from what we know that Rakshas himself had anything to do with it. I know its not a good answer but until we get the actual reason revealed to us, we don't have much to go off of, as you said it just isn't how it works.
I did state that it was under an assumption of competency. But to answer your question seriously I am holding out hope that the more egregious of these occurrences will be handled when it comes to the characters. I make no apology for the writers, only trying to analyze what we are being given rather than dogpiling. I'm prepared to eat crow, but first I'll have fun theorizing.
Why this specific one will be resolved is because it is a major moment in the plot, and if Mori's letter from June 2022 is to believed, then it is what "Mr. Miura said so". I take that to mean the details may get hazy simply because they do not know them, but the main events will stay true. The how's and why's may be left up to us to decide on what Miura intended, which personally I prefer as opposed to having them make it up.
Can't help you with that.
It just shows that the Continuation team doesn't care about the established facts of the series. As does the myriad of other inconsistencies we've seen so far.
There's been no mention or other indication of a curse.
We do see Rakshas making it happen himself, though. He sends out a shockwave after his claws get broken, then taunts Silat about it. And now that he's dead, it's over.
Well, everyone copes in their own way.
Do you guys think it's even worth continuing to read the new episodes at this point? At this point I think reading on might just make me more indignant. The "Guts being suicidal" thing legitimately made me feel sick.
Well, that's up to you. Other people have already stopped reading this thing, and there's no blaming them.
Are you still holding out hope for Rochine to come back as well, then? Maybe she survived that fall.
Not asking you to.Can't help you with that.
It shows he may not be dead yet. And If he is well and truly dead this time then this will be the greatest sin they've committed and I'll eat crow / drop the continuation immediately, and my theory dead in the water. Its just too soon to call right now.
The fact he revived at all is indication of it.
Maybe a side effect, we're really just not sure yet what that was.
Its certainly a challenging time to be a Berserk fan.
Sorry to insist but Rakshas being liquefied isn't an indication of anything besides the fact the Continuation team isn't respecting what Kentarou Miura had established about his character.
It's really not a greater issue than retconning Fantasia or neutering the Great Gurus, or turning Guts into an impotent, self-pitying wretch. But again, everyone copes their own way.
We must not have the same definition of the word "curse".
I am confident that at least some of Miura's ideas like the ending have been meticulously explained to the continuation team, i.e the ending that was decided 30 years ago.
Whether or not they handle it well (which I am dubious about lol) it still leaves information that readers can use to shape a more accurate understanding of what should have happened or not happened.
If this is truly the end of Rakhas’ character then I completely agree.
Yeah there are certainly some problems, like Zodd traversing the world tree, to only name one. Im personally coping by operating under the assumption that Miura’s notes may have said something like “Zodd fights Guts in Elfhelm” with the necessary details gone with Miura, nothing to be done about it. It comes down to whether you want the team to invent their own way forward, or present to us the rough draft Miura left behind as plainly as possible. It could also be utter disrespect but Im just not that jaded yet.
As for Guts’ current mental state, I dont think its a coincidence we feel the same way about Guts that Isidro and Silat do at the moment, this is very unlike him, and how he comes out of this will define what its all been worth.
Semantics, I only meant that some force is acting upon him to allow this situation.
Just to be clear, Miura left no draft that explained what he planned to do with the story until the end. The Continuation is mostly based on Mori's recollection of casual talks with him over the years. When the project started they mentioned they'd also found some memos and sketches, but those were never presented as a main source of information.
Again, it's strange to me that it's Rakshas death that sticks out to you as "well there must be something more...!". I see his death scene as incongruously lame and unbefitting of a major apostle, but only in context with the rest of Berserk. It's perfectly consistent with the rest of the Berserk Continuation to make these sharp turns without explanation.
If it were imperative that Zodd show up on Elfhelm, then Sonia could have accompanied him. That would have assuaged any consistency issue. But she didn't show up, and they never addressed it. It was one of the earliest indications that this team would make things up and break rules as they went, often for no clear purpose.
Yes thank you for the clarification. I didn't mean to imply they have any more than they do. What I mean is that Im not so concerned with the details as they are working with fragmented information and broad ideas. What matters more is the characters and how arcs will end. Representing Miura’s ideas and not inserting their own.
The difference is that this list of inconsistencies are likely due to them being unable to fill the gaps of information that they do not possess. They are casualties in the mission of getting us to the end (I dont like it, but I get it). This Rakshas situation is different.
They cannot be given the benefit of the doubt by even the most charitable of fans for this. If Rakshas’ story is truly over with then that will mean they are presenting new ideas for virtually no reason, and will show their inability for storytelling in general. For Rakshas to die after using precious panel space showing him visually confused at his situation, and them killing him off would be unforgivable in my eyes. I mean, they could have easily just had him infiltrate the temple instead. I cant bring myself to believe just yet that these people who were apparently close to Miura would handle things that way.
That may have been a good way to handle it, but then its the question of would that be honoring the information they have from Miura? Maybe he even made it known specifically that Sonia was not to be the justification for it. We really cant say so I dont see the point dwelling on the finer details of it.
I simply don't agree. You're calling things that are pretty important "finer details." So do you think it's possible you just cared about Rakshas more than all the other casualties we've been documenting for years..?
I just think its particularly egregious to introduce an idea in one chapter, then scrap it a couple chapters later.
Yeah but it's undeniable at this point that the Continuation hasn't been "representing Miura's ideas". It's easy to know from the fact they keep changing things he had firmly established for no good reason. They've done it over and over again. Rakshas might be the straw that's breaking the camel's back for you (and that's fine), but the rest is really not any less egregious.
Actually we can say. Miura wrote in episode 357 that only Griffith and Sonia can go through the branches without getting lost. No need for insider knowledge. They contradicted something he had established less than 10 episodes prior.