Forest Wraith
Evil is born when we lose power over ourselves.
Aazealh said:Actually, Femto popped out of a fist. Griffith came back to the world with the Egg-Apostle hatching. I'm curious what you mean regarding Guts though, where do you see that rebirth experience you're speaking of?
Hahaha, not sure that's an adequate use of the word, but at least it made me laugh.
You mean to tell me you never noticed Guts' re-birth symbolism? It's very heavy and full of elements that hint at Gnostic beliefs in some ways. Not to mention that there are two major incidences of it.
The first example is the least complex and most subtle but also obviously the most pivotal: Femto's incarnation as Griffith is shared by Guts' seed in the form of The Demon Child. In the mythological and paternal sense, this counts as a re-birth experience for Guts: He impregnates Casca, (This series of events illuminates her importance by the way) He and Casca's child is infused or perhaps even consecrated if you like, by Femto: Guts, Casca, Femto/Griffith . . . Can we call that a Holy Trinity?
As a result of this and other circumstances: Guts' very seed is brought into Godhood through Griffith's Incarnation, he has effectively become a self-made God on his own terms.
The second example has more of the classic trappings of transformation and re-birth in Berserk and is much more convoluted: I suspect that Miura wrote it in in part to help illuminate and draw parallels too the previous example: We already know that Guts' encounter with Slann in the Qliphoth is highly sexual in nature; however, the metaphors run deep and the event leads to Guts' re-birth as The Beast Swordsman . . . or maybe it's better to state that it leads to the Incarnation of The Beast itself?
Guts enters the "Womb" of the Goddess, uncertain of himself, it's driven home that it's an alien environment that he's never fought in before. Once Slann appears, the symbolic nature of the Qliphoth is fully realized: The Goddess awakens to torment and taunt our hero and Guts hangs there languishing in agony and uncertainty. He does not believe that he is capable of striking her, Slann knows exactly what's going on and everything about her serves to drive home the Sexual Metaphor. After receiving advice from an older, more experienced individual, Guts rams his sword home . . . Right through Slann's womb no less. Note her Sexually Charged reaction: The scene serves as a metaphor for the sexual fears and frustrations of Males, chiefly the fear that we will be unable to Sexually Satisfy or impregnate a Woman.
After escaping from the Qliphoth, Guts is changed, he has fulfilled his role as a man and has gained a dark sort of knowledge and an awareness of his own potency. However, it's come with a heavy price attached, plus, it's not so much that Guts has impregnated Slann: As much as it is that Guts has arguably impregnated himself through her. Back at Flora's, Guts disappears underground to acquire the Berserk's Armor: Miura works in some additional symbolism by having him be reborn from a Vagina-Dentata Apostle in a bloody affair, around this point, Zodd points out that he is on the road to becoming like Skull Knight. In context, this seems to indicate a wise and mature man who has confidence in his sexual prowess. Most likely, Zodd means more then this but it's important in that that is the mantle that The Skull Knight had assumed just previously in the Qliphoth.
This leads itself to some speculation about the Nature of the Vagina-Dentata Apostle and Apostles themselves. Apostles are formed in part from the Vortex of Souls, much like The Idea and The God Hand, one can argue that they are conglomerations; Human Constructs formed from the dark side of Human Nature and Desires. Having Guts rip his way out of a Vagina-Dentata Apostle is a profound statement. Keep in mind that the Vagina-Dentata is also a Human Construct born from Man's fears and insecurities. Guts' incarnation as The Beast Swordsman is born from an Apostle Masquerading as a false Womb, a false God; and he obliterates that construct in the process of his appropriation of it. Guts' character repeatedly and consistently serves to illuminate Truth and to Destroy Falsehood on many levels. Both symbolic and literal.
Guts emerges from this Womb in a new form but something is happening: The Astral Wound Slann gave him serves as a womb through which The Beast is born or Incarnated into the World, taking The Berserk's Armor as its vessel.
Thus, Guts goes through multiple incarnations of himself, each with unique attributes and aspects. He has become The Warrior with a Thousand Faces, all in a World to himself.