Fantasia is the "ongoing" arc in Berserk, though not in the way it was intended. Miura, in December 2020, mentioned that the current party phase is coming to an end and a confrontation with Femto was imminent. We saw that shaping up in the last episode he wrote : 364.Teardrop of Morning Dew.
I do not take anything that came after that episode as authentic. However, based on the interview Miura gave in December 2020, I am speculating how Fantasia might have shaped up and ESPECIALLY how it might have ended. The ending part, in my humble opinion is mighty important because each arc, with exception of Black Swordsman Arc, till date ends in a world altering event.
1. Golden Age Arc ends with Eclipse, Demonic Advent, Demonification of Griffith and thus Completion of Godhand. This was once in 216 (??) years event and its impact was seen world over, including Holy See where it "fulfilled" signs of hawk and prophecy of hawk.
2. Conviction Arc. The last chapter ie Rebirth Ceremony ends in incarnation of Femto via Egg of the World. An event that occurred 1000 years ago too. It was fulfilling the purpose of "rebirth of world". It again was a world level event which accelerated whatever Godhand's plan is.
3. Millenium Falcon Arc: Ends in pop of the Ganishka's Twice Reborn Shiva form and merger of real and Astral world into Fantasia. An event so massive that its ripples were seen everywhere.
So, based on above pattern, it is natural to expect something similar should happen in Fantasia Arc. I speculate that, yes, it would have but with a twist. It would have been retelling of story of skull knight or what happened 1000 years. Miura himself mentioned in Dec 2020 interview that he wanted story to be centered on Skull Knight next and I believe after completion of Elf Island chapter, the next chapter in Fantasia would have been on Skull Knight's past story.
An interesting part is, how these would have been bridged? As in how would the narration shift from present to past? My speculation is, that in the confrontation between Guts and Femto, we would have witnessed that Guts is not there yet to face a Godhand, even with his Berserk armour, or the cost of facing Godhand with berserk armor on is simply too high (as in death). Either Skull knight would have intervened or some other denizen of Elf Island would have intervened. May be even combined forces of Skull Knight and Guts would have proven insufficient. May be SkullKnight (or rather his armor?) would have been destroyed in the process? Either way, we would have found Godhand like Femto to be too powerful.
In the aftermath, we would have seen a paradise lost kind of scenario (because Miura did mention that "Party or gathering phase" would be over) and perhaps Guts would have left with either SkullKnight or someone like Guru Gedfring or Hanrarr or a combination, separated from his team. And then we would have moved into past narration about Skull Knight with an intent to arrive at the epiphemy as how can the seemingly impossible difference between Godhands and Guts be filled.
And that brings us the last and most important point of this post : the world changing event at the end of Arc. It would have been destruction of capital of Gaiseric in one night and 1000 year old "eclipse"/incarnation event that we got glimpse of in the vision of death episode leading to separation of Astral world and physical world and how it was achieved last time and under what circumstances.
With this all the past threads would have been tied, leading to the next arc that would be preparing and leading to confronting and defeating Godhands and their master plan.
I welcome your opinions on my speculation.
I do not take anything that came after that episode as authentic. However, based on the interview Miura gave in December 2020, I am speculating how Fantasia might have shaped up and ESPECIALLY how it might have ended. The ending part, in my humble opinion is mighty important because each arc, with exception of Black Swordsman Arc, till date ends in a world altering event.
1. Golden Age Arc ends with Eclipse, Demonic Advent, Demonification of Griffith and thus Completion of Godhand. This was once in 216 (??) years event and its impact was seen world over, including Holy See where it "fulfilled" signs of hawk and prophecy of hawk.
2. Conviction Arc. The last chapter ie Rebirth Ceremony ends in incarnation of Femto via Egg of the World. An event that occurred 1000 years ago too. It was fulfilling the purpose of "rebirth of world". It again was a world level event which accelerated whatever Godhand's plan is.
3. Millenium Falcon Arc: Ends in pop of the Ganishka's Twice Reborn Shiva form and merger of real and Astral world into Fantasia. An event so massive that its ripples were seen everywhere.
So, based on above pattern, it is natural to expect something similar should happen in Fantasia Arc. I speculate that, yes, it would have but with a twist. It would have been retelling of story of skull knight or what happened 1000 years. Miura himself mentioned in Dec 2020 interview that he wanted story to be centered on Skull Knight next and I believe after completion of Elf Island chapter, the next chapter in Fantasia would have been on Skull Knight's past story.
An interesting part is, how these would have been bridged? As in how would the narration shift from present to past? My speculation is, that in the confrontation between Guts and Femto, we would have witnessed that Guts is not there yet to face a Godhand, even with his Berserk armour, or the cost of facing Godhand with berserk armor on is simply too high (as in death). Either Skull knight would have intervened or some other denizen of Elf Island would have intervened. May be even combined forces of Skull Knight and Guts would have proven insufficient. May be SkullKnight (or rather his armor?) would have been destroyed in the process? Either way, we would have found Godhand like Femto to be too powerful.
In the aftermath, we would have seen a paradise lost kind of scenario (because Miura did mention that "Party or gathering phase" would be over) and perhaps Guts would have left with either SkullKnight or someone like Guru Gedfring or Hanrarr or a combination, separated from his team. And then we would have moved into past narration about Skull Knight with an intent to arrive at the epiphemy as how can the seemingly impossible difference between Godhands and Guts be filled.
And that brings us the last and most important point of this post : the world changing event at the end of Arc. It would have been destruction of capital of Gaiseric in one night and 1000 year old "eclipse"/incarnation event that we got glimpse of in the vision of death episode leading to separation of Astral world and physical world and how it was achieved last time and under what circumstances.
With this all the past threads would have been tied, leading to the next arc that would be preparing and leading to confronting and defeating Godhands and their master plan.
I welcome your opinions on my speculation.
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