What remains to be addressed in Berserk

[Aazealh]

People kept asking for it, so here is a list of what I consider to be the main things that remained to be addressed in Berserk when Kentarou Miura passed away. I tried to make it relatively exhaustive without detailing things too much as it would become unreadable.

This list is based off events up to episode 364, the last one created by Kentarou Miura.

Important note:

While I’m listing things individually and in separate categories, many of them would be happening simultaneously, meaning that multiple character developments happen during fights and so on. Similarly, two or more enemies could be killed in the same sequence, they aren’t necessarily meant to all occur in distinct settings. Lastly, developments like Casca overcoming her trauma would take place over several instances, spread out over time, and the same goes for many character relationships.

Points in italics are uncertain but seem likely to me.

Skellig-specific stuff

• Schierke learns to summon Daimons
• Farnese learns magic from Danan
• Hanarr has a look at the Berserk’s armor (and the Dragon Slayer?)
• Guts’ physical state is addressed
• Schierke learns to fly / has her first solo experience
• Isidro develops a new fighting technique
  
  
• More development for Schierke & Molda’s relationship
• More development for Schierke’s relationship with Cucca and the others
• Schierke learns more about Flora (and herself?)
• Schierke decides to leave the island despite what it represents for her
  
  
• Confrontation between Griffith, Guts and Casca
• A crisis comes to the island
• Isma’s conch necklace comes into play
• Our heroes resolve to stop Griffith
• They return to the mainland
• What did the Great Gurus foresee? What’s at stake for the world?
• We see the Great Gurus in action? And the Volvaba too? And Danan?
  
  
• Fate of Magnifico
• Fate of Roderick
• Fate of Isma
• Fate of the island's inhabitants

Character development

• Casca surmounts her trauma related to the Eclipse
• Casca confronts her feelings towards her son and decides on a course of action
• Casca gains new fighting capabilities
• Guts deals with his trauma, finding a way to tap more effectively/smartly into the Beast of Darkness
• Guts deals with his feelings towards his son
• Guts & Casca’s relationship is mended
  
  
• Serpico reflects on his desires and aspirations beyond simply following Farnese
• Serpico reveals to Farnese they are siblings
• Azan comes to terms with the end of the Holy Iron Chain Knights and finds a renewed meaning to life
  
  
• Schierke summons Daimons and becomes even more proficient in magic
• Schierke keeps growing and finds meaning to what she’s doing
• Isidro keeps growing and becomes more at ease with who he is and what he can do
• Farnese’s magic helps Casca get better… and maybe Guts, too
• Farnese keeps growing and finds a new place in the group
  
  
• More development for Casca & Farnese, Schierke, Isidro, Serpico, Puck
• More development for Guts & Farnese, Schierke, Isidro, Serpico (and Puck too?)
• More development for Isidro & Schierke
• More development for Farnese & Schierke
• More development for Isidro & Puck
  
  
• Schierke & Sonia meet again
• Isidro & Mule meet again
• Casca meets with Luka and the girls
• More development for Sonia, Griffith, Charlotte and Mule (individually and with each other)

Enemies

• More battles against astral creatures
  
  
• Death of Grunbeld
• Death of Locus
• Death of Irvine
• Death of Rakshas
• Death of Zodd
  
  
• Destruction of the demon soldiers
  
  
• Death of Slan
• Death of Conrad
• Death of Ubik
• Death of Void
• Death of Femto

Big story developments

• We see more of what’s going on in Falconia through various side characters (including the Pandemonium)
• Griffith's coronation
• Griffith’s rule eventually takes a dark turn
• The God Hand’s plan becomes clear
• Gaizeric’s backstory is revealed
• We see more of Fantasia, including through our protagonists’ adventures
• Guts’ party eventually links up with the Bakiraka at their stronghold
• Final confrontation(s)
• Epilogue / Fate of the world
• Eventual fate of all main characters
• Eventual fate of Guts and Casca's son
• Eventual fate of the Skull Knight
• Eventual fate of secondary and tertiary characters (Silat, Raban, Charlotte...)

Other

• More information about Barytes and why they matter
• Mana (true name) comes into play
• More information about mediums and their relation to magicians
• Guts’ beherit comes into play
• Addressing the Brand of Sacrifice
• Rickert has new inventions
• Daiba has new tricks
• The magicians of Skellig end up playing a role in the big picture

 

[OoferTrooper]

Which of these do you feel confident in getting in the Mori continuation, Aazealh? And which of these do you feel are not going to be addressed? Or would you rather not speculate on that, in which case, I understand completely and didn't mean to pry.

 

[Aazealh]

Which of these do you feel confident in getting in the Mori continuation, Aazealh? And which of these do you feel are not going to be addressed? Or would you rather not speculate on that, in which case, I understand completely and didn't mean to pry.

Honestly that's hard to say. Given what Mori said at the outset and what we've seen so far, it's hard for me to imagine them pumping out many volumes like this. I feel like the best course of action for them would be to try to finish it quickly, before it becomes too denatured. Which means that many things might not be addressed or just get a mention in passing. But that's just what I think.

Beyond the itemized list, it seems clear to me that most character development won't be occurring or will be severely stunted/simplified. We've seen it already. Really, Mori's just giving us the unfinalized parts of the story that he knew of, which are then interpreted and put on the page by the team. The truth of the matter is that even if they attempt to address as much of it as they can, without Miura's uncanny intuition and dazzling execution, it will come across as perfunctory.

 

[Kaine]

Big story developments

• We see more of what’s going on in Falconia through various side characters (including the Pandemonium)
• Griffith's coronation
• Griffith’s rule eventually takes a dark turn
• The God Hand’s plan becomes clear
• Gaizeric’s backstory is revealed
• We see more of Fantasia, including through our protagonists’ adventures
• Guts’ party eventually links up with the Bakiraka at their stronghold
• Final confrontation(s)
• Epilogue / Fate of the world
• Eventual fate of all main characters
• Eventual fate of Guts and Casca's son
• Eventual fate of the Skull Knight
• Eventual fate of secondary and tertiary characters (Silat, Raban, Charlotte...)

I think you missed:

• Zodd’s backstory is revealed

 

[Aazealh]

I think you missed:

• Zodd’s backstory is revealed

That's included in the battle against him and his death. Same than for the others. I wouldn't expect a separate, lengthy backstory for him.

 

[Lawliet]

Great list, Aaz.

I have a question about the God of the Abyss: what do you think would have happened to it in the end? Would its control over humanity be broken with the God Hand's demise, at least temporarily? Will it go on to form another God Hand millennia later?

To be honest, I already dislike the idea of a cyclical God Hand, as I feel it cheapens Guts' struggle and eventual victory over them, but I'm sure Miura would have executed it in a way that works.

 

[Aazealh]

I have a question about the God of the Abyss: what do you think would have happened to it in the end? Would its control over humanity be broken with the God Hand's demise, at least temporarily? Will it go on to form another God Hand millennia later?

I think it could have been addressed tastefully and in ways consistent with Miura's comments on the matter. I have some ideas but I don't want to get into them here, it's beyond the scope of this thread.

 

[4M4M]

I think it could have been addressed tastefully and in ways consistent with Miura's comments on the matter. I have some ideas but I don't want to get into them here, it's beyond the scope of this thread.

Have you ever elaborated even a bit on this subject before, Aaz? Not to sound demanding (I always am ), but I wondered if this was an old theory you had or something you have theorised as the years passed... it just sounds like quite a long post given you tend to mention that you would elaborate on it in the future but it sounds like a long task.

 

[Aazealh]

Have you ever elaborated even a bit on this subject before, Aaz?

I don't think I did.

I wondered if this was an old theory you had or something you have theorised as the years passed...

It's something I thought about some years back.

it just sounds like quite a long post given you tend to mention that you would elaborate on it in the future but it sounds like a long task.

Not that long and I didn't say I would elaborate, just that it's beyond the scope of this thread.

 

[XRA4Y]

Can all this be answered in one Arc? If so, the arc has needs to be 2-3 chapters, preferably 3.

 

[Aazealh]

Can all this be answered in one Arc? If so, the arc has needs to be 2-3 chapters, preferably 3.

Arcs and chapters can be of varying length, but I think it could have been fully and satisfyingly addressed in around 150 episodes.

 

[Jarlix]

I never thought the God Hand would die. Logistically, that's really hard to see. Like thematically yes, I see where you're coming from but when we look at the pacing of the series and what that'd require while taking the rules of the world at face value I think we'd be really lucky to get Griffith expelled from the mortal realm for the next millennium, let alone killed. That is likely because it's so important but the rest of them? Really? How would it even be done? They don't have a moonboy equivalent to my understanding. I can't even think of a weakness they have if their power even remotely approaches Femto's

 

[Aazealh]

That is likely because it's so important but the rest of them? Really? How would it even be done? They don't have a moonboy equivalent to my understanding. I can't even think of a weakness they have if their power even remotely approaches Femto's

Killing Femto but not the others would amount to very little in the grand scheme of things. They have to be all destroyed for a true victory. As for how it could be done, use your imagination. Guts wouldn't have to kill them all himself one by one in a duel. For one thing, Void would definitely be killed by the Skull Knight.

 

[Dark Knight]

I think the "Fate/Future" of the Idea of Evil should be added here as well. I know that with this current adaption, it may never be addressed, but under ideal circumstances, it definitely would be as the Godhand are directly tied to it.
Also what exactly do you mean by "addressing the Brand of Sacrifice?" I'm assuming you mean things like how to remove it or something since it's been pretty well explained how it works.

 

[Aazealh]

I think the "Fate/Future" of the Idea of Evil should be added here as well. I know that with this current adaption, it may never be addressed, but under ideal circumstances, it definitely would be as the Godhand are directly tied to it.

I replied about this above: I think it could have been addressed tastefully and in ways consistent with Miura's comments on the matter.

However, given that Miura had said that he wasn't sure it would show up in the story again, I didn't feel like it warranted inclusion. The list isn't exhaustive, it's just the main items. My personal feelings on the matter is that if it had come up, it would have been contained to a few pages, and done in a low key (but very cool) manner.

Also what exactly do you mean by "addressing the Brand of Sacrifice?" I'm assuming you mean things like how to remove it or something since it's been pretty well explained how it works.

Yes, I mean what would happen to Guts and Casca, and maybe even those souls who died bearing the Brand. I didn't forget about volume 1.

 

[Odysseus]

I foolishly made a thread about this once, but I always thought that if the IoE appeared again in the story, that'd be the occasion for 83 to finally be published in a volume. I wonder if there's literally any chance at all of that happening now.

 

[Aazealh]

I foolishly made a thread about this once, but I always thought that if the IoE appeared again in the story, that'd be the occasion for 83 to finally be published in a volume. I wonder if there's literally any chance at all of that happening now.

I don't think so. Miura cut it out of the story, so adding it back in would be directly violating his creative decision. It's of interest to hardcore fans as a source of background information, but it really shouldn't be considered part of the story. I could see it being published in an artbook years down the line, but not in a volume.

 

[Odysseus]

That's a fair assessment, I think an artbook inclusion would be the way to go as well. As an avid collector of things, there's always been this itch in the back of my head knowing an episode of Berserk is technically missing from my bookshelf, which is why I always hoped it'd happen some day. I guess I could get the YA issue, but it's hard to come by and expensive.

 

[Jarlix]

Killing Femto but not the others would amount to very little in the grand scheme of things. They have to be all destroyed for a true victory. As for how it could be done, use your imagination. Guts wouldn't have to kill them all himself one by one in a duel. For one thing, Void would definitely be killed by the Skull Knight.

It would amount to an absolute lot for the personal story of Guts and the material world for the foreseeable future if they killed Femto and then closed the boundary so the other GH don't mess with humans as prolifically anymore. That is, that means Guts would achieve his goal in the story.

That still doesn't answer my chief concern either; how? I see such a profuse respect for Miura's authorial touch to the point of being firebrands in lieu of agreeing on how great of a mangaka he was, so it's strange you think this is possible as that belies a lack of respect for the principles and mechanics he's laid out. What about Kentaro Miura's painstakingly crafted worldbuilding tells you killing all five God Hand is tenable for entire nations let alone a single branded man and a few witches? So far we have seen he seems to understand destiny to an almost precognitive level, has leveled nations with firepower magical or otherwise on par with anything Elfheim could mete out, nothing seems to hit or beat him.

We have Daiba listed as an active agent of likely Guts collaborators in the OP list. Fuckin' Daiba. Ganishka's court mage. Ganishka who was also a sublime mage *and* apostle and had Daiba and an entire nation of thralls at his back did nothing to Griffith.

Guts current despondent state made more sense to me than most readers because his last hope probably hinged on his human body not having the same airtight barrier Femto had and that turned out to be just his headcanon as proven in their last rousing bout at Elfheim.

To our knowledge almost the entirety of supernatural phenomena stem from a source that Griffith has a frightening degree of market share in. People got mad at Togashi for asspulling Alluka to save Gon and this is because his established principles defied that conclusion, although he did follow it up and tie it in spectacularly. As far as Miura goes he's been ubiquitously consistent with most everything he's introduced.

Again, what would kill them? It feels likelier to me they'll just put up a boundary between our world and the other somehow, after dispensing of the pleasantries with Femto (also a huge stretch in a straight up confrontation but thematically likelier and afaik he's the only one with a human body)

 

[Aazealh]

It would amount to an absolute lot for the personal story of Guts and the material world for the foreseeable future if they killed Femto and then closed the boundary so the other GH don't mess with humans as prolifically anymore. That is, that means Guts would achieve his goal in the story.

Destroying Femto wouldn't "close the boundary", that's not how it works. The World Tree is there, the worlds were merged, the God Hand "came through". That's not easy to undo. If the four others still lived, they would simply keep their machinations going (including the creation of a new member) and I don't think Guts would necessarily have an enjoyable life. Then, after dying he'd go to hell and suffer eternally.

At best, it would just delay the bad guys' victory, and I don't think that makes for a good ending.

That still doesn't answer my chief concern either; how?

Like I told someone else above, I don't want to turn this thread into a ground for speculation about how the rest of the story will go. But there are plenty of ways. Between the Great Gurus and Volvaba, the Skull Knight and Guts' group, I think they could destroy a member of the God Hand under the right circumstances. Like I said, use your imagination. And keep in mind there's a lot about the world of Berserk we don't know yet. Like Daimons, if you remember what these are.

To our knowledge almost the entirety of supernatural phenomena stem from a source that Griffith has a frightening degree of market share in.

That's not true at all. It doesn't seem like you understand "the principles of the world of Berserk" as well as you think you do.

 

[Dark Knight]

To our knowledge almost the entirety of supernatural phenomena stem from a source that Griffith has a frightening degree of market share in. People got mad at Togashi for asspulling Alluka to save Gon and this is because his established principles defied that conclusion, although he did follow it up and tie it in spectacularly. As far as Miura goes he's been ubiquitously consistent with most everything he's introduced.

The evil spirits like those slimes and possession spirits, apostles, and by an extent pseudoapostles are really the only things that stem from the Godhand to my knowledge. They don't have anything to do with trolls, ogres, elves, the four Cardinal Kings, etc.

Now that I also think about it, I don't think the origins of the beherits were ever explained. Things like what led to the first Beherit being created. It could also be something worth adding to the list as well.

 

[Aazealh]

The evil spirits like those slimes and possession spirits

Actually, those predated the God of the Abyss (and obviously the God Hand). They are connected, but they led to its creation and not the other way around.

Now that I also think about it, I don't think the origins of the beherits were ever explained. Things like what led to the first Beherit being created. It could also be something worth adding to the list as well.

We see how beherits are created during the Eclipse, when Griffith is sinking down. But the first contact with the God of the Abyss and the creation of the crimson beherit are mysteries indeed and, I believe, would have been addressed by Miura. The reason I didn't list it separately is because I consider it part of Gaizeric’s backstory (or Void's, if you prefer). Didn't want to make the list too big!