I've been a long time reader of Berserk, but something has always bugged me. The IoE has spun causality for millennia in order to shape man's will for some grand design. Perhaps it's Falconia. But the IoE cannot interact with the world directly. To guide the IoE's design, it creates the God Hand as middlemen, out of what I assume are exceptional human beings with incredibly strong will. I assume this about them because Griffith was this way, and because the IoE is essentially fueled by and created by human will (not the strongest argument, but I think it fits thematically). But even they are like shadows on the world, only able to influence small events, never to interfere (except after an incarnation such as Griffith). With one exception: They preside over the creation of apostles. Only the apostles can exist on the material world up to now. But to what end?
Everything the IoE seems to have done seems to be with the long term in mind, that much is pretty clear. But the creation of powerful monsters as some sort of wish fulfillment program is perplexing. Why are these humans granted great power and told to do what they want, instead of given a specific agenda. Many, like Grunbeld, Locus, Rakshas, and Ganishka, were exceptional people before the transformation. We can assume Zodd and Irving were as well. But some, like the Count, Rosine, the Beheilit Apostle, and probably Wyald weren't exceptional at all. Most of them are cruel and almost all of them are terrifying to normal people.
I have a couple theories but I wondered what the communities take on this is, as it's never explicitly stated in the manga.
My speculation:
Their purpose is dual in nature.
Their initial purpose is to create misery, suffering and uncertainty in the world. They give into their own selfish desires and bully puny humans at their hearts content. People pray for salvation. After many generations this creates an environment in which the Hawk of Light is desired enough to manifest. We can speculate that this was specifically the purpose of Ganishka: to create a grave enemy against humanity for Griffith to defeat, to solidify his status as a grand liberator.
Their second purpose apparently is to become the army of the re-incarnated Griffith. An invincible force that no army can stand before and who will be devoutly loyal to a God Hand member should he ever fall out of favor with the people. This could have taken hundreds of years as the apostles appear to be unaffected by age, and we know at least Zodd is 300 years old.
So what do you think? Am I way off base? Or are they just cool bad guys that Miura wanted to include
Everything the IoE seems to have done seems to be with the long term in mind, that much is pretty clear. But the creation of powerful monsters as some sort of wish fulfillment program is perplexing. Why are these humans granted great power and told to do what they want, instead of given a specific agenda. Many, like Grunbeld, Locus, Rakshas, and Ganishka, were exceptional people before the transformation. We can assume Zodd and Irving were as well. But some, like the Count, Rosine, the Beheilit Apostle, and probably Wyald weren't exceptional at all. Most of them are cruel and almost all of them are terrifying to normal people.
I have a couple theories but I wondered what the communities take on this is, as it's never explicitly stated in the manga.
My speculation:
Their purpose is dual in nature.
Their initial purpose is to create misery, suffering and uncertainty in the world. They give into their own selfish desires and bully puny humans at their hearts content. People pray for salvation. After many generations this creates an environment in which the Hawk of Light is desired enough to manifest. We can speculate that this was specifically the purpose of Ganishka: to create a grave enemy against humanity for Griffith to defeat, to solidify his status as a grand liberator.
Their second purpose apparently is to become the army of the re-incarnated Griffith. An invincible force that no army can stand before and who will be devoutly loyal to a God Hand member should he ever fall out of favor with the people. This could have taken hundreds of years as the apostles appear to be unaffected by age, and we know at least Zodd is 300 years old.
So what do you think? Am I way off base? Or are they just cool bad guys that Miura wanted to include