Berserk: Griffith
Yeah.... I'm kind of conflicted about this character. Don't get me wrong I think he's a douche bag and Muira had fucking balls to write about the twisted f-ed up side of humanity but now I actually wonder if Griffith's whole existence is dedicated to humanity.
He is not good or bad. He's just selfish, chaotic and slightly psychotic.
During the Eclipse pre-Femto; Muira took great lengths to show how damaged and naive Griffith's psyche was. To the point he began thinking that valuing the dead more than the living and increasing the deads' number would make his dream more moral. He truly was brainwashed and easily led astray.
So then it really makes me wonder what the hell Grffith was supposed to actually represent. He's always claimed to have been driven by a higher power and later the at the time Four God Hand openly admitted that he was. His dream to become King; a new ruler for mankind was decided by God or in this case Fate. I use the term Fate very loosely because I honestly don't believe that Fate is set in stone by example the cases of Casca and Guts. But the Band of Hawk by meaning was a parable for Griffith the good shepherd and all his mercenary troops and followers the enamored sheep. As far as Griffith was concerned he was only living his life with no explanation for his actions or even his appeal.
So then what is Griffith driven by; his existence is the Idea of Evil. The collective conscious of all humans. Ohhhh now I think I'm getting somewhere! What I believe Griffith did was give in to his Fate; and his fate was to become the fifth Godhand. Unlike a lot of people who cling to self existence; Griffith let himself be decided by the Fate demons fed him. He accepted and took responsibility for the collection of all human desires.
And what pray tell might those desires be?
In the case of the manga; the Messiah. He truly was led to believe he was chosen by mankind to be some sort of beacon of hope; their Saviour. Religion plays a key role in Berserk! Griffith's dream was to have a kingdom as his own where he would lead people and create a Utopia in which everyone would be equal and happy regardless of status. All they had to do was believe in him and his 'miracles' which wasn't very hard to do with the help of the Behelith and now the apostles who are in fact demons.
In the eyes of humans of the time who were both ignorant of science and inherently magic; Griffith was a miracle. His appearance was described of that of an angel's. Bringing peace to the country of Midland.
As Casca said, "Griffith is not God." But he may as well be seen that way in the eyes of all the commoners.
Ahhh, the irony.
So it would appear that not only is Griffith considered the Messiah by any blind sheep following him. They chose him.
Anyone who actually knows him knows he's not the Messiah, but quite the opposite. When given the chance at the Eclipse; Griffith did not sacrifice himself for the salvation of others but instead chose to sacrifice all his followers for demons to feast on and to become a God. He became anything but virtuous but he did become a God.
So maybe this strange regard for Griffith I have is that he is supposed to be viewed as the villain. But he's not! He's now the Anti-Christ in disguise of the Messiah (considering the fact he opened a merger for the demons to start wreaking havoc on anything they can eat/fuck/kill). He is accomplishing his dreams; he is succeeding in life. He has followers like he's some sort of prophet, followers that would walk under his orders until the end. He is a flaming demon king but viewed as the next Jesus and people's salvation.
So is Muira trying to say that villains really do get away with all this shit? These crimes against humanity but are still blindly followed out of some mistrewn hope and faith?
Griffith is neither a "good" or "bad" character. Because a person's perception of good and bad all depends on what side of the fence you sit on.
Then what is Griffith? What the hell is he?
My opinion and it took me a while to come to this conclusion: Ambition. A character that embodies the whole notion of "do the ends justify the means?" Griffith is not morally bound to any rules and he no longer can be held accountable for his actions until someone like Guts or Caska become his equal. The choices he makes are for the sole purpose of his ambition; his dream.
A character like Griffith who is more than willing to step on characters to reach his dreams; literally both the dead and the alive to fuel his cobblestone path to the castle is by our standards morally bad. But those who don't know that will see him as morally good.
Which is why Griffith makes me flaming hate him. He can no longer be considered bad or good but he's still a conceited douchebag in my books only caring about the end result at the expense of others. I hate him for what he represents individually but every human in that manga is beginning to love what he collectively stands for.
And so a demon shall rule the Earth and bring about utter chaos but until then he'll smile prettily while obliterating all who stand in his way with the bat of an eyelash.
Yeah... I can't wait for his dream to burn to pieces because even if this manga portrays reality; I want a happy ending that involves his head mounted on a spike.
He is not good or bad. He's just selfish, chaotic and slightly psychotic.
During the Eclipse pre-Femto; Muira took great lengths to show how damaged and naive Griffith's psyche was. To the point he began thinking that valuing the dead more than the living and increasing the deads' number would make his dream more moral. He truly was brainwashed and easily led astray.
So then it really makes me wonder what the hell Grffith was supposed to actually represent. He's always claimed to have been driven by a higher power and later the at the time Four God Hand openly admitted that he was. His dream to become King; a new ruler for mankind was decided by God or in this case Fate. I use the term Fate very loosely because I honestly don't believe that Fate is set in stone by example the cases of Casca and Guts. But the Band of Hawk by meaning was a parable for Griffith the good shepherd and all his mercenary troops and followers the enamored sheep. As far as Griffith was concerned he was only living his life with no explanation for his actions or even his appeal.
So then what is Griffith driven by; his existence is the Idea of Evil. The collective conscious of all humans. Ohhhh now I think I'm getting somewhere! What I believe Griffith did was give in to his Fate; and his fate was to become the fifth Godhand. Unlike a lot of people who cling to self existence; Griffith let himself be decided by the Fate demons fed him. He accepted and took responsibility for the collection of all human desires.
And what pray tell might those desires be?
In the case of the manga; the Messiah. He truly was led to believe he was chosen by mankind to be some sort of beacon of hope; their Saviour. Religion plays a key role in Berserk! Griffith's dream was to have a kingdom as his own where he would lead people and create a Utopia in which everyone would be equal and happy regardless of status. All they had to do was believe in him and his 'miracles' which wasn't very hard to do with the help of the Behelith and now the apostles who are in fact demons.
In the eyes of humans of the time who were both ignorant of science and inherently magic; Griffith was a miracle. His appearance was described of that of an angel's. Bringing peace to the country of Midland.
As Casca said, "Griffith is not God." But he may as well be seen that way in the eyes of all the commoners.
Ahhh, the irony.
So it would appear that not only is Griffith considered the Messiah by any blind sheep following him. They chose him.
Anyone who actually knows him knows he's not the Messiah, but quite the opposite. When given the chance at the Eclipse; Griffith did not sacrifice himself for the salvation of others but instead chose to sacrifice all his followers for demons to feast on and to become a God. He became anything but virtuous but he did become a God.
So maybe this strange regard for Griffith I have is that he is supposed to be viewed as the villain. But he's not! He's now the Anti-Christ in disguise of the Messiah (considering the fact he opened a merger for the demons to start wreaking havoc on anything they can eat/fuck/kill). He is accomplishing his dreams; he is succeeding in life. He has followers like he's some sort of prophet, followers that would walk under his orders until the end. He is a flaming demon king but viewed as the next Jesus and people's salvation.
So is Muira trying to say that villains really do get away with all this shit? These crimes against humanity but are still blindly followed out of some mistrewn hope and faith?
Griffith is neither a "good" or "bad" character. Because a person's perception of good and bad all depends on what side of the fence you sit on.
Then what is Griffith? What the hell is he?
My opinion and it took me a while to come to this conclusion: Ambition. A character that embodies the whole notion of "do the ends justify the means?" Griffith is not morally bound to any rules and he no longer can be held accountable for his actions until someone like Guts or Caska become his equal. The choices he makes are for the sole purpose of his ambition; his dream.
A character like Griffith who is more than willing to step on characters to reach his dreams; literally both the dead and the alive to fuel his cobblestone path to the castle is by our standards morally bad. But those who don't know that will see him as morally good.
Which is why Griffith makes me flaming hate him. He can no longer be considered bad or good but he's still a conceited douchebag in my books only caring about the end result at the expense of others. I hate him for what he represents individually but every human in that manga is beginning to love what he collectively stands for.
And so a demon shall rule the Earth and bring about utter chaos but until then he'll smile prettily while obliterating all who stand in his way with the bat of an eyelash.
Yeah... I can't wait for his dream to burn to pieces because even if this manga portrays reality; I want a happy ending that involves his head mounted on a spike.