Why Griffith is The Series’ Most Divisive Character

Berserk is a story full of highs and lows, especially for its main characters. The country of Midland is fraught with danger around every corner, whether it be invading armies, rogue groups of mercenaries and killers, or even feral and hellish beasts that are the stuff of nightmares. Despite this, perhaps the most dangerous of them all are humans themselves, with the infamous Griffith being the best example.

However, some in the Berserk fandom like to claim that ‘Griffith did nothing wrong‘. Whether they say this genuinely or as a way of teasing other fans of the series, it does beg the question of how, despite doing unspeakable deeds to get what he wants, Griffith remains one of the most divisive characters in the entire series. So, let’s look at why this is to understand why many still consider his actions somewhat justified.

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Griffith’s Ascent To Power

A Look At How He Fell From Grace

To many, Griffith is among the most evil characters in the entire anime/manga industry, but to see why he is considered as such, it must first be understood what led him to this fate. As a child, Griffith was an orphan serving at a castle. When he was growing up, the only thing he knew was that one day, somehow, he just wanted to have a kingdom of his own, which would eventually lead him to form his mercenary group in his adolescence.

This group was known as the Band of the Falcon, which eventually grew in power to become the greatest in all of Midland, even ending the Hundred-Year War to bring peace. However, when the Band of the Falcon is at its peak, Guts decides to leave, stating to Griffith and the others that he cannot spend his entire life chasing someone else’s dream and that he needs to find his own in order to be worthy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Griffith as a man he can respect.

For everything that Griffith had done in his life to secure his dream, the departure of Guts from the Band of the Falcon was not among them, since he knew that Guts needed to be there to make everything work out in the end. After his departure, Griffith seduced Princess Charlotte of the Midland Kingdom but was caught, leading to his imprisonment for a year, which resulted in even more of a deterioration of his mental state as he was forced to confront the possibility of his lifelong dream not coming true.

He spent a year in the lowest levels of the Midland dungeons where he essentially became a husk whose body and soul were battered. Here, the only things that would go through his mind were Guts and the dream he promised to see through. Eventually, he is saved by the Band of the Falcon, but what follows is the greatest betrayal scene in anime/manga history, where he summons the Godhand using the Crimson Behelit at the Eclipse to sacrifice his entire mercenary group to finally achieve his dream.

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Why He’s So Divisive

Why Some Sympathize With Griffith

Despite sacrificing those closest to him in the entire world as well as the only people who ever truly loved him, why is it that some fans say that what he did is horrific but justified? The truth of it speaks to how well-written of a character Griffith is, and, funnily enough, how human his motivations are. Although he was someone who always gave off an aura of being amiable and effortlessly commanded loyalty, he didn’t hesitate to achieve his dream.

Unfortunately, this hits home with how human his actions were, since many humans are intrinsically selfish and, despite how kind or approachable they may seem, if confronted with what they want right in front of their eyes, many would also not hesitate to throw anyone else under the bus to achieve it. This is also why many hate Griffith’s actions so much more; because of how realistic they actually seem.

While no one supports or condones his vile deeds, they can understand that everything he did, no matter how heinous, was to facilitate his rebirth into the world as the Falcon of Light. By doing this, Griffith finally got his own kingdom and became the leader of the Apostles, which made the regular people of the world view him as a divine savior against the forces of darkness.

In truth, Griffith is the chief calamity among these dark powers. He is an amoral monster who will never put the welfare of others above his own goals, so those around him, no matter how close or loved to him they may think they are, are never truly safe from his ambition. Although many say that he did all that he had to do to achieve his dream, they still find his actions detestable, marking him as the biggest monster in all of Berserk.

Berserk can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime.

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Berserk

In his quest for revenge, Guts confronts sinister forces, including violent criminals, evil spirits, and a devout adversary. Despite the immense personal cost, he fights relentlessly, relying solely on his human strength and swordsmanship to face enemies with unnatural powers.

Release Date

October 8, 1997

Based On

Manga

Creator

Kentaro Miura