Berserk Volume 30: Farnese Captivates the Page Yet Again

This volume gets right to the Serpico and Guts fight from the previous volume. It’s very fascinating to see what they both learned from each other based on their previous fights, but as expected, Serpico loses. It’s curious to see both their battle dynamics. Serpico is a serpent in disguise, on and off battle, whereas Guts is a tired worker, on and off battle. In this way, neither are fronting their real selves, likely in reaction to those who do such as Griffith. Serpico you may say hides himself, but it’s clear from his aloof personality those real intentions.

At Farnese’s party if you can call it that, stuff gets crazy pretty quickly and animals are practically running the show now, and killing all the guests. Farnese is nearly next on the chopping block, but Serpico saves her in this majestic panel.

No words were needed to make me jump out of my seat. Miura has done it again. In this moment, Serpico did what she has long asked him. To protect her, from the thunder, from Guts when she asked Serpico to kill him. She’s been trying to make Serpico do the impossible so she can have control over her given situation. Her father’s approval helped to put things into perspective, but Serpico was her imagination. If he could do as she wished, then maybe things were more than she imagined. Even with all this over-reading, I forgot to mention what this panel and the later ones show. She has a family, and they aren’t going anywhere.

After saving Farnese, the crew decide to help her family by killing off the demons that are plaguing the area. While I understand that decision, I would prefer it if Miura went on with the story and didn’t indulge further in this plot. It’s already so perfect. While the action does get some slight indulgence, we arrive at a pinnacle moment of Berserk that confirms who Farnese is. Even if you don’t care to ever read Berserk, everyone I believe must see this.

This is the same character who tried to hunt Guts down not so long ago. The quote you have just read from Farnese is better than any fight in Berserk. And that includes ones with the Berserker armor. Thirty volumes in, Berserk is as good as ever. After this panel, we got tons of incredible moments with Griffith continuing his spell on the world, and Guts and the crew still having to fight their way from whatever comes at them. But I would like to leave you here, with Farnese. This one panel dominated my entire emotion regarding this volume. Meaning, I was uplifted and grateful just to read more of what Miura had in store for us.