Berserk Volume 21: Miura Concludes the Arc Remarkably Well

Casca, for the fiftieth time this arc, is in peril but before the flames can get her, she is saved by Isidro. While I was sure Casca wouldn’t die, I must give Miura props for making me doubt my words with how cleverly he built up a possible demise for her. And as Isidro, Casca, and the crew make a run for it, Father Mozgus has one of the funniest panels in Berserk when he screams to being thwarted for like the fifth time.

If he could quit his preaching, I think he would have a great time as a comedian as this is pure-gold. But Mozgus is someone who can’t get over losing so he tries to chase Casca down, but Guts tries to set things straight in Guts-fashion, by making his blade do the talking. This leads to a breathtaking fight between the pair. From how Miura paneled it to the astounding way he drew Mozgus, who can tell me this doesn’t belong in a museum.

There isn’t much to spoil about the fight besides the fact that Guts wins, but he is the main character after all, so I’m not sure what I’m spoiling here. Even if you have never read Berserk, just try and read this, if you dig it, I think you may have found your new favorite manga.

After the fight, we get a sweet moment as Guts pulls Casca close to him. While he said he would protect her, that starts with loving her and now he just has to get them out of there. Yet, the tension radiates the room. Een when Griffith isn’t there, he’s everywhere. As much as Guts wants to tear Griffith to limb by limb, it’s by healing Casca that he can move toward that goal. Though the fight with Mozgus is over, the forces of the egg and the God Hand don’t seem that eager to go away just yet.

And everyone is affected as towns people are throwing each other to the ground to seek freedom from what seems to await them. Guts realizes the way out is not by running but by fighting through whatever that thing is that is blocking their access, and he seems to be right as those running from it are meeting an undesirable end. While I could suggest Miura is reflecting the simple premise of not running away from your issues but rather facing them head-on, I find that he has been saying that this entire arc. From Lost Children to now, the focus has been on how to confront your issues in a way that brings you the most happiness as hurting yourself for revenge benefits no one but yourself. And as Guts realizes, helping those affected is more important than serving those who affected them.

Meanwhile, an Eclipse is being recreated in sublime panels that you need to see first-hand as the darkness the world has been under fades and a bright, brand new sky emerges. The survivors, Guts, Casca, Luca, Farnese, and a couple others gather themselves but not quick enough before they are under enemy attack by Silat, and before the reader can take all this in, Zodd arrives uninvited. And that’s not all, Skull Knight appears and points Guts to Griffith. All the brilliance Miura just flexed is ignored for what he accomplishes right here.

This panel represents the entire Conviction arc. Guts must end his rampage on Griffith, until Casca is better. And what hurts is accepting the fear of that. To Guts, that could mean letting Griffith go after everything he’s done. In his view, it’s selfish to let her go and it’s equally selfish to not let her go. To stand beside her is to say he has let her go through all this pain, and has done nothing about it. To leave her is to abandon her for good, after everything she has seen. It’s hard, but letting Griffith go is the only way forward. What’s interesting is that Griffith won’t let Casca or Guts go.

It must’ve been intentional for Griffith’s eyes to be snake-like since that is what he is. An animal quietly hunting prey ready anytime to strike, but never bite since he doesn’t have to. His existence is venom enough already. As Griffith flees with Zodd, we see Farnese note he’s not human. This illustrates not just how far she has come to be more open to the fantastical, but how much already she is learning from Guts. This might’ve been just a quick thought from her, but I see it as progression already for her character. After this, moments later, we see Farnese state she will follow Guts, and as a character, she is hypnotizing. She’s the Zuko I never assumed Berserk would’ve had, but I am thankful for. We also see other character’s like Nina get a happy end, and it’s magical to see. Less than a chapter ago, it seemed assumed that at least half of the characters were going to die, but now, that seems ages ago.