Reread of the Hawk: Berserk, Volume 2

A bit later than I was hoping, but here's Volume 2

What Happens

The Guardians of Desire, Chapter 2 & 3

The physician reveals himself to be Vargas, formerly the personal physician of the Count, and tells the story of how the Count obtained the Behelit, and how he became the way he is. Seven years ago the Count, always a cruel man, came into possession of the Behelit, supposedly by chance, and became truly monstrous. He subjected prisoners to horrendous tortures and began to eat their flesh, his quest against heresy no more than an excuse to acquire fresh victims. Wanting no part in it, Vargas tried to flee with his family, only to be caught, mutilated, and forced to watch the Count eat his family. Feigning his death with a concealed poison (where, I wonder?), he managed to steal the Behelit and escape, but despite seven years studying religion and the occult he has been unable to deduce its purpose – which Guts promptly explains. The Behelit is a key to another dimension, the means to summon demons who have manipulated humanity from the shadows since ancient times – the five members of the Godhand…

                Meanwhile, Zondark, the captain of the guard, has lost his eye in the recent fight with Guts and hungers for revenge, which he is offer the chance to do after receiving a rather disgusting boon from the Count. Back at the laboratory, Puck examines the Behelit curiously, only to discover it’s alive. Vargas shows Guts a map of the castle and a secret passage, begging the former to avenge what the Count has done to him, but Guts rebuffs him; he’ll kill the Count, but only because it suits his own purposes. Zondark bursts into the hideout and proves to have become something other than human when the dismemberment of his right arm results in an alien, tentacle-like appendage growing to replace it. The new limb is able to swing his battle-axe with blinding speed, and Vargas and Puck look on in awe as Guts seemingly blocks every blow. The loss of half his head proves to not be much of a deterrence either when the Count-faced demon the latter gave to Zondark emerges from the wound to taunt Guts and Vargas, but the former cuts some ceiling beams that trap Zondark, knocked-over candles setting the lab on fire as the rest make their escape.

                Emerging from the sewers, Guts rudely takes the Behelit from Vargas and heads off to confront the Count. After exchanging some kind words with Vargas Puck follows after and chews Guts out for his ingratitude, but the latter insists Vargas would just be a liability. Meanwhile, the still-living Zondark captures Vargas.

                At Vargas’s execution, Puck sees Guts hiding nearby and thinks he’s come to rescue Vargas, but the latter, using the pretext that it’s a trap for him, insists he won’t, that this is the price Vargas has to pay for trying to oppose someone more powerful than him. Puck isn’t convinced and insists Guts is afraid he’s just like Vargas – caught up in something far over his head. Puck makes an attempt to save Vargas himself but only succeeds in bouncing off the headsman’s axe. Before his death, Vargas predicts that the Count will pay for his crimes and be dragged to Hell by his many victims.

In the castle a captured Puck is given by the Count as a gift to his young daughter Theresia, who receives him coolly and seems to fear him a little. Seeking to win Puck’s confidence she confides in him that her father was always a harsh man, but his actions were for the sake of his people and their safety. Then, seven years ago, a sect of heretics kidnapped his wife and demanded that they be allowed to worship freely, which the Count could not allow without royal permission and refused, causing the heretics to sacrifice his wife, and Theresia has been confined to her room ever since. In the intervening years he has grown increasingly cruel, to the point where she fears he now enjoys harming others, and questions whether he’s even human anymore. A sudden commotion outside causes Puck to realize Guts has broken into the castle and he convinces Theresia to let him out through the window, but he still promises to come back and help her escape.

                As Guts attempts to sneak into the castle he narrowly defeats an even-more-monstrous Zondark, but in the process the Count, through the demon possessing Zondark, reveals that he can only be stopped by cutting off his head. Easily overcoming the guards outside the throne room, Guts is greeted inside by the Count, who reveals his true nature by transforming into a giant, four-legged monster, boasting that he will only grow stronger every time Guts cuts off a limb. Despite his skill and quick wits Guts seems to be no match for the Count, and in the process the latter’s size and blows shake the castle, causing damage in Theresia’s room that breaks the lock on her doors. After only a brief hesitation she leaves her room for the first time in seven years.

Commentary

Just like the Count, the plot thickens. Based on the portrait in Theresia’s room, he was never a small man, but all that extra red meat isn’t doing him any favours. It’s probably clear he’s an Apostle by now – if the flesh-eating and recognizing the Brand of Sacrifice weren’t enough of a clue, turning into a monster should seal the deal. We also find out he has a daughter, whom he cares for, even dotes on, albeit in a misguided way, and that his actions are motivated by the loss of his wife to heretics years ago, although his zeal seems to have driven him to the point where he’s been consumed by his hate. From this we also get the Apostles’ apparent connection to the Godhand, who seem to have an agenda in the mortal world. It’s not clear what it is right now, but since it seems to involve killing inordinate amounts of people, it can’t be anything good. The whole situation has a classic “deal with the devil” vibe, striking a bargain with evil to achieve your goals, only for find out it’s more than you bargained for.

This time Guts showcases his difficulty dealing with others in his interactions with Vargas and Puck, but when you really look at it what we get is more evidence that he may not be the nicest person around, but he’s not a complete monster; there’s a reason he acts the way he does. Given what he’s up against, it’s a wonder he’s still breathing, let alone that he’s made it through with only one eye and a lower arm missing, and no surprise that those who don’t have the swordsmanship skills and quick wits he does are easily destroyed. That’s why he acts the way he does towards others – he’s afraid to become close with or accept anyone’s help(or acknowledge it, at least) because he’s afraid of what will happen to them, or to him if he sees too much more of it. Like his supposed beliefs that the weak deserve what they get, his loner act is his way to try and keep his distance from others in the hope that he can hold onto his sanity. Puck has the right of it – Guts knows he’s in the same boat as Vargas, and is afraid that one day his luck will run out too.

And speaking of Puck, he’s obviously meant to be a foil for Guts. He’s compassionate where Guts acts callous, willing to risk himself for others regardless of the odds, and feels the need to repay debts owed (Vargas saving him from being crushed during the first fight with Zondark, and Theresia for her trust, but also when he helps Guts break out of jail in Volume 1). What seems most interesting, though, is their approaches to the value of life. During his fight with the Apostle in Volume 1, Guts says that “no matter how weak [humans] are, even when we’re being chopped to bits or stabbed to death, we still want to live!”, whereas Puck argues that “living for the future is more important than trying to avenge the past.” Guts treats it like animal instinct, the will to survive as a defensive reflex, while Puck sees it as an ongoing journey, a chance to continuously strive for something better without being burdened by the past. Not just a foil, he may very well become to be Guts’s moral center as well.

By itself, I don’t find this volume as good as the last one. That’s not to say it’s bad, but since the chapters are part of an ongoing story they aren’t as effective in isolation. We get some more clues about the world and the plot, but since they’re smaller pieces of a bigger story they have much less impact on their own. Judging the overall effectiveness of this storyline will have to wait until it’s concluded.