Berserk 304 - Fissure

[gandalf]

thx evil genius. what you do is very much apreciated.

incredible chapter, amazing how the story is developing. i have no idea what is gonna happen next. maybe a time skip after guts gets to elfhelm ? So we can see what happens when griffith has his own kingdom. i'm certainly curious how he would rule it.

[Lord Rae]

Thanks for the chapter EG.

I wonder if the whole of the world really will change by this. I wonder if Elfheim is a part of the natural world? Maybe Guts and company while hanging out on the island (or near it) will be shielded from the effects of this and when they finally come back they realize that everyone in the world is totally different from them. Thus making them all a completely renegade band of people, essentially the new monsters of the new world?

[Rolos]

I wonder how *fast* this fusing of the worlds will be? Will it basically spread out almost instantly over the entire world, or will the effect be mostly localized at first, and only gradually spread out over the rest of the world as the two plains slowly mix.

If I had to bet, I would say its gonna be localized at first. I mean, from what the story has revealed so far, the worlds have been merging for quite a long time. Ever since Griffith became Femto, to be exact.
I like to think of it as a chemical reaction. Ganishka's death would be "the final catalyst", the element that accelerates a reaction that has already being taking place, to the point that it seems like it caused it. But, since this "chemical reaction", this "merging", was accelerated at Midland's capital, it's effects should be felt there first. Why?

Well, since the worlds are merging, it is reasonable to assume that some elements of the "astral world" would be subject to some laws of the "physical world" and viceversa.
That means the Godhand would have to be, well, somewhere. They couldn't maintain their "omnipresent in our own layer" status, because their layer would be subject to "some" of the rules of physics. So they would have to be in Midland.

And bad guys(?), at least in fiction, always have a strong-hold. It can range from "secret headquarters of DOOM!" to "Bad guy N-1 mom's house", but they always have such a place. Midland's capital (Wyndham?) would be the God-Hand "base".

Granted, this "hypothesis" (Its not a theory.....Am I being a little too pedantic? You bet your ass I am) makes a lot of baseless assumptions and its logical conclusions would all point to one direction: Griffith's "new physical world" is the interstice. And that would be just plain stupid. NOT! (I took that from Borat....)

I will elaborate on why its not stupid on another thread. Someday.

[Omnideus]

As always, thank you EG. I love coming home to a fresh new chapter of Berserk.

In regard to the chapter, all "hell" is about to break loose, and I can't freaking wait!

[Istvan]

I wonder how *fast* this fusing of the worlds will be? Will it basically spread out almost instantly over the entire world, or will the effect be mostly localized at first, and only gradually spread out over the rest of the world as the two plains slowly mix.

If I had to bet, I would say its gonna be localized at first. I mean, from what the story has revealed so far, the worlds have been merging for quite a long time. Ever since Griffith became Femto, to be exact.
I like to think of it as a chemical reaction. Ganishka's death would be "the final catalyst", the element that accelerates a reaction that has already being taking place, to the point that it seems like it caused it. But, since this "chemical reaction", this "merging", was accelerated at Midland's capital, it's effects should be felt there first. Why?

Well, since the worlds are merging, it is reasonable to assume that some elements of the "astral world" would be subject to some laws of the "physical world" and viceversa.
That means the Godhand would have to be, well, somewhere. They couldn't maintain their "omnipresent in our own layer" status, because their layer would be subject to "some" of the rules of physics. So they would have to be in Midland.

And bad guys(?), at least in fiction, always have a strong-hold. It can range from "secret headquarters of DOOM!" to "Bad guy N-1 mom's house", but they always have such a place. Midland's capital (Wyndham?) would be the God-Hand "base".

Granted, this "hypothesis" (Its not a theory.....Am I being a little too pedantic? You bet your ass I am) makes a lot of baseless assumptions and its logical conclusions would all point to one direction: Griffith's "new physical world" is the interstice. And that would be just plain stupid. NOT! (I took that from Borat....)

I will elaborate on why its not stupid on another thread. Someday.

While I'm in general agreement, I sort of doubt that the God's Hand will be directly brought into the real world by this. If memory serves there are three "levels" to reality, the physical realm, the astral realm, and the place the God's Hand live (the vortex? I can't quite remember the name...). My impression was that this would be fusing the two "lower" levels of reality, the physical and astral realms, but that the realm with the God's Hand wouldn't be directly effected. Granted, since they will be much "closer" to the physical realm now, the God's Hand will probably be able to influence/interact with the real world to a far greater degree (like Slann in the troll cave, but all the time), but they won't actually be part of the regular world. This is only my impression, of course, we'll have to wait and see what Miura actually does, but for right now that's more-or-less how I see it playing out.

[eldur]

I'm agree with Istvan, GH wont come that easy. This is Femto's realm from now on, let's see how much time it lasts...

On the 'Gatts team' side, they are goin some place that is already in the interstice, if not totally in the Astral world, and maybe they wont feel any change.

P.D.: I imagine the Elven King bein an angel (a good one), like a spirit in a real body: touchable but highly powerfull (with a shape totally opposed to the God Hand of course). I guess he gave Skull Knight some power and/or stuff, and I hope he will give Gatts something too.

But, if Griffith attacked Flora, will he attack Elfheim too???? Well its Good vs Evil as always, and its the same in any plane of existence.

[Istvan]

But, if Griffith attacked Flora, will he attack Elfheim too????

It's probably on his to-do list, but I doubt he'll get around to it for a while. Elfheim ought to be a far harder target than Flora was, and he's been mostly busy with the Kushan Emperor up to now. Elfheim was simply a lower priority target than the Emperor was.

[The Herald]

I still think that there wasn't enough pent up energy or astralness inside Ganishka to envelope the whole world. More just like Midland. It'll make it more like Midland will become a black hole into the Astral realm. In any case I agree that where the Godhand is won't merge because Ganishka was not a part of that realm.

[Aetherfukz]

Woo, nice chapter. But still I hope the story will shift back to Guts and company soon again. I really want to see what happens in Elfhelm.

As always, thanks EG, you rock!

[Istvan]

I still think that there wasn't enough pent up energy or astralness inside Ganishka to envelope the whole world. More just like Midland. It'll make it more like Midland will become a black hole into the Astral realm. In any case I agree that where the Godhand is won't merge because Ganishka was not a part of that realm.

It depends how the process works. I agree there wasn't enough power in Ganishka to envelope the whole world, but if what happened was more along the lines of using Ganishka and SK to tear a hole between the matieral and astral worlds, then the astral world might just come pouring through that hole until both worlds are completely combined. So it basically comes down to the details (which we don't yet know) of what exactly Griffith did.

[The Herald]

And that's what the next few chapters will be about, then finally come September we will see Guts and Co. still on Roderick's ship all unawares as to what happened. Well, I'm sure the witches and the elves will have a feeling that something is wrong, but people like Serpico and Ishidro won't know anything. Though the baddies might have quieted down. I still am not too enthusiastic about expecting to see Guts and Co. before school starts.

[Istvan]

Or maybe we'll switch over to Guts and Co. soon, and then not find out the details of what happened for a number of chapters, until finally someone on Elfheim explains to them (and us) just what happened. We'll have to wait and see.

[Grahf]

I tend to think that the God's Hand know more (after all, the one who creates fate/destiny is on their side) and it's hard for me to imagine anyone out-plotting Griffith.

Wasn't that in and of itself godhand's (as per SK of course) biggest weakness when it came to Gatts?

[Bensozia]

After reading the last chapter, I read many theories about another time skip. And I think it might be the case...

Guts & Co are too far away to make any impression on the opening between the worlds.

Do you think it is possible?

[Rolos]

It is.



Now, about the worlds merging...

The Universe before the merging:





The Universe after the merging:

[Istvan]

That is one screwed up drawing, Rolos.

[The Herald]

Agreed, and I don't totally agree with it; it could be true that Midland is subject to that, but the whole world is a very big place. This, I think, is more akin to the Qliphoth, what has happened with Griffith. I can't wait for June 12th, not only do I get a new Berserk, but an anime convention as well. Yay, I think I've been condemned to be Desert Punk for the rest of my days ... anyways about Berserk ... hmm ... this should probably be in the stupid theories thread but I really do think that Casca won't just forget everything about Guts and won't go back to him when she gets her mind back, and realizing this Guts will let Farnese love him. I know, this means that my favorite prince admiral doesn't get the girl, but oh well. Guts needs love more than Roderick.

[Rolos]

Agreed, and I don't totally agree with it; it could be true that Midland is subject to that, but the whole world is a very big place. This, I think, is more akin to the Qliphoth, what has happened with Griffith.

You probably haven't taken into consideration the sheer scale of this conflict. We are talking about beings that are supreme on entire layers of the Universe wanting to do their biding (which is probably guided by an even greater force....a.k.a. Idea) in the physical layer of that same Universe. For them the world is hardly a big place.
The Qliphoth's merging into the physical world was caused by mere inertia. Two layers that were relatively close, guided by an already existing tendency (said tendency has existed ever since Griffith's rebirth)towards each other, eventually broke the ever thinning (it has been debilitating ever since Griffith's rebirth) line between them on one point and fused there.
What we are seeing here is much, much more than that. This merging was not caused by Inertia, this merging was forced.


Its Rolo's drawing time!





Post-Data: Feel free to laugh at the quality of my drawings, I really don't mind.

[SKTenjoiB]

thanks as well (as always) EG

I don't think the 'entire' worlds will merge. Its hard to imagine what their world would be like then if it did, but it seems like the entire progression of the story would lead to say otherwise

This is Femto's realm from now on, let's see how much time it lasts...

also this, i don't see why miura would take the time developing the plot of griffith saving the princess and that technically becoming his gateway to becoming king if the entire realm would just merge and godhand (or even a larger influx of otherworldy beings) would become more of a part of this. I dunno the more i go over any of this in my head the less sense it makes. I guess we'll just have to wait!

[Istvan]

thanks as well (as always) EG

I don't think the 'entire' worlds will merge. Its hard to imagine what their world would be like then if it did, but it seems like the entire progression of the story would lead to say otherwise

This is Femto's realm from now on, let's see how much time it lasts...

also this, i don't see why miura would take the time developing the plot of griffith saving the princess and that technically becoming his gateway to becoming king if the entire realm would just merge and godhand (or even a larger influx of otherworldy beings) would become more of a part of this. I dunno the more i go over any of this in my head the less sense it makes. I guess we'll just have to wait!

Even if the matieral and astral worlds merge, having the humans willingly and eagerly following/accepting him would be useful to Griffith's goal, so I don't see what the problem is there.

[The Herald]

Especially because they will be willing and eager all of those good thoughts about Griffith would just empower him. Rolos, no matter how many times you try to explain it, I view the world in a different way than how the diagrams of the interstice describe (both the real one and the Berserk one). We'll just have to wait and see on June 12th.

[Starnum]

Honestly I think a lot of people are jumping to conclusions. Are the world's merging, quite possibly, but we don't know what's going to happen next. If the worlds are merging, we have no way of knowing to what extent. Though that bit about the new world at the end of the chapter could have been completely metaphorical. For all we know, that was just a pretty way for Ganishka to die. I'm not saying I believe one way over another. I think we should just wait and see what happens, that's what I'm doing anyway.

[eldur]

"The Hawk will bring the true darkness to this world". I've been thinkin in this true darkness, and I realized that when the world (or a part of it) becomes the interstice, then many places can be filled with ghosts and bizarre things. This can mean many people will die in a terrifying way, and only places like Enoch will be safe (and maybe Midland because of Griffith ruling position over the bad guys...). When the light shines, the shadows appear, and Ganishka is a Nuclear bomb of Light right now.

One question here is: how deep is the hole that SK has made? (sure he will be hidin somewhere and quite embarrased). Remember that Ganishka got power directly from hell, and while hes collapsing we can see something like a vortex of souls, so it can be the Vortex itself right in Midland, as Rolos has pointed somehow in that doodle. Another possibility is that the different planes go to an equilibrium as the nova expands, goin to an intermediate like Interstice and Nexus.

[calvin]

Awesome chapter, thanks EG!!

as for the merging, Starnum, you could be completely right that what we saw is a metaphor but if not we have to consider the overlapping of the "worlds" in the diagram.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*the below is probably an extreme case of the possibilities and is also extremely unlikely, just wanted to voice my thought on the matter*
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
They way i see it, according to EG's translation "..the strike that reaches beyond the land of the dead", SK's attack, intentional or not, opened a door past the Astral World "The Land of the Dead"(from the diagram). So at a minimum, the door went into the Vortex or through it to the Abyss, especially since the Abyss overlaps into the physical world already, the Nexus.

If that is the case then the God Hand and any other higher being can manifest onto the New World as if it were the Astral world. People like Schierke with the ability to call the "Four Kings" could do it while never leaving their bodies, maintaining a conscious connection to the "real" world. Astral weapons would have the same affect(damage) as physical weapons and vice-versa on every "being", human, demon, etc. Normal people might be able to talk to each other without actually talking, telepathy or otherwise, like Schierke and Farnese did in the Astral world. And since I'm going crazy here, Guts might be able to control his Berserker mode when he wants to stop, and just as likely, he might lose all control of it because the "demon within" is Astral and therefore more powerful in this New World.

And those are just a scratch of everything possible with the merging, I don't want to list all my f-ed up insanity here.

[Istvan]

They way i see it, according to EG's translation "..the strike that reaches beyond the land of the dead", SK's attack, intentional or not, opened a door past the Astral World "The Land of the Dead"(from the diagram). So at a minimum, the door went into the Vortex or through it to the Abyss, especially since the Abyss overlaps into the physical world already, the Nexus.

If you examine that diagram a little closer, the "land of the dead" from the diagram is part of the Astral World, so the strike didn't have to travel past the astral world (even assuming your basic premise is correct).

If that is the case then the God Hand and any other higher being can manifest onto the New World as if it were the Astral world. People like Schierke with the ability to call the "Four Kings" could do it while never leaving their bodies, maintaining a conscious connection to the "real" world. Astral weapons would have the same affect(damage) as physical weapons and vice-versa on every "being", human, demon, etc. Normal people might be able to talk to each other without actually talking, telepathy or otherwise, like Schierke and Farnese did in the Astral world. And since I'm going crazy here, Guts might be able to control his Berserker mode when he wants to stop, and just as likely, he might lose all control of it because the "demon within" is Astral and therefore more powerful in this New World.

When making these theories, I think it's important to bear in mind that Griffith is unlikely (to say the least) to do anything that would make himself more vulnerable. So I think we can safely scrap most of those insane power-up ideas of what the merging will mean.