One of the most iconic series of the anime and manga world is “Berserk”, a dark fantasy masterpiece created by the legendary Kentaro Miura. Originally published in 1989, Berserk remains one of the most admired and influential works to this day.
In particular, the plot-defining Golden Age part is often remembered as the culmination of the series. It was further bolstered by two successful anime adaptations by Berserk, which focused primarily on the season.
However, one scene that left fans both moved and confused was Griffith’s unforgivable betrayal of Guts and the Band of the Hawk. Admittedly, this act serves as the main catalyst for the overall plot and events of the series. But it hasn’t stopped some fans from wondering why Griffith betrayed his teammates.
It turns out that Berserk’s greatest betrayal was motivated by Griffith’s unwavering determination to make his dreams come true. Since childhood, Griffith’s dream was to have his own kingdom. This is described in the Golden Age, he was born poor, did not have enough food but still dreamed of a castle filled with sunshine.
As seen at the end of the Golden Age, Griffith’s choices following Guts’ departure led to his debilitating condition. Before long, this feeling of weakness and helplessness, combined with overhearing Guts and Casca’s discussion about their love and plans for him, prompted Griffith to try to “escape.” his fate through a suicide attempt.
After all, Griffith sets out to fulfill his old dream by choosing to sacrifice Guts and the others. He offered Guts and the Band of the Hawk as sacrifices to the God Hand. Griffith’s betrayal directly led to the beginning of the Eclipse.
During the sacrifice, Griffith is reminded of all he’s done to achieve his dreams, picturing the sacrifices like a pile of corpses he’s stood up for to reach the castle since he was young. .
Griffith concluded that stopping piling up now meant his dream was over. So, Griffith decided to prioritize himself over his friends, especially Guts, the only one who had made him forget about his goal.
Griffith sacrifices his friends because of God Hand’s promise to help him achieve his true dream. This was eventually proven true, with the power and fortune that Griffith gained as a member of the God Hand, he successfully built his own kingdom called Falconia on the kingdom of Wyndham, the old capital of Midland.