Hidden Metaphors and Function of the Berserker Armor

5) Sea God Final Fight

There is not much to say about this incident, except for a couple of complementing observations.

This instance is very similar to the Vritannis incident, but it is different in that Guts considers the use of the Berserker Armor in a larger battle plan to take down the Sea God. This is the first time that Guts has actually planned using the Berserker Armor, instead of using it out of immediate necessity. The decision to use it was made knowing he cannot continue his voyage to Elfhelm with the Sea God threatening the waters around them.

Guts invokes the Beast of Darkness in a controlled environment with Schierke instantly getting Guts back to his senses, turning him into the sane berserker form. The Beast in chains that was displayed before is not there anymore!

Schierke notes how the Beast of Darkness has grown in power. Visually, the beast has become significantly bigger in size compared to the instance in Vritannis.

One interesting thing that happens during this fight is that Guts is being paralyzed by the noise and pressure of the Sea God, first losing his sight and hearing temporarily, then later being unable to move.

Guts being knocked over by the Sea God’s heartbeat

Guts calling his beastly partner in crime, after the merrows cancelled out the Sea God’s sound pressure

Guts is taunting the Beast of Darkness. I feel like teasing a horrific beast like that is a terrible idea…

He then proceeds on using the power of the beast to get back up and land the final strike to take down the Sea God. What we see here is that for the first time, Guts is consciously using the powers of the beast and armor only when necessary. What is also established as new plot mechanic is that Guts is capable of calling the Beast of Darkness even in sane Berserker form.

“Make me feel the pain” – he is using the armor’s powers on demand.

However, Guts is loosing a lot of blood as a result of this.

After Guts is being washed away by the Sea God’s blood, Schierke is being pulled away from Guts. Because shock is one of the things that brings Guts back to his human form, he is his normal self after he wakes up inside the Sea God later on.

Miura makes it very clear in the aftermath that Guts’ impairment of sight and shivering is NOT a result of the Sea God’s pulse, but more likely a result of using the Berserker Armor’s powers (The Sea God only affected his hearing and sight temporary)

Conclusion

Guts calls the Beast of Darkness in a controlled environment, with Schierke being on his back. She is instantly bringing him back to sanity and goes to fight the Sea God together with him. During the Sea God fight, Guts is faced with the pressure of its heartbeat and is temporarily blinded and deafened. At some point he is completely knocked off his feet, incapable to move. When the Sea God’s pulse was neutralized by the merrows’ song, this is when he calls the Beast of Darkness and uses the powers of the armor in a controlled manner to land a fatal strike on the Sea God’s heart.

This is the first time Guts has used the armor in a planned matter and involved it in his battle strategy.