Can Griffith be considered true evil?

Berserk has time and again assessed the boundaries of human nature. The characters in Berserk have multiple layers to them. They are well-written and have intricate depth setting them apart from the generic definition of good and evil. One such character is Griffith. He is one of the best-written antagonists and at times downright Villainous. 

 

His character has been discussed for years. He has done multiple immoral things which are out and out evil at times. As there have been claims time and again that he had good intentions at the center of everything he did; having a clear answer to if he’s truly evil or not becomes difficult.

This might not be a yes or no question. But this article will be exploring Griffith’s character and whether can he be considered truly evil or not. 

Griffith’s character analysis

Griffith has always been ambitious and manipulative. He had a goal in his mind always motivating him to push his limits. The Band of Hawk, particularly Casca and Guts were the only people he trusted and cared for. His personality draws people towards him. He also struggles in situations where emotions are involved. 

Initially, there’s no questioning the fact that Griffith is maybe immoral at times but never evil. His imprisonment and the torture he went through contributed to triggering his evil tendencies. And as we grow closer to the Eclipse his character starts to define itself in new ways. 

What about his good intentions?

Things that keep fans from declaring Griffith evil are his good intentions. Even though he has killed many people, he has also saved many more. It has gotten to a point where his intentions don’t matter. He has an eternal stain on his character. He has time and again chosen to make sacrifices at the cost of others to achieve his ambitions.

Can Griffith be considered true evil?

As mentioned earlier, in the initial stages Griffith isn’t evil but with the Eclipse, things start to change. 

• Even if he was reluctant to betray his comrades and questioned becoming a God hand multiple times, in the end, he did make the choice himself. Becoming an Apostle was one of the first evil things he did. 
• We can see hints of remorse but he continues to commit abhorrent acts. Sacrificing The Band of Hawk or assaulting Casca, there was no doubt about his evil motives. 

 

While all the other actions can be accredited to one thing or the other, his treatment of Casca was out of pure hatred for Guts. All sorts of arguments can be made to keep his deeds limited to the gray area. But it goes way beyond that. Griffith is truly evil.

He has caused suffering to many and continues to do so. Even if he saves people, his acts in the past will forever remain with him. His ability to feel emotions and inability to manage them has also led him to stray to a path of pure evil. 

Conclusion

Berserk will have you question human nature and just how complex it can get at times. Even if Griffith is unpleasant it’s only possible because he’s well-written. His character is believable. The nature of his deeds should easily classify him as evil. But the way he’s written leaves room for discussions about the psychology and intentions, which is rare if anything.