Dark anime fans aren’t just getting one new manga chapter of Berserk this month, as the 382nd chapter is set to arrive on newsstands prior to June’s end. As Guts still struggles with the kidnapping of Casca and the Kushan Empire tries to figure out what to do with the Black Swordsman, one character has been making some major headway in both strength and character development. While Guts has had some severe ups and downs in Kentaro Miura’s epic saga, one of the protagonist’s latest allies is almost unrecognizable from what they once were and it’s worth taking a deep dive into how this radical transformation took place.
Of course, the character we are referring to is Farnese de Vandimion, a former member of the “Holy Iron Chain Knights” who was far more deadset on pushing a religious agenda than helping the general population. When she originally met Guts, the pair of warriors weren’t exactly on the best of terms. Wondering what the Black Swordsman’s connection to Griffith was, Farnese is eventually saved by Guts and ends up joining his enclave. For quite a few chapters, Farnese has traveled alongside the protagonist while also gaining quite a bit thanks to said journey.
The Magical Farnese
Farnese has long since realized that her former comrades in the Holy Iron Chain Knights aren’t exactly working to bring about world peace and thus, she no longer is the religious fanatic that she once was. In a way, the darkness that she’s experienced has transformed her from a naive swordsmen into a force for good who is more than willing to lay her life on the line for her allies. While certainly seeing Guts in action was a big contributor to this fact, the supporting character saw quite a bit of development thanks to her relationship with Casca.
Following the brutal events of the Eclipse, Casca was reduced to a shadow of her former self, lost to her madness and appearing far more like a child than the top-ranking member of the Band of the Hawk she was. In traveling with Guts, Farnese almost became Casca’s bodyguard, as Griffith’s former right-hand woman became attached to the former knight. While Farnese herself wasn’t quite a force of nature in the same way Guts was in battling against Apostles, Seprico watching her back in her travels went a long way.
As almost a complete abandonment of her religious beliefs, Farnese began learning magic thanks to the teachings of Schierke. Most recently, she played a big role in the fight against the new, twisted iteration of the Band of the Hawk in its way against Kushan. While she is far from being on the same level as her mentor, it goes to show how far she has come in such a relatively short amount of time and how great of an ally to Guts she remains.
Farnese’s Unique Journey
Farnese has always been a unique character in Berserk, especially when you compare her to the likes of Guts and Griffith. The Black Swordsman and the White Hawk have discovered what they want to achieve, as Guts wants revenge and Griffith wants an empire to call his own. Farnese is, somewhat, still trying to figure out what the best route to take is and it certainly seems as though magic will play a large role in her future.
In the latest chapter of the manga, Farnese received quite a few accolades thanks to her magic saving plenty of those around her. With Guts set to either be exiled and/or killed by the Eastern Empire, believing that his brand brings ruin to all those around him, it will be interesting to see what the Black Swordsman’s ally thinks about this move and whether she decides to use her magic to become his savior. Writer Kouji Mori and the artists at Studio Gaga are clearly setting the stage for the manga’s end and we fully expect Farnese to play a significant role in the final chapter, whenever it should be released.
Want to see how Farnese’s story ends in the brutal epic series? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Berserk and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
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