Chapter 8 of Berserk closes the Black Swordsman Arc and prepares us for something much bigger.
The Count is gone.
The God Hand have vanished.
But the emotional weight remains.
This chapter is quieter — but extremely important.
1. The Return to Reality
After the surreal confrontation with the God Hand, Guts and Puck return to the physical world.
The throne room is destroyed.
The Count is gone — consumed by the consequences of his own choices.
Reality feels almost normal again.
But for Guts, nothing is normal.
He has just faced the beings he truly hates.
And they were completely beyond his reach.
2. Guts’ Frustration
Guts is furious.
He couldn’t touch them.
He couldn’t even harm them.
The God Hand treated him like nothing.
That powerlessness hurts more than physical wounds.
This chapter shows something subtle:
Guts’ revenge is not simple.
He’s aiming for gods.
And he is still human.
3. Puck’s Role Grows
Puck continues to observe Guts carefully.
He notices the anger.
The pain.
The isolation.
Instead of leaving, Puck stays.
That decision matters.
Because without Puck, Guts would spiral deeper into darkness.
This chapter quietly establishes companionship as a long-term theme.
4. The Emotional Setup for the Golden Age
At the end of Chapter 8, something shifts.
We transition into the past.
The Golden Age begins.
And this is brilliant storytelling.
Because now that we’ve seen:
- Broken Guts
- The Brand
- The God Hand
- The name Griffith
We are ready to understand what happened.
Chapter 8 isn’t explosive.
It’s strategic.
It sets up the emotional devastation of the Golden Age Arc.
Why Chapter 8 Is Crucial
Without the Black Swordsman Arc, the Golden Age wouldn’t hit as hard.
We already know:
Something destroyed Guts.
Something turned Griffith into a name filled with hatred.
Something caused the Brand.
Chapter 8 closes one chapter of vengeance…
And opens the tragedy that created it.
Final Thoughts on Chapter 8
The Black Swordsman Arc ends not with victory —
But with unfinished hatred.
Guts is still alive.
The God Hand are still untouchable.
Griffith still exists.
The war hasn’t even truly begun.
Now we go back.
To friendship.
To ambition.
To dreams.
And to the moment everything breaks.
