Who is King Gaiseric? ... Berserk Explained

[@gurkanbasak4393]

Skullknight is lowkey a paid actor. Rickert is the reincarnation of king gaiseric

[@BerserkDude]

The Chad of Chads.

[@Jordanf777]

😂😂😂

[@moistjohn]

Absolute steel balls

[@brushfire248100]

Close, but I think Rickert will use the bailet that guts has.

[@rocklee8929]

Rickert is the idea of evil in disguise

[@theberserker6000]

I dont think they are the same person but metaphorcally speaking, Zodd and SK are both potential outcomes that Guts can end up to. Zodd represent Guts giving into the Behelit he has. SK represent Guts giving into the Berserker armor. The point of Guts is all about remaining human in a world where not being a human will help more in his quest.

[@BruceVial]

Now that’s a good theory

[@viyemp1681]

Is skull knight an apostle? I mean a good apostle? He probably used the behelit to kill all the past godhands.

[@theberserker6000]

@@viyemp1681 No, its litterally stated that skull knight became what he is because he died in the armor. He only used Behelits to make his Behelit Sword that can cut through the astral world.

[@viyemp1681]

@@theberserker6000 So at one point, guts will die wearing the berserker armor? (the manga is finished sadly, r.i.p miura) so will guts have his monster form like skull knight? like the beast of darkness?

[@theberserker6000]

@@viyemp1681 If he had given into the beast within and died fighting with the armor then yes, he would've become something similar to SK and months of fighting with the armor made Guts more frail and less efficient. He knows the consequence of the Armor, but he doesnt know what to do next. And as far as I know, the manga isnt "finished" per say, its in limbo, his assitant said they will thir best on twitter and everything is up in the air at the moment. So we will see if there is any news at the release of the 41st Berserk tome.

[@ludwigvodkin6114]

Note that after Zodd lost his horn in a dream fight with Griffith, Skullknight's armor is missing a spike. If i remember correctly, it was never shown exactly how this spike came off in any of the previous battles.

[@wenpinwong6815]

It's been there the whole time and I've never noticed it 😱

[@maskinganna2996]

He threw the spike at slan in chap 219 when he was in qlipoth

[@ludwigvodkin6114]

@@maskinganna2996 true

[@simonegaydou5827]

When skull knight attacks Phemt with the sword of actuation he has all the spikes, but when he meets Guts and Danan on elfheim he misses one. So who knows if that small detail was important

[@shdjdj7135]

He threw it on slan

[@baldur3352]

But His berserk armor had a skull and since we know that Guts‘s inner beast has changed the shape of the berserk armor it can be assumed, That Geiserich‘s inner beast appears in the form of the Skullknight while his human form has an actual body and represents Zodd, who got a Behelith by chance and was turned into a real monster.

[@dylanclaeys6084]

Yeah I was gonna say the same thing.

[@cloudbloom]

Ayy I had the same thought

[@Zeethoo]

Good point. :p

[@aramkaizer7903]

Yeah I agree. TD's theory is a bit of a stretch. It doesn't fit Berserk's internal motif of the apostles and the Beasts of Darkness

[@HeyitsMalk]

What if its the other way around, what if skull knight was Zodd beast of darkness?, Nosferatu seems more lucid, plus 1000 years is a long time, perhaps something happened in that time?

[@cautionary_tale]

Idk, I think Zodd is just Zodd, an old apostle with simple principles and wise to ways of patterns. And SK is just SK, a remnant of Gaiseric with simple principles and wise to the ways of patterns. I highly doubt that they're both partitions of Gaiseric, but I'd say we're definitely supposed to link these two in our minds when one of them is present. I think we'll be seeing Zodd very soon, maybe as early as chapter 364.

[@speed7176]

I feel like every new berserk theory is very reachy. It's so thoroughly analyzed at this point we need new chapters for really solid theories

[@BraveCat9927]

just looking at Gaiseric's helmet really makes it a tough one, cause it really looks like both aspects of them. and as a bloodthirsty war king he has an insane amount of will power and resolve similar to guts. And put the demon armor into the equation and it becomes pretty plausible, especially for the fact skull night hasnt killed zodd even though he very well could. because just like how our consciousness leaves when our physical body dies, if Zodd is Gaiseric's ego (physical body) then Gaiseric's real consciousness (skull night) would cease to exist without the other. they are so close in every scene they are in, like they were battle brothers, or one in the same.

[@joedicks5728]

I think they could be the same person

[@Pp-sr4cs]

This aged poorly, very poorly....

[@justajobro1266]

Oh god...

[@benhajvan]

So a huge problem with this theory is that we know how apostles are created and the earliest mention of Zodd are 300 years ago relative to the Berserk timeline. Another thing that makes it difficult for me to take that theory is that Guts inner beast of darkness want to fight the Godhand and I'd assume Gaiserics beast would want to do the same.

[@Alaybaba]

Zodd tried to fight Griffith and only submitted when he realised he was stronger. Guts beast of darkness does a similar thing when it says that it will lay dormant but one day it will consume him

[@benhajvan]

So the beast of darkness is a reflection of the owners rage for the most part.the way I see it Sk's rage is still in tact. He hasn't given up. Guts's rage is just subdued for the time being. I don't see any beast of darkness suubmitting to anyone if the owner is still angry. When Guts was angry the beast of darkness was strong and same would apply to SK I assume.

[@omnichron3374]

100%, I remember the scene when they talk about Zodds legend. Skull Knight is much older than Zodd.

[@TheDarkon055]

Please look at my comment I just made and tell me what you think of the theory. That I got as soon as I saw Guts defy and leave Griffith and even more convinced me when he survived being marked as being a sacrifice.

[@aramkaizer7903]

I actually don't agree with your first point. Zodd is likely as old as Skull Knight since he remembers the time of Gaiseric wearing the Berserker armor.

[@pinjakiviahde2074]

Wow, this must be the best berserk theory on the internet!

[@turtleanton6539]

Agreed

[@turtleanton6539]

Happy to find this channel

[@spicydiarrhea5662]

Dunno man, I still firmly believe that skullknight is branded / reincarnated donavan on tamed r@pe horse 2.0

[@abysschef5078]

Cool theory even if I disagree, the thing is that the skull knight’s “beast of darkness” is a skull no? He was the last to use the berserker armor and it was in the form of a skull.

[@exiaR2x78]

Yup Gaserics beast of darkness is a skeleton doesn't really make sense. Zodd and Gaseric could just be old rivals or brothers

[@xplosive710]

The skull design for the armor could just be the "original" design as KG used skull-like armor... the fact that the armor morphs into the shape of Gut's beast of darkness could be the very first instance that it happens, and not necessarily the effect of wearing the armor. @Tranquil Dionysian has a point of SK never being able to kill Zodd, which could be explained (and it sort of makes sense) by both entities being part of the same being, light and dark, ying and yang, head and tails of the same coin... the same way you cannot escape your own shadow and/or for that matter, get rid of it. One cannot destroy that which is in itself the self of the other.... or some philosophical jargon of sort.

[@slaygadethicide]

We don’t know why it was skull shaped when guts took it. Could’ve been an effect of Flora separating his beast from his ego self

[@N1mdok]

Good stuff, but everyone knew Gaiseric was sir schnoz, its almost cannon

[@turtleanton6539]

Shnoz is way more powerful than gaeseric

[@chakuseki]

ShnozKnight

[@General_Li_Shin]

Theories and evidence aside, I really appreciate the voice acting, you could have just read it out like any normal person would but no 😂😂😂

[@therizzler777]

net so fest! but whayy didnt he kill Zhadd?

[@vaughny7258]

Haha i agree

[@kalatran88]

Great theory. Also when shierke asked skull night what his relationship was with her mistress, he said we were friends much like you and guts are now. Meaning the mistress played the role shierke is playing for guts like you said.

[@anthonycrayne2835]

Very interesting theory. But Zodd is an apostle so that means he would've had to sacrifice someone to become one. Idk how that would play in but interesting video overall.

[@azaizer]

Well there can be multiple special cases for all we know. Remember the Egg of the Perfect World? He had nothing or no one he cared for, so he sacrificed himself! Who's to say, that what was left of King Gaiseric with the Beast of Darkness in the original body and then CASTING OUT his Ego/Soul wouldn't already cover the bill to allow it to ascend to apostle status? The Egg of the Perfect world was one of the exceptions to the general rule, where he was both sacrifice AND apostle simultaneously. Who's to say what happened with this Skull Knight/Zodd theory couldn't be another special case? So much speculation lol

[@slaygadethicide]

Guts has a raging beast inside of him that is it’s own entity now. And guts nor his beast had to sacrifice anything to attain that

[@pup0dis4tana]

This is by far the best Berserk theory I've seen, congrats to you! I don't care if it might sound stretched, but man, you connected a lot of very interesting dots, and Miura proved a lot of times that VISUAL clues are more important than information spoken or thought by characters. If in the future (hopefully not a 1000 editorial years...) this theory will prove to be true, I swear I'll come back here to applaud your detective skills... boy if I was hyped after this!

[@fuchila2point0]

It is up there with all of real life Ryan's. It's such a well thought out and presented theory that they are essentially both the same person but zodd as the beast. It also synchronizes with how zodd is a very different kind of apostle. He does not consume the living. He wonders instead of homesteading. He is pure id while skullknight is pure ego. Beautiful theory and respect to Kentaro Miura, "The Goat Writer".

[@tiktaalik7160]

I am honestly shocked that you made this video. I actually come up with this theory a week ago by the same points. I would like to add that when Zod was beaten by Griffith in his dream, Griffith mentioned something along the lines of, " You never asked for a wish." To me, this was a clear sign that Zod was not an apostle, because it means he never called upon the god-hand to get his wish granted. I would also like to add that I had been suspicious of Zod for a while because of his design. He doesn't look like a conventional apostle. Think about it, almost every apostle (excluding a few of the the god-hand members and the egg of the perfect world) has had at least two faces in their monster form. Their monstrous face and their human face. Grumbled's apostle form for example is manly a dragon but possess a human face at the end of his snout. Zod however breaks this pattern by having no human face at all. If Zod=skullk-night is true, then my guess is that the human faces on the apostles represent their egos while their beast forms are their beasts of darkness. So it's similar to the berserker armor. Speaking of which, the berserker armor also follows this pattern by forming into the shape of the beast of darkness while the human face lays inside. Further more, when Guts' face is obscured in the armor, he goes into his blind berserker mod which is WHEN HIS EGO IS CURRENTLY BEING OVERWHELMED.

[@tannerfishalow4238]

So Zod as physical body, and sk as the ego?

[@tejas.2605]

@@tannerfishalow4238 Yes

[@tannerfishalow4238]

@@tejas.2605 I think the ceremony with void was actually the abyss with the tentacle circle

[@oliverpierce155]

Let's say your theory is correct. Do you think it's possible that King Gaiseric ''sacrificed'' his inner beast (desire, heart, soul, which would become Zodd) by pledging it to the God Hand in exchange for a shot at reviving his dead love? That would explain why Zodd is in effect a servant of the God Hand while Skull Knight keeps wandering the Interstice on his quest.

[@short4071]

Idk bc zodd didn’t willingly fight for femtos, remember he challenged him at first and off screen(or manga) femtos cuts off one of zodds horns

[@darkcss1054]

That makes sense. Also because the fairy queen looks so much like Skull Knight's former lover. And the casket of SK's former lover was in the fairy island.

[@wenerjy]

What if Zodd is SK's son? SK was probably a bad father who was always out warring and never around and Zodd was negatively influenced by Void the court sage and given a Behelit at some point (either before Void became Godhand or after he became Godhand). Also provides a strong reason why SK would not want to actually kill Zodd

[@JuliusCesar66]

I think Zodd is his physical body, which loved battle and his SK is his astral body. Due to KG being an actually kind being. Seen with his love and Flora. One stands for the change he wanted but never got and the other is his past self, body, who to this day holds on. It’s like a separation of KG Id and Ego.

[@seanomygod]

You’re missing the fact that zodd is an apostle. Guts beast of darkness isn’t an apostle. Also that’s not hair on gieserik’s helmet that’s a crest like on a Roman helmet. Most of your clues are misinterpreted.

[@crozraven]

My guess i thag Zodd is a rival general in Gaiseric time. But, then again... Guts is holding a behelit right now, even though he is branded.

[@zacht9447]

@@crozraven Zodd is not old enough for that. Gaiserics time was 1000 years ago zodd says himself he's only about 300 years old

[@altxogershavelayers5166]

@@zacht9447 300 years is only the timeline within which stories of Zodds battles have been told not some date of birth.

[@zacht9447]

@@altxogershavelayers5166 "Wandering for these three hundred years. I guess seeking among men really is useless." Zodd has been searching for a decent match for 300 years implying that he's between 320 and 350 years old

[@altxogershavelayers5166]

@@zacht9447 That quote means nothing.The only thing that is implying is that he was searching for a good fight for 300 years. How you got +20/50 is anybodies guess when he could've very well been in the astral plain before that. He also says that in 300 years of his slaughter nobody had cut him as deep as Guts and that is why he transformed,implying he didn't do so across 300 years. But we know he is a rival to Skull Knight,so those fights had to have happed before 300 years in the past and thus his transformation into an apostle also happened even further into the past.

[@loljake1000]

I had this epiphany when I realized that the moon boy is a representation of how a soul of a person can separated from an apostle form. The behelith Guts has is for him.

[@slaygadethicide]

Guts behelit is for moon boy?

[@jesseshipley387]

I'm gonna need a bit to pick up the pieces of my brain from off the walls and floor.

[@EmperorFrostkill]

Man, I wish Miura managed to get to this part of the story and reveal this. Would be so huuuuge!

[@AlexanderJoneshttps]

It really would sad he's gone :(

[@konor50]

It's not about who you are. It's not about your name, your identity or personality. It's about what you do. Actions will make you into whatever you want. You might not understand what you want completely, that's okay, but you're shaped by your actions way more than you think. What you see as "yourself" is not equal to what you are, the mind will lie to itself to manage circumstances... You're a struggler, struggle. Fight and rise to struggle again.

[@roryjeson]

Put this on a poster 🥇

[@crewie94]

I've felt this for a while now, or something along similar lines. Gaiseric's soul (ego) is locked to the Skull Knight Armour and his original body became the host for Zodd. Hence, Zodd has a bizzare idea of battle sometimes, like a chivalric code sometimes reveals itself. Brilliant theory craft dude. Never noticed the references in some of the panels you showed, just the armour and illustrations.

[@Brokilla-fb1pn]

Maybe it was a love triangle with the three like it was for guts griff an casca makes sense since its parallel to events from the past these are just an older love triangle.

[@ghost-writer007]

No skull night has beef with void zodd is just their watch dog

[@vinito19]

Skullknight predates Zodd by a long time.

[@tannerfishalow4238]

Yeah with the sage/void, gaiseric and his lover

[@ivanmagana5267]

Maybe that's why flora was banished from elfhelm

[@pwnzerelli]

I love it! I do hold the faintest hopes that a confidant of the author or a family member come forward with a trove of defined concepts and story boards found in the artists den but until then you and others passion for the work will hold the authoritative flame of my interest regarding lore moving forward, danka

[@keith8880]

I think King Gaiseric's true identity is the friends we made along the way

[@Vapor.Steve77]

Great theory. Really makes a lot of sense. Furthering it, guts as spiral version of skull knight is carrying a behelit. Maybe when Zodd took control over skull knight body since it was pure unrelented evil he sacrificed her lover to be an apostol. So... Maybe that's the huge grudge of skull knight. Maybe the godhand did not kill his lover. Maybe he did in his quest of pursuing the god hand. Maybe that's he's biggest regret. Guts biggest trial is no to defeat Griffith but to accept that if he goes down that path, darkness will consume him and it he will loose everything.

[@tannerfishalow4238]

Are you saying zod was geisarics beast of darkness from the armor that took control and ended up sacrificing her? It sounds good but doesn’t make too much sense

[@jso2332]

Wow, this video was awesome! Your take on the shadow eventually or potentially consuming Guts at 9:26 was brilliant.

[@texasmetalman777]

I literally just came to this theory as I read the conviction arc and saw that panel where zodd stepped forth while skull night was having his monologue. I will back you 100% on your theory. Subscribing to your channel.

[@Damienx247]

My personal theory is that Gaiseric is a King Conan reference. When Conan took up the crown of Aquilonia, he too took up an ornate suit of black plate armor, wielded a greatsword and lead the Aquinlonian cavalry. Also, since the Berserker armor was the Skull Knight's armor back when he was still alive, than he too had an unyielding rage.

[@wackyswacky1374]

Zodd's age is said to be around 300 hundred years old. Gaiseric's kingdom was around a thousand years ago. It's a neat theory but I don't think it adds up. Also, Beasts of Darkness aren't apostles.

[@jordim9762]

300 years since he has been wounded by a mortal, when the new band of the hawk came at floras house, zodd saw skull knight and said that his rivalry with him is more than 1000 years old, i dont remmember exactly which chapter but zodd says it clearly.

[@wackyswacky1374]

@@jordim9762 I just reread that chapter, and I didn't find anywhere where it said they had a thousand year rivalry. However, Zodd does have memories of Skull Knight using the Berserk armor, so that might be an indication that he is as old as Skull Knight.

[@jordim9762]

@@wackyswacky1374 like i said, i dont remember exactly which chapter it was but from what i remember was from there i think, and that 300 years old statement was about zod being injured by a mortal in battle, not about his exact age.

[@tekkenfan01]

It takes like a 1000 years to create 4 godhands and we’ve seen two sets of fours. So SK could be 2000 years old like Void.

[@wackyswacky1374]

@@tekkenfan01 Void is only 1000 years old.

[@DarkKniteZ]

Hands down the most in depth berserk channel. I really feel like you are right

[@TheM4rxman]

Would be a good theory but Zodd is an apostle. This means he must've been a human that committed a sacrifice. Pretty much disqualifies him from being the beast of darkness for skull knight.

[@tannerfishalow4238]

Idk man

[@combinemax]

This theory doesn't answer a big question, if both sk and zodd are both parts of the same man, why completely different motivations? Zodd serves godhand while sk opposes them

[@Dsan805]

It’s also pretty interesting that looking at the interactions between Zodd/Skull Knight with dialogue. They share the same font type although that might just be a translator thing.

[@garlicnode447]

That is an amazingly sound theory and you are absolutely right when you connect all the dots it leads one way. You had me when I saw skull knights shadow, I hadn’t even realized it when I read that chapter but now it makes a ton of sense. Btw your theory beats every other rebuttal in the comments section😉 great deduction skills

[@gsurtos6588]

BRUH, as someone who started rteading berserk back in 2009 and still is aa avid fan of berserk. you've convinced me on this one. I believe it, so much so i'd be willing to bet money on it. From the occasional videos on youtube that i've watched with the psychoanalyis breakdown on specific characters to crackpot theories to philosophical discussion on berserk. I have to say this theory is pretty convincing. I cant believe i havent noticed that panel in the last clip where skull knights shadow covering guts looks like zodd's humanoid form. At the minimum, its so obvious that kentaro is intentionally drawing a connection between skull knight and zodd. more than just some rivalry or even a dichotomy between the two. but specifically drawing a connection that skull knight and zodd at some point in the past, they may have come from the same origin, the same person, ego and body. well done, 100% in on this theory. now time to go tell my friends that i thought of this xD. ; - )

[@detonator077]

Pretty good theory, other than the helmet if you look at Gaiseric's chest plate it has basically Zodd's head on it. A lion head with horns and the sun between them (the eclipse?). Also wing like patterns on the two sides (although feathered wings).

[@XrentonX17]

Also skull knight says to flora "do you want him to walk the same path I did" so you can presume he used the same armour or another set. Guts beast of darkness also takes over the armour so zodd could have manifested through the berserker armour

[@tannerfishalow4238]

Maybe when gaiseric died his beast of darkness manifested physically into zod and flora bonded his ego to armor making skull night

[@tannerfishalow4238]

Or maybe floras sin was bribing his beast if darkness/ zod out

[@stavborochov1673]

I think what happened is definately something during the skull knight eclipse. My theory is that the skull knight inner beast came out after his lover was killed and made a deal with the god hand that turned him into an apostle while sacrificing the inner beast main signifiying trait, the lust to hurt, thus explaining why Zodd is not a war hungry, sex hungry villian but an honorable fighter... and a villian. Part of the agreement with the god hand gave Zodd the previous human body of the skull knight. The question that arises is how does the ego of the skull knight survive, well it might be that the lady helps him, also I think it might be that because he doesn't have a body to be absorbed into the abyss, his ego might've just been sent somewhere in the astral world and stuff go on from there. Maybe Miuras hint on the "void" can correlate somehow? I would say only time will tell but It probably won't.

[@davidwhitney947]

I am new to berserk overall and working my way through the manga. This is a fascinating idea. Will keep in mind as I keep working through it

[@MarioLopez-rn2bs]

I think you’re right. This theory is also in line with Miura’s genius. Some might say it’s sad we won’t get a definitive answer but i love the remaining mystery of the story and how we can fill in the missing pieces. This theory makes the most sense. So I’m on your side.

[@aggersoul23]

That would've been so fucking kool. we used to speculate about that back in MAL forums like 10 years ago, we don't have any way to know now, sadly. But that's for the best, we shall make the best of it.

[@cloudbloom]

Knocked it out of the park with this, great video man

[@gaiseric9518]

I also believe that Zodd is Gut's father. Which explains why skull knight has a paternal relationship with Guts. As skull knight is also in a way his father since Zodd is a part of him.

[@Doomthulsa]

MIND BLOWN!!!! Thanks for posting this. Now I am going to stare at my monitor at work and think about this for the rest of the day/week/year/years.

[@rickyxroar]

bro i love it , u put that shit together like a genius

[@b51a5h]

Skull Knights spike is missing from his armor because he threw it at Slan when she was torturing Guts (Chapter 219), and in no way has to do with Zodd's chopped horn.

[@Alexdrummer11]

Wow!!! Brilliant exposition! Best Berserk theory i've heard! Congrats from Brazil!

[@mikhailg4667]

Beasts of Darkness can’t melt Crimson Behelits.

[@HazelOrbius]

For this to line up, King Gaiseric would be about 700+ years old during the creation of Zodd, since Zodd's age is estimated to be around 300. On top of that there is no definitive proof that something other than a human or an apostle can use a behelit and we know Skull Knight is neither. To poke even more holes in this theory, Void's eclipse is apparently when the former Berserker wearer died (in this case it's basically confirmed that SK is the former wearer). Meaning whatever SK is, he could not have been human at the point of Zodd's creation. That means the only plausible way for them to be the same person is that Zodd isn't an apostle, but we know he is so it doesn't make any sense. While it is an interesting idea, the evidence against it are much stronger than the evidence for it.

[@slaygadethicide]

It’s been said that skull knight and Zodd have clashed for a MILLENIA now

[@HazelOrbius]

@@slaygadethicide But every source I've found states Zodd has only been active for 300 years. If Zodd is as old as SK, why would he spend 700 years doing nothing, only for then to suddenly decide "Yeah sure, I'll go fuck up some strong humans now." He would already know nothing could compare to SK at that point so why bother? Zodd doesn't strike me as someone who acts out of boredom.

[@pierce2949]

okay at first i was like wtf this is dumb BUT you got me somewhere in there after skull knight presumably died at a past eclipse, Zodd must have used his body to become an apostle, which implies a behelit, almost like the one guts carries with him that he might be acting as a messenger of...

[@isaakhyde8327]

The main thing that stands out to me here is that we already heard that the previous user of the armor was killed by the armor for using it too long. And if that were the case, there would be no one left to activate the Behelit that made Zodd, Zodd- an apostle. As others also said, the helm was in a slull shape when found, so it's likely there wasn't just some other person who wore it and died. It might be different if the previous user was described as driven to the very limits of despair by using the armor because their one desire was to fight and it allowed them too but also was killing them, so they needed everlasting power to fight forever. Because then that alludes to both the possibility that he didn't die from the suit and the classic desperation scenario that leads to crying behelits. So while this is probably the closest we could get with what's available, I think right now the best answer to the connection is still just "it's not really explained." Hopefully he left enough notes to eventually shed more concrete light on this.

[@slaygadethicide]

Guts has a beast of darkness it is it’s own entity already. No sacrifice required.

[@salvatorepisano4078]

Yeah this theory doesn't hold much of anything. It was a fun try

[@muder0989]

Actually it makes the most sense because zodd has never devoured a human only killed them in droves on endless battlefields.

[@ausgamecollector]

Zodd is a warrior of principle and honour. He actually doesn’t participate in the eclipse, despite the fact he was headed there after he pit-stopped to kill Wyald and prevent Griffith dying so it could take place. He appears to follow the strongest, despite their moral compass, hence Griffith, who he developed a newfound respect for since he had his horn severed (and most likely can’t reattach/ regenerate it). The strongest apostles including himself, Grunbeld, Locus and Irvine all don’t appear to devour humans.

[@christianking7435]

This is the only compelling theory on this subject that rings most correct for me. Thanks.

[@kevinmoore2474]

This theory is cool and all, but the berserker armor itself proves it false. The Berserker armor would have looked like Zodd, instead of a skeletal knight.

[@elcroquetero9850]

Very cool theory!! I only have one point that may not add to it. If Zodd is SK's beast of darkness, why does the berserker armor resemble a skeleton before Guts using it? It is supposed to resemble the owner's inner darkness. Wouldn't have resemble both the Skull and Zod form?

[@impostersnake4089]

You did a good fucking breakdown my boy makes so much sense

[@BraveCat9927]

awesome video. but now im wondering which one is the ego because in many spiritual teachings we can understand that our ego is our physical brain, which is seperate from our actual consciousness. I have made this distinction within myself (ego death is scary but an incredible way to take control of yourself, stop bad habits and find what your very soul is beckoning for) anyway, if the ego is the physical form, Zodd would be Gaiseric's ego, his former past self turned into apostle. and skull night is Gaiseric's actual true consciousness, seperated from his ego and in complete control of himself and his emotions, if he has capacity for typical human emotion that is.

[@General_Li_Shin]

This theory is great, I have thought about this being a possibility in the past but never had proof, it was just fun to think about !!

[@nunovicentemello2393]

I'll tell you what, however, I totally believe what you said about Skull Knight having no hair, I bet the guys is so bald that you can use the top of his head as a mirror.

[@JackSparrow-qb2jp]

Remember the goals of the skull knight and the legend of king gaiseric that Charlotte talks about. gaiseric was the king of the old midlands, but he was an evil king, so god sent 4 angels who destroyed the midlands. these were the godhand, and since skull knight's mission is to take revenge on them, he definitely was king gaiseric. your theory is still very original

[@mrorlov2706]

Skullknight is Donovan. Also he was referring to eclipse at 3:27

[@reidthered]

Great video. Great theory. Great voice. I can listen at 2x and still understand every word. Nicely done 👍

[@crozraven]

This interesting theory totally crumbling to dust from the very fact that ZODD IS AN APOSTLE, meaning he is his own being & became an apostle through behelit. BUTT!! There is a bit of a crazy thing here from the very fact that Guts also still holding a behelit! Even though he is someone with the brand. So far there is no apostle with a brand & it's simply defying the rules that set upon by Void himself. Who knows really...

[@joek600]

we still dont know if Guts' behelit is his or if it will find its way to its proper owner down the road.

[@ausgamecollector]

I really dig this theory; like Piccolo and Kami. I still prefer the theory of Void = Gaeseric, with SK being the heir to the throne who initiated a coup, imprisoning his father for treason. This explains why the king being ruthless & levying taxes on the people don’t match SK’s actions.

[@sir_wesley86]

man, i like this theory so much, I'm not even sure I'll be capable of liking something else to be true

[@zollof6699]

This is the story subplot I want to see concluded the most honestly. Its so damn interesting.

[@acuteoctogon9303]

Bro this was a great video and all makes sense

[@krisstopherrostran598]

If this ends up being legit, I owe you a beer sir. Theres definitely a few holes here I feel due to the time line but your biggest hurdle is really Void. Skull knight clearly has one goal in mind and although I can understand your beast wanting to attack you if you banish it, why wouldn't Zodd want to attack Void? Guts has lost control of his beast for the lust of attacking Griffith On occasion it would be parallel if zodd also wanted to kill void and skull knight. Otherwise, great weave man... this is out there but I like it!

[@SoHanged]

Wait a minute i was thinking about a one very interesting things. You said through really interesting analysis that Zod and the skull knight could be the ego and the shadow of Gaiseric that 1000 years before the story of Guts they split, if this interesting theory turns out to be true it is not that Void actually would be the Griffith of Gaiseric, since he was already alive in comparison to the other participants of the hand of god and also seen that during the eclipse it was the main target of the attacks of the ancestor of Guts. (Actually this is the only video of your channel that I saw.)

[@Kowalaman72]

Really good. Nice video. Loving the berserk hype.

[@nunovicentemello2393]

Guts' inner demon is completely different from Zodd, it just wants blood and pain, it enjoys the viscera and the torment it inflicts upon others and it wants more and more, but if you look at Zodd, he doesn't act like that, he's very rational and calm, he keeps mostly to himself and whenever he goes into combat, he's not there simply for blood, he enjoys fighting but he is not cruel, he respects his opponents and doesn't torture them or anything, he finishes them off quick, doesn't hang around watching people squirm in pain, and in fact, he is known for not being completely bloodthirsty like the others, when the Eclipse happened, he didn't stick around for the party he was more interested in fighting Skull Knight, who can offer him a good fight, than he was in the blood and dispair, which Guts' hound would drool over. As to why Skull Knight doesn't get rid of him in one strike, well, Zodd is second in command for Griffith for some reason, he is not an average Apostle, he is far beyond the abilities of most Apostles, so of course Skull Knight won't chop him just like that, they're rivals for good reason.

[@BraaadLeee]

new drinking game, take a shot every time he says “asunder”

[@pablocrawford3922]

What this leaves out is that Skull Knight was confirmed to be the Fairy King a thousand years before the main story

[@drumi5302]

Good vid man, subscribed 🤙

[@InternalPrimate06]

Good analysis, you actually blew my mind here 😮 but how did the alter ego of Gaiserick i.e zodd became an apostle?

[@rafikkaddour8704]

i think seperating skull night/zod might be the FORBIDDEN ritual Flora did, which caused her to be outcasted from elf helm

[@somethingdoesntaddup8413]

Me in the beginning: no way, that's stupid.... 10 minutes later: NO WAY!!

[@Alucia0]

Oww I like this one a lot. Brilliant theory. If anyone is a Kingdom Hearts fan this should make you think of Terra. His body taken over by darkness and used for evil. While his heart was trapped inside of his old armor he became the lingering will, a being with only vengence on his mind.

[@traffic420]

they also have the same font for their dialogue and thats already enough proof for me

[@5ecretcode]

Wait 1:00 to 3:53 - Zods pin holding his cape together is the exact same design as Gaiseric helmet lol crazy - also Gaiseric armor design shows a beast with two horns.

[@tannerfishalow4238]

Yeah man

[@bladeswillxbleed]

Then why did Zodd just start showing up on battlefields 300 years ago, according to Zodd? I suppose it would only be possible that way if and only if SK was separated immediately from Zodd & the Berserker armor, and Zodd only got to live within the armor until 300 years ago.

[@5ecretcode]

GET THIS - Since it's an unwritten story imagine the scenario of a game being developed like of the rise and fall of King Gaiseric, plays like shadows of mordor mixed with Kotor, you're a soldier in a "Band of hawks" the twist would be like KOTOR if you've ever played that, so you're experiencing the kingdoms being united to it's demise.

[@mamano.k.5916]

This is make sense. Probably the same answer of one thing i’ve wondered for months, why Zodd in apostle form only has one face. Most of apostles has 2 faces right

[@rgjcs2793]

YOO that zodd being skull knight's inner beast of darkness theory tho!! If Miura ever goes that route I would still be blown away

[@rustyshackleford7763]

I honestly think you might have hit the nail on the head with this theory. Because even if the naysayers keep bringing up the “300 years” statement, Zodd remembers the armor when Skull Knight first wore it, which means that he was definitely there, a thousand years ago.

[@Berserk_96]

I do think Skull Knight is Garseric and Void is the Sage

[@azaizer]

HOLY SHIT!!! You're a FUCKING GENIUS if this theory turns out to be the actual truth of things!!! MY GOD!!! I mean, it DOES MAKE SENSE! It would totally BLOW MY MIND, if this is what it actually is and we were meant to follow all these hints/breadcrumbs to piece this together ourselves! I mean, the Berserk manga is definitely clever enough to do this for sure! The last part of your theory on why Skull Knight won't/can't kill Zodd, I feel another possibility is that - if Skull Knight kills Zodd.... then he wouldn't be able to reclaim his original body? What if he seeks to reverse his curse and won't kill Zodd because he wants to find a way or knows of a way to get his body back? Merge Ego with Id and then force the beast of darkness out?!

[@notlegalinvestigations9055]

I think writer is clear that the one of the god hand is emperor who sacrifice the he’s kindom to become a god hand. It probably it would have been love triangle between the vampire lady, the skull night, and the brain guy. the art parallel tells that Guts becomes a new skull night liked person, and will help bring the end of the saga. Not with happy end. Its not happy ending. He has purpose in trying to kill off the god hand.

[@justinpacheco540]

Its pretty much confirmed cuz you got that dude on elfhelm that saw skull knight and introduced him as my king

[@SamuelPerillaEspinosa]

What if Zodd is a descendant of Gaiseric? Zodd is stated to live around 300 years before the events of berserk which would mean a 700 year gap between Gaiseric and Zodd. As a descendant he would take inspiration from the helmet of Gaiseric and dawn the flying lion demon form when he uses a behelit to consolidate his lust for battle by becoming an apostle. Or maybe there is some connection from the Gaiseric blood to this being in the astral world. This would connect with SK because if SK is Gaiseric then would also make sense as the primary feature of Gaiseric was the skull, as well as SK having been the last to use the Berserker armor, had a skull as its helmet. When guts puts it on pre transformation, it is still a skull similar to the one from SK.

[@jacobjordan9799]

Dude that's totally possible very good theory and video

[@bullit4170]

Gotta say this vid caught me off guard and it was really awesome

[@philippelfrey5368]

It's plain sight look at the demon kings sword it's same shape as skull kinghts sword and they both have skull helmets the demon king who created midland is also the skull knight they are the same person he fight the God hand cause they were the 4 apostles sent to destroy his kingdom he created after being punished for his sins

[@reidanderson6953]

Gaiseric is skull knight and Void is his Griffith.

[@bryantaylor9874]

Also Zod sensed Skull moments before he appeared during the fight with Ganghesha.