The Theory: Griffith Is Destined to Become the God of the Physical World

Since Kentaro Miura began Berserk in 1989, the figure of Griffith — reborn as the Angel of Darkness, Femto — has dominated the story's mythology. Most readers accept Femto as the ultimate villain. But a significant portion of the Berserk fan community believes that Griffith's story is not over in the Astral realm. The theory: Griffith will become an entity that transcends the God Hand itself, a true Demon King who rules both the physical and spiritual worlds simultaneously.

Background: The God Hand and the Idea of Evil

To understand the theory, you need to understand the cosmology of Berserk. The God Hand are five supremely powerful spiritual beings who serve the Idea of Evil — a collective entity born from humanity's need to explain suffering and give it meaning. The Idea of Evil exists because humans wished for a reason behind their pain.

Griffith became the fifth member of the God Hand, Femto, through the Eclipse — the sacrifice of the Band of the Falcon. As Femto, he exists partly in the Astral plane, wielding influence over causality itself. But here is the critical detail: Griffith chose to manifest physically again. No other God Hand member has done this.

The Evidence for a Greater Destiny

1. Griffith's Reincarnation is Unprecedented

The reincarnated Griffith, born through Casca's child, exists as both a God Hand-level being and a physical human presence in the world. The God Hand operate from behind the Veil — they do not walk the earth. Griffith does. This suggests he is operating on a different trajectory than Void, Slan, Ubik, and Conrad.

2. The Prophecy of the Hawk of Light

Throughout the manga, Griffith is repeatedly referenced in prophecy as the "Hawk of Light" who will lead humanity. Crucially, this prophecy is embraced by ordinary people who see him as a savior. The theory holds that Griffith will eventually supplant the Idea of Evil itself — becoming not its servant but its replacement or destroyer, positioning himself as the singular ruling force over human fate.

3. Skull Knight's Fear

Skull Knight, who has existed long enough to witness multiple Falconia-level civilizational resets, treats Griffith with a specific kind of alarm he does not apply to the other God Hand members. His concern appears to be about what Griffith represents in the long arc of causality, not just his immediate threat level.

4. The Idea of Evil Chapter

The infamous "God of the Abyss" chapter (removed from the tankōbon by Miura) depicts Griffith seemingly in dialogue with the Idea of Evil before the Eclipse. Some readers interpret this as Griffith not simply accepting its terms — but negotiating them. If Griffith struck a bargain rather than surrendering to causality, his endgame could be far beyond Femto.

Counterarguments

  • Griffith may simply be the final antagonist without further escalation — Miura's focus was always on Guts' personal journey, and Griffith as the ultimate obstacle may be sufficient.
  • The reincarnation may serve narrative, not cosmological purposes — bringing Griffith physically into the world may be about the Guts/Griffith confrontation, not cosmic escalation.
  • The series' new direction under Mori makes long-term theories harder to pin down.

Verdict

The "Demon King" theory is compelling precisely because Berserk has always been about the collision between fate and individual will. If the story's resolution involves Guts defeating not just Griffith but the very system that creates Griffiths, the theory gains narrative weight. Whether Miura's original vision intended this — and whether Kouji Mori's continuation honors it — remains the central open question for Berserk readers worldwide.

This is a fan theory. It is speculative and based on textual analysis of the manga.