Summary
In the bleak and harrowing world ofBerserk, the Apostles stand as some of the strongest and most grotesque antagonists, each harboring their own unique backstories and monstrous exteriors. As key adversaries within Kentaro Miura’s acclaimed manga, the Apostles are humans who have sacrificed something precious to attain demonic power and immortality, serving the sinister God Hand. This article explores the origins, desires, and unique atrocities represented by each Apostle in the series.
From the tragic stories of their transformations to their pivotal roles in the story, this article will look at the wrapped fates that define these perplexing beings inBerserk.The transcendence from desiring humans into Apostles is a central theme inBerserk, which explores the ideas of sacrifice, dominance, and tyranny. Apostles are former human beings who call upon theGod Hand in situations of dire need or desire, sacrificing someone they cherish or something of significant worth in exchange for unfathomable power and a new physical body that encapsulates the Japanese notion of “Kaiju,” an antagonistic beast of divine power. This Faustian bargain transforms humans into demonic entities, ultimately eliminating any shred of their prior humanity.
1Berserk: Every Apostle and Their Backstory in the Series
Appearance:The Slug Count is the leading antagonist of the “Black Swordsman” arc. The Count exists as a repugnant slug-like demon with regeneration capacity and phenomenal power.
Background:The Slug Count Apostle was formerly a prestigious nobleman named Vlad Tepes. Before his demonic transformation, the Count was a devoted leader who focused on the care of his beloved family. The Count is a portrayal of human complexity. His transcendence from human to Apostle wasn’t through his will of greed or power; it was due to the world-shattering revelation of his wife’s actions. During his sorrow, the God Hand appears with a proposition of power and, subsequently, the Count sacrifices his wife in exchange for immense power, and immortality.
Role in the Story:After nearly killing Guts, both the Count and Guts are confronted once again by the God Hand. The Count refuses a second Apostolic transformation as that would entail the sacrifice of his daughter, Theresia, which leads to his banishment to the dark abyss. The Count’s significance in the story is a dichotomic elicitation of evil and humanity withinBerserk’suniverse. The Count embodies the essence of evil after his transformation, but his reasons may be understood, and the refusal to sacrifice his daughter proposed the idea tothe Berserkaudience. Do the Apostles still have some human values left?
Rosine: Apostle
Appearance:Rosine, the main adversary inBerserk’s “Conviction Arc”, takes on an infantile, fairy-like form with insect-like wings, resembling a beautiful but monstrous moth.
Background:Rosine was a young girl who endured abuse. As a defense mechanism for her situation, she became engrossed in the fantastical world of fairy tales. When an incident happened with her father, Rosine left her home with the aim of finding elves from her beloved fables. During this time, Rosine unexpectedly summoned the God Hand, sacrificing her parents to become an Apostle.
Role in the Story:In the “Conviction” arc, Rosine creates a deadly realm for children, turning them into pseudo-Apostles with the characteristics of insect-like creatures. In theBerserkcanon, Rosine is the only child Apostle, who serves as a greater inspection into the character of Guts, whose zeal is to kill all Apostles. Thus, Rosine’s character and her interaction with Guts are a depiction of how farGuts, himself, has strayed from the human pathand the darkness that consumes his entire being.
Wyald: Apostle
Appearance:Wyald is a muscular, primate-like creature with immense strength and a sadistic nature in his Apostle form. Wylad appears in the “Golden Age Arc” of theBerserkmanga, held in many fans' opinions to be one of the best arcs in manga history.
Background:Wyald is the leader of a mercenary band of criminals and law-breakers called the Dog Knights, who have been ordered to dispose of Griffith. Little is known about Wyald’s past before becoming an Apostle or how he became an Apostle but his sadism and brutality are evident throughout his actions, personifying the inherent, animalistic evil that resides within man.
Role in the Story:Wyald demonstrates that there is a spectrum of craziness that can be applied to the Apostles. While all evil, the Apostles still have the autonomy to act and choose as they see fit and Wyald had no regard for anything apart from truly inhumane destruction.
Zodd (Nosferatu Zodd): Apostle
Appearance:The most famous, fearsome, and well-known Apostle, Nosferatu Zodd, was first introduced in the “Golden Age Arc”. Zodd is a central character in theBerserkstory and is an enormous, horned beast with incredible strength and an indomitable fighting spirit. His Apsotle form, as well as his humanoid form, are also very imposing.
Background:Zodd has lived for 300 years, reveling in battle and searching for worthy opponents. His transformation into an Apostle is shrouded in mystery, but he has been titled “God of the Battlefield” and “Immortal One”, establishing Zodd in the mythos of theBerserkworld, a name that instills fear in those who hear the name. Furthermore, Zodd shows true melancholy towards his Apostle form, as battles have become too easy and thus not fun for him anymore.
Role in the Story:WhileZodd is one of the strongest characters inBerserk,he doesn’t find value in the acts of callousness, his purpose lies solely in his endeavor to find worthy opponents to battle. Zodd’s complex character adds depth to the series' exploration of power and honor whilst also acting as a bridge between Guts and Griffith, since Zodd has joined Griffith’s immensely powerful and revitalization of the Band of the Hawk.
Ganishka: Apostle
Appearance:Ganishka appears in the “Millennium Falcon” arc. As an Apostle, he metamorphizes into a massive cloud-like entity with remarkable lightning powers.
Background:Ganishka served as an emperor who, in his pursuit of supremacy and eternal life, offered his son’s life to become an Apostle. His transformation bolsters his determination to triumph and predominate.
Role in the Story:Ganishka’s ambitions lead to a climactic confrontation with Griffith. His rebirth into an elevated demonic form and subsequent defeat are critical to the ongoing conflict between humans and the Apostles.
Irvine: Apostle
Appearance:Irvine initially appeared in the “Millennium Falcon Arc” and is a thin, mysterious archer sporting a hawk-like mask. As an Apostle, his battle style differs from the hand-to-hand, close-combat fighting methods shown in other Apostles. Irvine is a distance fighter who blends in as a lethal sniper.
Background:Irvine’s past before becoming an Apostle is largely unknown. He is presented as a “Robin Hood” archetype who, despite little elaboration in theBerserkmanga, Irvine is shown to be a caring Apostle who invites Sonia to sit by the fire and covers her body with his own personal jacket when she falls asleep.
Role in the Story:Irvine further expresses the personality spectrum inherent to different Apostles. He becomes a loyal member of Griffith’s new Band of the Hawk and supports Griffith’s ambitions with his unparalleled fighting ability.
Locus: Apostle
Appearance:Locus, like Irvine was introduced in the “Millennium Falcon Arc”. Locus is a quintessential knightly figure, both in his human and Apostle forms. His Apostle form is a metallic, centaur-like creature with a lance.
Background:Locus was a renowned knight and is celebrated as the “Moonlight Knight”. He has upheld an undefeated record throughout his battles and conflicts but is known for having no loyalty or allegiance to any one king, leader, or master. However, Locus has sworn his devotion to Griffith as his leader and is shown to believe in Griffith’s cause as a development for the greater world. Currently, it is unknown about the time, circumstances, or events that resulted in Locus becoming an Apostle.
Role in the Story:Locus is seen as Griffith’s right-hand solider, and in accordance with this position, Locus plays a significant role in the new Band of the Hawk. His loyalty to Griffith and combative competence make him a significant personality in the series' future conflicts.
Rakshas: Apostle
Appearance:Rakshas premiered in theBerserkseries during the “Millennium Falcon Arc”. Rakshas is an enigmatic-masked figure with a physique that is malleable and almost liquid-like. His Apostle form’s atomic structure is fluid.
Background:Rakshas' past is shrouded in mystery. However, the information from theBerserknarrative explains thatRakshas is a member of the Bakiraka clanand was, for some undisclosed reason, exiled. Since this exile, he has become an Apostle and a taboo topic of discussion for the Bakiraka Clan.
Role in the Story:Rakshas is another apostle that illustrates the brutality of the world Kentaro Miura has created. Rakshas is an Apostle in Griffith’s new Band of the Hawk who is shown to be arrogant and hedonistic. He also acts as an uncertainty within the newly reformed, demonic Band of the Hawk, with Rakshas stating he cut Griffith’s head off one day.
