Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Berserk.
At times, even the strongest of warriors needs a boost, which often arrives in the form of a piece of equipment primed to increase their powers. And, while he would doubtlessly be an imposing fighter even without the aid of tools, Berserk‘s Guts is no different. Faced with a seemingly endless swarm of ever-stronger foes, with his end goal being taking on The Godhand itself (especially latest member Femto, once known as Griffith), the stalwart strongman has no choice but to raise his power level to meet each new threat.
One of the ways that Berserk’s protagonist achieves these much-needed strength boosts is by finding first-rate equipment with which to do battle. Not only is he granted a giant sword to wield called Dragon Slayer, but also, he’s given yet another metal masterpiece known as The Berserker Armor.
The Berserker Armor’s history and powers
By the time Guts gets his hands on it in the 225th chapter of Berserk‘s manga, The Berserker Armor has already been donned and utilized. Forged by dwarf blacksmith Hanarr, the highly durable metal suit was once worn by The Skull Knight back in his demon-slaying days, who later entrusted it to witch Flora for safekeeping. It remains hidden in her home until Guts makes use of it during his battle with Grunbeld, ultimately defeating the powerful apostle aided by its power.
Just like certain characters in Berserk, some of the story’s items are also endowed with supernatural abilities, and The Berserker Armor definitely fits the bill. It has been designed to enhance its wearer’s darker emotions (such as fear, anger, and hatred) as well as trick their minds into viewing physical pain as a triviality, all for the purpose of increasing their fighting ability. With this enchantment in place within the armor, the user’s strength and speed increase significantly while in the heat of battle. Ultimately, they’re referred to as a “berserker” because of the magical battle frenzy that’s being induced. (In case anyone’s ever wondered why the story’s called Berserk, this is the reason why.)
That’s not all, either. It just so happens that Berserk‘s metal suit of wonder can also temporarily “fix” harsh injuries by realigning broken parts and restoring their functionality. (For example, it can “fix” a broken arm by injecting makeshift “spines” into the broken bones as a substitute.) It can fix its own injuries as well. Perhaps most interestingly, it can allot its current wearer a previous user’s final memories in what’s known as a “blood memory.”
During his fight with Grunbeld, Berserk‘s protagonist’s “perfect” alignment with The Berserker Armor is evidenced by the helmet and bevor’s transformation into the shape of a vicious mouth capable of biting opponents, with the helmet’s eye holes emitting a crimson glow and the swordsman’s face fully concealed. However, when he remembers himself through the clouds of berserker-induced rage, the redness obscuring the eye holes disappears, revealing his real eyes, and his face becomes partially visible.
As cool as it looks in action, The Berserker Armor should have a warning label attached, since wearing it involves significant risks, even for Berserk‘s seemingly infallible hero. If its user doesn’t keep a handle on their negative emotions, they may temporarily turn into a feral, witless, and murderous monster. Furthermore, if this loss of control keeps happening along with too much reliance on the armor, they’ll eventually lose their mind, with vision, taste, and hand coordination also being impaired.
To top it off, it almost goes without saying that overexertion is a potential side effect of wearing The Berserker Armor. Obviously, retaining the urge to fight despite sustaining bad injuries, without any legitimate healing taking place, can cause the user to lose too much blood, perhaps even a fatal amount. Here’s to hoping that this won’t be the fate awaiting Guts in his final battle!