Warning: Spoilers for Berserk cahpter 372The longest-lasting injury that once plagued Casca since the Eclipse just resurfaced in a new way in Berserk‘s newest chapter. This is the manga’s first release since Berserk went on an unofficial hiatus in December.
By Studio Gaga, chapter 372 of Berserk originally by the late mangaka Kentaro Miura follows Casca as she lives out a seemingly normal existence within the walls of Falconia, the capital city of Griffith’s ever-expanding empire in Berserk. But during her normal routines, an image of Guts’ companions enters her mind, causing her to fly into a terrified fit whereby she attacks her surrounding attendants and guards. Only when she mysteriously falls asleep does Casca’s rampage end.
Berserk Finds a Cruel New Way to Break Casca’s Mind
Although there are barely any spoken words or coherent thoughts in the chapter, the progression of events creates the impression that Casca has been brainwashed into believing that she’s a citizen of Falconia and that she belongs there. It’s only when her repressed memories break free does she realize the truth and try to escape. Although there are many differences, Casca’s current condition shares a few unsettling parallels to how the Eclipse broke her mind years ago. Casca fell into a near catatonic state after her numerous assaults, essentially becoming a shell of herself. She had changed so much in fact that Casca eventually assumed a new identity and was soon known as Elaine.
What’s so ironically tragic about where Berserk 372 finds her now is that Casca’s mind was only recently restored after hundreds of chapters that spanned decades of real-world time. Only after just getting her back, Casca has once again lost all control over her mental faculties. The only difference is that it doesn’t appear as though any specific traumatic event broke her mind. Yes, when Griffith materialized in Elfhelm not too long ago to capture Casca, she was so terrified that she fell unconscious. But it doesn’t appear as though that experience and her subsequent capture is what’s altered her memories. But readers know for a fact that Griffith is involved even though not directly.
Berserk Forces Casca Back Into a Victim Role
Although these recent developments serve as a natural progression from what Casca experiences after the Eclipse, it’s a shame they had to happen at all because it forces Casca to remain a victim, and she’s been victimized for far too long. Casca is a powerful woman who once perpetually proved herself to be more capable than most men in battle, but Berserk hasn’t shown that side of her in a while. While some readings of Casca’s recent capture in Berserk help demonstrate her strength, it’s only proven indirectly through Guts’ actions. Casca needs to return to her former glory in full sooner rather than later. But, unfortunately, whatever is controlling Casca now is making it difficult to think that this will happen any time soon. And with the next Berserk chapter not coming out until mid-May, the answer is even further away than most fans would like.
Berserk chapter 372 is available in English from Dark Horse Comics.
