Summary
- Former Band of the Hawk survivor, Rickert, betrays Guts by allowing his capture by a Kushan army he is a part of, marking a shocking twist.
- Despite initially appearing as an ally in disguise, Rickert reveals his true identity to Guts and gives orders to the Kushan army, suggesting his involvement in the capturing process.
- Rickert's betrayal is a compelling development considering his earlier comments on the similarities between his journey and Guts', leaving fans curious about how he ended up in this position. Berserk volumes are available from Dark Horse.
Warning: Spoilers for Berserk chapter #375In a shocking twist, former Band of the Hawk survivor Rickert has effectively betrayed Guts by allowing his former comrade's capture in the latest Berserk chapter. The previous installment may have provided readers with some semblance of hope when Rickert appeared disguised among Kushan soldiers after commandeering Guts' vessel, but that no longer seems to be the case.
In chapter #375 of the late Kentaro Miura's Berserk by Studio Gaga, Ricket realizes that the man the Kushan soldiers have captured is Guts. Rickert then removes his helmet and informs a chained and shackled Guts that, unfortunately, for him and his crew, they have invaded Kushan waters, so he and the Kushans will therefore be seizing their vessel.
This is then followed by the Kushan army doing just that, as Rickert watches the whole process and does nothing to help or vouch for his former ally. Guts have obviously suffered betrayals before, but few are as shocking as the latest twist of the knife by Rickert.
Rickert Allows Guts to Be Captured By the Kushan Army
When Rickert first appeared as a Kushan warrior in Berserk chapter #374, there was a possibility that he could be infiltrating. Even though Rickert had formed a tenuous alliance with the Kushan Silat, Silat made a comment that suggested the Kushans would not accept Rickert. Since Silat was nowhere to be seen in chapter #374, there was a possibility that Rickert was hiding his true identity and would aide Guts in secret. However, the fact that Rickert removes his helmet and speaks to Guts in the Midland language means that the Kushans are aware of who he is, and that Rickert didn't want to hide that he knew their prisoners.
Of course, there's still a possibility that Rickert's hands are tied to some extent, but it's less of a possibility that this is the case because he appears to give the Kushans orders upon realizing who their prisoners are. After saying some undisclosed words to his comrades, a few soldiers draw their weapons and cut the bonds of their prisoners. It's notable, however, that Guts still appears to be chained by the end of the chapter. It also doesn't help that he refers to himself and the Kushan army as "we" as opposed to "they." By failing to separate himself from the Kushans, Rickert is effectively conveying that he is also seizing their vessel.
Berserk Has Set Guts & Rickert on Differing Paths
Regardless, this is a more compelling development when considering how, much earlier on, Rickert pointed out the similarities between his journey and the path that Guts had taken the last time they saw each other in chapter #339. Rickert's own journey couldn't be any more different than what Guts is experiencing now. And, of course, Berserk fans are undoubtedly quite interested in seeing eventually how Rickert got to be where he is with Guts after he and Silat blasted their way out of Griffith's Capital City of Falconia so long ago.
Berserk Volumes Can Be Purchased From Dark Horse.
