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"Tombstone of Flames (2)" is episode 32 of the Berserk manga series.

Summary[]

At the culmination of Griffith's scheme, the White Falcon does away with one of his most dangerous political enemies in Wyndham.

Synopsis[]

In shock, the Queen briefly forgets about the predicament she finds herself in. Despite the doctors making sure that Griffith was indeed dead, here he stands before her. He explains that the "poison" was merely a hyoscyamus-based nostrum taken in a small enough dosage to induce a temporary near-death stasis, and that the doctors were fooled into thinking that he had genuinely died.

One of the men in the tower begs for his life, but is silenced by the Queen. Griffith reveals that he secretly always knew of their plans, and took an active role in bringing them down, in direct contrast to their scheming from behind their desks. The Queen angrily exclaims that she will not stand for being killed by a simple commoner like Griffith. Calmly, Griffith replies that on the battlefield, there are no spectator seats, and that those who die in war are not ultimately acknowledged as royalty, nobility, or commoners, but rather as the defeated. He then walks away as the tower and his political enemies are engulfed in flames.

Upon leaving the scene, Griffith meets with Foss, who is deeply troubled by the whole situation. Griffith attributes Foss' uneasiness to either Foss having betrayed his comrades or having participated in a regicide. Foss asks how Griffith came to know of their plans. Griffith reveals that upon first meeting Foss, he ascertained Foss' fear of him, and so knew Foss would never permit his existence under normal conditions. Foss realizes that the trembling he is suffering stems not from his betrayal of his comrades, nor his part in the murder of the Queen; rather, he fears the unsettling air of dread emanating from Griffith.

Griffith tears up a blood-oath previously held by Foss, claiming that it is no longer necessary, and tells the minister that he hopes they can be amicable thenceforth. Griffith tells Foss to follow him to a water mill far from the scene of the Queen's death, where Foss is reunited with his daughter, Elize, who was kidnapped by five hired men at Griffith's behest. Griffith tosses the five men a sack of gold as reward for their service and then the five take their leave.

As the five men make their way along, they consider ratting Griffith out should he cut ties with them. Unbeknownst to them, Griffith has planned even for this contingency. They come across Guts, still cloaked and wearing his feathered hat, who kills them. Afterward, Griffith, who was tailing the five men, meets with Guts, who breathes a sigh of relief now that Griffith's scheme has drawn to a close. Griffith tells Guts to leave the gold with the dead men because, despite being dead, they had earned it.

Having left all the dirty work to Guts while his own hands remain clean, Griffith asks Guts if the swordsman thinks of him as cruel. In response, Guts chides Griffith for asking such a question to someone such as himself who has killed one hundred men single-handedly. Additionally, Guts reminds Griffith that this is merely another necessary part of the path to realizing his dream, to which Griffith is visibly reassured. As the two make their way along together, Guts tells Griffith of the humorous experience of seeing Casca in a dress.

Appearances[]

  1. Queen of Midland
  2. Griffith
  3. Foss
  4. Elize
  5. Guts

Appendices[]

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