Berserk has been a cult classic for over 30 years, beloved by fans all over the world. It was Kentaro Miura’s epic masterpiece that introduced Guts’ valiant yet tragic story to the world. With numerous twists and turns in the series’ narrative, Berserk’s complete timeline may intimidate the uninitiated.
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Berserk’s Complete Timeline Explained
There are three major timelines in the Berserk Universe, and they are as follows:
Berserk’s Major Events Before the Birth of Guts (BG)
Circa 1000 BG:
It is a time of conflict, with tribes fighting against one another, until the supreme ruler, King Gaizerick, appears and unites the surrounding countries, with Midland as the center of his empire.
Later, King Gaizerick imprisoned a sage in the Tower of Conviction and tortured him until four or five angels arrived to rescue him.
King Gaizerick was punished by the angels, who destroyed his empire with lightning and earthquakes.
This is known as the dreadful eclipse, which occurs every 216 years when a new member of the God Hand is added.
After King Gaizerick's demise, a mysterious man known as the Skull Knight appeared amid the chaos.
He lost his beloved and became a dead man, stalking the endless night. He eventually declared war on the Inhumans.
Circa 800 BG:
The birth of the second member of the God Hand.
Circa 700 BG:
The Holy See was formally established. It constructed churches from sanctuaries dedicated to elemental spirits. It also condemned witches and those who refused to convert.
The Holy See also founded Albion, which is located near the Tower of Conviction.
Circa 600 BG:
The birth of the third member of the God Hand.
Circa 400 BG:
The birth of the fourth member of the God Hand.
Circa 300 BG:
Skull Knight's adversary, the former might warrior Zodd, became an apostle.
The Skull Knight also obtains the Berserker Armor from a witch named Flora. He was later reduced to a specter, returning the armor to Flora.
Elsewhere, the Bakiraka, a Kushan assassin tribe, were exiled.
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Berserk’s Major Events Before the Eclipse (BE)
Circa 19 BE:
Guts was born from a lynched woman's uterus and was abandoned in a pool of amniotic fluid, mud, and blood.
A band of mercenary bandits led by Gambino and his lover Shisu discovered Guts and adopted him. Griffith and Casca, on the other hand, were also born.
Circa 16 BE:
Shisu contracted the plague and died.
Circa 13 BE:
Guts, a six-year-old, trained with Gambino and learned the ways of the sword and battle. The young boy was able to injure Gambino's face during a sparring match.
Circa 10 BE:
Gambino consents to Donovan raping Guts. Donovan completed the heinous deed, but Guts ambushed him later on during a foray into the woods. Gambino also retired from the battlefield after losing his right leg.
Circa 8 BE:
Guts, an 11-year-old mercenary, kills Gambino after ambushing him several times at night. With an arrow in his back, he fled the mercenaries.
Circa 7 BE:
After saving the life of a young boy named Serpico, the Vandamion household's youngest daughter claims him as his own. They eventually discover that they are half-siblings.
Meanwhile, Griffith founded the Band of Hawks and received the Behelit around the same time.
Circa 5 BE:
Guts became a prisoner of war and met Chitch, a flower spirit who takes care of all of his needs, including his injuries.
Simultaneously, Griffith saves Casca from being raped by a nobleman. Casca also joins the Band of Hawks and takes up mercenary life.
Griffith also sleeps with Lord Genon of Tudor in exchange for funds for his mercenary band.
Circa 4 BE:
Guts defeated the Gray Knight Bazuso, and the Band of the Hawks commended him.
Guts and Griffith finally met after Griffith subdued him before the former could strike Casca with his sword.
After losing the deciding match to Griffith, Guts reluctantly joined the Band of the Hawks.
He was promoted to platoon commander two weeks later. He was also aware of Griffith's Behelit, also known as the King's Egg.
Circa 1 BE:
Griffith became a knight despite being a commoner, whereas Guts was nearly killed by Nosferatu Zodd. After a failed assassination attempt on Griffith, Guts assassinates Julius and his son, Adonis.
After the battle with the Blue Whale Knights, Guts and Casca developed a stronger bond. Guts was also dubbed "The Hundred Man Slayer" after defeating 100 of Adon's mercenaries.
The Hundred-Year War was won by the Band of Hawks, who successfully reclaimed Doldur as ordered by the King.
Griffith's life was turned upside down when Guts decided to leave the Band of Hawks. Griffith became involved with Charlotte after Guts left, which led to his arrest in the Tower of Rebirth.
The Band of the Hawks are labeled criminals, and Guts learned of their demise from the Skull Knight during the eclipse.
Circa 00 BE:
Guts rejoins the Band of Hawks, who are now on the hunt for Griffith. He also confessed his feelings for Casca, and the two of them finally understood each other's emotions.
Guts, along with Casca, Pippin, and Judeau, rescues an unrecognizable Griffith from the Tower of Rebirth.
The King directs Wyald and the Black Dog Knights to eliminate the Hawks.
Griffith attempts suicide—until he recalls his behelit.
He inadvertently causes an eclipse, which sends the Band of the Hawks, Guts, and Casca to the Interstice, where they meet members of the God Hand.
Griffith accepted to be reborn as Femto, the final member of the God Hand, and the Band of the Hawks became branded for sacrifice.
Only Guts and Casca survive, but tragedy strikes again when Femto rapes Casca. In the process, she lost her mind.
Thankfully, the Skull Knight appears and returns Guts and Casca to the mortal realm.
Casca bears a deformed child tainted by Femto's demonic essence. Guts swears vengeance on Griffith, leaving Casca to Erica and Rickert in search of apostles.
Rickert gave him a fake left arm with a built-in cannon and crossbow before leaving.
Guts also discovers the massive sword known as the Dragon Slayer and takes it with him on his journey.
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Berserk’s Major Events in the Age of Darkness (AD)
02 AD:
Guts earned the moniker "Black Swordsman," and he is on the lookout for apostles to slaughter. After killing the Snake Baron, he befriends Puck, a man he rescued from the Koka Village.
Vargas gave Guts a Behelit, which he activated after injuring the count in front of his daughter.
Once again, Guts confronts Griffith, but he is unable to murder him.
03 AD:
Jill is kidnapped outside her village near the Valley of the Mist, and Guts saves her. Rosine, Queen of the Fairy Kingdom in the Valley of the Mist, appears with her elves and attacks Guts and Jill.
The Holy Iron Chain Knights labeled Guts a mass murderer after learning what he did to Rosine and her elves.
Moreover, the Holy Iron Chain Knights kidnapped Guts, who later escaped thanks to Puck's assistance.
Midland is being ravaged by an epidemic reminiscent of the Black Death. The King of Midland dies as the Kushan Empire approaches the kingdom.
Unfortunately, Casca runs away from Erica only to find herself in the company of a harlot named Luca.
Guts had a vision of Casca being burned, which compelled him to return to Godot's house and search for her.
He decides to travel to Albion, where he meets up with the Skull Knight again.
The Skull Knight gives him two options: save Casca or prevent Griffith from regaining corporeal form.
Casca pursues Nina, one of Luca's harlots, but both are apprehended by heretics in the Tower of Conviction.
Guts saves Casca from the Tower, but Griffith appears after the Incarnation Ceremony from the lifeless shell of the Egg of the Perfect World is completed.
Guts and Griffith went their separate ways, with the latter fleeing with Zodd and the former returning to Godot's house with Casca.
Guts and Griffith cross paths again atop the Hill of Swords, where they fight.
This incident pushed Guts to take Casca with him, remembering Puck's advice to go to Elfhelm, where Casca could be safe.
Most notably, Guts revives the Band of the Hawks.
04 AD:
Guts meets Flora, who reveals the true nature of the God Hand, the Behelit, and even the Astral World.
Farnese and Casca were kidnapped yet again, but this time by trolls who took them into their den known as Qliphoth.
Guts was able to save them, but he ran into Slan. Fortunately, the Skull Knight reappears to save Guts and repel Slan.
Griffith, on the other hand, saves Charlotte from Wyndham Castle thanks to Zodd's assistance.
Griffith dispatches an apostle platoon led by Grunbeld and Zodd to execute Flora. After his near-death battle with Grunbeld, Guts donned the Berserker Armor for the first time.
However, Flora makes a sacrifice in order for her new friends to escape.
Guts was informed by the Skull Knight of the dangers of the Berserker Armor as well as the existence of the Flower Monarch, who can restore Casca's sanity.
Griffith builds Falconia, while Guts and his companions sail to Elfhelm.
05 AD:
Casca is healed by the Flower Storm Monarch, and she regains her sanity. Casca, who is now fully conscious and aware, is afraid of Guts and the Band of the Hawks.
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