Far too large and unwieldy to be a sword yet wielded just like one, the Dragon Slayer is a blade that has inspired countless other weapons across various forms of media in the years since its first reveal. As Guts' signature weapon in Kentaro Miura's Berserk, the weapon, despite not being the first oversized blade of its kind, has gone on to become an inextricable part of the Black Swordsman's identity, regularly cleaving his foes to pieces while meeting little resistance in its path. Since its debut, the sword has inspired countless homages, including the Buster Sword used by Cloud Strife in the Final Fantasy series, Greatswords in the Dark Souls franchise, as well as specific Greatswords that serve as more direct tributes in Elden Ring and Skyrim.

Its thickness, width, and sheer visual weight have often led to it being described as a "heap of raw iron," much more uncouth than the traditional image of a sword, yet Guts' use of it throughout Berserk has shown that it is the ideal armament for a swordsman of his incredible level of skill. Moreover, what makes it especially effective is its ability to slice through opponents from both the physical and astral worlds when called into action.

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The Blade's Origins

Miura's original idea while developing the prototype for Berserk, was to equip his protagonist with a Japanese sword, and insert him into a medieval European setting. However, this was soon scrapped in favor of the now-iconic Dragon Slayer and cannon embedded in Guts' left arm. Although the design of the sword changed between Berserk: The Prototype and the debut of the Black Swordsman arc in the final manga, many similarities did remain.

While its predecessor expands towards the hilt, in a manner similar to that of a crossguard, the Dragon Slayer as featured in the final Berserk manga has a much less elaborate design, simply consisting of a trapezoidal pommel, unadorned hilt wrapped in cloth, a semicircular guard with a concentric ridge, followed by a fairly straight, double-edged blade of massive size that tapers towards a pointed tip at its very end. Guts also wields it one-handed in Berserk: The Prototype, as opposed to his predominantly two-handed use of it in the manga. Even though it was not the first oversized blade seen in the medium, Miura had noted that most portrayals of such weapons did not account for the actual force and physicality needed to swing such a large, weighty object.

In this regard, he sought to rectify this very point that he had observed through his representation of the Dragon Slayer being used in combat. This is evident in the immense trail of destruction left by the sword every time Guts makes use of it, slicing through opponents, stone walls, other swords, and obstructions indiscriminately with alarming force. Gut's own stature and physique were also defined through Miura's own studies into what level of strength and endurance would be necessary for an individual to use a sword of this nature effectively.

A Sword Fit To Slay Dragons

As per the manga, the Dragon Slayer was forged by Godot during his youth, having been initially commissioned by the sovereign of a town he was residing in at the time. The king had issued a decree to his vassals, calling for a sword "capable of killing a dragon." On hearing the king's proclamation from his liege lord, the exceptionally-skilled young blacksmith — who had grown tired of crafting elaborate weapons for nobles who prioritized elegance over functionality — took the call to heart and set out to fulfill this brief in every regard.

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However, Godot's presentation of the oversized, almost crude weapon before his lord provoked the latter's anger. Infuriated by the impractical nature of the sword — to a degree where virtually no one could ever hope to really wield it — Godot's lord threatened his life. This unfortunate series of events prompted the blacksmith to flee the castle town he called home and settle down at the mines where he would live out the rest of his days and eventually cross paths with Guts. The blade would itself remain in storage for years, gradually biding its time until a fateful encounter with an apostle at Godot's workshop would force Guts to wield it for the first time.

Tempered By Malice Itself

On making the sword his primary weapon after the incident with the roaming apostle, Guts regularly deploys it during his nightly confrontations with malevolent spirits. As time passes, the sword itself becomes tempered by the malice of all the demons, apostles, and pseudo-apostles slain by the Black Swordsman, to a degree where it becomes effective even against the likes of the Sea God or the assumed forms of the God Hand — as seen in Guts' fight against the Slan's troll form in Qliphoth. Ordinary weapons would struggle to damage Astral beings, but this is not the case when it comes to the Dragon Slayer.

A further demonstration of this comes during the battle between Guts, Schierke, and the Kundalini that was summoned by the Kushan sorcerer Daiba in Vritannis. Having summoned the Wheel of Flame, an elemental manifestation of hellfire, Schierke imbibes the Dragon Slayer with its power, allowing Guts to deal a fatal blow to the massive Astral serpent. Finally, the emergence of the Kushan emperor Ganishka in his fog form, adds the most weight to this ability possessed by the sword. Even while the attacks of Nosferatu Zodd himself proved useless against the emperor's elemental body, Guts was able to strike his body and deal considerable damage to the apostle while flying on the back of his sworn enemy. This is perhaps the most potent evidence of the weapon's power against one of the most powerful characters in the series.

In The Hands Of The Black Swordsman

During his first few outings with it over the course of the Black Swordsman arc, Lost Children chapter, Conviction arc, and the first half of the Millenium Falcon arc, the blade is truly a force to be reckoned with in Guts' hands in his initial — allowing him to easily slice or flatten his foes beneath its immense size and weight. Guts is also capable of using the blade in place of a shield to deflect attacks, capitalizing on its large surface area. Additionally, his duel with Serpico shows that he is also capable of using the blade in a more restrained manner.

However, the blade does take damage in the form of scratches, nicks, and regular wearing due to Guts' relentless use of it. As Godot himself states while reforging the blade when Guts returns to him once again, the sword, much like Guts himself, is not invincible, and will need time to heal and recuperate after enduring extended punishment. On the other hand, the innate destructive potential of the weapon is taken to a whole new level when Guts acquires the Berserker armor, where his inhuman strength, aggression, and agility leave most apostles powerless to even comprehend the threat they face. Easily dispatching most opponents in mere seconds, the full extent of the Dragon Slayer's capabilities in the hands of the Black Swordsman are revealed during Gut's fight against Grunbeld.

Effortlessly breaking through the Flame Dragon Knight's cannon-fire repelling shield, the weapon even manages to wound Grunbeld in his released form, cutting through his crystalline corundum skin — said to be as tough as steel itself. Although the sword has yet to be used to slay an actual dragon, a future confrontation between these two powerful combatants in Berserk's continuation under Kouji Mori and Studio Gaga, could see the blade finally earning the name it was bestowed with at the time of its forging.

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