"You're right, we are mortal and fragile. But even if we are tortured or wounded, we'll fight to survive. You should feel the pain we feel and understand. I am the messenger that will deliver to you that pain and understanding."
— Guts
In a world where the hand of fate compels all to fight, kill and die, only the most intelligent, most clever, and most ruthless can struggle and survive. While Guts himself proves his mettle and tactical prowess in his war against destiny, he also crosses the paths of many an ally and foe, human and demon alike, that stand out for their charisma and brilliance.
All spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned!
- Guts, the infamous "Black Swordsman" himself, begins life as a young mercenary who is bred for battle from a young age. A genius at war almost from birth who corners and murders the man who raped him as a child, Guts becomes a wandering warrior before being inducted into the Band of the Hawk. Growing to value his comrades more, Guts is a brilliant warrior who tactically eludes and eventually defeats one hundred other soldiers by himself and is even able to best the monstrous and powerful Apostle Wyald. After the horrific Eclipse, Guts sets out to eradicate demonkind, stalking and killing countless Apostles with a combination of traps, skill and a refusal to ever stay down. Bent on punishing his old friend Griffith for his betrayal and horrific crimes, Guts steadily grows to value new comrades, keeping himself from embracing the darkness while he becomes a legend in his own right and one of the few who might be able to finally bring down the Godhand for good and save all of humanity from their wicked, eldritch manipulations.
- The Skull Knight, once a self-described "foolish king", is a being who has opposed the Godhand and their servants for a thousand years. Having slain countless Apostles and consumed their Beherits to craft a weapon strong enough to seal the very Godhand themselves in the Abyss, the Skull Knight reveals himself to Guts and Rickert, rescuing them at the time of the Eclipse while taking the chance to launch an attack on his archfoe, Void of the Godhand, after besting his longstanding rival Nosferatu Zodd. Guiding Guts on the path to revenge, the Skull Knight ensures he dons the Berserker Armor as the Knight himself once did before cautioning him on the road Guts walks. Later attempting to assassinate Griffith after he becomes Femto, the Skull Knight still intends to guide Guts to the path of revenge until the Godhand is destroyed once and for all.
- Nosferatu Zodd is a centuries-old Apostle who sold his soul for endless power. Stalking battlefields to find a Worthy Opponent, Zodd recognizes Griffith as the destined Fifth member of the Godhand and ensures he will embrace that destiny, helping Guts and the Hawks to survive several battles while dispatching the thuggish monster Wyald when he threatens Griffith. Delighted at Guts' growth, Zodd is eager to challenge him when the opportunity presents itself, before even allying with him to deal a blow against the evil Kushan Emperor Ganishka. Now one of the most loyal and powerful of the Band of the Hawk under Griffith, Zodd continues on his path in his journey to face one ultimate opponent and meet the destiny he seeks above all else.
- Silat is the last prince of the Bakiraka clan of Kushan assassins, hoping to bring honor to his people. Although arrogant at first, Silat is quickly humbled by a battle with Guts and becomes more intelligent. Avoiding confrontation with Guts due to the risk he poses, Silat presses on and pursues his empire's enemies, such as Griffith. Bereft of any cruelty, Silat grows disgusted by Ganishka's willingness to commit atrocities and throw lives away, and stays out of combat. Silat operates from the shadows to plot, maintaining his professional and moral standards and finding the perfect moment to break off and abandon Ganishka's ranks entirely. Refusing to side with either Griffith or Ganishka, Silat strikes out on his own and refuses demonic influences entirely. Upon spying on Rickert's interactions with Griffith and realizing he has information, Silat saves Rickert in exchange for his knowledge.
- Serpico is the loyal right hand and secret half-brother of Farnese de Vandimion. An analytical and brilliant man, Serpico combines genuine loyalty and skill with ruthlessness, having burned his own mother to death to save his life. Accompanying Farnese and standing at her side, Serpico proves effective and clever, even defeating Guts with tactical thinking and terrain advantage, then framing the situation so it seems Farnese is responsible for Guts' defeat. Upon joining Guts' party, Serpico fights alongside Guts in countless battles, aiding him in slaying a massive monster said to have incredible power, helping convince Guts to ally with Nosferatu Zodd against Emperor Ganishka, and deduces that Guts is able to control his inner darkness through analyzing his actions during a second duel with him, effective and loyal to Farnese no matter what he has to do to protect her.
- Sir Locus, the "Moonlight Knight", is the pinnacle of the Knight in Shining Armor archetype while also happening to be one of the mightiest Apostles in the world. Brought to the new Band of the Hawk by Griffith, Locus rallies to sell Griffith as the messianic savior by pledging himself to Griffith as a loyal knight. Participating in the liberation of Princess Charlotte by distracting the depraved Ganishka with an Apostle strikeforce, Locus offers nothing but contempt to Ganishka for rebelling against their master, later helping in the new nation of Falconia by helping to capture monsters so Apostles may satisfy their bloodlust upon them. Genuinely caring for and loyal to Griffith, it is also implied Locus requests the assassin Rakshas murder the former young Hawk-member Rickert when Ricket disrespects and even slaps Griffith before him.
- Grunbeld, the Flame Dragon Knight, is one of the mightiest Apostles in the Band of the Hawk. Once helping to shepherd his friends through the nightmarish tortures of a Tudor training camp, Grunbeld became a great knight for the Duchy of Grant, famed for his strength and strategic ability. Upon becoming an Apostle and exacting revenge on his enemies, Grunbeld later helps lead the assassination attempt on the witch Flora and becomes one of Griffith's closest followers while still retaining the honor that is the core of his being.
