I just saw a post that was putting down people [heavily implying they were specifically talking about gutsca shippers] who make Guts "the saint of the fandom", and I just have to say that this is such a dishonest take.
People, regardless of their shipping tendencies, hype up Guts because he has struggled through so much underserved shit and done horrible things, but actually takes responsibility for those things and strives to be a better man, consistently. Mind you, he literally didn't learn any real manners or how the greater society works, outside of mercenary work, outside of from osmosis. He has been shown to be rough around the edges, but he has a nurturing core, that is completely unsuited to his line of work and general lifestyle. He hasn't been taught about relationships, and is shown to be trying hard, actually, to not be a "rabid dog", like we can see many have just defaulted to sticking him with the label of.
I can't speak for others too much, but I feel like for people that still ship gutsca it's clear that he's been deadass wrong in how he's handled Casca, in the past, but he literally changed and there's no indication he will not apologize to her about his past actions [as long as he doesn't die before they meet up again]. The narrative punished him for leaving her behind and for harming Casca, and he's internalized already that it's possible she will not want to be with him because of not only the trauma unrelated to him/having to do with The Hawks, but also directly do to his own actions. People go through life saying that people need to change and own up to doing harm, and though you don't owe anyone you sticking around through them becoming a better person, it's clear that Casca is still in love with him and will likely want to work through their traumas together. She felt closer to him when he revealed his trauma to her when they had sex/made love for the first time, after he was forceful with her while having an episode after being triggered, and there's no compelling--to me anyways-- reason why we would not see her taking that same approach again. Not because that's what I think she "should" do necessarily, cause honestly she also has very little education on healthy boundaries/relationships/etc, but because from what we've seen that's in line with her character. I think we forget that they were literally teenagers/young adults, both were experiencing their first reciprocated love, and their first positive/sought out sexual relationship. Casca is trying to fight through what Griffith is doing to her to return to Guts rn, and just because you don't think she's a tritagonist, it doesn't change that just like Griffith and Guts' relationship, Guts and Casca's relationship is literally pivotal to the story. It's bizarre to see people try to downplay her importance to the narrative, and to Guts.
Another post, from someone else, was arguing that fans that "thought the story was about gutsca" can't read, as if the story isn't about ALL of the relationships??? Miura was a shoujosei enjoyer, BERSERK is a "yes, and" story, that is not interested ultimately in nihilism. It can be true that it is about Guts relationship with Griffith, which is rooted in manipulation and objectification ultimately ruined by Griffith's selfishness, AND his relationship with Casca, which he is responsible for sabotaging because of his lack of control over his worst tendencies and emotional immaturity/stunted state, AND how revenge is not actually a healing practice or good, etc etc. Like, why do you want to pretend to be intellectually superior but also want to dumb down the story so that it's just about one thing/relationship? Hopefully, we're not children who've never read a serious text before.
Guts ultimately loves who he thought Griffith was, and probably always will, but Femto is literally all of the worst parts of him, and does not feel remorse for what he's done to Guts or Casca. We know when he was still Griffith he literally couldn't handle the idea of no longer having them under his control, especially in Guts case. Guts is literally ready to "welcome death" because Casca was taken away by Femto, and he has come to the conclusion he's so far behind in power it would be impossible to retrieve her. Guts had a crash out previously after realizing he was a selfish idiot to leave her behind, after trying to live according to what he thought Griffith had told him. Guts decided he had to change and pivot to letting people in again after he forced himself on her while being influenced by the BoD, and used the momentum from that to go on the journey to restore her. No one thinks he's a saint. He's a deeply fucked up guy trying his best and putting his actions where his beliefs are, in regard to actually trying to become a good man.
It's fine to not ship gutsca, but it's weird and dishonest to act like the text doesn't take that relationship seriously or that it isn't a catalyst for the narrative. We don't get much direct insight into what Griffith is thinking on his relationship with Guts, but we get constant insight into how much Guts is dedicated to and loves Casca, even though he doesn't feel like he's really worthy, after everything he's put her through, of her returning those feelings anymore. He's literally emo and depression spiraling about the fact that she, in his mind, probably won't want to be with him anymore, and y'all are arguing he doesn't actually love her? Be fucking for real. He definitely loved Griffith--though the big dummy didn't realize it--but Casca is his First Love, he was pining after her, and is to this day actively choosing her, loving her, picking her. You can acknowledge this, and still prefer what could of been with griffguts if Griffy wasn't Like That. I promise, you won't turn into a pillar of salt. It's a very interesting "what if?" kind of ship. I only dislike it bit because Femto has not done, and will not do, the work that Guts has tried to do to actually deserve Guts forgiveness or even the love he still has deep down for him. Also, I just really love Casca :P
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