Idea of Evil

The Idea of Evil appears in Chapter 83, the so-called Lost Chapter of the Berserk manga. This chapter was never reprinted in any collection by Miura's request; he stated that he felt it gave away too much of the plot too quickly. As such, the chapter's status in Berserk canon is apocryphal at best. The Idea of Evil also appears briefly in the last panel of Chapter 82, "God of the Abyss", heavily hidden in shadow, addressed only in question by Griffith as "god...?" The Idea is a large mound of flesh which resides in humanity's collective unconscious. It responds to humanity's need for a reason for suffering, manipulating human affairs and controlling humanity's destiny. It is a common consciousness that transcends individuality, acting as the ego of the world. It refers to itself as "the ideal god of this world." The Idea's structure appears to be that of a heart covered in eyes, drawing thoughts and feelings in and out like blood. This is supported by the fact that the openings on the Idea resemble heart valves.

The Idea of Evil lies deep in the Abyss, weaving its web of causality to float up to the surface of the Physical world. The Idea's influence is mostly indirect and accomplished through the use of agents such as the God Hand and the Apostles. While appointing Griffith as the fifth God Hand, it admitted manipulating events surrounding Griffith's ancestry and throughout his life to bring him to that point.