Zodd

Zodd lives for battle. Wealth, politics and ordinary status mean virtually nothing to him; what excites him is discovering warriors capable of surviving his attacks and forcing him to fight seriously.

Unlike many Apostles, he has a recognizable warrior's code. Zodd may spare an opponent he believes capable of becoming stronger and can acknowledge courage even in enemies. His respect for Guts grows precisely because Guts repeatedly exceeds what Zodd expects from a human.

He nevertheless remains an Apostle who kills without remorse. His martial principles should not be mistaken for conventional morality.

Zodd possesses extraordinary strength, speed, endurance and regenerative ability even while using his humanoid form. He can wield enormous weapons casually and overwhelm groups of experienced soldiers without transforming.

His Apostle form is a gigantic horned beast combining feline, bovine and demonic features. Wings allow him to fly, while claws, teeth and sheer physical mass turn him into an overwhelming close-combat opponent. Severe wounds regenerate rapidly.

Centuries of battle have also made Zodd an exceptionally skilled swordsman. His combination of technique and supernatural power places him among the most dangerous Apostles in the series.

Zodd's first encounter with Guts establishes the existence of monsters far beyond ordinary human warfare. After seeing Griffith's Crimson Behelit, he warns Guts that when Griffith's ambition collapses, death will descend upon those around him.

During the Eclipse, Zodd guards the dimensional entrance and battles the Skull Knight when the latter forces his way into the ceremony to rescue Guts and Casca.

Zodd subsequently encounters Guts several times and becomes increasingly interested in his growth. Their rivalry differs from Guts's hatred of most Apostles because both recognize the other's strength.

After Griffith returns to the physical world, Zodd submits to him and becomes his principal mount and one of the strongest warriors in the reborn Band of the Hawk. He carries Griffith through major battles against the Kushan Empire and other supernatural threats.

Guts is one of the few human warriors to earn Zodd's respect. Their encounters evolve from overwhelming mismatch toward a genuine martial rivalry.

Griffith first attracts Zodd's attention because of the Crimson Behelit. After Griffith's incarnation, Zodd becomes one of his closest supernatural warriors and frequently serves as his mount.

Skull Knight is Zodd's ancient rival. Their repeated clashes suggest that they have fought one another for many years.

Casca is present during several events connecting Zodd to the fate of the original Band of the Hawk.

Locus, Grunbeld, Irvine and Rakshas later fight on the same side as Zodd within Griffith's supernatural army.