“I was once too poor to buy a slice of bread. And now I’m able to speak to a Princess like you.” Griffith, Vol. 6 Ch. 6

Griffith was born into poverty. I can only assume he was an orphan, because unlike other character backstories, no parental figures are mentioned. Even the noonday sun could not reach his eyes past the cramped buildings of this seedy part of town. The brightest thing he knew was light reflecting off the castle that towered overhead atop a steep cliff.

“I made up my mind, that was what I was going to win – by any means necessary.” Griffith, Vol. 10 Ch. 2

Yes, though he humored his friends by playing war on the streets for cheap trinkets, Griffith had much bigger plans. He was too proud to tolerate being looked down upon, and too stubborn to let societal limitations hold him back. He knew he was born different, better, stronger than the masses who submit to the laws of man and are content to simply live another day. He was determined to rise above them and forge a life worthy of him. “I will take hold of my own country.” Griffith aimed for the castle.

“In this world there are some people who are like keys that move the world regardless of social class. They are the privileged class that determines the golden rules of the universe. They wield the power of God. I want to know for this world… Who am I? What can I do? What does fate have in store for me?” Griffith, Vol. 3 Ch. 3

What do you get when you try to squeeze the spirit of a great man into the body of a peasant? Perhaps it was a spirit too great to be contained in any human body, for that matter. Griffith was larger than life. He had the looks, the brains, the charisma, and most importantly the will to get anything he wanted. And he was right, the universe did have great things in store for him, for he was destined to become the fifth and last member of the God Hand.