Okay I have to write out my thoughts on my "Guts Dicking Down Griffith Would Not Save Anyone" theory before I lose it.
Griffith's desire for his own kingdom is very based in his own individual desire--he doesn't want a kingdom for the sake of creating peace and safety for other people, that much is established in how many corpses he is quite literally willing to pile up to get there (I mean it was also kind of a dream sequence/metaphor but also it was pretty literal at the same time), it's more like his desire for a kingdom is a desire for the creation of something in his own image. I do think Griffith wanted Guts as well, he certainly admired Guts as a person, probably desired him physically, but it's kind of like... the ingredients for a taco, do not a taco make, you feel me? I think Griffith's line of "You were the only one who made me forget my dream" half-drowning out his heart's chant of "I sacrifice," was extremely significant, but I think it's also this concept of, Griffith also wanted Guts because Guts was unattainable, in a sense. Guts was a different castle, you know? If Griffith actually could get Guts, then he wouldn't want him anymore. I don't mean this in a "Guts is straight" sense so much as Guts was always interesting to Griffith because of his resistance to Griffith.
Griffith's declaration to Charlotte that he could only see someone who pursued their own dream as his equal was true, but Guts taking that to heart and setting off to figure out his own dream was also this moment of "Hey, fuck, wait, you were previously a meathead who was interesting because I could never fully control or anticipate your reactions, you're not supposed to actually be your own whole-ass person outside of my control" for Griffith, resulting in his hardcore crashout. I think this also ties into the overall narrative theme of Guts as the Struggler who struggles against fate, but also those struggles forging the path for his fate.
I think a lot of it also comes down to this concept of "Process vs. Outcome," with Guts being more process-driven and Griffith being more outcome-driven. When Guts leaves the Band of the Hawk, he eventually comes to the conclusion that his ultimate goal is improving his swordsmanship against stronger and stronger opponents--there's no actual endpoint to this goal, it's process-based, and I think this also allows him to eventually finally open up with Casca and recognize he doesn't have to be alone in this pursuit. But Griffith's dream means he has to be willing to sacrifice both Guts and Casca, and finding out Guts and Casca are hooking up and clumsily figuring out their feelings for each other is another moment of "Hey, fuck, wait, you're not supposed to actually be your own whole-ass people outside of my control."
Griffith sat comfortably with a general emotional distance to the Band of the Hawk the whole time, and the Band of the Hawk was actually cool with it because even if they were kept at a distance, helping Griffith pursue his dream was winning them fame and renown. They were actively reaping the benefits of the process, and they were committed to this to the point of putting their lives on the line to rescue Griffith because they recognized Griffith as the heart of their band, but once he's captured and tortured and Casca takes over, Griffith is confronted with the reality of the fact that yes, they chose to follow him but he doesn't actually control their choices.
Anyway I think Griffith hooking up with Guts would result in something similar to that dream sequence he had where he was married to Casca. Griffith's whole dream was never about people, never about a person. If you had Guts being cute and domestic in that scene, then he wouldn't be the Guts that Griffith wants, you know?
I dunno I feel like there's still so much to unpack.
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