10 MORE Things Only REAL Fans Noticed In Netflix's Castlevania
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
Netflix's "Castlevania" and its sequel "Nocturne" have so many Easter Eggs, we needed to make a second video! Welcome to MojoPlays, today we're looking at 10 more details in “Castlevania's” animated adaptations that only players would notice. Our list of things only real fans noticed in Netflix's "Castlevania" includes Divine Bloodlines, Maria Renard's Companions, Juste's Worst Ending, the Legion boss fight, and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at 10 more Easter Eggs in Netflix’s “Castlevania” adaptations that only players would notice. If there’s something you think we missed, be sure to check out our first video. And beware spoilers ahead for both the original show and its sequel series, “Nocturne.”
In our first video, when we talked about the Belmont Hold’s many Easter Eggs, we left this one out since the characters talk about it themselves. But since so many of you left comments, let’s talk about Leon Belmont. After Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard enter the Belmonts’ ancestral home, you can spot a portrait on the wall. This, of course, is of Leon Belmont, who stars in the first chronological game in the series, “Lament of Innocence.” The show’s Leon moved into the region following the migration of monsters and built the family home. In a similar vein, the game’s version dedicated his life, as well as those of his descendants, to fighting evil for all time.
When it was announced that “Nocturne” would focus on Richter, many players were expecting elements from “Rondo of Blood” and “Symphony of the Night.” While those elements are there, the villains come from a game set long after Richter’s time. “Bloodlines” follows John Morris and Eric Lecarde fighting the forces of evil. In that game, Drolta is a witch who serves her vampiric master, Elizabeth Bartley, who happens to be Dracula’s niece. However, in the show, Drolta is a Succubus working for the slightly-differently-named Erzsebet Báthory. The show’s main villain is said to be a vampire messiah whose immense power could easily be explained if the showrunners decide to keep her heritage.
This one’s small, but one of many things from the games that the showrunners have lovingly included. In the first episode of “Nocturne,” Richter and Maria pay a visit to the Abbott. When they leave, Richter waves goodbye to Mizrak with a three-fingered gesture. Those who only watch the shows would think nothing of it, but keen-eyed gamers would know he’s used it before, specifically in “Rondo of Blood.” Richter is a fan-favorite Belmont, and this simple gesture is famous to certain players; it was even used as one of his victory poses in “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” The fact that the show’s creators found a way to slip it in is impressive.
Saint Germain is introduced in Season 3 of the original show. He plays a fairly big role in the overall plot, though he only appears in one mainline game from the series: “Curse of Darkness.” In that game, he’s a mysterious and exquisitely dressed time traveler. While he still looks sharp in the show, we don’t see him in his video game attire until a flashback in Season 4, and it’s still only seen briefly. The look is a spot-on recreation, from the tip of his top hat to the bottom of his pinstripe pants. While casual viewers would see a wealthy man dressing as such as nothing special, it’s always a nice signal to players how much those working on the show care for the source material.
Through Maria, “Nocturne” introduces viewers to a different style of magical fighting. She has the ability to create portals, summoning creatures to battle for her. We see her use birds, a tortoise, and a white tiger. Although the animals look a bit different, this is pretty accurate to how she fights in the games. However, players will notice that one of her summons is missing: a dragon. Well, yeah, giving her a dragon in Season 1 probably would’ve made a lot of those fights much shorter. But the characters will all undoubtedly grow in strength as the show progresses. So we wouldn’t be surprised if Maria gained her scaly companion in the future.
In the season finale of “Nocturne,” Tera sacrifices herself to save her daughter, Maria, letting Erzsebet turn her into a vampire. This adapts a similar event in the games, though changes some important details. “Rondo of Blood” follows Richter venturing into Dracula’s castle to rescue his girlfriend Annette. He meets Maria and Tera, in this game a nun, along the way. In the PSP remake, “The Dracula X Chronicles,” it’s possible for Dracula to turn Annette into a vampire if you don’t rescue her in time. However, the show’s version of Richter and Annette, while flirty, are not that close. So instead, it’s Tera who gets turned, meaning Richter loses two mother figures in the course of one season.
We’ve seen several of the franchise’s villains and monsters adapted for the small screen, though Legion is one of the more disturbing ones. In Episode 9 of Season 3, Isaac battles a wizard who’s powerful enough to not only mind control a ton of people, but to use their bodies to create a horrifying sphere of death. It’s a pretty gnarly sight, but fans of the games would recognize this amalgamation as Legion. The boss first appeared in “Symphony of the Night,” but has popped up in several other games. It’s such a visually striking design for an enemy that we would’ve been shocked had the show not included it.
Here we have another obscure reference to “Rondo of Blood.” During the penultimate episode of “Nocturne,” Maria visits her father, the Abbott, to try and find a peaceful solution. Despite his misdeeds, he argues that what he’s doing is right as he’s following God’s path. But Maria makes it clear that doesn’t justify anything. Her words to her father are almost identical to something she says to Dracula in “Rondo of Blood.” Upon the villain’s defeat, Dracula deflects blame by stating his return was brought on by humanity’s vile nature. Although she’s speaking to a different person, the message remains the same. Trying to justify evil acts doesn’t change the fact that they’re evil.
Richter’s arc in “Nocturne” deals heavily with the fear and shame felt from his part in his mother’s death. While this caused his magic to lie dormant for years, it returned in one of the most crowd-pleasing moments of the series that also holds two brilliant Easter Eggs. After meeting his grandfather, Juste, the pair are held captive by a pack of vampires. When his allies are threatened, Richter has a Super Saiyan moment where blue flame courses through his body. It takes the form of a large, fiery blue cross, paying homage to his ultimate attack, Grand Cross. The scene is also accompanied by an orchestral version of ‘Divine Bloodlines,’ which was first used in Richter’s debut “Rondo of Blood,” and has since become his theme
While we were expecting Richter to be the sole Belmont for the majority of “Nocturne,” Juste made a surprise appearance in the show’s latter half. Old and weary from past adventures, he tells Richter about the loss of his wife, Lydie, and best friend, Maxim, at the hands of the vampire Lord Ruthven. In his game, “Harmony of Dissonance,” he and Maxim venture into Dracula’s Castle to rescue Lydie. However, the game features three different endings, the worst of which sees Juste lose both of his allies. Since Netflix’s adaptation is pretty dark, it chose to give Juste the saddest of the outcomes. The Season 2 announcement trailer features a shot of Lydie’s gravestone, meaning this bad ending will be further explored.
Did you catch these Easter Eggs? Are there any others you feel no one noticed? Let us know in the comments!
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at 10 more Easter Eggs in Netflix’s “Castlevania” adaptations that only players would notice. If there’s something you think we missed, be sure to check out our first video. And beware spoilers ahead for both the original show and its sequel series, “Nocturne.”
Leon Belmont’s Portrait
In our first video, when we talked about the Belmont Hold’s many Easter Eggs, we left this one out since the characters talk about it themselves. But since so many of you left comments, let’s talk about Leon Belmont. After Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard enter the Belmonts’ ancestral home, you can spot a portrait on the wall. This, of course, is of Leon Belmont, who stars in the first chronological game in the series, “Lament of Innocence.” The show’s Leon moved into the region following the migration of monsters and built the family home. In a similar vein, the game’s version dedicated his life, as well as those of his descendants, to fighting evil for all time.
Nocturne’s Big Bads
When it was announced that “Nocturne” would focus on Richter, many players were expecting elements from “Rondo of Blood” and “Symphony of the Night.” While those elements are there, the villains come from a game set long after Richter’s time. “Bloodlines” follows John Morris and Eric Lecarde fighting the forces of evil. In that game, Drolta is a witch who serves her vampiric master, Elizabeth Bartley, who happens to be Dracula’s niece. However, in the show, Drolta is a Succubus working for the slightly-differently-named Erzsebet Báthory. The show’s main villain is said to be a vampire messiah whose immense power could easily be explained if the showrunners decide to keep her heritage.
Richter’s Gesture
This one’s small, but one of many things from the games that the showrunners have lovingly included. In the first episode of “Nocturne,” Richter and Maria pay a visit to the Abbott. When they leave, Richter waves goodbye to Mizrak with a three-fingered gesture. Those who only watch the shows would think nothing of it, but keen-eyed gamers would know he’s used it before, specifically in “Rondo of Blood.” Richter is a fan-favorite Belmont, and this simple gesture is famous to certain players; it was even used as one of his victory poses in “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” The fact that the show’s creators found a way to slip it in is impressive.
Germain’s Original Wardrobe
Saint Germain is introduced in Season 3 of the original show. He plays a fairly big role in the overall plot, though he only appears in one mainline game from the series: “Curse of Darkness.” In that game, he’s a mysterious and exquisitely dressed time traveler. While he still looks sharp in the show, we don’t see him in his video game attire until a flashback in Season 4, and it’s still only seen briefly. The look is a spot-on recreation, from the tip of his top hat to the bottom of his pinstripe pants. While casual viewers would see a wealthy man dressing as such as nothing special, it’s always a nice signal to players how much those working on the show care for the source material.
Maria’s Companions
Through Maria, “Nocturne” introduces viewers to a different style of magical fighting. She has the ability to create portals, summoning creatures to battle for her. We see her use birds, a tortoise, and a white tiger. Although the animals look a bit different, this is pretty accurate to how she fights in the games. However, players will notice that one of her summons is missing: a dragon. Well, yeah, giving her a dragon in Season 1 probably would’ve made a lot of those fights much shorter. But the characters will all undoubtedly grow in strength as the show progresses. So we wouldn’t be surprised if Maria gained her scaly companion in the future.
Losing a Loved One
In the season finale of “Nocturne,” Tera sacrifices herself to save her daughter, Maria, letting Erzsebet turn her into a vampire. This adapts a similar event in the games, though changes some important details. “Rondo of Blood” follows Richter venturing into Dracula’s castle to rescue his girlfriend Annette. He meets Maria and Tera, in this game a nun, along the way. In the PSP remake, “The Dracula X Chronicles,” it’s possible for Dracula to turn Annette into a vampire if you don’t rescue her in time. However, the show’s version of Richter and Annette, while flirty, are not that close. So instead, it’s Tera who gets turned, meaning Richter loses two mother figures in the course of one season.
Legion
We’ve seen several of the franchise’s villains and monsters adapted for the small screen, though Legion is one of the more disturbing ones. In Episode 9 of Season 3, Isaac battles a wizard who’s powerful enough to not only mind control a ton of people, but to use their bodies to create a horrifying sphere of death. It’s a pretty gnarly sight, but fans of the games would recognize this amalgamation as Legion. The boss first appeared in “Symphony of the Night,” but has popped up in several other games. It’s such a visually striking design for an enemy that we would’ve been shocked had the show not included it.
The Wisdom of Youth
Here we have another obscure reference to “Rondo of Blood.” During the penultimate episode of “Nocturne,” Maria visits her father, the Abbott, to try and find a peaceful solution. Despite his misdeeds, he argues that what he’s doing is right as he’s following God’s path. But Maria makes it clear that doesn’t justify anything. Her words to her father are almost identical to something she says to Dracula in “Rondo of Blood.” Upon the villain’s defeat, Dracula deflects blame by stating his return was brought on by humanity’s vile nature. Although she’s speaking to a different person, the message remains the same. Trying to justify evil acts doesn’t change the fact that they’re evil.
Divine Bloodlines
Richter’s arc in “Nocturne” deals heavily with the fear and shame felt from his part in his mother’s death. While this caused his magic to lie dormant for years, it returned in one of the most crowd-pleasing moments of the series that also holds two brilliant Easter Eggs. After meeting his grandfather, Juste, the pair are held captive by a pack of vampires. When his allies are threatened, Richter has a Super Saiyan moment where blue flame courses through his body. It takes the form of a large, fiery blue cross, paying homage to his ultimate attack, Grand Cross. The scene is also accompanied by an orchestral version of ‘Divine Bloodlines,’ which was first used in Richter’s debut “Rondo of Blood,” and has since become his theme
The Worst Ending
While we were expecting Richter to be the sole Belmont for the majority of “Nocturne,” Juste made a surprise appearance in the show’s latter half. Old and weary from past adventures, he tells Richter about the loss of his wife, Lydie, and best friend, Maxim, at the hands of the vampire Lord Ruthven. In his game, “Harmony of Dissonance,” he and Maxim venture into Dracula’s Castle to rescue Lydie. However, the game features three different endings, the worst of which sees Juste lose both of his allies. Since Netflix’s adaptation is pretty dark, it chose to give Juste the saddest of the outcomes. The Season 2 announcement trailer features a shot of Lydie’s gravestone, meaning this bad ending will be further explored.
Did you catch these Easter Eggs? Are there any others you feel no one noticed? Let us know in the comments!
