Castlevania returned for season 3 in March 2020.
Fans were not lying when this season was a build up to the next chapter because while watching all ten episodes the pace was slower than I thought and taking its time. There were different arcs like before and it's more crystal clear / heavily printed out.
Starting season 3 with a month after season 2's events finished and Alucard is funnily enough doing what most of the world is going through right now and that is self-isolate while guarding the castle. That is until he encounters Sumi and Taka from Japan. They seem very polite and very keen to learn from the best on learning how to deal with vampires after Cho's reign. But does politeness mean good friends? That's what I was thinking as I watched Alucard's storyline here.
Second arc has Hector still a prisoner of Carmilla and her vamp sorority sisters and I have no idea what is happening with this character but it's as if the story has made him so much more naive and easily tricked by female vampires who see his weak points. He knew there were instances that were giving him warning signs but he couldn't resist Lenore. Striga, Lenore and Morana are all different to Carmilla but work well as a team. Striga and Morana are a couple and Lenore proves she is very useful and not letting her typical big Anime eyes deceive anyone. She's stronger than she looks, as Hector found out after his first encounter with her.
Trevor and Sypha have travelled into another city while killing night creatures on the move, being heroic and becoming closer together (it was going to happen) and stumble across a crazy cult who seem to have a fascination with Hell but actually have a Night Creature hidden in their priory and intend to bring back Dracula. Bill Nighy voicing Saint Germain was entertaining and it was just very, very him. I hope Saint Germain comes back soon because he had a good interaction with the heroes. Speaking of a good interaction, I truly miss the OT3 friendship Alucard shared with Trevor and Sypha. The 'emo vampire' is all fun and interesting when done well but season 3 really didn't give him that much impact here. He became more vulnerable, more emotional and possibly more distrusting of heroes. Let Trevor and Sypha come back to him in season 4, writers.
Isaac has his own journey ahead of him and he is plotting his revenge on Hector and Carmilla but also starting a new world with no more humans by creating more Night Creatures with his Forgemaster skills. I rather liked the interaction with the Captain who was happy to take Isaac and the creatures onto his ship enjoyed his company, asking him valid questions on his existence, his purpose in life. It makes me ask the same thing for myself. But when he does meet Hector and the vampires, it will be interesting to see what happens aside from a bloody battle.
I spotted a few screencaps of Castlevania before even watching season 3 and it gave me a warning that this time round there was going to be more gore, more violence and some sexual scenes. That was simply random to me since the first two seasons never needed the sex and I sure as hell was not up for the Hentai fascination with rape thanks. The last two episodes went full force with the final battles and somehow intertwining it with the sex, thanks to the orchestral soundtrack. The threesome that Sumi, Alucard and Taka shared and the sex scene with Hector and Lenore. I just knew she would never be that kind. Hector is officially Lenore's pet and he'll be forced to make new night creatures for Carmilla.
Sumi and Taka weren't bad BAD when they 'attacked' Alucard, they just wanted answers and his full honesty on his knowledge of magic and vampires but Alucard was cautious to not give them everything in one go. Their swift deaths by Alucard's sword (which I forget about!) gave me a shock and I started to think about the racial stereotypes
Wish list
- Trevor, Sypha and Alucard to team up and be chummy again. It was fun and worked well
- Give Hector more character, more common sense and a chance to escape or fight back properly if he can
- Isaac take on Carmilla and her vamp sisterhood. He needs to make use of his BAMF-ery
- Let Alucard have some happiness or a chance to show off his amazing skills in fighting again. I miss that
What I did like
- Trevor's new black suit
- How Trevor got his second whip out in the last episode when he was fighting a Hell Demon. Epic to no end
- Sypha as always showing she can hold her ground in battle but letting Trevor comfort her where needed when things get too much
- Trevor and Sypha's bickering. They're dating so of course that will happen
- Isaac being a BAMF. Nothing else to add
- Jason Isaacs as the Judge. Always played a bad guy with class