Castlevania Season 2 Review: 7 Ups And 2 Downs

1. Up: Emotional Depth

Netflix Castlevania
Netflix

Though the tight, fast-moving setup action of Season 1 did well to get audiences excited for more, Season 2 has a surprising amount of emotional complexity almost outshining the main plot and action, taking time out of flash fights and gory kills to emphasise relationships and expressions of deep feeling and pain.

Instead of a mission to kill a monster, the story becomes a son's mission to put his father out of his misery and to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else, for the sake of a mother he loved and lost and misses. Instead of a merry band of heroes, viewers get some broken and sad people helping each other through hardship and showing friendship, love, and loyalty.

Instead of an overlord hellbent on culling the Earth, audiences get a sad, tired man who just wants peace after all the anger drained out of him, leaving only grief.

It's beautiful and painful in equal measure, and all comes together in the last scene, where instead of triumph and victory, viewers get a young man in his childhood home, tired after long days of fighting, finally able to rest, weeping for all those he loved, that he's lost.

What did you think of Castlevania Season 2? Let us know down in the comments.

Contributor
Contributor

Writer, artist, professional animator. Indie comics and Hi Nay podcast creator. Queer Filipino storyteller || @MotzieD on Twitter || Originally from Quezon City, The Philippines. Currently based in Toronto, Canada || motziedapul.com || hinaypod.com