Vampires and sisters
Episode 4 of Castlevania begins with Sumi and Taka arriving at Alucard’s house where he learns more about Cho’s guard and what life was like for them. Every day was a punishment; a newfound horror befalling them at the hands of this vampire. Forced to watch her massacre soldiers, her arrogance allowed Sumi and Taka to learn from her weaknesses and work together to try and end her. Their opportunity came when Cho was summoned to Dracula’s war-court, allowing Sumi and Taka to free all the prisoners and kill all the guards. This is what set them on their path to hunt Cho and brought them to Alucard himself. Saint Germain manages to gain entry to the Priory, where he looks up ominously at the battered church before him. Taking a deep breath, he prepares to play the game and meets Sala. Inside the church, things are looking pretty bleak. Books lie in stacks on the ground, the cross holding Christ is upside down and one of the monks rocks back and forth in a mad stupor. Saint Germain talks to Sala about the symbol he holds on his armband and it’s meaning, going on to tell him it denotes the mark of Hell. He requests Saint Germain look through the books and find more knowledge for them. As he leaves, Sala turns and tells the man that more work goes on elsewhere. As he reads, outside the window Sypha and Belmont pass but find themselves stopped by one of the monks. Although they do leave the Priory before things turn ugly, they also make it abundantly clear they know something is amiss. Back in the castle, Lenore approaches Hector who admits he’s aware of Carmilla’s plan. They get talking, with Lenore telling him Dracula lied and asking exactly what he wants. It’s a question that catches him off-guard but allows him to lower his defences slightly as they start talking. Isaac makes it to the shores of Genoa but receives a less than pleasant greeting from the Sergeant blocking his path off the docks. Isaac requests they move but the Sergeant is having none of it, ready to fight with his human army. Isaac bemoans his luck and eventually snaps his fingers, unleashing the beasts at his command on another horde of humans. With his army growing, Isaac continues onward as the episode ends. Something is going on in the Priory and as the episodes tick by, this is fast becoming the central focus of the entire season. Splintering this story is that of Isaac and Hector who both find themselves on journeys, the latter looking like he’s going to become Lenore’s puppet and be forced to try and outwit her every move. It’s a fascinating conflict and the one stand-out moment here comes from the seamless transition from the Church to that of Sypha outside. It’s such a small scene but one that really boasts some great artistry to accompany the unique aesthetic running through this one. So far, Castlevania is shaping up to be a really intriguing season and quite what happens next remains a mystery.
