Castlevania Season 3 Episode 3 Review: Investigators
“Burning devil goat turds…from the sky.”
By M.T. Bates
There is context to the above quote, I swear, and it comes in the opening scene of Episode 3 of Netflix's third season of Castlevania. The scene in question is one of the more touching ones in the season, and personally one of my favorites. The warming interaction between two partners comes to an end so that the Judge can progress the story arc for Trevor and Sypha.
Here, we learn of the recent tragedy that befell Lindenfeld and the priory, along with the proposition he lays upon our vampire slayers, which excites at least one of them (can you guess who?). While it was obvious what was going to happen from Episode 1, it is all but confirmed after this scene what path Trevor and Sypha will take this season.
A one-on-one with Isaac and the Captain is just an intriguing thought, isn’t it? The Captain is yet another gifted wordsmith in a show full of them, and he is able to make Isaac let his guard down and open up. A quick recap of the events of Season 2 gives the Captain all he needs to know to start imparting his knowledge and wisdom upon the troubled forgemaster.
The Captain is able to break through on some level to Isaac and appeal to his very human essence, which so far no one else has been able to do. A true connection was formed between these two men in a very short period of time, and is easily the highlight of this episode.
Later, Lenore the diplomat begins to enact her plan to break/heal poor Hector, which is, at this point, anyone’s guess. While in the weak bargaining position of being half-dead and naked, he does overstep and pays the price, so it is more of the same for him.
It would seem the life of a forgemaster is one of constant pain. Hector once again is the sympathetic character of the season as his life is not his own. This leads to an interesting fork in the road for the character: does he play along and try to better his condition or continue to resist and suffer in the name of what little pride he has left?
The Good
Strong writing continues to underscore the fantastic dialogue and character development this season as the franchise lore fantastically shines through.
The Not-So-Good
The lack of action every episode may not sit well with some fans, but that's not to say this season is lacking in substance at all.
7.5/10
What makes this show so damn captivating is the writing and the fact that all of these characters are able to produce such engaging dialogue and interesting dynamics. It will be a strong theme this season, as action continues to take a backseat so that the lore of the franchise can shine through. This isn’t what every fan will want, but I am a firm believer that most will embrace this style of storytelling as the season progresses.
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