Castlevania Season 3 Episode 9 Review: The Harvest
This is the breathtaking, action-packed episode you were waiting for.
By M.T. Bates
The penultimate episode of Castlevania Season 3 is upon us and it starts off very hot (pun intended). There has been a lot of talk of alchemy and symbology this season, without much tangible evidence, but that is no more as Sala and the monks begin their harvest. It’s quite a sight as the Judge realizes what a grave mistake he has made. This episode isn’t linear and it jumps around quite a bit as literally every main character is in some state of action.
Isaac begins his assault on the town of the mad magician as hundreds, if not thousands, of enslaved humans lie before him, while Trevor, Sypha, and the Judge do battle with the insane monks of the priory. All hell is breaking loose as the very much out of his element Saint Germain watches in horror. Alucard and his apprentices, as well as Hector and Lenore, are engaging in other forms of action. The pleasures of the flesh can entice all, human and vampire alike.
If all of the previous story driven episodes were too much of a slog for you, you’ll be overjoyed at the frantic pace this installment takes. The Earth drinks its fill of blood and limbs as bodies are entwined in an orgy of flesh and blood. It has something for everyone and if you can find no enjoyment in this episode, then I do believe you are watching the wrong series. But with all spouts of pleasure, soon follows the inevitable pain.
Isaac quickly realizes he is losing the upper hand and needs to stop the magician controlling these slaves or he will surely lose this battle. While it is clear during this struggle that he is not one to be underestimated, both in his physical prowess as a fighter and as a forgemaster, the magician's defenses are quite stout and his abilities impressive. Isaac indeed has his hands full and all it will take to meet defeat is one wrong move.
By the end, the situation just seems to be deteriorating for Belmont and crew, but it’s nothing they can’t handle at this point. However, what lies in wait at the bottom of the priory is a different story.
The Good
So much is happening here and the action, in more ways than one, does not relent. This is the strongest episode yet this season and the payoff does not disappoint.
The Not-So-Good
Not much, if anything, could be said negatively about this episode. Just sit back and enjoy the payoff! The wait has been well worth it.
10/10
With all the story and character-building this season has done, it was only a matter of time until we got an episode like this. While the series thus far hasn’t been known for its romance (sans Vlad and Lisa in the very beginning, but not to this extent), it was a welcome bout of freshness that bounced off the bloody mayhem taking place elsewhere. It’s not as legendary as Episode 7 from Season 2, but the buildup from the prior eight episodes makes this payoff well worth it. The final episode still has plenty to offer for every character as nothing has been tied up just yet.
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