Castlevania Season 3 Episode 10 Review: Abandon All Hope
An action-packed finale paves the way for more adventures in this dreary, monster-filled world.
By M.T. Bates
Another Castlevania finale is upon us in a season that differs greatly from the previous two. We start off with Isaac taking a much-needed rest after finding what he was looking for. The city he occupies will soon lay dormant sans his night creatures, but he did what he needed to do to further equip himself for his future battles. Again, he seems ever slightly hopeful that human nature will self-correct at some point, though he knows he will only be disappointed yet again.
Elsewhere, Trevor and the crew stand face to face with an open portal to Hell as a swarm of particularly nasty (and familiar) beasties come pouring through. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Sypha and Trevor do their monster slaying thing. A very appropriate soundtrack chimes in the background, as the scene is nothing short of a feast for the eyes, including the very accurate depiction of the Malachi demon Trevor is fighting. Don’t think that Sypha doesn’t get her time to shine either as she pulls out some moves that feel like they were lifted straight from an episode of Dragon Ball Z (Krillen would be so proud).
As the battle rages on inside, things are quieting down outside as Sala and the Judge have one final, peculiar meeting. But no sooner does that meeting come to its bloody conclusion, the battle inside heats up even further as both Trevor and Sypha pull out some new and impressive techniques. All the while Saint Germain was biding his time to make his move. It’s a glorious ending, to say the least, and well worth the wait all season.
Alucard finds himself in quite a sticky situation as the siblings, consumed by fear that everyone and everything in the world is against them, make a fatal mistake all because they lack patience and trust. The pain Alucard feels for what had to be done seems deep, but fleeting. Maybe he is better off alone, as cruel a fate as that may seem.
Everyone has their secrets. Some are kept for good reason, and some for darker purposes wrapped in little pleasures. Lindenfeld has taken its toll on Trevor, but especially on Sypha. Her bouncy optimism has been swept away by blood and lies, and for what might be the first time in the series, we see her truly in pain. It's not a happy sight.
So what of our other forgemaster and his cruel court of vampire masters? Lenore pulled quite a fast one that was nothing short of brilliant, but the stakes of the arrangement don’t seem to be entirely stacked against Hector. His position has again improved greatly, if not by his own doing or by his choice, but he will be much more suited to live a more complete life being underfoot of Lenore. Though her intentions are obviously entirely for her sisters, there is something pure hiding behind it all.
As each story arc reaches its conclusion for the season, many of the characters find themselves in the same spot they were in at the start of the season in one way or another. That seemingly makes this season feel like more of a filler season, which is surely to anger some fans, but it had purpose behind it.
While a Castlevania show without Dracula almost seems empty, this season proved that meaningful story arcs can be had by many without the looming vampire menace. Again, this season won’t be for every fan, but it served its purpose in my opinion.
The Good
An action-packed finale brings the season to a close and provides plenty of character intrigue through strong writing. Even without the presence of Dracula, Season 3 proved to be a great Castlevania story.
The Not-So-Good
The lack of our iconic vampire and emphasis on story over action this season could rankle some fans. Overall, it seems many of our characters ended Season 3 in a similar situation in which they started.
9.0/10
Overall Season Score: 7/10
This was a fun season that touched on every main character from Season 2, sans Dracula. Depending on how the writers move the series forward and how much video game lore is followed, we could see him return fairly soon, though Hector’s story thus far has varied greatly from his game lore, so it's anyone’s guess now. It’s exciting to wonder where the series might go next, as the lore is deep and could go on for countless seasons as long as Netflix keeps it going.
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