‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Season 2 Doubles Down on the Best Part of the Franchise

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2.

It's hard not to fall in love with everything about Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2. Between the narrative pacing, the visuals, and the individual character journeys tracked throughout the season, the hotly-anticipated follow-up to the Castlevania spin-off improves on its impressive first outing in every conceivable way. Throw in the long-awaited return of Alucard (James Callis) and the surprise resurrection of Castlevania: Nocturne's High Priestess of Sekhmet, Drolta (Elarica Johnson), and you've got a recipe for an exhilarating eight episodes of vampiric television. Beyond delivering what was teased at the end of Castlevania: Nocturne Season 1, however, the power of Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 can also be attributed to the fact that it embraces an accomplished cornerstone of the franchise — epic and breathtaking action sequences.

‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Season 2 Contains Some of the Best Action in the ‘Castlevania’ Franchise

Before the release of Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2, previous installments in Netflix's Castlevania universe had already set a high bar for the franchise's animated action. In particular, the battle between Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage), Sypha Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso), Alucard, and Dracula (Graham McTavish) at the end of Castlevania Season 2 illustrated how the series could balance fast-paced fighting with the same gut-wrenching emotional poignancy referenced during the start of Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2. Castlevania: Nocturne Season 1 subsequently built on this stunning visual legacy with Richter's (Edward Bluemel) battle on the lake and final attack on Erzsebet Báthory (Franka Potente), which is what makes it all the more impressive that Season 2 of the spin-off ups the ante in every conceivable way.

Despite the fact that Castlevania culminates in a battle against the literal embodiment of Death (Malcolm McDowell), Season 2 of Castlevania: Nocturne features the most ambitious battle sequence of the series yet in the battle for Paris showcased in Episodes 7 and 8, with series directors Adam and Sam Deats themselves admitting it was one of their most difficult undertakings. Nevertheless, the battle specifically between Richter, Maria (Pixie Davies), Juste Belmont (Iain Glen), and the Sekhmet-possessed Annette (Thuso Mbedu) and the vampire messiah highlight the heights of storytelling Castlevania: Nocturne can achieve through its dedicated approach to conflict. This final battle combines the fighting prowess the Belmonts have showcased in both series with more characters and magical affinities than ever before, resulting in an epic showdown as creative as it is engaging.

Previously, Seasons 3 and 4 of Castlevania have gone to the greatest lengths to explore how Belmont martial arts can be bolstered by creative interpretations of Sypha's Speaker magic, but Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 takes this combination to unbelievable new levels. Beyond taking full advantage of the incredible potential of the series' animation style, watching Maria's new magical creatures compete alongside Richter and Juste's clever variations of the elements makes for an experience that feels as inventive as it is outright violent, elevating the group's battle into one of the most incredible moments in the franchise. Yet, while this battle is an extraordinary achievement in aggressive entertainment, Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2's commitment to its action sequences also possesses a deeper significance.

The Battles in ‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Season 2 Illustrate the Series’ Effective Approach to Animated Storytelling

As a series that feels largely inspired by the anime genre, it makes sense that the Castlevania franchise would develop its own relationship with action. Anime shonen, in particular, has long brought the world the best in animated battles, with countless shows employing creative forms of violence to various ends. Series like My Hero Academia and Black Clover, for instance, frequently use fights to both move their plots forward and allow characters to unlock new abilities within their world's power system, and Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 honors its animated lineage by allowing its action to embody the growth of its characters.

The new season's best representation of how it uses action to convey a character's journey takes place when Alucard gifts Richter his sword in order to battle Drolta's upgraded vampiric form. After a season spent comparing himself to the Belmont ancestors Alucard remembers, the moment uses action as a backdrop to visually signify Richter as their rightful inheritor. Furthermore, Juste's use of magic to stop Maria from killing her father manifests as a sign of his renewed will to fight, Maria's manifestation of her creatures in the finale illustrates the power of love over the uncontrollable fires of hate, and Annette's weaponization of Sekhmet's third soul represents her ability to fully embrace her divine heritage. More than any Castlevania installment before, Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 connects the idea of battle to personal development, illustrating that sometimes heroes must fight to grow against the forces of darkness that threaten the world.

Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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