In the past, movie or TV adaptations of video games weren't always well-regarded by fans, and tended to lose the spirit of what made the original game so beloved. This trend has been changing recently as these adaptations start to improve, and no series is more indicative of that than Netflix's Castlevania animated series. Based on the video games of the same name, Castlevania used the characters and certain plot elements from the games while also adding just enough new stuff to create an engaging story.
The series, which combined a few of the games together for its story, was praised by fans and newcomers alike, and even managed to get a lot of people into the video game series that hadn't been interested prior. With that kind of success, it's no wonder that Netflix wanted to continue it, so they're releasing a spin-off series called Castlevania: Nocturne that will air in September. This story follows a new cast of characters, including a different Belmont descendant and a girl named Maria Renard. Who is this character, and why is she important to the story?
What Is Castlevania: Nocturne About?
Castlevania: Nocturne will pull from two of the original games for its story - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and its sequel, Symphony of the Night. It's set in 1792, 300 years after the events of the initial Castlevania series, during the French Revolution. It follows a different member of the vampire-slaying Belmont family named Richter Belmont as he joins forces with a crew of magicians and hunters to prevent an apocalypse. Richter is a descendant of Trevor Belmont, but he has a much different personality than his ancestor.
The big bad villain in most Castlevania stories is Dracula, but he may not be the only obstacle in this new series. Castlevania: Nocturne introduces a new antagonist by the name of Erzsébet Báthory, who was a final boss in one of the Castlevania games. Nocturne will introduce a whole host of new characters to the audience, from vampires to magicians. One of these new characters includes a girl by the name of Maria Renard, who is quite prominent in the Castlevania series.
Who Is Maria Renard?
In the Castlevania games, Maria Renard is a village girl who has the power to control the Four Symbols of Chinese mythology, which are four mythological creatures that guard the world in the four cardinal directions. She appears in Rondo of Blood, Dracula X Chronicles (a remake of the same game for the PSP), Symphony of the Night, and Castlevania: Judgement. In some games, it is implied that she is a distant blood relative of the Belmonts, but in others, this detail is ignored, so it's a bit unclear. In any case, she is later adopted into the Belmont family during Castlevania: Judgement.
In 1792, Maria's parents were killed and she, along with a host of other young girls, was taken to Dracula's castle. Richter Belmont saves her from Shaft, one of Dracula's servants, and she becomes his companion and helps him defeat Dracula. Years later, Richter vanishes and Maria sets out to find him. She eventually finds the castle after a year of searching and learns that Richter was under a spell and was working with the dark forces. Maria enlists the help of the half-vampire Alucard to break Shaft's hold on Richter and defeat Dracula again.
What Will Maria's Role In Castlevania: Nocturne Be?
There is not a lot of information about the exact plot of Castlevania: Nocturne right now, but fans have surmised that Maria's role is going to be similar to the one she plays in the original games. While Richter Belmont is set to be the protagonist, she will also likely be a main character who accompanies him on the journey and helps fight against vampires. In the trailer, she is seen using her magic to fight off the baddies, which means she'll have an active role in the story. Her role might be similar to Sypha's in the first Castlevania series, as the magic-using female companion of the Belmont hero. In some of the earlier Castlevania games, she is a very young girl (around 12 years old), but it seems as though they've definitely aged her up for the series.
She also has a connection to Alucard, one of the major characters from the series as the son of Dracula. He appears and helps her free Richter from the clutches of evil, and he will be making a return for this animated series, so it's likely that he'll be playing a very similar role. There are multiple endings in Symphony of the Night depending on the player's actions, and one of those endings involves Maria claiming that she cannot live without Alucard and staying with him. It will be interesting to see if the animated series takes this route with the two characters, or if they'll have a less intense connection.