WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Castlevania Season 4, available now on Netflix.
While video game adaptations rarely hit the mark in terms of pleasing fans, Castlevania proved a stark exception with its clever writing, unique characterizations, startling gore and, perhaps best of all, its blood-pumping action. The series contained such adrenaline-fueled fight scenes and engaging choreography that viewers felt like they inhabited the show. With the series coming to a close after its fourth season, some of those action beats stand out ahead of others.
Not every fight scene could make the cut, but there are five fight scenes that stand out as the series' best. Every season features at least one moment in the top five, reflecting Castlevania's consistent quality from start to finish. From vampires fighting to erase all of humanity to the humans desperately defending themselves, these are Castlevania's coolest clashes.
Alucard vs. Trevor
Much of Castlevania's first season revolved around the attempt to find a prophesied messiah that could help to end Dracula's dark reign -- and the final episode revealed just who that messiah was. As the son of Dracula, Alucard emerged from his coffin. Trevor and Sypha faced the half-vampire down, unsure if he was truly the hero that the legends foretold. Hailing from a family of monster slayers so legendary that Alucard recognized his last name, Trevor faced off with the dhampir to test his skills.
What proceeded was a display of power and skill that highlighted the series' capability. Trevor unleashed a flurry of strikes with his whip that forced Alucard to dance around the tiny sonic booms the weapon created. When he finally managed to close the distance, the two engaged in a sword fight unlike any seen before. Alucard pressed his immense strength and speed advantage, seemingly coming out on top. But with Trevor's knife in his gut and Sypha threatening to burn him to a crisp, the fight ended in a stalemate. It also marked a tense beginning to the relationship that served as the backbone of the three seasons that followed.
Isaac vs. The Magician
When it comes to examining the qualities in a fight, there are few features as valuable as creativity and uniqueness. As such, the sequence of Isaac fighting off a whole city of people by himself exceeds all others in that quality. Informed of an evil Magician whose dark magic commands the minds of hundreds of people in a city nearby, the Forgemaster Isaac set out not to liberate the town, but to claim its lives as his own. Using his dark abilities, he transformed their corpses into demonic night creatures that served his will.
Though Isac's combat abilities were seldom seen in Castlevania up until Season 3's climax, the Forgemaster quickly proved capable. He carved through the citizens and left a dark warrior in his wake. Each time his magical dagger took a life, it animated the corpse with a soul from hell, and the viewer was put in the weird position of rooting for Isaac to slay the innocent as he cut his way to the Magician's tower. Facing off with the Magician, Isaac fought off the mind control, stabbed the Magician and concluded the entirely dialogue-free sequence with the jaw-dropping imagery of bodies raining from the sky.
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The Trio vs. The Castle
While much of the series focused on Dracula's destruction, the journey of getting there proved as fun as the fight. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the battle that immediately preceded Season 2's Dracula finale. Trevor Belmont, Sypha and Alucard stormed the dark lord's castle only to find hordes of resistance from his soldiers and generals. Numbering among Dracula's army were also several vampires powerful in their own right, capable of turning to mist or balancing on the edge of a blade. Despite this, the trio slaughtered them all.
The fight partly stands out because it was the biggest display of power from any of the three characters seen up to that point. Trevor's morningstar whip was on full display, exploding every undead it hit and taking out several others in the periphery. Sypha formed and reformed her ice into a deadly blade and spears that showed just how combat-capable she became from her milder self at the start of the series. Not to mention Alucard combined several fantastical abilities like his flying sword and wolf form into a dizzying display of deadliness with which none of the other vampires could compete.
Trevor vs. Death
Though the series built up to the battle against Dracula, it continued on for two more seasons after, managing to up the ante each time. By the end, Castlevania needed a bigger battle than ever while still striking an emotional tone to ring out the series. As such, there was no better hero than Trevor to face off against Death in an epic duel that pitted the protagonist against impossible odds.
The massive demon cleaved stone structures with his scythe, and a simple swat of his hand sent Trevor reeling. The hero hung on, coming back each time as his injuries stacked up and the fight looked increasingly lost. At the last moment, Trevor assembled a magical dagger he gathered over the course of the season and resolved his final iotas of strength to slay Death, seemingly sacrificing himself in the act. It turned out that the intervention of Saint Germane saved Trevor's life. Thus the series ended on a high note with an epic fight scene fans wouldn't forget.
Dracula vs. Everyone
While Castlevania may have found a way to make the stakes larger than ever for its finale, it was still hard to top its greatest fight of all time. Facing off against Dracula, the trio endeavored their greatest battle, with the vampire lord pushed to the extent of his terrifying power.
The sequence took up most of the season's finale and, at different moments, paired Dracula against each member of the trio. Dracule was stronger, faster and more durable than any of them alone. As such, the sequence underlined the value of a powerful alliance as the three heroes combined their powers to win. Much of Dracula's castle was torn apart by their battle. However, with the dark lord slain, they earned their place as legends as the rest of Castelvania dealt with the fallout from the unprecedented climax.
Castlevania stars Richard Armitage as Trevor Belmont, Alejandra Reynoso as Sypha Belnades, James Callis as Alucard, Theo James as Hector, Adetokumboh M'Cormack as Isaac, Jaime Murray as Carmilla, Jessica Brown Findlay as Lenore, Bill Nighy as St. Germain, Jason Isaacs as The Judge and Rila Fukushima as Sumi. The entire series is available now on Netflix