10 BEST Castlevania Protagonists

10 Best Castlevania Protagonists/Characters

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re paying respect to our favorite heroes across the “Castlevania” games!

Jonathan Morris & Charlotte Aulin

Already, we’re starting with a tie. But the dual protagonists of “Portrait of Ruin” are equally important, and equally interesting. A descendant of the Belmont clan, Jonathan wields the Vampire Killer whip, but is proficient in a variety of weaponry. In contrast, Charlotte is a young witch who can use different spells. Being able to swap between them on the fly gives you a lot of options in a fight. But more than that, their dynamic is an engaging one that carries the story. Jonathan is burdened by family history, only distantly related to the Belmonts yet still charged with a heavy task. Charlotte, on the other hand, is booksmart and overly confident; a bright light in the face of the challenge, and perfectly cast against Jonathan’s more steadfast demeanor.

Maria Renard

Going from being in need of rescue to a bonafide hero in her own right, there’s clearly something to be admired about Maria Renard. Introduced in “Rondo of Blood,” Maria is another distant relative of the famous Belmonts, yet fights in a completely different way by summoning different animals like doves, a cat, and a dragon. Only 12 at the time of her debut, it was a compelling contrast between her innocent appearance and her absolute ferocity in combat. Her determination to do good only grew as she got older, as seen through “Symphony of the Night.” Her relentless pursuit to save Richter Belmont showed her compassion was only matched by her will to fight.

Richter Belmont

Speaking of Richter Belmont, we have to include the hero of “Rondo of Blood” and its remake, “Dracula X.” Richter is the classic cocky young hero archetype, being one of the younger members of the Belmont clan to take on Dracula at the time of his game’s release. His combat style was more acrobatic, flipping around the area with ease, and his devastating Item Crash system could wipe away enemies with a level of satisfaction unseen in previous entries. His role in “Symphony of the Night” adds complexity to his character, brainwashed by Dracula’s servant, Shaft, to do his bidding. To take such a surefooted hero and corrupt them to be a villain was a compelling turn to take.

Hector

What makes Hector an interesting hero is that he wasn’t always one. Once a general in Dracula's army, he abandoned his master after he grew tired of all the murder, found love, and settled down. But in “Curse of Darkness,” he returns to his wicked ways to get revenge on Isaac, his wife’s killer and devoted follower of the Big Bad Drac. In addition to a rich backstory, Hector uses his gift as a devil forgemaster to summon friendly monsters to his side, adding a fun layer to combat on top of using standard weapons. “Curse of Darkness” is a nice companion story to the overall “Castlevania” mythos, and Hector is clearly a big reason why.

Trevor Belmont

As a prequel to the original “Castlevania,” “Dracula’s Curse” follows the first Belmont to put an end to the legendary Dracula. The backstory tells us that Trevor Belmont answers a call to stop Dracula, despite his clan having been exiled by the Church. To do such a thing paints him as tough, persistent, and unadorned by any of the romanticism that would later be layered onto his descendants. He gets a bit more characterization in “Curse of Darkness,” being shown as both proud of what he and his allies accomplished, as well as wary and untrusting. Although the Netflix series did a lot for his popularity, he’s still one of the most important Belmonts in the franchise’s history.

Leon Belmont

“Castlevania: Lament of Innocence” takes place even further back than “Dracula’s Curse,” at the very beginning of the franchise’s chronology. It follows Leon Belmont, on a journey that would inevitably lead to his family’s centuries’ long feud against all vampires. What makes Leon so compelling isn't just his combat prowess, though the evolution of the franchise’s mechanics, such as through elemental whips, is satisfying. But there’s also the tragedy embedded in every step of his story. It begins earnestly, with Leon venturing into a vampire’s keep to rescue his fiancée. But with her bitten and turning soon, she compels him to sacrifice her to create a powerful weapon: the iconic Vampire Killer. As if that weren’t enough, the revelation that his closest friend, Mathias, manipulated the entire situation and would eventually become Dracula recontextualizes everything that follows.

Soma Cruz

While he starts as an ordinary exchange student in “Aria of Sorrow,” Soma quickly learns he has incredible power, and an intimidating destiny. He’s another character who brings a new style to the series’ tried and true gameplay, able to absorb the souls of monsters and gain new abilities. The reason he can wield such might is his fate as the reincarnation of Dracula, killed thirty six years prior. Yet, Soma rejects this, choosing to forge his own destiny rather than simply inherit Dracula's. This makes him an admirable hero, something that is carried over to the sequel, “Dawn of Sorrow,” in which he must fight to live his own life, literally, when a cult tries to take him out in order to find a new reincarnation for Dracula.

Shanoa

Following the events of “Symphony of the Night,” Richter and the Belmont clan vanished. And with them absent, other orders were formed to stop Dracula should he ever return. “Order of Ecclesia” follows Shanoa, a glyph wielder for the titular order. With a ton of different types of glyphs to learn and wield, the level of variety makes Shanoa one of the most versatile and satisfying protagonists to control in combat. She also begins as an amnesiac, driven to uncover the mystery of her past as well as dedicated to doing her duty for the Order. A hero you can root for, whose moveset is an absolute joy to wield, it’s just a shame we didn’t get to play as her more.

Simon Belmont

One of the most iconic figures in “Castlevania,” at least when it comes to the games, Simon Belmont certainly deserves his flowers. The protagonist of the first game, its sequel, and its incredible remake, “Super Castlevania IV,” Simon is as classic as it gets. He’s the foundational figure of the entire franchise, the character upon whose shoulders everything else has been built. Although you obviously don’t get much characterization in his games, he’s clearly brave and determined to live up to his family’s legacy, his feats made all the more impressive considering he didn’t have access to as powerful abilities that his successors would. While, chronologically, we would turn out to not be the first Belmont to defeat Dracula, he will always be an important figure in “Castlevania” history.

Alucard

Making his debut in “Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse,” Alucard was already painted as an intriguing character back then, as the son of Dracula banding with the forces of good to take down his father. However, what made him one of the most popular characters in the series was his role in “Symphony of the Night,” itself one of the most popular games in the series. Delving into his father’s castle to bring an end to his plots once again, Alucard’s fight against his father's legacy while honoring his mother's memory remains one of the most gripping inner struggles in the series. Alucard strives to be something better than he was born to be. It doesn’t hurt that his slick movement mechanics, transformative abilities, and arsenal of unlockable weapons make him a blast to play as.

Who’s your favorite protagonist of the “Castlevania” series? And who’s an underrated hero? Share your thoughts in the comments, and we’ll see you next time!