I disagree that THIS is the shows best episode.
Dark(?) Harvest and You don't deserve my blood are the two best episodes for me (I haven't seen the final episode, just finished this one).
Why?
Well...
I like this show for the characters. I like the philosophical aspects. One of the highlights for me are the conversation between Flyface or Flyeyes and Isaac about who and what decides why we go to hell...and the conversation of the head of church in the German city who argues that if god is perfect and created everything, Hell and Satan must be as well.
This episode had none of that! Basically, like one other reviewer pointed out, it's just fights! And frankly, not even such good fights.
It starts with them killing that Terrorhippopotamus thing (although Alucard had actually killed it in the previous episode!) and then it just seems like some video game. They fight and fight and fight and the enemies are almost waiting in different levels of difficulty.
Before they reach Saint Germaine and Death (who really was surprised at this point that he actually is death? The episode said Varny or whatever is name is shows his real face and we hadn't seen Death since episode 1 of season 4, so it MUST have been him), the mini bosses actually could have easily killed Trevor and his team. I mean, they did have the upper hand when it was 4 against 3. And they were actually 5, with the head vampire guy conveniently waiting until they had killed his "friends" to lose to them.
I am sorry, but this is lazy writing and this show deserves better.
Don't get me wrong, it's still a good episode. But it felt all a bit too rushed and forced. They could have built up death. They could have elaborated on Dracula and that Rebus thing.
What made the arc of Isaac great was that they slowly built it. Same goes for Carmila. That's why their final face off was meaningful.
Death on the other hand? He was barely known as such before he was already disposed of.
And that Trevor sacrificed himself? They could have made that more meaningful as well.
I mean, Death himself said he can't raise armies or do much. Was he actually still a threat at this point? Or such a threat that Belmont has to sacrifice himself for it? His girlfriend didn't seem too sad in the moment, nor did Alucard.
The two other episodes I mentioned were great because of the build up. That was all missing here for me. I won't be blinded by some sub par fight scenes (by Castlevania standards) with some glaring logical errors (killed monster is still alive, demon tag team doesn't take advantage to actually kill the heroes because the plot demands it).
And how the heck did Sypha ever end up as a statue with the cyclops? At this point, she is basically Neo from the Matrix, flying around shooting bullets! It's a bit ridiculous, sorry to say.
I won't rate this episode and of course people are free to love it. But please think about it and compare it to other episodes.
Season 4 to me was the season of the side characters. I cared much more about their story than the "main plot". Season 3 was much better that way with it's ominous and threatening atmosphere and constant feeling of actual danger.
Season 4 really lacked in that segment, at least when it came to the main characters. Not once did I think or feel that any of them are in real danger. Nor did I perceive the villains and their plot as any kind of actual threat. This episode perfectly underlined that and that's why I am surprised that people consider it the best. But, to each their own.
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