Castlevania Season 4 Review: A Satisfying, Unpredictable Finale

The final adventure of Trevor Belmont, Sypha, and Alucard in Castlevania has finally arrived and there are plenty of surprises for fans that have been following the series since its inception as Powerhouse delivers an extremely satisfying ending while also throwing out some serious curveballs. Luckily for fans of the world of the Belmonts, the final season is able to wrap a bow on the journey of nearly every character that we've come to know over the course of the animated series, giving fans plenty of opportunities to say their goodbyes to their favorite characters.

In looking at Season 4, it's important to take a look at what took place during the previous season, which saw Trevor and Sypha breaking apart from Alucard, experiencing unique adventures in a world that is now lacking a certain lord of the vampires. In this final season, the tables have turned somewhat as Season 3 felt as if Alucard was spinning his wheels, while the opposite seemed true for Belmont and his traveling companion, who has mastery of the elements. In this season, we witness the son of Dracula undergoing some major character development, whereas Trevor and Sypha seem to be attempting to find their footing after a number of action-packed scenes to start things off until the final battle is ready to take place.

On the villain side of things, the story elements made up of Carmilla, her sisters, Hector, and Isaac might just be some of the most satisfying "farewells," with plenty of amazing fight scenes to help bring the supernatural tale to its conclusion. We also get some surprisingly heartfelt resolutions to the antagonists that work organically thanks to their well-told tales. Powerhouse definitely brought their "A-Game" for this last season, as the battles present are the best in the show to date, definitely allowing Castlevania to end with a bang rather than a whimper.

Castlevania Season 4 walks a tight rope when it comes to simultaneously planting the seeds for potential sequels and spinoffs, while also giving fans character arcs that work to cap off the story of the latest Belmont. The new season brings back several unexpected characters from the series' past that definitely have their own agendas, while also delivering a mixed bag of new characters, with the standout being the unkempt vampire known as Varney, skillfully brought to life by actor Malcolm McDowell. Some of these new elements might seem overwhelming at first glance, especially in the earlier episodes, but Castlevania sticks the landing by unfurling its story adeptly and putting each element to good use.

The previous three seasons leaned into a story structure that focused on a number of smaller encounters that eventually led into a giant brawl to cap off each season, and while Season 4 still follows this route to a degree, it seems as if the creative minds behind the series realized that sprinkling in some more action was definitely the right way to go, while still keeping the finale the focal point of the season. This isn't to say Castlevania isn't without its standard quieter moments, with the characters being as witty and crass as ever throughout their exchanges with one another. While some of these might come across as methods to inject humor into the travels of the vampire hunters, there are some truly great moments to be found in these conversations, especially with the likes of Isaac and his tête-à-têtes with the night creatures he created by his own hand.

Amid the blood and guts, Castlevania takes the opportunity to dive into what it means to be a creature of the night and/or a vampire, which allows for some interesting character development that gives something for fans to mull over in the final moments. Fans of the series will definitely find themselves surprised at where some of their favorite characters end up and which battles actually take place following the build-up of Season 3. It's a tight, action-packed affair that potentially could have used one less episode to bring everything to a close.

There is more than a lot to love about Castlevania's fourth season, giving fans plenty to sink their teeth into, and while there are a few rough edges along the way, we can't imagine that any fans that have watched, and loved, the previous three seasons won't find the final season a worthy send-off to Trevor and the gang.

Rating 4 out of 5

Castlevania Season 4 will begin streaming on Netflix on May 13th.