Castlevania S02E08: End Times Review

Castlevania S02E08: End Times Review

Medium: Television

Release date: 10/26/2018

Review date: 9/29/2024

Score: 5/10

Why does the episode exist? The season (and series) already felt wrapped up by the end of the last episode - oh sure, there were still questions about what happened to Isaac, and then Hector and Camilla, but those plot lines only really felt interesting in the absence of the Dracula killing narrative this season; now that Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard have killed the big man, I don't now find myself going "and now to go wrap up the remaining loose ends;" instead I'm like "the show is over now, the central premise is complete." Alucard deciding to stay and guard Dracula's castle and the Belmont vault is fine, like I'm glad the guy has something to do, I guess? I thought he'd just stay with Trevor and Sypha, but sure, whatever, guard the ruins, he's correct about there being valuable stuff that needs protection from thieves in both places. The Isaac stuff at the watering hole felt forced, like sure, whatever man, go use your ninja necromancy powers to create an army. Sypha's reference to her and Trevor teaming up to take on the corrupt Church now is a good reminder of how completely absent they and the series message about the use of religion for evil were from this season - the Church hardly even gets brought up at all. I'm not sure if the show wanted me to feel bad or not for Hector and his new enslavement, but I mostly didn't feel much of anything, if we’re being honest; that plot line is pretty irrelevant to me now. Alucard flipping Trevor off at the episode’s end is honestly the perfect encapsulation of this show: stupid and juvenile. Force ghost Dracula showing up was funny, but I don’t think that was supposed to be my reaction. My one compliment would be choosing to end the season on Alucard crying alone was an interesting, possibly subversive touch; I was expecting some sort of last minute twist instead.