The best episodes of Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2

Summary

• Season 2 of Castlevania: Nocturne lacks surprises and new characters, but still has a lot to offer fans.

• Episode 3 focuses on Tera, Maria and a brief fight with Juste, which offers little entertainment value.

• Episode 7 features a climactic battle with well-animated action sequences that live up to expectations.

As its first season, Castlevania: Nocturne's the second season offers eight episodes of anime goodness to enjoy on Netflix. It picks up right where the first season left off as if it hasn't been two years since this anime last aired in 2023. That's why it's recommended to go back to season one to catch up and go through it, which won't take long time , and it will be a joy.

Watching advice aside, second season off Castlevania: Nocturne may not be as strong as the first one was throughout. There were fewer surprises and new characters, but by the same token, there's still a lot to love for someone Castlevania fans out there. So, let's rate the sheer entertainment level of all eight episodes of Castlevania: Nocturne.

Spoilers Ahead For Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2

8

The Widow's Widow (Episode Three)

Tera begins to show her humanity

Episode Three, “Widow's Widow”, is one of the slowest of the season, and not much happens. It mostly focuses on Tera trying to mother Maria again and teach her that she's not a danger as a new female vampire. Juste doesn't believe her, which starts a cool but very short fight between Tera and Juste.

The final execution of the King of France kind of comes out of nowhere, but it thickens the plot with Annette. What is this devil she sees when the dead are around? Episode three opens up some questions but doesn't offer much in the way of entertainment value.

7

Into The Abyss (Episode Five)

Will they come, won't they

The fifth episode of Castlevania: Nocturne, “Into the Abyss”, is another slower one that builds momentum to the end of the season. Alucard leaves Annette and Richter to find allies in the remnants of the French Resistance in the city. Maria is almost turned into a vampire, by her choice, but her mother refuses.

This is also the episode that shows how Erzsebet Bathory finally becomes the vampire queen by drinking Sekhmet's blood. Finally, Annette and Richter almost kiss but are interrupted by Annette's disturbing ghostly ancestors surrounding them. Episode five is important, but fans won't remember much about it beyond moving the plot forward.

6

Ancestors (episode six)

Diving into the realm of the gods

“Ancestors”, the sixth episode, is mostly about Annette as it follows her into the realm of the gods. She hopes to find Sekhmet's core to have a chance to fight Erzsebet and all her powers. It's methodically paced and important, but is another episode that isn't full of great moments.

The best part of the episode is the beginning, when Maria finally regains control of her beasts with the help of the darkness. There's also a fun flashback to when Richter and Annette were training as kids that's animated in a different style to make it look more chalky.

5

Angel of Death (episode two)

Diving into Drolta's background story

Drolta was one of the main vampire villains in season one, and she who died at the hands of Alucard. In season two, she is revived at the end of episode one. Episode Two, “Angel of Death”, begins with a backstory about Drolta as an Egyptian priestess who watches over Sekhmet's tomb. After killing a vampire, she also becomes one who watches over her mistress forever. It's part of the big story reveal of this episode, which is good to get context for.

The other big revelation was that Richter went back to Juste to ask for his help, and he accepts. It was good to finally see Juste fighting again, even if he wasn't at his best (unlike his debut adventure on the Game Boy Advance, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance). Overall, the backstory for Drolta is good, as is her finishing fight, and just seeing Juste again is a confidence booster.

4

A Line Of Great Heroes (Episode Eight)

Leave Our Heroes On A High Note

“A Line of Great Heroes” kind of feels like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, in that it has many endings. The battle that ended in episode seven resumes here and is quickly resolved. This leaves the bulk of the episode dealing with the characters in the aftermath.

It also sets up season three, but if that never happens, fans won't be too disappointed or left with any giant anime cliffhangers. Although about two-thirds of the episode isn't filled with thrilling suspense, Richter has an unforgettable badass moment when he executes Drolta. It leaves the series in a good place, while keeping the door open for more.

3

A Living Legend (Episode One)

Restore the action

Season one begins with a fantastic fight scene that showcases Alucard in a flashback. He combs the depths of an Egyptian tomb looking for Sekhmet's corpse to hopefully crush some of Erzsebet Bathory's power. It's an exciting opening, but the rest of the episode is more focused on plot, as it goes through the main cast and re-establishes their situations.

Maria is sad about her mother, Tera. Tera comes to terms with being a vampire. Richter is upset about being defeated last season but is happy that Alucard is there to help, et cetera. The wildest part of “A Living Legend” is the end, when Drolta is resurrected as a new demon by the Abbot's infernal machine.

2

Monstrous Things (episode four)

Maria's paternal murder

“Monstrous Things” has a lot of good stuff in it, the least of which is the final battle in the french museum. While the choreography is killer, there's another moment that tops almost everything that happens in season two. Maria, wild with rage that the Abbot turns her mother into a vampire and also creates monsters herself, goes to the Abbot's church to kill him.

While Juste tries to calm her down, Maria doesn't listen and instead lights up the humble father with her summoned dragon. The look in her eyes is unsettling, and the animators did a good job conveying that Maria is losing herself in that moment. It's a striking image that would make a great desktop background.

1

Grenadye Alaso (Episode Seven)

The climatic battle

Season two was building up to the events of “Grenadye Alaso,” and most of them Castlevania seasons have great finales. It's just weird that it came in episode seven and not episode eight, because this episode is almost all action.

Battles take place from all sides of the city, and they're all well-animated, too. The budget is clearly visible here, and if this episode doesn't get the blood pumping, no anime can. From Maria's magical dragon to Richter's whip-cracking antics to Alucard just being the best, it's a fantastic episode and the absolute pinnacle of Castlevania: Nocturne season 2.