Dracula (Castlevania)
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Image:Dracula1 small.jpgDracula is a fictional vampire from the Castlevania series of video games, where he is the main villain in most of the titles. He first appears in the series as the main villain of Akumajō Dracula (for many platforms). He is also the final boss of almost all of the games, the only exceptions being the first and last games in the series' chronology (Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (1094) Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2035) and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2036) respectively).
The Dracula of Castlevania is loosely based on Bram Stoker's character, which was in turn based on the infamous Vlad Tepes of Wallachia. The Castlevania Dracula draws some history from both, but instead of preying on maidens this one threatens whole realms with his armies at the least, and at worst is presented as the very embodiment of evil.
Dracula did not receive much characterization in the earlier games of the Castlevania series, but in later games he is depicted as arrogant, disdainful of humanity (whom he regards as petty and greedy), and somewhat abusive towards his own minions.
Although in some games he simply sits around in Castlevania waiting for the hero to show up and kill him (such as in the case of Sonia or Trevor Belmont), he also has a penchant for kidnapping the loved ones of the current Belmont hero (usually their bride, girlfriend, or mentor) with the intention of sacrificing them to gain power or vampirizing them to spite the hero. However, unlike his predecessor Walter Bernhard, he has never managed to accomplish this, with his victim always being rescued by the hero in the nick of time (the only exceptions being his brief possession of Christopher Belmont's son Soleiyu in Castlevania Adventure II, and an alternate ending of Castlevania X in which Richter Belmont's girlfriend Annette is transformed into a vampiress skull sorceress to fight him).
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In-game appearance
In almost all of his in-game incarnations, Dracula initially appears as a stereotypical vampire count, complete with long black cape. His facial appearance throughout the series has evolved, however. Earlier games give him the face of the traditional Hollywood Dracula (clean shaven with a widow's peak hairstyle), where in later titles, starting with Rondo of Blood, Dracula is portrayed usually with a mustache, goatee, and long, white flowing hair. His most common form of attack is to teleport from one part of the screen to another, then opening his cape to fire a spread of three small fireballs at the player. In later games he can also fire larger, meteor-like fireballs. Usually, he can only be damaged by striking him in the head or neck area.
In some games (Such as Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse or Castlevania: Bloodlines), instead of the typical vampire count, Dracula appears as an evil sorcerer who attacks the player with various spells including walls of flame and lightning strikes.
After being defeated in his initial, humanoid form, Dracula usually morphs into a larger, more powerful demonic form, although the exact nature of this form varies from game to game, ranging from a standard bat-like winged demon to a dragon-caterpillar hybrid.
History
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (1094)
Image:Dracula2 small.jpgOriginally named Mathias Cronqvist, it was during this time when he was best of friends with a man known as Leon Belmont. Together, the two formed an undefeatable company, that fought in the name of God. Mathias served as the tactical genius, while Leon was a warrior without peer. However, shortly after losing his wife, Elisabetha Cronqvist, Mathias would become bedridden and would reveal to Leon that his own girlfriend, Sara Trantoul, had been kidnapped by the vampire, Walter Bernhard, and taken to a castle within the Forest of Eternal Night.
It was a ploy. Mathias had come up with a brilliant plan. Blaming God for taking his wife away from him, he had turned to the dark side and merely used Leon to kill Walter so he could steal the vampire's soul. After Leon defeated Walter, Mathias disappears and becomes Lord of the Night, the king of all vampires. It is assumed that he would later change his name and become Vlad Tepes, or better known as Dracula.
At the end of the game, it is revealed that Mathias was in possession of the Crimson Stone, an alchemical artifact that passes the spiritual essence of any slain vampire into whomever wields it. The power of the stone was what transformed Mathias into a vampire (not the traditional blood-gift). Possessing the stone over the course of centuries is what transformed Dracula into the world's strongest vampire and presumably what assures that he is resurrected whenever he is slain. (This strange loop suggests that whenever Dracula is killed, as wielder of the Crimson Stone, his power is transferred directly back to him every time.)
However, by using Leon in the fashion he had done, Mathias, or Dracula, had cursed the Belmont bloodline to "forever hunt the night." Also destined to eternally oppose Dracula was the Belmont family's signature weapon, the "Vampire Killer", a mystic whip inhabited by the vengeful soul of the slain Sara Trantoul.
(See also: Castlevania: Lament of Innocence)
After Lament of Innocence (1094 - 1450)
Through various actions, Dracula had gained immortality. Not only would he live forever, if his physical body was destroyed his spirit would live on and resurrect in physical form periodically as long as human wickedness existed to fuel him (the general timetable for his resurrection is every 100 years, but premature resurrections are not uncommon). Not much is known about what Dracula did during the time following the events of Castlevania: Lament of Innocence. It is known that he would have a relationship with a human woman by the name of Lisa. The time frame of this union is still unknown. This woman looked exactly like his deceased wife, Elisabetha. The union would bear Dracula a son, who was named Adrian Farenheights Tepes, but would be later known as Alucard.
Lisa was later taken from her home and executed as her expertise in medicine was mistaken as "witchcraft". This heinous act enraged Dracula beyond belief. Hurt deeply, he vowed to make humanity pay once he mastered the use of the unlimited power he now had.
Akumajō Dracula (Castlevania) (1450 - 1691)
Dracula had vowed revenge against mankind for the death of Lisa. However, during his rule over Wallachia, he would meet up with many members of the Belmont Clan whose cursed blood and enchanted whip(s) allowed them to defeat Dracula.
According to the official Castlevania timeline (see the Castlevania article), the first known Belmont to defeat Dracula was Trevor Belmont. Trevor was also aided by Alucard who fought alongside him, a pirate named Grant Danasty and a sorcerer named Sypha Belnades (who, in Samus Aran fashion, was revealed to be a woman after Dracula's defeat). Trevor was most likely the one to land the final blow, due to Dracula's weakness being the Vampire Killer, and all games in the future reference Dracula as being defeated by Trevor.
(Note: Some Castlevania series fans have argued that the original Belmont to slay Dracula was Sonia Belmont from Castlevania Legends. This is because the game story takes place prior to Trevor's game. However, Konami retconned Castlevania Legends from the official Castlevania timeline because the game plot was inconsistent with the plot of Castlevania:SoTN and Castlevania 3 which says Dracula only became evil after his wife was killed by humans shortly before the events of Castelvania 3. Additionally, it proposed the idea that Alucard had betrayed his father prior to the events of Castlevania 3 where his mother was killed, which is also inconsistent with the plotline of Castlevania 3 and SoTN. This explains why Castlevania Legends was retconned. Also of note, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness verifies that prior to the events of Castlevania 3, Dracula had not held a grudge against humans, as explained during Hector's confrontation with Dracula at the end of the game. Since Dracula's grudge against humans began after his wife was killed, this pinpoints the death of Lisa as taking place shortly before Castlevania 3).
Christopher Belmont, a descendant of Trevor and Sypha, would become the second Belmont to defeat Dracula. First, Christopher slayed the vampire lord in one adventure, then prevented Dracula from being reborn in the body of Christopher's son Soleiyu in another adventure.
The most famous of all the Belmonts who would defeat Dracula is Simon Belmont. Before Simon, the Belmonts were feared for their supernatural physical prowess. But Simon, who came in a time of need, saved the land and made the Belmont name famous for killing Dracula and his minions once again.
Simon's Quest (1692 - 1698)
During his defeat at the hands of Simon Belmont, Dracula played a trump card and placed a curse on Simon and the land of Wallachia. This curse would kill the land and Simon if not broken in time and would thus kill off the Belmont bloodline.
Simon had thought his job was done, but he would learn of this curse and once again set out with all the strength he had left. He had to collect the body parts of the deceased Dracula which were scattered all over the land by Dracula's minions and followers. Simon was successful in collecting the body parts and reassembling them at the ruins of Castlevania in order to defeat Dracula once more in his resurrected form, thus lifting the curse.
(See also: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest)
Son of Dracula
Through his union with the human Lisa, Dracula had a son. His son would be born Adrian Farenheits Tepes, but would be later known as Alucard. Despite emulating his father early in his life, Alucard decided that he did not want to follow in his father's evil footsteps and battled with him many times. It is said he chose the anagram "Alucard" ("Dracula" spelled backwards) for his new name as a symbolic gesture, meaning he would go against his father's doings from that point on, like a kind of "anti-Dracula".
When exactly Dracula fathered Alucard, and when he knew Lisa, for that matter, is unclear.
(See Alucard for information about Alucard of Castlevania)
Reincarnation
In the Game Boy Advance installment of the series, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, it is revealed the main character Soma Cruz is in fact something of a reincarnation of Dracula. Apparently in the year 1999, Julius Belmont, the modern day member of the Belmont clan was finally able to defeat Dracula for good and seal away his Castle. These events have yet to be elaborated on other than brief mention in Aria of Sorrow. This was not the end of Dracula however, as it seems that after death his soul had been reincarnated into the soul of an innocent young man named Soma Cruz.
As well as having many of his tremendous powers (which Soma unlocks through the course of the game), Soma bears a striking resemblance to Matthias Cronqvist, the original human form of Dracula which started it all. However, as evidenced by his polar opposite color motif (Matthias was predominantly dressed in black with red trim and aura, while Soma is dressed in a white coat with blue trim and aura), Soma may be something of a second chance for Matthias in a new life, by choosing to go down a different path when the truth is revealed. His journey continues in the series' latest installment, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow for the Nintendo DS.
While Soma is his own entity, he is also technically a continuation of Dracula, albeit in reincarnated form and as a protagonist. Although, it is argued by fans whether he is truly the same character in a new life or a different character altogether who just happens to have inherited Dracula's power.
(See the article about Soma Cruz himself for more information. Aria of Sorrow takes place in the year 2035 as well.)