10 most shocking moments from Castlevania: Nocturne
5) The truth about Maria’s father
It has to be the worst feeling in the world finding out that your father, who you thought had died long ago, is not just alive but one of the people you hate the most. That’s exactly what Maria goes through when Abbot Emmanuel visits her house and accidentally lets slip that he’s Maria’s father. I mean, let’s be a little honest here: we kind of figured it out before it was made public knowledge. They have the same hair color, there’s the way he stopped Drolta from killing her in the abbey’s dungeon, the way Tera has always spoken very highly of the Abbot even though he’s a piece of crap…we all kind of knew it was coming.
But the shock here isn’t just the revelation that Emmanuel is Maria’s father, but the revelation of what an unstable, horrible person he is. He’s a selfish man who sees himself as one of history’s “great men” — he considers Charlemagne and Constantine on his level. He claims that God moves through him, that everything he does is for God. But the only person he’s truly watching out for is himself. This showcases the church’s abuse of power in the 1700s, and how corruption can stem from one bad apple and infest the entire bushel.
6) Richter finds his magic
The moment Richter realizes that not just his life, but the life of those he loves the most — Maria, Tera, and Annette — and of the man who turns out to be his grandfather are about to be cut too short, he has to face another one of his demons. But instead of running away from it or cowering and crying, he takes matters into his own hand and absolutely decimates the living crap out of some vampires. This was a well-deserved break for Richter, who’s been dealing with a lot his entire life: from his mother’s death to his inability to use magic to having been face-to-face with the dragon vampire who killed his mother, he’s had a rough go of it, with some sprinkles of joy.
More importantly, this turns the page for Richter’s character arc. He’s no longer afraid. He’s embracing his losses, accepting his trauma over his mother’s death, realizing that running away may take him to a new place but doesn’t stop his demons from following him. He understands that it’s okay to be afraid, and what you do about that fear is what defines you, and he clearly chooses violence. We witness his raw power as he deflects blades with icy, crystal-like armor and lights those sorry vampires up in blue flames. This isn’t just for show, it’s a warning: Richter Belmont has entered the building.