Lenore Castlevania: Season 4 of Netflix’s Castlevania ended with a slew of unexpected twists and turns. One character, on the other hand, deserved to live longer than she did.
Lenore Castlevania: Death Was Pointless
WARNING: This article includes spoilers for Castlevania Season 4, which is now available on Netflix, as well as discussion of self-harm and suicide.
Despite the large cast of characters in Netflix’s Castlevania, Season 4 went all out to wrap up the series’ many storylines. Each character earned a definitive finish, whether it was redemption, death, or reincarnation. Everyone, with the exception of Lenore, had a dismal ending. While her last scene is epic and gorgeous, it felt out of place and, upon closer inspection, ineffective for Castlevania as a whole.
Hector and Lenore’s philosophical discussion didn’t go as planned.
Lenore, a diplomatic vampire who coaxed the forgemaster Hector into servitude in Season 3, became an instant fan favourite. Lenore’s way of gaining power is beautiful, and her negotiating skills are eloquently psychological, unlike any other vampire in Castlevania. Her character development ended up petering out, and her suicide ending came so quickly, despite her game blossoming so intriguingly in Season 3. Lenore deserved more than what she got in Season 4.
The final episode of Castlevania begins with a dialogue between Lenore and Hector. Lenore brings up the “Vampire’s Virtue,” a desire for everything to stay the same, during their debate over many bottles of wine.
“You people spend sixty years bumping into things and call it a life,” Hector says, but she believes that vampires have a larger perspective than humans, claiming, “You people spend sixty years bumping into things and call it a life.”
Lenore and her sisters ruled with strength and stability, providing her with comfort and security. However, as Hector points out, Carmilla’s power-hungry vendetta shattered their unity and robbed Lenore of her diplomatic mission.
Before Lenore says she realises who she is and how she’s been “living a lie,” Hector draws a comparison between bloodthirsty power and vampires.
While there is some lighthearted banter in the chat, the message isn’t entirely realised. Does Lenore despise herself now that she understands how vampires feed on power? Given how she just mentioned “virtue,” this conclusion seemed improbable.
Why would Lenore suddenly regard herself as a “lie” when she knows being an eternal vampire has its advantages, especially as a peaceful diplomat? What is the point of this sentiment if it isn’t to the point of suicide?
It doesn’t seem right that she’d lost her pride to the point where she wanted to end her lengthy life right then and there.
Lenore’s Vampiric and Diplomatic Powers Might Allow Her to Get Away
Lenore also claims in her final moments that “King Isaac” is keeping a close eye on her in the castle, and that she feels imprisoned like a criminal. She refuses to exist in this manner and goes out to the balcony during morning to feel the sun on her skin. Hector resists at first, but she convinces him that this is what she wants, so he tells her to “be free.”
Isn’t there any way for Lenore to “be free” than to die? Despite the fact that the castle became her prison, she makes no attempt to flee or bargain her sentence. When Hector tries to attack Lenore, she can literally transform into a flock of bats, as seen in Season 3.
This bat-swarming skill allows her to flee from anyone’s grip in a moment, and she’s shown doing so while speeding around the castle. Isaac’s undead soldiers are formidable, but given her devious scheming, you’d think she’d at least try to make it out alive.
Furthermore, Lenore has demonstrated her diplomatic skills – hasn’t she sought to negotiate with Isaac about the terms of her detention? Couldn’t she use the fact that she has Hector wrapped around her little finger to get him to reason with Isaac, and perhaps even let the two of them go together?
Isaac may have reason to imprison her, especially after the way she abused Hector and collaborated with Carmilla, but was what she did really as bad as what Dracula would do?
The Vampire Sisterhood of Lenore was not destroyed.
Carmilla may have been the leader of Castlevania’s Queens of Styria, but her death did not imply the rest of the quartet was doomed. Morana and Stringa, her sisters, survived by making the wise decision to depart Styria with their surviving forces.
After sensing Carmilla’s death, the two decided that attempting to reclaim the castle would be futile. Instead, the pair formed a mercenary company and joined forces with other nations. They believed Lenore died at the same time as Carmilla and made no attempt to reconnect.
However, it is never revealed whether Lenore had a theory about what happened to Morana and Stringa. Wouldn’t she feel obligated to reach out to her sisters to reconcile after Carmilla’s failure if the quartet had as much strength as she claims? Would Lenore have killed herself if she had known what their plans were?
The Symbolic Meaning of Lenore’s Death in Castlevania Is Lost
Season 4’s Lenore is completely powerless and without a purpose, therefore her death isn’t as momentous as it is sad. She mentions how much Carmilla overlooks her usefulness as a diplomat earlier in the season, and she’s given no meaningful function in Castlevania but to drive Hector’s dialogue. Is her aimlessness genuine, or were the writers at a loss for what to do with her?
She dominated Hector as a vampire in Season 3, drunk on his magical and psychic service as well as the power of her sister’s foursome. Her comments about him being her “pet” and not being a “real person” are frightening, therefore her death is likely seen as vindication by some. Yet, especially in Season 4, her goodness felt genuine, as Hector appears to still be a close friend, indicating he’d always protect her. In addition, Lenore expresses regret to Hector for his ordeal.
Isn’t it reasonable to forgive Lenore after all of this? Without Carmilla, wouldn’t she be driven to find her own place in the Castlevania universe? Her suicide appears to have no significance — it’s a needless tragedy. As she disintegrates into the wind, the scene is beautifully animated and inspires an emotional response, but she deserved so much more.
Click here for additional information on suicide warning signs and how to avoid it. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK if you or someone you know is experiencing mental distress or considering suicide (8255). If you live outside of the United States, you may find a list of international hotlines here.
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