During the course of our lives, there are certain events that we’re never quite prepared for. Whether it’s going forward towards unseen dangers in the name of love or making life or death decisions at a moment’s notice, many of us are ill-prepared to handle these live-changing events with grace and are more than happy to pass them off to someone else. But what if you had a responsibility to the rest of mankind? What if the very soul of your most cherished loved one hung in the balance? Would that be enough to spur you on?

If the Castlevania series has taught us anything it’s that the Belmont Clan has endured many losses and hardships throughout their ordeals. From Leon’s decision to kill Sara in order to create the Vampire Killer, to Simon resurrecting Dracula to put an end to the curse all while slowly dying, these folks not only went forward with their seemingly impossible tasks, but did so with steely-eyed resolve regardless of what lie ahead. Whether they were doling out the advice themselves or spurred into action by the resolute words of another, the Belmonts always found the strength to defeat evil.

Regardless of Circumstances, Put Forth Your Best Effort

“Fear not, brave Simon, for if you have the courage to risk your life, you will find the strength to win again.”

Image courtesy of Legends of Localization

Before he perished, Count Dracula put a curse on Simon Belmont that would later threaten his life. While contemplating his predicament in the family cemetery, a Mysterious Woman materialized and admonished him to burn Drac’s scattered body parts in order to lift the curse. Though his body was firmly within the grip of Dracula’s curse, Simon was able to summon the resolve necessary to venture forth on his new quest.

Though some speculation exists on exactly which ending is the best, one cannot deny that the words of the Mysterious Woman were enough to lift a dying Simon Belmont out of his malady. Sometimes, even a hero needs a pick-me-up from a kind soul, which brings us to the next lesson…

Believe in Yourself, No Matter What Lies Ahead

Hector: “What lies ahead?”

Trevor: “Do not ask! If you knew, your heart may waver.”

Video courtesy of DejikaruKen

Seriously, how many of us are guilty of never going after what we want simply because we were afraid of what obstacles we’d encounter? In this scene, Hector seems understandably dubious about jumping into a mystic portal spawned from Belmont blood, but Trevor solemnly prods him on, reminding Hector why he’s there.

Emboldened with fresh resolve, Hector jumps into the portal to parts unknown. Were it not for the kindly words and selfless actions of a warrior whose tentative respect he earned through surviving an earlier beatdown, Hector’s journey would have taken a much longer and lonely turn. And speaking of Trevor…

You’re Not Alone in Your Journey

His quest to defeat Dracula was not a solitary one in Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. The path to Dracula is rife with danger, capstoned by one of the most difficult final boss battles in NES history, so it comes as no surprise that even a total badass like Trevor Belmont would need a little help along the way. Enter freedom fighter Grant Danasty, mystic witch Sypha Belnades and Dracula’s own dhampir son, Alucard, who help Trevor on his journey.

Unlike Simon, whose quests were largely solitary, Trevor received the assistance of three strong and diverse partners that could climb walls, shoot fire and turn into a bat, respectively. For those who’ve played Symphony of the Night, Alucard’s resolve to end his father’s ongoing reign of evil takes on a global perspective that goes far beyond father/son loyalty. Killing someone you love for the sake of others is not something that comes so easily to the rest of us, just ask Leon Belmont…

If You Love Something, Let it Go

“I swear to you, no more will suffer your fate!” – Leon Belmont

Video courtesy of King Arthur Pendragon

Wow, that’s heavy…Lament of Innocence begins with Leon surrendering his title and weapon in order to venture into the Forest of Eternal Night to save his betrothed, Sara, from the sadistic vampire, Walter Bernhard. With the help of shopkeeper Rinaldo Gandolfi, Leon is able to traverse five convoluted, labyrinthine areas and prevail over a fire-breathing worm, a temperamental rock monster, Medusa (because of course), a cruel succubus and even a sword-nado wielding vampire in order to confront Walter. Unfortunately, by the time Leon gets there, Walter has already had his way with Sara, and Leon has to make the unfortunate decision to use the Whip of Alchemy against Sara in order to complete it and ultimately destroy Walter.

Of course, even with Sara’s blessing to do so, it was understandably not an easy decision for Leon to make. But it isn’t the first time that a Belmont had mistaken the strength and resolve of others in times of need…

Never Underestimate Those You Meet

There’s no question that Richter Belmont is a badass. I mean, the dude was the first Belmont to Item Crash and even fought Death while speeding towards Aljiba in a horsedrawn carriage in the middle of a rainstorm. Sounds like all the characters from The Expendables 1 & 2 rolled up into one package, right? Unfortunately, Richter’s uber-confidence in his own abilities seems to blind him to the greatness of others, such as the first time he met Maria…

Video courtesy of YuuGiJoou

Granted, the video above may only allude to Richter’s underestimation of Maria’s skills, but this admittedly awkward interaction is given more context in Dracula X Chronicles:

Video courtesy of xoa

For those who haven’t played either Rondo of Blood or Dracula X Chronicles, the long and short of it is that Maria kicks ass and Richter sorely underestimated her abilities simply due to her young age and demure appearance. So what can Maria do that Richter can’t? How about summon a giant dragon, wear a protective shell, perform double hits AND jumps…the list literally goes on and on. In fact, Maria seems downright overpowered at times, and is still apparent four years later during the events of Symphony of the Night, when she is inexplicably found in a room that lies beyond a long hallway filled with spikes AND a barred door!

Sometimes, even the most badass family of vampire hunters need to remember that there are others out there who are just as capable of greatness as they are. In fact, some of them make the messy business of putting Dracula away for another 100 years look too damn easy.

Now it’s your turn, noble reader. What lessons has the Belmont clan taught you? Lumpz the Clown OUT!

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