Summary
TheCastlevaniaseries has provided fans with more than a dozen games, featuring various timelines due to multiple reboots and retcons. Throughout the franchise’s lore, there are three undeniable truths: Dracula returns every century, monsters appear before and after his resurrections, and there is always a vampire hunter ready to stop him.
Not everyprotagonist in the Castlevaniaseries is Alucard or a Belmont. In fact, some of the strongest characters in the games are not linked to magic at all. Many of them have no ties to the famous families within the franchise, yet they wield powerful weapons and magic that enable them to stand alongside the legendary heroes.
Updated Jun 29, 2025 by Melody MacReady:Although the Castlevania franchise has not released a new game in over a decade, it continues to thrive as new players discover the series each year. This resurgence is fueled by re-releases of many games and the popularity of two anime series on Netflix. The franchise boasts a rich cast of memorable characters, ranging from the iconic members of the Belmont family to Dracula’s son.
Additionally, there are alternative timelines that have rebooted Castlevania, including the Lords of Shadow trilogy and the often-overlooked Nintendo 64 versions. Even within the main Castlevania timeline, some protagonists do not belong to the Belmont clan, yet they have proven just as effective in slaying Dracula and other villains throughout the ages.
The Belmont family has given up the monster-hunting lifestyle and the Vampire Killer whip was passed onto the Morris family.John Morriswas the first Morris seen inCastlevania: Bloodlinesand, while he is effective with it, it comes at a cost. Anyone aside from a Belmont is gradually killed by the Vampire Killer, which makes him inherently weaker than most protagonists.
Fortunately for John Morris, he is paired up withEric Lecarde, who helps take down the forces of evil spreading across Europe. The Lecardes are another family connected to the Belmonts, but like John, Eric is a character more reliant on his skills rather than inherited power from generations of vampire hunting masters, hence why the two have to work together.
Leon Belmont was the first hero inthe original but complex timeline. He was orphaned as a child but became a knight at the tender age of sixteen, so his combat skills are nothing to scoff at. He renounced his titles to fight monsters as they plagued the countryside, eventually confronting a powerful vampire named Walter. However, it was Leon’s friend, Matthias Cronqvist, who would become the Dracula fans know.
What some players may not realize is that the iconic whip known as the Vampire Killer that Belmonts wield holds the soul of Leon’s fiancée, Sara Trantoul. Little did he know that this would begin an evolution for his bloodline, with the Belmont gradually becoming more powerful with each generation that wields the Vampire Killer.
The iconic character in the games varies just a bit from his Netflix series counterpart.Trevor Belmontdid live outside society, feared by ordinary people for his Belmont family powers, but he readily stepped up to save Wallachia when asked by the church. It was up to him to live up to his family’s ancient vampire-hunting tradition.
However, like in the show, Trevor was joined by Alucard and Sypha in the fight against Dracula, along with a fourth company named Grant Danasty. Trevor was the first Belmont to defeat what had become the series' embodiment of Dracula. Although he did not individually defeat Dracula and his legions of minions, he survived a mortal wound inflicted by Isaac inCurse of Darkness.
Rather than the typical vampire hunter like a Belmont or a Morris family member,Castlevania: Legacy Of Darkness introducedCornell, A.K.A. Blue Crescent Moon. He is what is known as a man-beast, specifically a man-wolf who can changebetween his human form and a werewolf, allowing him to take on all kinds of threats, including Dracula.
While the Nintendo 64 reboot ofCastlevaniais not considered a classic,Legacy Of Darknessis regarded as a far superior prequel with improved mechanics. The werewolf concept is also a defining feature as it presents something unique for the franchise, with the combat between the man-wolf and human sides of Cornell having different pros and cons.
As a character,Simon Belmontis brash, a bit impulsive, and shirks his Belmont legacy due to a curse Dracula places on him at one point. But Simon eventually recommits to his family’s quest to take down Dracula and rekindle people’s trust in the Belmont family. He is also the first Belmont that the world was introduced to in the originalCastlevania.
Simon Belmont, one of the most renowned members of the Belmont family,deserves recognition for defeating Dracula twice. His first triumph was in the originalCastlevaniagame. Later, when Dracula’s remains were still scattered across Transylvania, Simon returned as the main protagonist inCastlevania 2: Simon’s Quest.
Hectordebuted inCastlevania: Curse Of Darknessas the main protagonist, which takes place after the events ofCastlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse. Mimicking Dracula’s own origin story, Hector’s wife is murdered by Isaac three years after Hector betrays Dracula and Hector vows to avenge her. He stands out among the games' protagonists as he is a servant of Dracula.
What makes Hector formidable is his demon-forging abilities—abilities he still uses to go after Isaac, only to find out that Dracula may or may not have risen again. He must defeat Dracula’s minions and the vampire lord himself, just like any Belmont would. Hector also wielded practically every weapon with proficiency and could craft all kinds of creatures.
Castlevania: Portrait Of RuinintroducesJonathan Morris, the son of John ofCastlevania: Bloodlines.He also wields the famed Vampire Killer whip and becomes capable of unleashing the power of several generations of Belmonts at once. His weapon prowess is considered beyond any of the Belmont and previous Morris family members.
Charlotte Aulin, a Belnades clan descendant, also boasts incredible powers andcan be played in the DS game. The end of the game sees a neat mirror in which Death and Dracula fight the duo together, with Death only yielding his soul to Dracula in an attempt to defeat Charlotte and Jonathan, but Jonathan breaks the killing curse of the Vampire Killer whip and proves himself worthy of the legacy.
The son of murdered vampire hunters,Nathan Gravestrained with Morris Baldwin who had previously sealed Dracula away. But a vampire named Carmilla resurrects Dracula in Austria, so Nathan, Morris, and his son Hugh set off to stop them. However, Morris gets kidnapped and Hugh becomes a pawn for the vampires. Nathan bests Hugh and Dracula himself.
The lesser-known, non-canon game features an incredibly powerful vampire hunter protagonist who is not a Belmont or a Morris. He managed to defeat Dracula without using the Vampire Killer whip, and he received no assistance from other fighters or magic users. That’s quite impressive!
Richter BelmontfromCastlevania: Rondo Of Bloodis recognized as one of the strongest, most knowledgeable, and dedicated Belmonts, thanks to the generations of monster hunting that have been passed down to him. He is also the youngest Belmont to ever confront a fully powered Dracula, and even Alucard has referred to him as the most powerful Belmont he has encountered up to that point.
Players can also play asMaria Renardof the Belnades clan, who might be the most overpoweredCastlevaniaprotagonist, but she does not have a game of her own. She exceeds Richter’s skill in practically every area, but fans do not see these same abilities when she appears inSymphony Of The Night.
Held in high regard by fans,Shanoafeatures a tragic backstory inCastlevania: Order Of Ecclesia; she lost her memories and emotions after being attacked by her adoptive brother. Chosen as the vessel for Dominus—a powerful yet dangerous set of glyphs from the Order of Ecclesia to defeat Dracula—she risks death from their use, despite her strength.
Her brother Albus was actually trying to protect her from Barlowe, the Order’s leader, who wanted to use Shanoa as a sacrifice to resurrect Dracula. Shanoa is capable of holding awesome amounts of power and is willing to sacrifice herself to save others. Players who get the good ending to the game also see Shanoa manage to use the Dominus glyphs without taking her own life, too.
