Lots of fans of the anime that haven’t played the games are probably curious to know more about him, so I’m going to do what I usually do, and gush for an entire post!
My view of him is that he is very heroic and brave and loving. As well as compassionate and passionate.
Heroic and Brave and compassionate
When his betrothed, Sara, is taken by a vampire, he wastes no time to go straight to the vampire’s castle and play his dumb ‘game’ and save her, while unarmed. He is heroic, because he gave it all up for her. He gave up his high title of baron, going against the wishes of the Church to face the monsters at the castle. He has to be given a weapon by a shop dude named Rinaldo outside the castle. He fully intended to go in fists flying like ‘RUAAARRGH’. BRAVE HEROIC BOY.
Heroic also because the moment he hears about Rinaldo’s sad story, he immediately wants to help him! He just barely met this dude and he’s like ‘I WILL HELP YOU!’ He’s so compassionate!
Loving
It was love for Sara that sent him on his quest in the first place. He and his best buddy Mathias share this same trait. It pains me. Leon loves Sara and will do anything for her. Literally anything. And he loves Mathias and is heartbroken after what happens between them.
Passionate
Lament of Innocence game spoilers: Leon finds out that his betrothed is becoming a vampire, and in order to save her he must defeat the vampire that turned her. But, in order to make the whip he’s using strong enough to defeat the vampire, he has to strengthen it, by killing her. Leon will NOT do it. He can’t kill his lub!! But Sara overhears the conversation and offers her life up to defeat the vampire. Leon, very VERY MISERABLE, slays her, and promises that her sacrifice won’t be in vain.
Later He finds out that his best buddy Mathias was behind everything. The kidnapping of Sara, which caused Leon to go to the castle to hunt the vampire, the death of Sara, all so that Mathias could use the now-dead vampire’s soul for a super strong item. He was utterly and completely betrayed by his best friend he swears his family will some day kill him!! My heart…
So then, not only does he love passionately, but it’s also passion that drives his anger, swearing that his entire bloodline throughout the rest of history will hunt vampires, and the night!!
I love Leon and I would be totally cool with it if you did too.
The inclusion of Leon in the Castlevania netflix series was one of the most exciting things for me, both in season one (where they hinted to it) and season two (where they confirmed it). And the reason I was very excited for it was the amount of thick drama it intentionally added to the overall story.
As mentioned by the OP, Leon was incredibly close friends with a man named Mathias. And in the netflix series, they added small hints that their relationship was carried over into the show, from Trevor mentioning his family having all sorts of knowledge on Dracula, to the mirror in the Belmont family library.
For those who are unaware, Mathias was the name Dracula used to go by in the original timeline, back when he was human. When he was good friends with Leon, a Belmont. They more or less served in the military together, where Leon was a knight, Mathias was an alchemist and tactician.
The netflix series, through subtle hints, more or less confirmed that Dracula and Leon used to be close. The very idea that Dracula, who was seen using a mirror, kept in contact with Leon via his own mirror, the very idea that the Belmont family library and vault was sealed by “dark bad magic”, implying it was probably a spell Leon learned from Dracula and passed down throughout generations. And the Belmont family recognizing and knowing Dracula’s technology, because Leon himself had experienced and probably learned all about it from Dracula. Back when they were friends.
In the show it’s implied that the Belmont family bloodline is feared by vampires not only because they’re strong in their own right, but they’re also fighting vampires with magic and abilities that Dracula may have very well taught them. Through Leon.
Which adds such a layer of delicious and painful drama, because these subtle mentions and off-handed comments heavily imply that Leon and Dracula were extremely close, close enough to trust one another with a two-way mirror telephone, close enough for Dracula to teach Leon some kinds of magic and alchemy. Close enough that Leon more than likely left records of all he knew about Dracula for future generations to build on, resulting in that massive library.
A library Alucard ends up inheriting from Trevor. A Belmont descendant becoming friends with Dracula’s son… And then leaving him all the knowledge the Belmont’s collected. A collection started by Leon, who’s own knowledge increased and gained from his own friend: Dracula.
I don’t think Trevor realized that when he said “both halves” of Alucard’s life was quite literally hitting the nail on the head.
And it’s so feels inducing to think about. That Mathias’ ultimate betrayal against Leon resulted in an never ending bloody war between the families that only concluded when a Belmont and a “Cronqvist” worked together and became friends.
LEON AND DRACULA’S FRIENDSHIP BEING ULTIMATELY MIRRORED IN TREVOR AND ALUCARD DESTROYS ME YA’LL.
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