Topic: The Theology-Mythology of Castlevania

[Kaneda]

I noticed something that seems kind of... inconsistent, I guess, within Symphony of the Night. One of the endings where Alucard gives his farewell to Maria, saying, "May the gods guide you along the way." This doesn't seem to fall in line with the theology-mythology of Castlevania. Even though it makes use of monsters from different cultures' various myths, the series has always seem to have had some sort of Christian framework, albeit one that permits magic. I mean, Castlevania III's manual seems loaded with references to the church, name-dropping the Pope (mistakenly, the Orthodox church doesn't have one) and even stating that Sypha was a monk. It does mention that Vlad calls up a deity, which is mostly likely Death aka God of Death. However, the way it's depicted in the manual seems more to suggest that the resurrected being is worshipped as a god as opposed to actually being one. Given Alucard's use of holy water, Bible, and cross within his armament, it doesn't seem to fall in line with what he says in his ending. There doesn't really appear to be anything that suggests a pluralistic world, i.e., the Christian God exists alongside other gods in the other games.

This isn't that unusual, I suppose. The early Zelda games made of Christian items/relics for inventory and then it was discarded for the three goddesses later on. Even still, I always find it fascinating to delve into the "theology" of video games. Castlevania and the Ghosts N' Goblins games, in particular, tickle my fancy.   

[Dracula9]

Refresh my memory, but which version of SotN has that? Perhaps it was added so not to give the Christian God all the limelight? Obviously that sounds nonsensical with how much Christian imagery is in CV, but then the kinds of people who tend to raise hell (pun totally and definitely intended) over that sort of thing aren't too sensible themselves.

In-universe, maybe it's Alucard referring to other highly-powerful entities who might be protectors? The Fairy familiar certainly isn't close to a deity, but if she exists...you know?

Plus there's the possibility of the "Old Gods," like we see with Pan in LoS. Don't know how viable that idea would be in the original canon, but it's a thought.

[Kaneda]

This line was in the Playstation release.

[Nagumo]

It's fun to speculate about this, but it's something probably best left mysterious. And I doubt there's an actual consensus on the matter of coursse. But I'll contribute my usual pointless and obscure trivia!

According to the description of the battle of 1999 on the PoR bonus timeline, it says Alucard and co "find the magic in Japan which can even control gods with the power of a solar eclipse".

[X]

"May the gods guide you along the way."

Alucard may have been referring to the duality aspect of god. A Mother god and a Father god. It's common knowledge in spirituality, but to the church it would be seen as heresy since their organization is patriarchal and does not recognize any female figures (gods or otherwise) as part of their male-structured belief. Alucard and even Dracula himself would have known about this knowledge and thus be viewed by the church as heretics to be wiped out. Dracula for obvious reasons since he's so ingratiated with the downfall of humanity. Alucard would always go into hiding (eternal slumber in a hidden tomb) after said game was finished (CVIII, SotN).

[theplottwist]

In the Castlevania universe, to me, it seems that christianity is treated with the same respect all other religions/beliefs are. It's an universe where "all legends and myths are true", including gods and demons.

The Belmonts may wield crosses and traditionaly christian symbols to fight the forces of darkness, but maybe because THEY are christian, and not because "only christianity works". The symbols they use may have effects against evil not because they're "christian", but because they Belmonts place faith in them (not to mention that these symbols are weaponized, too). There are OTHER holy symbols from other beliefs in the Castlevania universe that also carry power against the darkness, leading me to say, again, that it's about faith you put into it and not about the belief the symbol comes from.

God, in the series, seems much like an abstraction of good, and not like " THE Abrahamic God". A force of good, not an personal entity of good.

Dracula himself in the series is analogous to Satan. He's THE force of evil, opposing God (As Alucard puts and Dracula's own title of "Mao" suggests). However, his character does not belong to any belief. Dracula is simply the Dark Lord, harbinger of chaos and evil, and ultimate manifestation of this evil on Earth.

There are other gods in the series (Maria's summons, Juste summons, creatures serving under Dracula that are clearly evil gods or pagan gods). That's why I say that there is no "Abrahamic God" per se. They seem to treat "god" as the overall force of good, and under this force there are many good entities and gods.

Sure, Castlevania started with heavy christian ideology (thanks to the vampire myths about crosses and holy-waters), but it seems to me that it has evolved beyond "christian" to encompass a plethora of beliefs about good and evil exactly to express a battle of good and evil, and not just "christian against vampire".

As Nagumo put, the ultimate technique to rid the world of Dracula was not even christian: It concerned beliefs about Amaterasu and Susanoo and their relation with the eclipse.

Also, this:

Given Alucard's use of holy water, Bible, and cross within his armament, it doesn't seem to fall in line with what he says in his ending. There doesn't really appear to be anything that suggests a pluralistic world, i.e., the Christian God exists alongside other gods in the other games.

You are ignoring the fact that Alucard also uses a Vibhuti (holy ashes from hindu belief) and the Agunea (holy lightning slavic mythology), both coming from different beliefs but also have effects against evil. Alucard also has a range of weapons coming from different belief systems. Thunderbrand, for instance, is called "Indra's Lightning Sword" in japanese. A bunch of other weapons/items suggest the presence of other gods/entities, but not only that, Maria has access to four incredibly powerful chinese gods.

SotN was not so mixed about beliefs, true, but this was thrown out the window with subsequent releases.

[Kaneda]

God, in the series, seems much like an abstraction of good, and not like " THE Abrahamic God". A force of good, not an personal entity of good.

I'm inclined to agree with this from a thematic standpoint, although belief in the Christian God would imply that He is a personal entity. I understand what you're saying in terms of having faith as the key to make the holy weapons work, although I'm not yet ready to make that same conclusion.   

You are ignoring the fact that Alucard also uses a Vibhuti (holy ashes from hindu belief) and the Agunea (holy lightning slavic mythology), both coming from different beliefs but also have effects against evil. Alucard also has a range of weapons coming from different belief systems. Thunderbrand, for instance, is called "Indra's Lightning Sword" in japanese. A bunch of other weapons/items suggest the presence of other gods/entities, but not only that, Maria has access to four incredibly powerful chinese gods.

Not ignoring. Just unaware. I only assumed that they were magical items from mythology.

[GuyStarwind]

Alucard is just being a nice guy. Like others have mentioned Maria uses the power of four Chinese gods. Maybe Alucard thought that's who she put her faith it? He's just being mindful of his audience.

[Gunlord]

I agree with PlotTwist and GuyStarwind, it's possible multipe gods exist in CV as well as the Christian one, especially since we see beings from so many cultures, like Babylonian or Greek mythology (Stolas), Chinese culture, (Maria's protectors, the Jiang Shi vampire), and so on.

[Shiroi Koumori]

Aside from those, they also added stuff from imaginary worlds like Tolkien's Middle Earth.

[X]

Castlevania is pretty much a mish-mash of multiple elements, not just christian elements either. It's how the series first got it's start and has been that way since.

[DragonSlayr81]

I think the Christian God is a guise(in CV, the church's personification) for the primordial force of light/good, and all holy and attributed to holy, including other benevolent gods and angels, originate and draw power from this "force". On the opposing side, Chaos is the primordial force of darkness/evil, acts like a well where monsters and demons draw power from. That's extremity in force and balance, faceless forms of good and evil, light and dark. I don't think there is are physical forms to these forces(well, in the original canon, not LoS), and Dracula takes up the role of the "Dark Lord" as the physical champion for Chaos(becoming a sort of "God of Chaos", ruling all which bends to the darkness). There were no holy warriors that dared to take up the mantle of a living God(unless we count Jesus, if Christian mythology is still considered literally, I can see this working to some extent, which would also make Dracula CV's "Anti-Christ" figure; as well as references to "Christ's power" in past games, which I nearly forgotten).

The two forces of good and evil are sources that all religions of the world draw from, and the variaty of mysticism differs from people to people, yet all stem from either pool of dark or light. It would be how a cross could be effective, as well as a Shinto sealing ornament, different ways that draw power from the same holy source, thus effective against forces of evil.

That's just what I think exists in the CV series(again, original one, not the LoS one).

[GuyStarwind]

I recall someone saying once that all the monsters and relics and whatever else in Dracula's castle could be a way he's mocking God (no other gods before him type thing). If we go off of LoI Mathias says he's going to curse God with his new vampire powers. Anywho not saying one thing or the other just it's a possibility.

[Kaneda]

I recall someone saying once that all the monsters and relics and whatever else in Dracula's castle could be a way he's mocking God (no other gods before him type thing).

Interesting theory. I don't think the creators would've thought to do that. It would make for a nice retcon, though!