Topic: Why a Whip?

[Kale]

Another answer:  Christ was whipped.  Whip = connection to the passion.  Castlevania heroes = slayers of evil, therefore, castlevania heroes = wielders of whips.

He was also stabbed with a spear (which indeed is much more famous, never heard of the whip that whipped Christ before). But I guess you can always say... Bloodlines had a spear heh.

[Luke_Belmont]

I think it's because swords are completely overrated. That and whips kind of have more range.

[Raphael Belmont]

It's a fetish.

hahahahaahaha!!!!!TOTALLY!!!!!!!!! 

[knightmere]

A whip wielding heroe is more unique and was probably more intriguing at the time.

[Gunlord]

Also, a whip allowed them to do some cool/interesting things, like grabbing on to things in SCIV.

[VGuyver]

He was also stabbed with a spear (which indeed is much more famous, never heard of the whip that whipped Christ before). But I guess you can always say... Bloodlines had a spear heh.

Yes there was a spear, but Jesus was also whipped  by the Romans prior to being put on the cross. While on the cross he was stabbed just under his ribs to pierce a lung. (Possibly to kill him faster, you die from lack of oxygen when crucified. Though historically he was more likely crucified to a tree then a cross.) The whip was used of course as torture. It was meant to tear apart the flsh on ones back. By the time it's use is over, it's likely left your skin in a shredded tatters.

Whips are thus a very punishing weapon. But they are hard to control, require much skill, and was widely used once up until christianity took over europe. I

Besides, the whips in Castlevania are pretty badass compared to other games and stories. We've seen the clasic leather whip, the chain whip. The morning star Vampire killer, which is a chain wjip with a mace at the end. The fire whip, rose whipe of thorns, and so much more. Props to Konami for doing something original.

Personaly, I want to see more weapon options. If you use the whip, then you should be able to use other weapons too. I don't understand why Belmonts can only use the whip and subweapons, but other characters can use a lot of diverse weapons. It makes sense for a Belmont to at least carry a short sword with them. And no the throwing knife doesn't count. C64 had the right idea in it's weapon use, it just needed bettter execution.

[X]

Personaly, I want to see more weapon options. If you use the whip, then you should be able to use other weapons too. I don't understand why Belmonts can only use the whip and subweapons, but other characters can use a lot of diverse weapons. It makes sense for a Belmont to at least carry a short sword with them. And no the throwing knife doesn't count. C64 had the right idea in it's weapon use, it just needed bettter execution.

Because that's the way the game was designed. In tearms of Belmonts using only the whip, it's a family tradition as that is their primary weapon. Anyone can use a sword or an axe, it isn't rocket science. But as stated on this thread, it requires great skill to master use of the whip. Especially if that whip is a ten foot long chain with a spike-ball at the end of it. And besides the Belmonts always have a secondary whip at their disposal. It's true that it was only truely emphisized in CV64 but all Belmonts have a backup weapon of some sort. I'd feel very vunrable myself if I was going on a hunt with only one weapon.

-X

[Abnormal Freak]

Yes there was a spear, but Jesus was also whipped  by the Romans prior to being put on the cross. While on the cross he was stabbed just under his ribs to pierce a lung. (Possibly to kill him faster, you die from lack of oxygen when crucified. Though historically he was more likely crucified to a tree then a cross.) The whip was used of course as torture. It was meant to tear apart the flsh on ones back. By the time it's use is over, it's likely left your skin in a shredded tatters.

He died before being pierced with the spear. Thar wuz a storm a-brewin', so the soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves so they'd die off quicker (usually crucifixion victims would stay nailed to the trees for days or however long they could live—it was a humiliating torture meant to last a while), but they had seen Christ was already dead as a result of the severe scourging He received, so they did not break His legs but pieced His side with a spear instead. (The Book of John doesn't mention Him having been pieced in the lung, so...I don't know where you're getting that.) This was for the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies ("not a bone of Him shall be broken"; "they shall look on Him Whom they pierced"). The not breaking His bones part had something to do with a sacrifice during Passover, I believe; taking the sacrifice outside the city gate is another such Jewish observation. Many of the things of which Christ did were fulfillment of OT prophecy, and His crucifixion was very much done in the style of a Passover sacrifice, though the Romans and even the Jews who wanted Him crucified had no idea they were doing it in such a fashion.

[VGuyver]

the piercing of of Christ is usually depicted either through the ribcage or just under the ribcage. Considering the purpose of the crucifiction and the location of the piercing in most depictions, I presume it was the lung. Actually an umber of scholars have named it wound like aimed at the lung or liver.

You know, all this talk of crucification brings me back to ROndo of blood, with the awesome backgrounds at the start of the game with victims bodies hanging off in the background. it makes me think of the mass crucifiction of those 6,000 survivers of Sparticus's slave army along the Appian Way.

[Nazrath]

I really think you're taking the religious overtones to an obscene extreme. What makes you think that, especially in the 80s, the Japanese knew more about Christianity than we did of Shinto?

[Aridale]

^^

Ive been thinkin it since the whole christ comparison started but didnt care enough to type it

[Abnormal Freak]

I still think the most reasonable answer is they took the whip idea from Hideyuki Kikuchi's Vampire Hunter D, ha ha. Someone would have to ask him, "WHY A WHIP?" The answer would probably be, "Whips are cool."

[Kale]

D uses a whip, I've only see him use a sword.

[Abnormal Freak]

D doesn't use a whip, but Doris from the first novel and film does.

[VGuyver]

Hmm, out of all the whips we've had. i think the one whip that would of been super awesome in actual history has never been used in games. I am of course talking abut the Urumi. Castlevania tends to have the belmonts use a whip of either leather eurpean origin, or a chinese style chainwhip. So why not the Urumi? It's basicly a whip that functions like a sword by the use of flexible steel, and people could tie it around their waists when in need to conceal it or traveling.