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Olrox became Castlevania: Nocturne‘s sleeper hit character. No one knew who he was when Netflix announced the show. Among Symphony of the Night bosses, he’s very few people’s favorites. I and many other fans liked him well enough, but we wouldn’t have thought of him as a deep character. The Netflix adaptation did what it does best. Put Olrox up next to Carmilla, Isaac, and Hector among the best restoration jobs Castlevania pulled off.
Olrox Was Always Unique
Castlevania: Nocturne‘s Olrox first appeared in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. He’s the boss of the uppermost part of Dracula’s Castle. His introduction is fascinating. Most bosses attack Alucard when he walks into their lair. Olrox sits at the far end of a lavish dining room table and waits patiently. You can walk in and sit down across from him like he’s your weird, formal dad, and you’re about to ask him to borrow the car. The table doesn’t go anywhere. You can stay seated as he attacks. His laissez-faire attitude to violence made him stand out. Olrox’s name appears elsewhere, but this is the character Castlevania: Nocturne is borrowing.
Castlevania: Nocturne‘s Olrox is partially based on a Japan-only novel called Demon Castle Dracula: Reminiscence of the Divine Abyss. Well-known manga publisher Dengeki Bunko released the book and Ryōgo Narita of Baccano! and Durarara!! fame wrote it. The novel describes Olrox’s personality. He lacks the pure evil of other vampires. He’s curious, clever, imperious, and dauntless. Olrox lives in search of thrills. He’s a villain, but he’s also scheming against Dracula for personal gain. There’s more to Olrox than most video game bosses, but he still isn’t fleshed out. Castlevania: Nocturne takes Olrox to a new level of depth, humanity, and personality among its excellent cast of characters.
Castlevania: Nocturne Lets Olrox Be Complicated
Olrox is introduced early in Castlevania: Nocturne. He appeared in the early trailers and the first scene of the series. We finally see what’s under his helmet. Shockingly, he looks just like beloved actor Zahn McClarnon. Olrox kills Julia Belmont, our hero’s mother. He lets young Richter live, knowing the boy will hunt him down. You could misinterpret him as an overarching villain at this stage. Each new appearance reveals something new about him. We eventually learn that he killed Julia in revenge for the only man he ever loved. We later watch him fall in love again. Perhaps most intriguingly, we see him actively oppose the show’s main antagonist. Erzsebet Bathory and Drolta Tzuentes try to keep him on the team, but he regularly betrays them and his people for the good of humanity. Castlevania: Nocturne makes Olrox more human than most members of the church.
Clive Bradley and the other writers of Castlevania: Nocturne looked into the limited information they had about Olrox. He’s a vampire in a suit of armor who can transform into a monster. He doesn’t leap to violence. The novel tells them he’s an outsider among vampires, even though he consistently seeks power. It also states that he’s powerful enough to fight Death on equal footing. By connecting Olrox to Richter in the most fateful moment of the young hunter’s life, they push him to the forefront of the story. From there, the writers let his personality bloom. He’s curious, fearless, and always self-serving. Olrox stands out among the heartless aristocratic vampires that are slayed in droves. He’s not a hero, but he’s much more than a villain. His role in the narrative remains fluid, but Olrox’s character is one of the most engaging among Castlevania: Nocturne‘s cast.
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Olrox should be considered a blueprint for bringing video game characters to the screen. He doesn’t get much to do in the game, but his limited presentation lets him stand out. One extraneous novel gives him some background, but few of us would have ever known that. Castlevania: Nocturne‘s writers took Olrox’s existing elements and refitted them to fit the new medium while adding several fascinating details. The result perfectly preserves the source material while giving the world a thrilling new character to enjoy. Future video game adaptations should be taking notes from Olrox.
