Annette Renard
Early Castlevania games weren't necessarily known for their stories. While the instruction booklets for the games did have their share of stories in them, most of those booklets were of questionable quality and sometimes even contradicted what was seen in the games themselves. The few character beats that we got from any game were what had to sustain us, but considering the action, music, and graphics in the games were great, it was generally enough. A game, though that was able to deliver a bigger story on top of all the series mainstays would have been special, indeed.
One game did manage to accomplish that, although sadly it didn't make its way to Western shores for two decades after its initial release: Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of BloodThe first adventure for Richter Belmont, this game didn't originally make it to the West (instead seeing a SNES remake to replace it) as was considered something of a prized collector's item by fans.. The game gave us a new hero for the series, fashion-forward icon Richter BelmontRevealed first in Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood in Japan, and then Castlevania: Dracula X in the West, Richter is the Belmont hero of the late 1700s who worked with Maria Renard to bring down Dracula., and a story to motivate him: the kidnapping of his beloved Annette, one of four girls kidnapped from villages near Dracula's Castle. While Richter, being a hero, would have gone to defeat Dracula regardless, the kidnapping of his sweetie does lend some urgency to his quest.
Interestingly, for a while Annette's exact place in continuity was a tad confused. Beyond sometimes being called "Annett" instead of Annette, she was, at times, attributed as the sister of Maria RenardA young heroine, and cousin to Richter Belmont, with the blood of the Belmont clan in her veins, Maria teams with Richter to fight back Dracula and the forces of darkness in the late 1700s. -- this is the reason we list her last name as Renard. This came from Castlevania: Dracula XThis SNES game was a loose remake of Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, and even by the team that made it is considered a non-continuity adventure., the SNES remake of Rondo of Blood. There she's described as Maria's sister, a connection she didn't have in the original game (nor in its PSP remake, Castlevania: The Dracula X ChroniclesA remake of Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood which featured updated graphics, music, and some new gameplay elements. It also included classic versions of Rondo and Symphony of the Night (the latter of which had a new bonus Maria mode).). Officially, as per one-time series lead Koji Igarashi, Annette is not Maria's sister as Castlevania: Dracula X sits outside the main continuity.
Of course, we would also point out that Annette is mentioned, by Maria, in sequel Castlevania: Symphony of the NightReleased on the PlayStation in 1997, this game, while not hugely successful in the U.S. at the time, went on to become on the most beloved titles in the Castlevania series., and there Maria does acknowledge her as a "sister". Of course, by that point Richter and Annette were to be wed, and Maria, who had adopted Richter as her brother, could have thought of Annette as a "sister". These are the confusing connections you get when a game series is produced by multiple people over the years.
For all those reasons we list Annette with the last name of Renard, even though it's an adopted name and, as of right now, denote a familial connection that doesn't properly exist in the series continuity.
Character History:
Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood
After nearly a century of peace since the last time DraculaThe lead antagonist of the Castlevania series and most famous vampire character in all media, all thanks to Bram Stoker. Based on the historical figure Vlad the Impaler, a vicious ruler of Wallachia in the mid-1500s. had been defeated, the demon's evil castle once again appeared on the Wallachian countryside. Around this same time, multiple girls from around the countryside -- not just Annette but also Maria, IrisOne of four girls that can be rescued in Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood. Iris was the daughter of the local doctor, and a medical student as well., and TeraOne of four girls that can be rescued in Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood. Tera was a young nun who lived in the village in the original game, although her role was greatly expanded in Castlevania: Nocturne, turning her into Maria's mother., and probably many more -- disappeared, presumed kidnapped by the dark priest ShaftThe dark priest and righthand man for Dracula through Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night. He has no relation to the cool private eye fron the 1970s. None whatsoever. Really.. Using some girls as sacrifices in his Black Mass ritual, the evil sorcerer was able to resurrect Dracula, the blood and souls of these girls serving as a lifeline to the defeated vampire.
Annette wasn't just some girl, though; she was also the lady love of hero Richter Belmont. Whether Dracula and Shaft knew of this connection originally or not (which we'll discuss below), Richter felt particularly motivated to enter the castle and defeat the evil vampire, rescuing the lady fair in the process. He battled his way through many dangers all to try to find a way to Annette, finding the other lost girls in the process, each of whom aided him, at least in some small way, in his quest.
While Richter searched, Annette was secluded into a cell high in the Clock Tower. There she was visited by Dracula who, having taken a shine to the girl, tempted her with eternal life if only he'd let her feed from her lovely flesh. She rebuked him, though, declaring her love for Richter and holding out for a time when he would come and save her (as she knew he would). And, sure enough, hours later the hero arrived, key in hand, to save his love and take her from the castle. Freeing her he sent her outside the castle, using the path he had cleared through the monsters and devil, so she could wait in relative safety outside the castle. He, meanwhile, went deeper in to take on Dracula and rid the world of his evil once again.
Finally, once the demon was defeated, Richter and Annette were truly reunited outside the castle. She shared their love for one another and made a vow to always be together from that day forward.
Depending on the game you play, Annette's connection to Richter may or may not be known by Dracula and Shaft. Rondo of Blood makes no indication of the matter, for instance, but in the Dracula X Chronicles, which has superseded Rondo in the official continuity, Dracula knows full well that Annette is being courted by Richter, making her kidnapping an act of revenge against the Belmont clan that has battled the demon all these centuries.
It's also worth noting that saving Annette is technically optional, although if you skip her you don't get the best ending of the game. Certainly saving her is the outcome in continuity (as reflected in references in dialogue in Symphony of the Night). Notably, in some versions if you don't save her then Annette does, in fact, give in to Dracula's offer to become a demon. Then, at the top of the Clock Tower, you end up having to face the now-vampiric Annette (instead of whatever other boss would be up there instead). It's a nice twist, and adds a bit of extra depth to the games.
Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls
Annette later reappears, resurrected by the Grimoire of Souls tied to 1792 AD. There she was possessed by CarmillaMaster vampiress and one of Dracula's lieutenants. She's aided in many of his evil schemes, working to ensure his rebirth again and again after the many times the Belmonts have taken down the Lord of Vampires., made into her vampire slave by the dark countess. Within the book Carmilla had Annette as her hostage (replicating elements of what happened in the past) as she guarded the vital soul the heroes needed to recover. The heroes had to climb their way to Carmilla's chamber, through an underground recreation of Castle Dracula, before they could confront Carmilla and Annette in the countess's ballroom.
Once Carmilla was defeated, and Annette was freed, Dark King Soma (see: Soma CruzA young exchange student on a trip to a Japanese shrine, Soma is sucked into an adventure he never could have anticipated when Dracula's Castle, sealed within the magic of an eclipse, pulls him into its dark and foreboding grasp.) arrived, stealing the vital soul before the heroes could reclaim it. Even after a pitched battle with this foe the heroes were unable to regain the needed soul, forcing them to leave the book to search elsewhere for the elements they needed.
Castlevania: Grimoire of SoulsA mobile phone-based addition to the series. Was originally developed for Android, and released exclusively to Canada during its development cycle and episodic releases, before finally seeing a finished release on Apple Arcade two years later. is a multi-episode game released for mobile phones. Each adventure in the game featured chapters taken from other games in the series, such as this episode and its recreation of sections of Rondo of Blood.
Castlevania Netflix History:
Castlevania: Nocturne
Born into slavery, Annette was the daughter of two slaves. Her father (who goes unnamed in the series) came from a clan who worshiped Ogun, the voodoo spirit of war and iron, while her mother, EstherMother of Annette, Esther was a slave owned by Vaublanc. Likely she wasn't raised a slave as she still had strong connections to her heritage and religions, two things Vaublanc desperately wanted to wipe away., came from a clan that worshiped Orunmila, the spirit of divination, intelligence, and wisdom. Within the young girl lived a great and powerful magic, it just needed a spark to ignite.
Unfortunate events led to that spark becoming a powerful magical fire within her. When she was young she was nearly run down by a worker at the plantation. Her mother pulled the girl out of the path, apologizing to the man for her. But this brought the attention of the slavemaster, the vampire VaublancA evil master vampire and follower of the coming vampire Messiah. Vaublanc spent years controlling the slave population of the Carribean before having his power overthrown. He hopes to regain his true power under the leadership of the Messiah., and he came to see about the woman and the girl. When he arrived he heard Esther singing a lullaby to her daughter, and this enraged the vampire. He had forbidden singing, dancing, and the etching of magical charms.
Hearing the song, he tore their hut apart, revealing a number of charms that Esther had scrawled. She had followed her religion and that gave Vaublanc the leave to do with her as he saw fit. He killed Esther in front of Annette, snapping her neck, leaving the young girl an orphan. And in her rage and sadness and grief, the first spark of that magic lit.
Ten years later, it was time for Vaublanc’s men to brand Annette. She was to be formally made his property, as was required by law. But her magic had built and when they came at her with the brand she lashed out, slashing the brand in half with a sword summoned from the earth. Vaublanc, amused and angered at this, gives the girl but a few seconds to flee before he and his men chase after her.
Annette ran into the city, searching for any place to hide. She found the opera house, with its doors ajar, and she went in. The sound of music caught her attention as she saw EdouardA former opera singer, who also aided in sneaking slaves out of the Carribean plantations, Edouard joined with Annette on a mission to stop the coming vampire Messiah. Unfortunately he was captured by the vampires and turned into a night creature soon after arriving in Paris. on stage performing. Vaublanc shortly followed, while Annette hid in the back row. The disturbance angered Edouard and he bade Vaublanc to leave, which the vampire did, grudgingly. This allowed the show to resume while Annette snuck into the back.
There, in Edouard’s dressing room, she learned that he wasn’t her enemy. He ran the underground railroad on the island, and he helped her escape to the mountains to be with others of her clan. There she learned to hone her voodoo magic, to become a powerful warrioress under the tutelage of Cécile FatimanA former slave who escaped into the mountains outside Saint-Domingue. A powerful voodoo priestess, Cécile helps train Annette in her power for the coming fights ahead.. And when she was ready, months later, she led the charge to fight against the slave owners of Saint-Domingue, to free their slaves and end the French rule of the colony.
After, though, Cécile had a vision of a coming darkness, a vampire Messiah who would steal away the sunlight. She bade Annette to get on a boat for France, to find “The Belmont” and aid him in the coming battle. The vampires had to be defeated lest they took over the whole of the world. With Edouard at her side, Annette bored the ship and sailed off, ready for the quest ahead.
Arriving months later in France, Annette and Edouard searched around Paris for word of where this “Belmont” might be. They were directed to the cabin of TeraOne of four girls that can be rescued in Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood. Tera was a young nun who lived in the village in the original game, although her role was greatly expanded in Castlevania: Nocturne, turning her into Maria's mother., parent of Maria Renard and adoptive parent to Richter Belmont. And it was a good thing they arrived when they did because night creatures were attacking, and soon to overpower, the heroes. Annette and Edouard jumped into the fight, aiding the heroes and taking out the creatures.
Afterwards, Annette and Edouard explained who they were and why they were there, and Maria and Richter confirmed that they, too, had heard of the vampire Messiah. They knew where the vampires were congregating, at the estates of the Marquis and MarchionessIn the time of Revolutionary France, the nobility is under siege by the pesantry. It just so happens that the nobility, led by the Marquis and Marchionesse, are vampires, and they fear the loss of power. So they join with the coming vampire Messiah to ensure their own rule., they just needed to get proof.
Venturing to the estate to investigate, they find vampires. Dozens of them. All in league with the Marquis and his wife who are, themselves, vampires. Worse for Annette, her old slave owner, Vaublanc, was among the vampires gathered there. He spots her, sending fear down her spine, and with warning to his hosts, a group of vampires bear down on the heroes. They flee, but not all are able to escape as Edouard is caught. He’s dragged off, and killed, leaving Annette without her only true friend in the world.
Back at the Renard house, the heroes discuss what happened while Annette grieves. But they all know they have to continue because the threat of the vampire Messiah is just too great to ignore. Maria knew they had to rally the people, to continue the charge for the Revolution. She put together a small gathering and, there, had Annette talk about her experiences. She had led the charge in freeing Saint-Domingue, so she knew what a revolution could do.
As they were talking to the people, though, night creatures attacked. The three heroes – Richter, Maria, and Annette – were easily able to handle the fiends, but then Annette realized one of the monsters looked suspiciously like Edouard. He recognized her, too, and when another creature came at Annette, he fought it back, killing the monster. He was quickly dragged away by the other creatures, but it left the heroes questioning what just had happened.
Talking among themselves, they realized they had to venture into the Church to see what was going on. Was the local Abbot protecting a demon forgemaster within the crypts and, if so, why? Annette also needed to find Edouard, to see if he was still inside the monster he had become or if she had to kill him. Tera knew a secret way in and led the party down to the crypts. Within they found night creatures, many of them, all ready to fight. But they also learned that the Abbot was the forgemaster and that he was in league with the vampires.
Searching around, Annette was able to find Edouard, and she nearly killed him. But seeing him, and his reaction to her, she couldn’t go through with it. The vampires attacked, the heroes had to flee, and as she ran she promised Edouard that she would be back to save him, one way or another.
Back at Tera’s cabin, Annette uses her magic to help stitch up and heal Maria seamlessly. What had been a grievous wound is nearly healed entirely. But after, Annette makes to leave the cabin, needing air and a chance to collect herself. She wants to go and fight the vampires, alone if she must, but Maria and Tera convince her that charging off headstrong without a plan isn’t the right call. So she relents, instead simply stating she will look around, observe, and see what the vampires are up to, but she wouldn’t engage.
Filled with doubt over her mission, Annette contacts Cécile. She doesn’t understand why she was sent here, why she was made to team up with Richter and his family when the famed “Belmont” ran like a weeping child after being confronted by his own demon, Count OlroxA master vampire who, we assume, was from Germany, with powers and abilities comparable to that of Dracula himself. Olrox is likely based on the fictional character of Count Orlock from Nosferatu, with his name accidentally (or maybe purposefully) changed during translation.. Cécile encourages the girl to look deeper, to connect with her ancestors and her power, to use them as guidance. Everyone has fear, everyone flees at some point. It’s what they do afterwards that matters, and Annette needs to embrace that.
Wandering later that night, Annette holds to her word to only observe the vampires. She spies a discussion between Drolta and Olrox that confirms the information that has slowly been gathered. The vampire Messiah will come, she will become the embodiment of Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of war, and with her power she will fight back her “father, Amen-Ra, and blot out the sun. This will create a paradise for vampires, one where they are free to roam the Earth without fear of the destructive light. It’s Drolta’s dream, and it could be made reality.
As Drolta and Orlox separate, heading to their respective places of rest before the sun rises, Annette runs into Vaublanc, her old slave master. Now a devoted follower of the Messiah, he’s been branded with her symbol, a fact Annette can’t help but point out. He tells her to stop fighting, to let the vampires rule, for they will turn all of humanity into slaves, as is the “natural order”. Annette, though, is able to summon her power, to fight him off and cage him with magically made crosses. He forces him to confront the true, natural order, that each day the sun rises and when it does, vampires have to hide. Trapped as he is, Vaublanc burns up under the blast of the sun’s light, and Annette smiles to herself, one monster from her past finally dealt with.
This article is currently incomplete. More information will be added shortly.
Fighting Annette:
If you don't save Annette you then have to fight her at the top of the Clock Tower. This fight comes in two forms depending on which version of the game you play. In Castlevania: Dracula X, failure to save Annette then puts her at the top of the Clock Tower. There she becomes possessed by an evil skull and, essentially, becomes that game's version of Carmilla. She'll ride atop the giant demonic skull, dodging your attacks. The eyeballs of the skull will fly out at you, sometimes homing in on your location, sometimes alight with fire, and sometimes casting lightning bolts at you. It can be a frenetic battle but good pattern recognition, and quick dodging, will be your friends here.
Meanwhile, in the expanded remake, The Dracula X Chronicles, Annette gets her own, proper fight not mirrored on Carmilla (largely because Carmilla has her own battle with the hero earlier in the game). Here, when the heroes first encounter her, Annette is on the floor of her chamber, waiting for the heroes (a la your encounter with her in Dracula X. After complaining about how late the heroes have been and how she feels betrayed, she'll float into the air, surrounded by batsProbably the single most ubiquitous creature in the Castlevania series, showing up in every game ever released. They even show up in the art work for the games themselves, flying high in front of the moon as it passes by the castle. Bats are, in effect, Castlevania., revealing herself to be the very SuccubusThe demon of dreams. Succubi are not unlike vampires, feeding on the energies of their victims, although in the case of succubi (and their male counterparts, incubi) they do so through dreams... often erotic ones.-like "Little Vampire". She'll use her bats in a form not unlike the Bat Company from Dracula X, summoning them in various forms.
The bats rain down in six angled-out columns or come in as six columns towards the exact point the hero is (or was) standing at when summoned. They can also spiral out from the vampiress, creating a swirling pattern the heroes have to dodge, and she can cast them out in a spear like move towards the hero. Plus, the bats can surround Annette as a protective shield, blocking all attacks. Thankfully, Annette announces each and every one of her attacks, so once you're familiar with her tells and what she says, this battle becomes significantly easier.
Annette is forced to battle the heroes once more in a play on the classic Carmilla fight, this time in Grimoire of Souls. Carmilla arrives in her Dracula X appearance, but instead of being aided by Laura (her normal vampire sidekick) she has Annette Renard as her aid. The fight is still fairly similar, with Carmilla floating around on her giant skull while Annette walks the ground, attempting to grab the hero and drain their blood. Carmilla will shoot out purple orbs of energy that will fly directly where the hero is standing, and she can drop pillars of bloody flames onto the ground.
Once her energy bar is depleted, Carmilla disappears into a bloody mist before re-emerging from a pool of blood, her health mostly restored. While she flies around once more, Annette is turned into a vampire maiden. The two will then start teleporting back and forth with each other, with Annette summoning bats that will fly out and at the hero while Carmilla will summon bloody orbs that will fly out and explode in arcs and waves of blood that will travel along the ground. is part of the battle is frenetic but can be handled well if you're careful. Deplete her health bar a second time and Carmilla will finally go down and Annette will be freed.