Sypha Belnades (animated series)

Sypha Belnades (サイファ・ヴェルナンデス) is one of the main protagonists in the Netflix original series, Castlevania. Sypha is the granddaughter of the Elder of the Speakers, a group of nomad scholars, and a sorceress with control over the elements.

She is voiced by Alejandra Reynoso in the English version of the show.

Early life
During the late fifteenth century in the city of Gresit, Sypha and her fellow Speakers were falsely accused by the Church for the attacks conducted by Dracula's army. This led to them being persecuted constantly, but they stayed inside the city to help those in need. At some point, Sypha learned and mastered elemental magic.

Seeking the "Sleeping Soldier"
In 1476, Sypha ventured into the city catacombs alone, determined to find the "sleeping soldier" that would save humanity from Lord Dracula, but when she ventured deep within, she was attacked by a Cyclops and turned into stone. Fortunately, she was rescued by Trevor Belmont, an exiled vampire hunter who was sent by her grandfather to retrieve her body. After he killed the Cyclops, she was freed from her stone encasement, albeit nauseous.

Initially disliking Trevor for his dry personality, Sypha insisted that she continued her search for the sleeping soldier, although Trevor disagreed, his reasons being the monsters and traps that lurked within the catacombs. When Trevor mentioned that her grandfather believed her to be dead, Sypha reluctantly agreed to return to the Speakers.

Returning to the city, Sypha apologized to her grandfather for failing to find the sleeping soldier. She then argued again with Trevor about the existence of the sleeping soldier. While Sypha believed that there were monsters to protect whatever was in the catacombs, Trevor countered that they were in a part of Dracula's castle.

Later near sunset, the Speakers learned from Trevor that they were to be executed by order of the Bishop. Despite the hunter's warnings to run and hide, Sypha and her grandfather refused because they still wanted to help the people of Gresit, and they chose to fight their own personal battles even at the cost of their lives. However, the Speakers were hidden in the catacombs by Trevor while he dealt with the angry mob in the city. Wanting to fight for herself, Sypha left the catacombs and used her magic to save Trevor when he was completely surrounded. As he rallied the townspeople to fight Dracula's army, Sypha utilized her magic to entrap the monsters within ice walls and spear them with ice shards. At the end of the battle, Sypha and Trevor fell through the unstable and crumbling ground and into the catacombs below, falling deeper inside than they were before.

Awakening Alucard
Venturing deep, the two of them found a coffin where a man with long golden hair awakened in front of them. While Sypha believed him to be the sleeping savior, Trevor labeled him a "vampire" and called him Dracula, and engaged him in battle despite Sypha's protests. When the battle ended with the dhampir preparing to bite Trevor, Sypha threatened him with her magic.

To her and Trevor's surprise, the dhampir stayed his hand and introduced himself as Alucard. As he explained that he was waiting in the catacombs for a hunter and a scholar, Sypha revealed that her grandfather did everything in his power to keep Trevor from leaving the city for the sake of the prophecy. Agreeing to take down Dracula together, the three of them embarked on their journey.

Opposing Dracula
Sypha bids farewell to the Speakers at the gates of Gresit. Alucard informs both Sypha and Trevor on the mechanics of how Dracula's Castle is able to move from place to place. The group determines that they need to be able to anchor the castle in place in order to attack it. Trevor suggests heading to the Belmont Estate to take advantage of the information and artifacts kept in a secret vault. Sypha finds a covered wagon for them, and the trio leaves Gresit. On the road to the Belmont Estate, they are attacked by demons. The group effectively dispatches the group, apart from one heavily wounded demon who escapes.

Reaching the Belmont Estate, Sypha uses her powers to open a magical door leading to the underground vault. Below, they find a treasure trove of information and equipment. While searching through the relics, Sypha bonds with Trevor over his family history and begins to realize why Alucard acts the way he does. Their search leads Sypha to discover that a member of the Belmont family was working on a locking spell to anchor Dracula's Castle in one place. Sypha is confident that she can complete the spell.

Above, more night creatures attack the estate in an effort to kill Sypha, Trevor, and Alucard. While Trevor holds the night creatures off, Sypha completes the spell and with Alucard's help in locating Dracula's Castle, manages to transport it above them near the ruins of the Belmont Mansion.

Sypha, Trevor, and Alucard storm Dracula's Castle, slaying all the vampires within before facing Dracula himself. Sypha and Trevor put up a good fight but Dracula fends them off, leaving Alucard to battle his father throughout the length and breadth of the castle. Eventually, their fight leads them to Alucard's childhood room where Dracula breaks down and allows Alucard to stake him in the heart. Sypha and Trevor arrive and help in finishing him off. Trevor cuts off Dracula's head while Sypha burns the body.

With Dracula defeated, Alucard becomes the steward of both Dracula's Castle and the Belmont Estate's secrets. Sypha, having a taste for adventure, plans to set off in search of the Seekers to tell them her story before heading out into the world. Dracula's army is not totally defeated, and she feels that she has finally found her calling. Not wanting to do it alone, Sypha asks Trevor to accompany her since she believes that Trevor's destiny is to fight evil. He agrees and later they bid farewell to Alucard as they ride off to seek adventure.

Personality
As a Speaker magician, Sypha Belnades bears some of the heaviest responsibilities of her tribe. She is the prime candidate for being the "scholar" mentioned in the "Sleeping Soldier" legend, a prediction that is proven to be true. As such, Sypha is completely dedicated to waking the Sleeping Solider and saving Wallachia at the side of her prophesized allies. Sypha is highly educated in both the use of magic and the history of Wallachia, as is the primary charge of Speaker tribes. She is also very brave; entering the lair of a cyclops, confronting bloodthirsty mobs, and battling the night hordes.

Like many Speakers, Sypha is an altruistic idealist. Her conviction is very strong, even by Speaker standards. Sypha was completely adamant that the Speakers not abandon the citizens of Gresit in their time of need, even as the citizens were planning to kill her tribe. While idealistic to the point of endangerment, Sypha does demonstrate she knows how to avoid some risks; evidence being dressing like the men of her tribe to avoid danger while traveling.

She often butts heads with Trevor Belmont, who opposes her idealism with apathy and survivalism. Sypha also does not take kindly to his rudeness and callous attitude. She even suggests serving Trevor her urine as a fake brew of beer to punish him for his rudeness. Unlike her grandfather, the Elder, Sypha initially has no respect for Trevor. In spite of Trevor saving her life, Sypha considers him a lost cause due to his aforementioned attitude. While the Elder made great efforts to reason with him as he stated his conviction to stay in Gresit, Sypha says: "It is time for those of us who fight this war to stand up and be responsible, Trevor Belmont. You should leave now."

However, Trevor earns Sypha's respect and loyalty when he fights on the Speakers' behalf and decides to, once again, make protecting the citizens of Wallachia his purpose. Sypha's loyalty was proven to be very strong when she chose to protect him from Alucard, her legendary soldier of prophecy, when Trevor and Alucard came to blows. In this moment, Sypha acknowledged that Trevor was her savior and they shared the same conviction.

Like many Speakers, Sypha has an aversion to violence. It is implied she may not be willing to hurt a human being, as evidenced by forming a flame wall around Trevor but doing no harm to the mob, or even the corrupt priests that hunted him. Sypha's pacifism does not extend to demons, though.

Sypha accepts her part in the prophecy of the sleeping soldier, a prediction for her future with Alucard and Trevor, although she is also flustered by part of it. This is made clear when Alucard asks her if she knows the full story and she blushes when she acknowledges she does.

Powers and abilities

 * History of the Speakers: As a Speaker, Sypha is highly educated and knows the full history of Wallachia. Her knowledge includes prophecies of the future, which have been proven to be accurate. Nevertheless, she eventually and grudgingly admits that their practice of passing knowledge through oral tradition is foolish, when compared to the value of accumulated knowledge through written word.
 * Speaker Magician: Sypha is an immensely powerful mage, to the point that she was able to dispatch much of Dracula's monsters and three of Dracula's generals with little effort, defend and counter one of Dracula's strongest spells, and even manipulate Castlevania to the extent of being able to teleport it to her desired location and keep the stronghold rooted there. The full extent of her abilities is still unknown.
 * Pyrokinesis: Sypha is able to generate enormous walls of flame and control them masterfully. She is also capable of launching multiple balls of fire at her targets, defending and counteracting fire-based attacks from her opponents (including Dracula himself) and even burning one of Dracula's generals alive simply with the touch of her hand.
 * Cryokinesis: Sypha is able to create constructions of ice (blocks, shards, walls, and sheets) and freeze any type of water instantly, including holy water. In the Battle of Gresit, this power proved instrumental against the Night Horde as both a defensive wall, and offensive blast of ice shards. Sypha's control over ice extends to being able to alter the shape of her created constructs, making them as large or as small as she wants them to be as well as a measure of telekinetic control over them.
 * Aerokinesis: Sypha is able to conjure small whirlwinds and use the wind to propel herself upward. This was especially useful in the catacombs as she was able to manipulate the wind in order to soften her and Trevor's landing, as well as transport herself upward to more stable ground. She is also able to alter the temperature of the wind she conjures, which she used to great effect against one of Dracula's generals.
 * Knowledge of lost languages: Sypha knows ancient languages that are lost by mankind that help her in summoning powerful spells or lifting magic seals. This includes Adamic; the original language spoken by Adam and Eve.
 * Enhanced physical condition: While Sypha lacks the might of Trevor and Alucard, she is nevertheless more robust than any other human woman. Sypha recovered falling deep into the underground of Gresit and even survived getting physically attacked by Dracula, who can kill mortals with single strikes. However, Sypha was still the most physically injured in the aftermath of the battle, requiring bandages for her arm.

Appearances
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Season 1

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Season 2

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Trivia

 * When petrified by the Cyclops, Sypha bears a resemblance to her original appearance in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.
 * Until now she has shown a mastery on ice, fire and air magic. The only elemental magic that has not appeared yet is her Holy Lightning.