Sypha Belnades (animated series)

Sypha Belnades (サイファ・ヴェルナンデス) is one of the main protagonist 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 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. But he 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 vampire preparing to bite Trevor, Sypha threatened him with her magic.

To her and Trevor's surprise, the vampire 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.

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 doesn't 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.
 * Speaker Magician: Sypha is an immensely powerful mage. The full extent of her abilities is still unknown.
 * Pyrokinesis: Sypha is able to generate enormous walls of flame and control them masterfully.
 * Cryokinesis: Sypha is able to create constructions of ice (blocks, shards, walls) 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.
 * 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.

Appearances
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Season 1

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Season 2

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Other
Sypha Belnades/serie