- "We have risked our lives and fought for the sake of God... But God mercilessly stole away the one I loved most... When all I ever wished for was Elisabetha's safety!! If limited life is God's decree, then I shall defy it!! And within that eternity, I shall curse Him forevermore!"
- — Mathias to his former friend, Leon
Mathias Cronqvist (マティアス・クロンクビスト Matiasu Kuronkubisuto?) is one of the main characters from Castlevania: Lament of Innocence. He was Leon Belmont's good friend.
A Master tactician, he is revealed as one of the main antagonist of the game – and even series – as he manipulated Leon in order to enter in possession of the Crimson Stone. He is later known as Dracula.
Character History
In the world of knights who lacked education, Matthias was a genius tactician who was even called Cronqvist the Wise. Because Mathias's family had books recording secret arts transmitted orally concerning alchemy, a science that experiments with the arcane, Mathias himself had a detailed knowledge of alchemy. His beloved wife, Elisabetha, died from illness while he was on an expedition. Mathias was grief stricken and bedridden and Leon was forced to continue the campaigns without his friend. When Leon's beloved was kidnapped, Mathias told him that it was the doing of a vampire who had a castle in the east.
In fact, Mathias had deceived Leon and was not likely really bedridden. In deep mourning, Mathias devised a plan to take revenge on God for stealing Elisabetha by becoming a vampire and living eternally. He manipulated Leon, Rinaldo, Sara, even Walter and his monsters, in order to obtain a vampire's soul with the Crimson Stone, and he was reborn with it. He then offered Leon to join him and become immortal, because Leon suffered the same loss. Leon refused and vowed instead that his clan would forever hunt him. As time went on, Mathias renamed himself Dracula, taken from the Romanian word "Dracul" meaning dragon and devil.[1] For more details on his later life, see Dracula.
Trivia
- The name "Mathias Cronqvist" may be a reference to Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary from 1458 to 1490. Matthias Corvinus had Vlad III Drăculea as his vassal at times and once as a prisoner; this connection to the historical Dracula may have influenced the way Koji Igarashi chose to name his antagonist.
- The reasons for Mathias's fall and metamorphosis seem to be strongly inspired by Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula film of 1992, which is based on Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. Both Mathias and Coppola's Dracula renounce God and seek and obtain immortality out of anger at the death of their wives. While Elisabetha Cronqvist does not commit suicide, she does pass away while Mathias is away 'fighting in God's name' (it has been proposed that this was during the First Crusade; however, this is not possible as according to the game's canon Elisabetha died in 1093, one year before the events of the game - Pope Urban did not call the First Crusade until the 27th of November, 1095). Furthermore, she shares the name of Dracula's wife in the film.
- Mathias's English voice actor, Crispin Freeman, provides the voice for Hector, main protagonist of Castlevania: Curse of Darkness.
- His surname, Cronqvist, is Swedish in origin and means "crown twig".
- It is revealed on the Japanese official site of Castlevania: Lament of Innocence that Mathias earned the title of "Count" in the Crusades, a fact that is later referenced on his new identity, Dracula.
- In the Julius Mode for Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, in the arena where Soma is fought, there is a painting in the background that may have been intended to reference Mathias Cronqvist, who Soma technically acted as a reincarnation of.
See also
References
- ↑ Shinkigensha Castlevania (PS2) Official Guide [Translation by Marfisa (vampire killer)]
External links
- Matthias Corvinus at Wikipedia
- Mathias Cronqvist at the Castlevania Fan Wiki
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence |
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Characters |
Protagonist |
Leon Belmont |
Supporting cast |
Sara Trantoul • Rinaldo Gandolfi • Mathias Cronqvist |
Antagonists |
Joachim Armster • Walter Bernhard • Death |
Lesser roles |
Elisabetha Cronqvist • Pumpkin |
Bosses |
Main bosses |
Undead Parasite • Golem • Succubus • Medusa • Joachim • Walter • Death |
Minor/optional bosses |
Flame Elemental • Frost Elemental • Thunder Elemental • Doppelganger • Forgotten One |
Areas |
Forest of Eternal Night • Castle Entrance • House of Sacred Remains • Anti-Soul Mysteries Lab • Ghostly Theatre • Dark Palace of Waterfalls Garden Forgotten by Time • Pagoda of the Misty Moon • Prison of Eternal Torture |
Music |
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Original Soundtrack |
Guides |
Futabasha Guide • NTT Pub Guide • Shinkigensha Guide • BradyGames Guide |
Archives |
Bestiary • Inventory • Joachim Mode • Pumpkin Mode |