Castlevania: Nocturne takes an interesting approach as a spin-off. It follows the distant descendant of the original series' heroes as they battle new vampires 300 years later. The headliner is Richter Belmont, the last descendant of the beloved Belmont family of monster hunters. His connection to his family name is tenuous after the tragic loss of his mother. Near the end of the season, he learns that he isn't the only Belmont struggling to live up to their history.
The Belmont Family tree is and has always been a mess. The creators of each title would vaguely connect its protagonist to the NES-era hero, with many branches of the tree left unnamed. The gaps make it difficult to determine how each character is attached to their lineage. There aren't many Castlevania titles with more than one Belmont running around. Castlevania: Nocturne defied that tradition.
Castlevania: Strongest Belmonts, Ranked
All members of the Belmont clan are skilled vampire hunters, but who is the strongest of them all?
Who is Juste Belmont in Castlevania: Nocturne?
Richter Belmont is a confident, headstrong monster slayer who feels most at home in a fight to the death. He finds himself in a conflict with Drolta Tzuentes, her vampire entourage, and a small army of Night Creatures. He holds his own, but an unexpected familiar face stops him suddenly. Count Olrox, the ancient Aztec vampire that killed Richter's mother years ago, taunts him again. Richter has lived with crippling fear and vengeance for Olrox for most of his life. Unable to face him, Richter runs away, leaving his friends to retreat. Richter and some of his allies see his fear as an unforgivable failure. The young Belmont wanders into a pub, where he finds he can't afford anything on the menu. A white-haired stranger in the corner booth buys him a meal. When Richter walks over to ask him why, a vampire kicks in the door and starts a fight. Richter reaches for his ancestral weapon, the Vampire Killer, only to find it's been taken. His new acquaintance uses the whip expertly to destroy their opponent, raising several questions.
Juste Belmont is Richter's maternal grandfather. Richter grew up learning about the Belmont Family tree, but his mother assured him that her father was dead. She only ever mentioned him to tell Richter he was dead. Juste was the finest warrior of the Belmont Family during his youth. He was known for his mastery of magic, which he claims to be so great he hardly needed the Vampire Killer. Juste lost his magic powers after he lost his wife and best friend to vampires. His daughter disowned him, confident she didn't need his help to raise Richter. Juste secluded himself and lived as a mercenary monster hunter for years. He gives Richter little guidance but inadvertently helps him regain his magic. He's barely a mentor figure, more of an example of what could go wrong.
Where did Juste Belmont first appear?
Juste Belmont stars in Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, released on the Game Boy Advance in 2002. Juste was born in 1730. He's Simon Belmont's grandson. The Belmont Clan was rejected during Simon's time, but they were celebrated as heroes after Simon defeated Dracula in the first two games. Juste grew up in a village built around his family. At sixteen, he inherited the Vampire Killer. Like in the show, Juste is one of the most magically gifted Belmont Clan members. He was tasked with gathering Dracula's body parts. Juste had two childhood friends, Maxim and Lydie. Maxim tells him Lydie has been kidnapped, and they must save her. Juste is separated from Maxim and forced to assault the titular castle. He's considered the most reserved of the Belmonts. His familial connection to Richter is canonical, but the tree is unclear as to how they are related.
What happened to Juste Belmont?
Juste wins his fight against evil, though he never fights Dracula. He fights a "Dracula Wraith" who needs his blood to become whole again. He slays the wraith before it becomes the Lord of Darkness in the canonical best ending. Juste isn't playable in any other Castlevania games. He briefly appears in Portrait of Ruin in a special move that summons five former Vampire Killer wielders. Juste's final moment in the series thus far is walking into the sunset with Lydie and Maxim. The series clarifies his connection to Richter and explores his story. The show arguably follows the game's worst ending, in which he fails to save Maxim and Lydie and is cursed to a life of eternal hunting.
Juste has a striking design and one great title under his belt. His debut in Castlevania: Nocturne is the brightest spotlight he's enjoyed yet. Beyond that, he's been a minor figure since 2002. Future seasons of Nocturne might allow Juste to redeem himself, recapture his magic power, and become a hero again. Few Belmont's lead happy lives, but most of them deserve better. Richter Belmont claimed his second chance, but Juste's could still be on the horizon.