Cornell (Castlevania)
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| Cornell | |
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| Game series | Castlevania |
| First game | Legacy of Darkness |
Cornell (コーネル Kōneru?), whose tribal name is Blue Crescent Moon, is the main playable character and protagonist of Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness on the Nintendo 64. He is voiced by John Nuzzo.
At first glance he possesses a very unassuming appearance, having a rather frail complexion and platinum-colored hair. However, within this warrior lurks a fearsome power: the ability to transform into a werewolf, making him far stronger and faster than in his human form. He is capable of throwing blades of energy from his fists in either form, and he can rake his claws over enemies' bodies in melee combat.
Cornell is the only one of his man-beast kind who can transform via the breaking of an ancient seal that they voluntarily placed upon themselves in order to live peacefully alongside humans. Cornell learned to break this seal through severe ascetic training.
When the game begins, Cornell's sister Ada, has been captured by demons to be used as a sacrifice in Count Dracula's honor. Little does the wolf-man know what they truly have in mind ...
[edit] Cornell's in-game storyline
Cornell has to travel far and overcome many challenges and powerful monsters in order to rescue his sister. On his quest he encounters several of Dracula's most loyal servants, such as Actrise, Gilles de Rais and Death. He also meets victims of the evil Dracula has caused, such as the young boy Henry Oldrey, whose father has become a vampire and is trying to turn Henry into one too. Cornell helps the boy escape from the Villa by leading him through the garden maze and past the indestructible monster-gardener. Cornell gives the boy a locket; this ensures the local wolves will protect him.
Apart from Cornell's efforts to save his sister, the story revolves around the relationship between Cornell and his old rival Ortega. Tired of being outdone by Cornell on every occasion, Ortega has made a pact with Dracula, agreeing to do his bidding in order to gain great powers, including the ability to break the man-beast seal. Cornell encounters Ortega at several points of the game, eventually fighting and defeating him at the top of the clock tower. Only after it is too late does Ortega realize the error of his ways. Before throwing himself to his death to prevent his out-of-control man-beast powers from harming Cornell, he provides the man-wolf with his sister's location.
When Cornell finally arrives at Dracula's lair just before Ada is about to be sacrificed, he confronts the vampire. Before the final showdown, Dracula reveals that he knows that Ada is not truly Cornell's sister but is rather a survivor of the humans that the man-beasts once killed. Dracula accuses Cornell of being a nothing more than a shallow deceiver interested only in gaining an indulgence for his past sins, and Cornell becomes angry.
Cornell eventually defeats Dracula's ultimate form, but before disappearing, Dracula attempts to take Ada with him into the underworld. Cornell is blocked from interfering by a swirling wall of dark lightning, but at this moment of desperation, Cornell's werewolf form separates from his body and knocks the unconscious Ada out of Dracula's reach. However, the wolf form cannot return and is dragged down by Dracula. Cornell loses his man-wolf power, but in doing so regains what was most precious to him all along.
[edit] Aftermath
Though Cornell through his heroics managed to achieve his aim and rescue Ada, his actions had unforseen and fatal consequences, as by sacrificing his werewolf form, he unknowingly provided the forces of evil with a tool powerful enough to resurrect Dracula in the body of a mortal boy. This allows Dracula and his lackeys to return in force eight years later, something the three other playable characters in Legacy of Darkness are forced to deal with. Cornell himself is not mentioned again in the game after his ending.
[edit] Other information
Cornell was originally slated to appear in Castlevania 64 as a prisoner of Dracula with the same powers he has in Legacy of Darkness. However, time constraints necessitated releasing Castlevania 64 as is with only Reinhart and Carrie as playable characters, further backing up the notion that Legacy of Darkness is a "director's cut": what Castlevania 64 was supposed to have been in the first place. In fact, Cornell's alternate costume is extremely similar to his primary costume in his original incarnation, including a broken-off shackle around one ankle.
