Netflix's Castlevania has come to an explosive and satisfying ending with season 4, and among the myriad of fan service on display might be an appearance from a forgotten hero. The series is based on the legendary Konami series of games, specifically Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse, which showrunner Warren Ellis originally planned to adapt as a film. Dracula's Curse is one of the first games in the series to establish a genuine progressive canon and introduced the world to Alucard, Trevor Belmont, and Sypha Belnades, as well as their quest to hunt down and kill the legendary Vlad Dracula Tepes.
However, as those who have faithfully followed the Netflix series know, Dracula was successfully killed in season 2 by the combined efforts of the heroes, leaving both the world and the vampire community at large in shambles. By the end of Castlevania season 3, the power vacuum had spiraled out of control, setting up the events of Castlevania season 4. The world is caught up in the grand machinations of the ruthless vampire queen Carmilla, the introspective but deadly Forgemaster Isaac, and several groups dedicated to the resurrection of Lord Dracula from the dead. Amidst all of that is the mystery of the Infinite Corridor, a legendary gateway to portals and realms beyond our own.
With all of these threats converging, the heroes might just be out of their depth. Thankfully, it seems the show is adding a couple more players to even the field, and one of them might just be a classic companion from Dracula's Curse. Castlevania season 4 introduces viewers to the town of Danesti, a small settlement near where Alucard has taken up residence inside Dracula's long-dormant castle. The small village has been beset by night creatures and has turned to Alucard for help. Among them is Greta, a headstrong warrior and leader of the group who wants what's best for her people. Her strong kinship with Alucard brings them together as close friends, but her name (coupled with the pronunciation of the town Danesti) has led certain fans to believe she might be a gender-swapped reimagining of Grant Dynasty, a playable companion in Castlevania 3.
In the game, Grant Dynasty is a former thief and pirate who is turned into a night creature by Dracula's magic. He becomes a boss that Trevor Belmont can defeat later in the game, and upon beating him, players are given the opportunity to take him on as a companion because of his heightened agility and his ability in-game to climb walls and ceilings. In canon, Grant is one of the four Castlevania heroes along with Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard who are responsible for Dracula's death.
While this would be a cool bit of intentional fan service for fans of the games, executive producer Kevin Kolde recently confirmed in an interview that Greta of Danesti is not a purposeful reference to Grant Dynasty. In fact, the similarities are a bit of a real-world coincidence, because Danesti is an actual village in Romania where Wallachia once existed. However, in spirit, Greta embodies Grant's tenacity and his vendetta against Vlad Dracula, helping the trio of heroes fight off the vampires attempting to resurrect the dark Count. While the character of Grant Dynasty himself has never made a true appearance in Netflix's Castlevania, season 4 of the show is still chock full of the kind of fan references and epic narrative turns that have made it a massive success.