S O T N
I've been spending quite a bit of time digging for any information or leads that may point toward a more
clear vision of Joachim's past life, or even his future. But it's been tough; I have found a rather curious phenomenon
online, however. Many people who've completed his game point to a joke underlying his mode's finale. A joke, they say,
with roots in the PS1 game Symphony of the Night.
My hypothesis is that it has to do with the evolution of Joachim into the character Olrox, and
this is why.
To begin, we should address who/what Olrox is exactly. This will be a sort of refresher for those who've played it and know,
and basic facts for those that have not faced him yet.
Olrox is a vampire servant who acts as a sort of guardian in Dracula's castle. Alucard encounters him not too long after
the Clock Tower level, and he can be found in the area appropriately named for him, Olrox's Quarters. See his
in-game sprite here.
Physically, he is nothing like Joachim; he is not beautiful and young-looking, but rather more resembles the character
Nosferatu from the old silent movie. He is bald, pointy-eared, and generally frightening in appearance. He wears a long
purple coat, with a pair of matching boots and pants. He does not walk, but hovers across the room to prepare for an
attack.
Now, here are the eerie similarities:
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Joachim and Olrox are both vampire servants/guardians.
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They wear similar outfits.
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Both Joachim and Olrox are skilled in magic.
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Much of Olrox's Quarters resembles the Dark Palace of the Waterfalls.
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In Olrox's boss room, if you examine the stained glass windows, you'll notice the image of what appears to be a divine knight with a sword.
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About midway through the music in Olrox's Quarters, you'll hear what really sounds like a piece of Joachim's theme. Even if it's not exact, it's very close.
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If you go outside in Olrox's Quarters, you'll see a purple-tinted night sky and moon.
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The monster that Olrox eventually transforms into is green, the same color as Joachim's life sphere thing.
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The team that created SotN also created LoI. So, it's entirely possible.
Now, this is not to suggest that I have any concrete idea of how he'd come to be Olrox, but I find the consistencies
to be far too uncanny to just shrug off. Perhaps Konami will shed some more light on these two in the future.
Also, I was told by a very kind fan that you can in fact wear Olrox's suit in Aria of Sorrow. (Thanks,
Siegfried!)
The images of Olrox come from here, and the screenshot of his boss
room is from here.
