Legacy of Kain | The Vampire and Hylden Champions - Lore

Legacy of Kain Defiance manages to pull off the Prophecy Twist trope in a brilliant, satisfying and unexpected way. Like many others on the internet who were confused trying to identify which character was which champion, at first I didn’t get it on my initial playthrough. But when I eventually learned the answer years later, my mind was blown.
This video contains spoilers for Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen, Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2, Blood Omen 2 & Defiance which was made by Crystal Dynamics and currently owned by Square Enix.
Huge thanks to these amazing artists. Credited as below. Please show them your support.
The Last Battle of the Temple of the Water Forge by DameKlaudia
www.deviantart.com/dameklaudi...
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
LOK Raziel fanart by Narog-art
www.deviantart.com/narog-art/...
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
Sarafan Raziel by dol-konijn
www.deviantart.com/dol-konijn...
Raziel by Philiera
www.deviantart.com/philiera/a...
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
The Ruined Pillars of Nosgoth by Patrick Johnson
www.artstation.com/artwork/JYwKd
Hylden Lord Apostate by TheHylden (Patrick Johnson)
www.deviantart.com/thehylden/...
All other artwork are official promotional and concept art created for the series by the team at Crystal Dynamics
Music:
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Soundtrack - composed by Kurt Harland & Jim Hedges

[@pious83]

It was very subtle. But at the same time, looking at the three murals. The scion of balance in the middle has a flaming and metal Reaver Blade. The “two” champion murals show each being impaled by the other sword.

[@JosSanJi]

And then Raziel said he was always Kains right hand, his sword

[@pious83]

@@JosSanJi I like that in the end, Raziel had a better understanding of all of this, than Kain himself.

[@ildathet]

i interpreted it as the creation loop of raziel, the separation of the physical and spectral blade, i was wrong

[@pious83]

@@ildathet The ambiguity of the series' big concepts has always been one of it's strengths.

[@abdullahbutt3428]

Actually the three murals and especially the middle one literally is the explanation( although I admit they didn't state it upfront so can be considered subtle) that Raziel was both the Vampire Champion and the Hylden Champion. Because take a closer look on the Entity in the middle mural its actually both the Vampire and Hylden Champions merged into one indicating that Raziel was both of them at the same time. I mean the entity looked vampire, had blue skin, had the reaver at the same time it was flaming like the wraith blade that Raziel possesses, plus the Spirit Reaver symbol above. I think that was the indication that Raziel was both the champions, but still I too think I truly understood by days and days of reading the LoKWiki. And mind you the entity in the middle mural is not the Scion of Balance. The scion of balance was supposed to be a fortold balance guardian that was prophesied to restore the pillars and balance in nosgoth and I don't exactly remember if it was prophesied that he would be a vampire or not. Remember Kain was a balance guardian first at birth and then a vampire and only then I suppose it all conceided and everyone realized that he was the Scion of Balance. The Vampire Champion, the Hylden Champion and the Scion of Balance are supposed to be three different entities.

[@lorandpeterbob7047]

My take on it is that Amy Hennig is a storytelling genius. People often say there is nothing new in stories since Homer and I tend to concur in general. But every once awhile you come across a twist like this. Never seen before, never expected. And all you can do is sit with a smile and be grateful.

[@strictlyfantasy]

I wish Amy would return to directing video games similair to this. Not necessarily LOK but a new game with more excellent Shakespearean dialogue would be nice :)

[@lorandpeterbob7047]

@@strictlyfantasy watching your video this was the exact impression in my mind as well: "how Shakesperean these dialogues are and how much they are a miss". Games and entertainment in general tend to make up for this with sheer profanity. Just throw in a bunch of "strong language" to grab the attention of the audience. What a cheap way of compensating for a lack of vocabulary and general education.

[@Weyk47]

I never really thought about the coin quote in this way but Raziel seems like he IS the coin. "You said it yourself, Kain... there are only two sides to your coin." "Apparently so, but suppose you throw a coin enough times... suppose one day, it lands on its edge."

[@strictlyfantasy]

That's a great way to look at it. Kain thinks of Raziel as his shot at redeeming Nosgoth who he gambles everything on. And then at the end of series, Raziel willing embraces the idea that he is Kain's right hand, his sword (both figuratively and literally).

[@cipher2508]

God, Amy is a MONSTER in writing...when you play this game it feels like you're reading a fucking awesome novel... Again I have thank Strictly Fantasy's top content on this series...Every LOK fan thinks they're the best one but I have to admit you, Raina, Baziel & few others are truly the best ones for keeping the series alive

[@strictlyfantasy]

You're absolutely right. These games do feel like reading an awesome well written novel, especially Soul Reaver 2. Almost every single cutscene in that game is great and memorable.

[@Serandi]

one of the ever best made games and stories I've ever experienced! ❤️🎮🙌 Much love from Germany 🇩🇪 and Russia 🇷🇺 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@allthatforadropofclout3760]

"The coin is still turning" THIS WAS THE COIN LANDING ON ITS EDGE! Considering this, and the way time travel works in the story, Raziel willingly sacrificing himself would give Kain the freedom to change the next big event. Of restoring Nosgoth and staying alive to rule it simultaneously!

[@colinsolowjow9149]

And it was at this point that I knew. It was not revealed in Dialog but the murals combined with this phrase did make it quite clear. I think it was intended that the player would realize it at the same time as Raziel did.

[@georgehouliaras7239]

Defiance is such an underated gem. It expanded the lore so much and explained so many things. If only we could've gotten Dark Prophecy to wrap up the story. Just one more game is what LoK needed and it would've been perfect(maybe a Vorador prequel would be nice too). Now, it's almost perfect, close enough I suppose.

[@alexinfinite7142]

100% agree

[@iHawke]

I wouldn't trust current game devs to make an ending, an open ended ending is better than a bad ending

[@georgehouliaras7239]

@@iHawke True.

[@tarvoc746]

@@iHawke There is one company I would trust with this: From Software, the creators of Dark Souls. The kind of storytelling that made LoK great seems right up their alley.

[@Zeburaman2005]

@@tarvoc746 I am not so sure From Software would actually be a good fit to tell such an involved story. They are certainly capable of nailing both the atmosphere and world building, but I am skeptical regarding their ability to graft a “more straightforward”narrative on top of it. Making things more explicit doesn’t seem to be their forte. But it could work out through an hypothetical collaboration with the surviving developing team members. Fat chance of that happening, though.

[@connordorman117]

I legit get hyped every time you post. You’ve got a natural storytellers voice, you can read the back of a cereal box and make it interesting. You’re hopefully going to blow up. You deserve way more views. You introduced me to LOK MediEval, and the Kingkiller Chronicles, you find so many cool licenses and stories I love the different topics you pick.

[@LoneWolfLazarus]

The dude's got a natural talent for conveying and understanding that much is clear! :) Considering what he said about his younger self in this video. He reminds me very much of myself in a way and what I did, how I worked to adapt myself to become better (not perfect, such perfection is an illusion) as an individual as I became older just like he did at some point in his life, sure, we all, do it. Some do it for their entire lives like I am on the path of doing. But some do it more than others and others just don't bother at all and remain the same throughout their life(lives), repeating mistakes, not changing anything, etc, in life you'll find 2D & 3D people. Funny thing is, the way LOK is setup, everyone is very much 3D in personality, if not half way to 4D! We're not talking about Ralof here from Skyrim man whose practically a 1D intro filler. These sorts of games MUST come back, I literally traded all my time modding Skyrim AE to play the LOK series again and the nostalgia, the sensation of unification with my old self and new is quite heart-warming and most of all, it is gratifying. Judging the recent polls sent out. It's looking like we may be getting more LOK content soon! :D Anyways, it'd be cool to do an intellect/personality dimension talk on characters in fantasy sometime, I know a lot of these things base down to opinion however I would imagine between say a 1 - 10 the vast majority of characters from LOK would score a very close 10 given all we've learnt in-game and on Strictly Fantasy's channel. Interesting concept it'd be. :)

[@we-must-live]

@@LoneWolfLazarus hoowee, who’s calling me 2D - is it lonewolflazarus and their stone cold… damn. what rhymes with lazarus?

[@michaelcorrigan6577]

Why don't you just make out with him

[@TSyoyo]

100 percent agree. Natural story tellers are rate imo, especially in this format. Take Mr ballen for example. Dude is a natural and has the subs to back that up. I think you are just as good. Sadly, this series is so underrated that it doesnt have that many eyes on it and likely never will. You should branch into other source material so long as you keep doing these. 😂👍

[@CatBacon]

This. I hope he goes big. He made my all time fave game series that much more better!!

[@JakDarckner]

The ending in Defiance was great. I would not change it. Sequal would have explained it eventually.

[@artemisarrow179]

I loved Defiance's ending. Bit of a cliffhanger but I like to think it let's the player devise what adventures Kain would go on to defeat the Hylden Lord and forge a empire of vampires with the purified Soul Reaver

[@themightylyon3324]

@@artemisarrow179 even more heartbreaking after knowing that there was gonna be a sequel continuing on from that and it got shelved for a soft reboot that then itself got cancelled

[@lc300100]

@@themightylyon3324 Maybe is for the best, companies nowadays are profit focused, so the story would be treated in a poor way with many schemes to make money like DLC, NFT, microtransactions and such. Square Enix is getting a bad name for that.

[@Ruronini]

@@artemisarrow179 I still dream of a sequel... God I love Amy and hate her at the same time. LoK was so influential for me that some friends and family still call me Raziel, even though I'm an old fart now

[@SebastianPetrov]

Actually, defiance ends it full circle once more. Time is fucked with in this entire series. Remember also that you defeat the hylden lord in BO2. So ill let ur brain work its way from here i guess... xD

[@Saiper1990]

I always thought that the prophecy was that both champions would kill each other and the result would be Kain wielding the empowered Reaver, never crossed my mind that Raziel was both.

[@strictlyfantasy]

True, but you were also right since both champions do kill each other.

[@reallyeasy100]

same!

[@milijanmosic5189]

Real reason why I consider this franchise to be one of the best is that I always miss something or don't understand part of the game/story and thus I'm forced to come back and to watch some video or read the wiki. Also, it has excellent vocabulary... as a non native english speaker, it kept me mesmerised all the time. Thanks for the video and dedication!

[@strictlyfantasy]

Growing up, I learned so many new words from this franchise, even as a native English speaker. Great place to discover how rich the langauge can be :)

[@aaronvirdee5813]

"Cadaverous Laceration"

[@Magni_Prime]

This series always impressed me greatly through the use of language. Highly intelligent scripts, read by top-notch voice actors. More than anything else, I love that about this series. It's also why I still play the games as movies on KZbin. I can listen and enjoy them just as much as playing them.

[@magmatard8737]

Even as a native english speaker the vocabulary used in this series is spectacular. Often using words I've never heard but given the context they're used I still understand whats being said.

[@WisteriaNerium]

The thing about the prophecy is that every character understanding of it informs their characterization. >Kain KNOWS he's the Scion of Balance, he knows it's his birthright. Although he seemed reluctant of delving into Raziel's role further, perhaps he trusted Raziel in finding his own answers. He never seems too convinced of the attempts Moebius makes to manipulate him into believing Raziel was the Hylden hero. >Moebius understands quite easily all the pieces in the prophecy, but he's a pawn of the elder god. He believes the whole prophecy to be a sham, because his god is the only god and it's the one telling him that Vampires and Hylden are abominations. >Janos actually had the most information about the prophecy out of everyone bar Moebius and the Elder God. He doesn't understand the meaning of words however, perhaps his enthusiasm and unwavering faith led him to delude himself into claiming Raziel is the Vampire champion that he brushed aside any resemblance to the Hylden champion, plus he never saw the wraith blade which was very clever on the creator's part. >Mortanius knows the old prophecies and knows of the Scion of Balance, but for most of his life he thought it was just fairytales the Vampires tried to pass onto him to justify his kidnapping. He misunderstands various aspects, like thinking Kain is both the Vampire champion and the Scion of Balance. >Ariel had the same understanding as mortanius because he relayed his plan to her. But after the spirit forge, she was "much more than she once was" and she understood Raziel's true endeavor of being the Reaver and the weapon of the Scion of Balance >Vorador knows of the old prophecies, but his cynicism and jadedness had left him wary of them, when Raziel first showed up he didn't share the enthusiasm of Janos and didn't know what to make of Raziel ever since Soul Reaver 2. >Elder God, he knew just how dangerous the Scion of Balance was. But he's also a clever manipulator and lying is second nature to him, never showing any type of weakness. When Raziel tells him he didn't foresee Kain's return he changed the subject. The Elder God knows that the Scion of Balance is destined to kill him and that the powers that help Kain are stronger than his grip on the Wheel of Fate. Only after Kain finally sees the Elder God for the first time, the Elder God admits it was always Kain's Soul Reaver and never his.

[@Broomer52]

I have like classic Norse Mythology knowledge of Prophecy influences it’s fulfillment. In those myths stories history was immovable even if it was for seen by the victims and actions taken to avoid their end would always lead to their end. In the same way this was the story of Raziel from the beginning, he heard of a prophecy the knowledge of it influenced his actions towards subconsciously. It was only at the end where he realized his deadly mistake that he managed to derail the plans laid out for him. He found the edge of the coin.

[@vanomzero]

@@Broomer52 janos did see the wraith blade though when was resurrected

[@His0wnFoot]

Great summary, thanks for the the writeup

[@Relic5555]

I missed it too and i played the LoK Series many times as a kid/teenager and still love it today. Until i read about Amy Hennings post i never thought about that Raziel could be both champions, but in retro it just fits perfectly

[@strictlyfantasy]

Yeah, it made me appreciate the writing in Defiance a lot more.

[@gjtrue]

The writing and lore in this game series is truly something else and amazing.

[@Frost6553]

Also a cool little thing is how in the prophecy you can see how one of the champions always impales the other with a sword, which is how raziel finally enters the sword and fulfills his destiny

[@cocacola4blood365]

I always took it to mean that the champions were originally prophesized to merge, or combine forces, and the prophecy was mistaken to mean conflict over time and retelling. Both the Hylden and the Vampires had biases that would've colored their views.

[@armi999]

I had always assumed that Kain was one and Raziel the other, and that the dual images of them being defeated represented Kain's death in the Catherdral while Raziel's sacrifice was the other. However this does explain perfectly why the image of the Scion does not really match either of the champtions, while Raziel shares mainy traits of both champions.

[@BelartWright]

Its 4:30am and i'm ready for bed, but I can't miss this!

[@Kardel_VA]

So glad to see more legacy of kain content

[@alborzilani3272]

for me the whole atmosphere of LOK series always gives me this vibe that a hidden truth was placed in the game to dig and it takes me on an adventure which is very mysterious, with the combination of great music theme, voice acting and beautiful architecture, its a Gem.

[@nathanieldouglas8518]

I was 32 years old when I discovered this plot point. Can’t say this enough. Legacy of kain is still one of the greatest games I have ever played. Keep up this amazing channel!

[@beastkillergaming374]

My gosh your the best..I'm 45yrs and loved this series in my 20s ..n this twist. flew over my head aswell..to learn this now! after all these years..great vid..you blew my mind..

[@lumpcrittergravy]

I never knew this. I'm happy it didn't blatantly say Raziel was both. Makes sense Kain is called the Scion Of Balance. The one in the center. Now I have more respect for Defiance.

[@januszmanczak161]

lol, I actually as a teen at the very end realized that he was both of them, remembering how many called him both Redeemer and Destroyer it came up finally, and with Kain having it's own entire destiny, it was clear he can't be either of the champions, and Raziel filled the boots of both

[@tuumef1799]

When I first played Defiance, the mystery of it all had me flip flopping every time a new mural appeared. Seeing the fusion of both possible destinies was extremely clever and blew my mind once I understood the deeper implications.

[@crazyhorse9227]

Imagine flipping a coin a thousand times but one time it lands on its edge- Kain

[@perplexingperceptions8888]

Epic line.

[@Hyperion-5744]

The lok series has one of the best stories in gaming and great voice acting.

[@thegamingprozone1941]

Sadly it's forgotten or too old

[@ReignSupreme2014]

My God! The Legacy of Kain will ALWAYS be considered one of the greatest video game franchises EVER! It was amazing on so many different fronts. Amy Henning was just coming into her creative prime and she killed it with this series. I wish we could get a remake(similar to Shadow of Colossus and Demon Souls) or at least an HD collection. Returning to the entire saga one more time would be a dream come true for me.

[@nicholasdanger627]

I think it was a great ending. It didn't make sense the first to me either but I think that's by design, you're supposed to go back with all the clues to fill in the gaps of your knowledge.

[@transcendingthedyad5663]

By having raziel being both sides of the same coin, the prophecy is guranteed completion and united by the same power. It's truly amazing how they pulled it off.

[@petruccilewis]

I've been a fan for years... Yet, the truth about raziel's role had totally escaped me. Awesome vid, you totally blew my mind.

[@alabamaboy9317]

Raziel was the coin personified. He was the only one with free will. And so he became the coin Kain had mentioned. But instead of choosing either/or, he chose both, thus the coin landing on its edge..... I freaking love this!!!

[@davidmathieson8661]

I had always believed that the prophecies were false, ideas planted by the Elder God to strengthen the Vampires conviction against the Hylden. That Raziel and Kain were neither of them the champions.

[@tarvoc746]

I think that's also true in a certain sense. It's definitely why Moebius and the Elder God set Kain and Raziel on the path of discovering the murals in the first place.

[@JohnJSeyy]

Everytime I see your upload my week just gets a bit better. Thank you.

[@strictlyfantasy]

My pleasure. Thanks for donating your time to watch my content.

[@TheRealAaronFinn1]

I'd love to see a video on the stages of Nosgoth's overall decay, and your thoughts on where it might've lead after Soul Reaver 1

[@strictlyfantasy]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am planning to do a video regarding the world of Nosgoth, but that's an interesting way to tackle it.

[@selensewar]

This story gets me shedding a tear every time. It's just too good.

[@Zedsanji]

I didn't get that twist on my first playthrough, but after playing through the game about 4 more times (I love the series that much lol) I started wondering about bits and pieces, and it got to where I started having save files at certain intervals to hear the dialogue and piece it together. That being said I never had concrete evidence for my claim. My brothers thought I was just overthinking it lol. Nice to be vindicated.

[@Numeral0]

I always thought that kayn was the vampire champion too, this is truely mind blowing I never thought that razial was both champions, man I wish there was a remake or a movie for this game

[@Nightbanekaizer]

I forgot about this channel honestly, and I appreciate that for once the KZbin algorythem had thrown me your way. The might be the best video to start 2022 with since I had needed a series to go back to. Now maybe I will play Soul Reaver 1 again as I had 2 portals I never was able to find and activate.

[@ARareBreedStory]

10 out of 10. I'm really glad to see L.O.K. fans still exist out there. And I'm especially glad to see videos being produced by someone as talented as you.

[@zoltanz288]

yeah i didnt get the twist either the first time. i thought that the prophecies were just bs and Kain and Raziel can make their fate in the end. i didnt think that Raziel completed both prophecies at all.

[@brittanybecker170]

I appreciate the subtly. It was underlined that Raziel had a duel role, especially as we uncover more at the Citadel.

[@AnnaCurser]

i have never thought about, that he could be both. I just thought that the roles are flexible, between Kain and Raziel. And in a sense, both murals came true anyway, in Defiance. Because Raziel kills Kain in the Cathedral. So Prophecy one was completed. But then he came back and put Raziel into the blade. So part two was complete too. I just thought it was a Multiple Step Prophecy and was satisfied with it. And how can you not, with a game as awesome as Defiance?

[@Jose-se9pu]

"Redeemer and destroyer, pawn and messiah" I'm not that smart, but the hints were always there...

[@LostOneOmega]

Raziel being both makes SO MUCH SENSE to me now. After all he's the one running around with twin souls, meaning he's always been a paradox and could be both champions at the same time! Wow, I really appreciate that bit putting it together. This series has the best writing, I swear.

[@MajorJakas]

Legacy of Kain is the best story never completed, and if finished, I believe that it would have stood up there, deservingly, with the works of Tolkien.

[@roserichards1460]

Huh. I actually never realized Raziel was both campions but yeah when you put all the clues together it makes sense. I never gave it much thought honestly. I was much too worried about the massive plot hole that was Vorador in Blood Omen 2 but having just watched that video its less massive now. That said this is why I watch these videos. I get to learn new things I missed or over looked.

[@Nigel222]

Love your Legacy of Kain videos. Hope we get something from Square Enix on the franchise in the future.

[@Tazdahall]

I have to say I am so happy for you making these videos. More people need to know about this fantastic game series, and the way you frame your storytelling is very smooth.

[@Drudicta]

I had first played this when I was 14, and then again a year later having played them all in order, understanding the second time around once there wasn't a large gap of time in between story telling. I very much appreciated the way they went about it, and although not knowing for sure the first time, I did know Raziel made the right decision in the end and had been manipulated until then.

[@magnuserror9305]

The legacy of kain has been an enormous inspiration for me, and your amazing videos crystallize its story into an easily consumable manner. If it wasn't for your high quality videos, I wouldn't have rekindled my love for soul reaver. As a lead writer for a video game, I can only hope my work is half as good as the legacy of kain's.

[@MiiDev69]

I thought that Thunder Force IV and V delivered some amazing level of storytelling, specifically when you have to destroy the very ship that you used to pilot, but then I play Soul Reaver and was blown away. This is truly some genius level of storytelling! I completely missed the fact that Raziel was both!

[@VeryBeingPodcast]

a plot twist so subtle it leaves some mysteries 10 years later to be uncover, that's a payoff i really enjoy, thank you for this and yes i think this is masterpiece writing

[@Kaidron6]

When I first played the series I thought Mobius using his power as the time streamer created the prophecy himself. He knew Razeil and Kain would be an issue for his master so made the prophecy vague enough that the arrogance of both would convince themselves to be the hero. Thus convincing them to fight and destroy themselves sweeping away both obstacles from the board.

[@jesseritchie9282]

So something that kinda overlooked is that if you take in account about the events of Blood Omen 2 where Kain meets the Witch of the Woods, that being was a Human and Hylden hybrid in which Kain sucks the blood. Perhaps a very minor factor of Kain's evolution look factor of what he looks like now may have only a small amount to attribute why he has such a look that sorta resembles the Hylden in some capacity. Granted it could be mere coincidence, but regardless it make some sense to why Kain does kinda look like the Hylden in that capacity granted it would be a very very minor one. I'm blown away by the fact that Raziel would be both the champions at once, but it makes so much sense. He would forgive Kain in kindness, Kain then truly fulfilling the role as Scion if Balance as well as having the coin analogy of his come true for it landed on it's edge! My goodness I love LoK so much.

[@larrymcmacarroon9529]

I like it. Except for: Kain has always grown the bone crown, even in earlier timelines where he never met the Seer witch in the woods. So her blood can't be responsible for any hylden-ized look he had in SoulReaver1, etc. But (!), Mortaneus DID have contact with the hylden under Avernus, and some of their blood may have been in the Heart of Darkness when it was jammed into Kain (!), perhaps influencing his look toward the hylden race. AND, going forward in this new timeline where he does ingest hylden blood...... maybe he enters the State of Change cocoon and emerges with even more obvious hylden features to blend in with hylden society during his upcoming visit to hell?

[@lifeofkiki8291]

HE POSTS ONCE MORE! These videos are what I listen to while I go to sleep and while I drive! Much love to you!!! I wish there was more LOK lore

[@felipebelchior3254]

I can’t believe I’ve missed it all this time. It was right in front of me. Can’t help being surprised by this plot at every turn. Thank you, your videos are awesome! Really, I keep falling in love by this franchise.

[@ReaperSigma]

It's interesting it shows Kains true destiny had yet to happen and he still played a much larger role in this to come. Raziel armed Kain with the means to finish this, it's a shame we will never see this.

[@VintageGameRoom]

Never say never

[@Necrothep]

I rererewatched the "Legacy of Kain movie" and rerewatching your episode. It's really helping understanding more indeepth the lore and kinda reliving the games. Your videos are extrelemy effective.

[@ivanhunter6492]

This is amazing. I had a suspicion about Raziel first time but it still shocked me when he was revealed to be both champions

[@NinePillar]

Nope. I was completely clueless, like you. However, I'm glad they didn't overtly tell their story if for nothing else than to come back, nearly 20 years later, still come back to watch and learn from righteous videos like this. You do fanTASTIC work, my man! Absolutely love your channel.

[@kazejah1014]

Loved this game and the whole series. I always saw the two champions representing raziels duel nature and the choice he'd inevitably have to make....but that Moebius and the Elder God presented them in such a fashion that would make Kain and Raziel think that they are both champions and fight each other. And this is confirmed when you see the final room in the center of thw citadel when there was a quite accurate picture depicting kain in his role as scion of balance... that sat in between the two pics of raziels duel natured depictions. It was just the elder, lying out his ass to set Kain and raziel against each other.

[@lupusumbra8676]

Damn, every time you post a new Legacy of Kain video I get excited. Your videos discussing the series renews my love for it and it makes me wanna go back and watch each prior episode. I thank you for making these videos.

[@GF-eh6km]

I'm 36 now & played these games growing up. You've explained this very well tyvm!!!

[@JokersVsZombies]

First time I played, and for years afterwards, I thought the game made Kain the vampire savior, and raziel exorcized his free will by defying his part of the prophecy and sacrificed himself to forgive and empower Kain.

[@kainslegacy7]

God i miss these games. It makes me so happy when you post. This video makes me feel like the prophecy i made for my MC needs more work lmao.

[@Toto-95]

BUHAHAHAHA i saw the movie games 2 times and i never even guessed it ! Never made the connexion between them ! i just tought " oh, he's the vampire savior right ? i guess ? " . Well done mate ! I agree with you, it was too subtle

[@PouresMaggie]

I also finished the game/series when I was quite young, so Raziel being both heroes, also flew over my head. What I realized was just the inevitability of one's fate as Raziel did have to sacrifice himself and allow himself to be captured by the reaver, if he wanted to aid the vampires for whom he was striving to fight all along. The end of the game left me with the message of "taking responsibility for something you do not want to necessarily do, but is the best thing for the greater good of the world." Thank you so much for this video, I wish you and everyone a good year with lots of health!

[@lunaflower4507]

Loved this video the twist took me years to understand I love these videos and love this series. Your content is beyond fantasic. Maybe one day could you look at the possible future proposed games both dead sun and dark prophecy I hope the names are.

[@strictlyfantasy]

Thank you and yes I'm planning on making a video like that

[@n7evans225]

I love your lore videos because it reminds me of my childhood playing these games, so good for their time. Thank you!

[@carlosaponte2349]

The first time I played these games I totally missed it, but eventually I came to realize that, though I was doubtful since the game doesn't explicitly hand it to you like you say in this video, but that just makes it more appealing, having to figure out stuff like that by your own. But I guess it was supposed to be that way since the game ended in a cliffhanger for a sequel to clarify everything.

[@juanisol8275]

I love when they flip out the prophety concept but also how they use the plot twist like a composition of epic irony !!

[@jamesclayton4518]

"...suppose you throw a coin enough times... suppose one day, it lands on its edge." Raziel is the coin.

[@smokeysnowboard1809]

I’m so happy that you posted another one and I always look forward to these videos so much to try to understand the intricate storyline of this game series. I eventually figured it out with the redeemer and destroyer part at the end of the game… sort of, it went over my head and I had to play it so many times to try to understand. If Raziel did not become imprisoned in SR2 Because of the alterations that happened in defiance by Kain then he is Both blade and wraith at the same time, Redeemer and destroyer Pawn and Messiah it does make sense… kind of, If you consider time flowing in this way and being altered in such a fashion it does make a lot of sense as just a different way of looking at time it’s rather brilliant really because most the time travel stories are rather linear where there is only one possible outcome and one character at a time, This attempts to explore that in a different way and show you two champions instead of one. But you have to always be cognizant of how time works here in terms of flowing around things like a stream, If you consider the possibility that Raziel and kain are like pebbles in the timestream it is possible that two iterations of at least one character can exist at once and that would not ultimately corrupt or destroy anything, ultimately we could even see kain in a weird way Almost fulfilling his role as scion of balance at the end of defiance it gives him a kind of hope that sacrificing in some form may not destroy him and multiple iterations can exist in a way that Raziel does it ultimately gives him that bitter taste of hope. For example If you take the kain that we have at the end of defiance and give him that same decision from blood omen one what do u think he would do?

[@SkunkWerks7]

Myself? I'm not sure what the knowledge of Raziel's dual-nature really adds to my understanding of the story. Prophecy is nearly always vague- because interpretation is the modality it's meant to be processed through. In that sense, I'm kinda taking Mobius' part here: it never mattered- not only which champion Raziel thought he was- but also which champion he actually was. And while his journey towards understanding is one of the elements that makes LoK's story so compelling, it's nice for a change to see Raziel become less of a passive actor in events, and take on more of an active role. His final act has him sacrificing himself to the thing he has until this point feared most to become finally what he in a way always has been since the beginning of Soul Reaver- Kain's "right hand" his "sword". Honestly I think the matter of which champion he is really pales in comparison to that role.

[@allthatforadropofclout3760]

@StrictlyFantasy, this was the coin landing on its edge, man!!! "The coin is still turning" was the hint! This is amazing! When Kain said Raziel gave him hope, he meant hope for his own coin to land on its edge! To restore Nosgoth and live to Rule it at the same time!

[@florianfahle315]

I don't want to sound greedy but will there be videos about Mortanius und Janos Audrin? I think both are worth analysing.

[@ukaszchudzik2113]

I'm joining train for more LOK characters content! :D

[@infjintegrityvsnarcissism7295]

I commented about a Mortanius video too

[@strictlyfantasy]

Absolutely :) Those two characters are coming soon. This series has so much lore and memorable characters, there is plenty of content left to cover.

[@johnsantos507]

*Audron*

[@progressivemr.j1225]

You should do a podcast on this series so I can listen to your breakdown of the lore and game while I drive. I love your narration and your depth of knowledge on this fantastic series. Hopefully, with recent surveys, we will see this unforgettable series come back.

[@MistrzRozpierdalacz]

One of the greatest stories, one of the greatest characters, one of the greatest soundtracks. Truly... MASTERPIECE

[@adammellinger7105]

I know im 7 months too late but this series is my absolute favorite game series of all time. I love this series so very much these videos are epic. In the spectral realm in defiance hearing the screams and cries of humans in death was just prefect ambiance

[@eviljoshy3402]

If there was ever a series that deserves a reboot it's this one. and no I did not know Raziel was both champions. I knew that both outcomes of the prophecy came true but I thought Kain was one and Raziel was the other.

[@monkeybone1080]

When I was younger I didn't get it in the way you put it, rather I simply saw that no side was the "correct" side. Of course this is helped by the fact that the series is built on deception and manipulation so I naturally questioned all information given as I was playing but as always you put it in a way that really makes sense and now is clear as day. It just highlights that despite the title being near 20 years old it's writing is still head and shoulders above many modern titles.

[@artemisarrow179]

I love seeing new Legacy of Kain content :) What I particularly love about the prophecy in LoK was how the ancient vampires made the prophecies with genuine belief but they themselves were unknowingly being masterminded from the top to bottom by the Elder to manipulate all of history to feed his hunger for souls and how the Hylden would later use the prophecies to manipulate Raziel to acquire a durable vessel for possession in Janos Audron (if you remember he technically escaped from Raziel in Defiance) Best part of all is how Mobius tells Raziel upon Vorador's mansion that it did not matter which role either thought they were fulfilling because in the end it was the same for Mobius

[@Imkiritai]

Amazing, the twist and details of this game are so ahead of its time. I thank you for this wonderful video 😊

[@jacopoveronese81]

I can’t express how much I LOVED the moment Mobius was forced by Raziel to see the Ancient for what it really was. In all, the serie had powerful storytelling.

[@paulappleton9666]

I agree completely with your assessment of the ending narrative; it could have been communicated with a little more bluntness. Hell, even to this day, I'm still a little unsure of where this purified scion of balance prophecy that Kain came to be originated from. Only Ariel's ghost seemed to be in the know.

[@YourFavoriteSon1]

Fantastic work. Your ability to weave this information into an interesting story is great!

[@AdamMichalMarkowski]

This is absolutely new to me. I failed to pick up on many plot threads as a teen first playing those games, and I do believe even playing as my now 34 years old self I would still fail to spot the double chamption twist

[@sergiojimenez2271]

I’ve watched every video on the legacy of kain playlist and Medievil playlist as well. I’m hooked man. Can’t wait for your next video on either one of those franchises.

[@TheGojiShay]

I just recently discovered your channel sir, and I love it!! I hope you have more content planned for the foraeeable future!

[@thanevakarian9762]

Glad you’re still doing these.

[@WanderingLeopard]

Happy New Year! Great to wake up to a new video on LOK

[@glenngriffon8032]

I figured it out as soon as Kain said "redeemer" and "destroyer" cause I had memorized every line of SR1's dialogue when I was a teenager. Also I was in my mid to late 20's when I played through Defiance so it didn't go over my head. Also I used to work with a guy who was as big a LoK fan as me and when we worked we usually had hours alone together to talk about the games and go over the lore. I told him that I believed Raziel's destiny was both heroes at once and brought up many of the same points you did. How he's easily manipulated if he's angered and that the entire story is building up to Raziel realizing his purpose and sacrificing himself to heal Kain of Nupraptor's corruption and enter the Reaver blade.

[@Gigatech151]

By 11:38, I wanted to stand up and clap!.... Bravo my friend... I played the games back then when they came out, and you cleared something I was asking my self, every time I recaled those escenes. Completely loved the video.

[@marinoman061]

Thank you sooo much!! I definitely look forward to your videos! It brings back my childhood and I'm glad everyone else was obsessed with this game as I was

[@akaybemanresu]

What a timely subscription I made: two days ago once again finished the series, yesterday watched other your videos on the topic and subscribed for more, and here I get the more. Awesome 👍

[@terencedavidson7140]

Like you I was very confused. But this video helped. This channel is awesome man!! Great stuff

[@lestat0125]

I had no idea about the dual prophecy being strictly for raziel. My teenage brain just assumed raziel was the hylden champion because he "killed kain", then subsequently sacrified to the reaver by kain. My mind is literally blown. Wow!

[@BigBoy-bx1dw]

I love the LOK content! Great job as always

[@amanitamuscaria5863]

Raziel screwed both sides out of spite. Though as a kid I never really put much thought into the game in terms of good vs bad. Looking at the game as a kid you see the Vampires as the good guys. Looking at the game as an adult you see the Hylden as the more sensible ones. The Hylden wanted to escape the cycle of reincarnation which they saw as a prison while the Vampires were fanatically devoted to it. Really puts shit into perspective for the esoterically inclined, don't it?

[@singletona082]

The part where the Hildryn lost me is their plan on torching the land and everyone in it. Fuck's sake by this point Kain himself, the LAST vampire, would probably have welcomed them with open arms as allies against Das Squid if they had agreed to help rebuild the land. Whether or not Kain would wish to Rule or if he has had his fill of holding dominion over others is up for debate. Kain the Traveler does seem interesting though.

[@albyx]

Fantastic video. When I first beat Defiance, I believe I was confused about who was who (in terms of who was which hero). The mural Raziel sees at the end, vaguely looked like (a blue-skinned) Kain, representing the vampire hero, taking the flaming sword from the Hylden hero… so, it made me think that they would have to join forces to bring balance to Nosgoth. So, I didn’t believe that Raziel was the Hylden champion, but I believed he was the soul of the Reaver blade once the Hylden champion had been vanquished. In a way, both races would be responsible for bringing back balance. What I didn’t realize was Kain’s realization of how to manipulate time (the existence of two Reaver blades introducing a time-tearing paradox… AKA, an opportunity for the coin to land on its edge). It was written since LOK1. Crazy!