The writers and producers of Netflix’sThe Witcherhave an unenviable task. Between eight books and three games, there are copious storylines available for adaptation — if the show ran for ten seasons, it would likely not exhaust its source material. Moreover, the task of choosing and streamlining plots is further complicated by the peculiarities of the source. Sticking strictly to the books would require writers to split up the three protagonists and tell a fundamentally darker, less magical story.
So far, the show has navigated these nuances deftly, introducing some novel plotlines to even out the narrative core and re-arranging encounters to include different characters (notably, “A Grain of Truth”) and fan-favorite monsters (such as the leshy). Yet even with the show charting new territory, there are some storylines that must inevitably be included. Reflecting on the show’s progress thus far might offer some clues as to what viewers can expect from Season 3.
Note: This article contains spoilers for Netflix’sThe Witcher.
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The books from whichThe Witcherdraws its narrative are not the story of three people bound by destiny as much as they are the story of three people wandering through a changing world, alternately searching for each other and searching for themselves. The pacing of the books is almost as sprawling and chaotic as the story itself, but the flashpoint of Thanedd provides a clear demarcation between the extended exposition of the first two books and the protracted rising action of the following two books. The show has thrived by weaving the tales of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri into a found family narrative — but that family has been barreling from the beginning toward violent fracture. With the establishment, in Season 2, of the world’s politics, not to mentionthe revelation of Emhyr var Emreis, it would seem the show can no longer avoid its inciting incident, which is sure to be a memorable episode in Season 3.
New Characters
The plus side of this is that the audience will get new characters to fall in love with. Indeed, the casting of Milva suggests that the season will include some ofBaptism of Fire, in addition toTime of Contempt. Of course, the introduction of Milva (Meng’er Zhang) might also suggest that Season 3 will see the re-introduction of an already-controversial character, Cahir (Eamon Farren), who has thus far been portrayed thoroughly as a villain.
Audiences may be tempted to view this version of Cahir as irredeemable, for his antagonism has been fleshed out from the books. However, there is reason to hope that he will still become a member ofGeralt’s second found family, his band of wanderers. After all, Cahir’s redemption arc follows a conversion-like encounter with Ciri; his enhanced villainy only lends drama to that possibility. The showrunners have taken pains to preserve the complexity of Cahir’s character, both through his interactions with Ciri and his power struggles within the Nilfgaardian ranks. The only real difference from the books (so far) is that the audience has seen that struggle as it was happening, rather than hearing about it after he has broken with Nilfgaard.
Another casting decision suggests that the reader will also see Ciri’s solo storyline develop post-Thanedd: the announcement of Mistle is cause for both excitement and trepidation. On the one hand,Netflix’sThe Witcherexcels at piecing togethersequences that are broken up in the books, weaving clear thematic throughlines into concentrated narratives. It would be unsurprising, therefore, if the writers chose to string together Ciri’s journey into the desert and her assimilation into the Rats in one episode. At this point, fans could even expect such an episode to interrogate the role of agency and consent in Ciri’s overall narrative. The show might also draw a parallel between Yennefer’s experience post-Thanedd and Ciri’s escape, utilizing the style of timeline manipulation by which the writers so effectively constructed episodes around themes in Season 1. No matter how the showrunners approach the events, however, it is fair to expect that they will present Mistle and the Rats with the critical lens that is so conspicuously absent in the books.
Developing Existing Characters
Pre-Thanedd, Ciri still has yet to receive the second half of her education, in the form of magical training with Yennefer. It seems likely that showrunners will eschew Geralt’s solo plot gathering information in favor of keeping him with Ciri and Yen — this might allow formore cameos from game monsters. Previous seasons ofThe Witcherhave opened with standalone monster stories, and this could provide another such opportunity, incorporating Ciri’s magical education into a theme-rich Witcher parable. If the main characters are not separated, however, it will be interesting to see how the events leading up to Thanedd unfold. The appearance of the Wild Hunt at the end of Season 2 seemed to foreshadow a larger role for the spectral riders; perhaps their pursuit will propel the protagonists directly to the island.
Also pre-Thanedd, the show is likely to includestorylines it has already set up in the first two seasons, particularly the racial and geopolitical conflicts. Expect to see more of Francesca Findabair (Mecia Simson)’s struggle to build an elven nation and more spycraft from fan-favorite Sigismund Dijkstra (Graham McTavish). Some new players will also likely appear, such as the recently-cast Scoia’tel leader, Gallatin (Robbie Amell), who will probably provide a Nilfgaardian counterpoint to Francesca. As in the books, these conflicts are sure to converge with the three protagonists on Thanedd, setting up the political and social backdrop that is familiar not only to readers, but to fans of theWitchergames. Keeping the protagonists together will reduce the amount of time needed to follow their plot (protecting Ciri), which will further facilitate development of these broader contexts.
Then again, the showrunners have already madesignificant thematic changes to the story, which may continue to deviate from the source material. The foregrounding of Istredd — and his investigation into the monolith storyline — suggests that the world of Netflix’sThe Witcheris not necessarily the world of the books; it is hard to imagine the show veering back toward magical decay and human ascendance. Thus far, the show has proven adept at balancing the personal and the political, but Thanedd marks a watershed in the books, which from that point on trend increasingly toward the political. The game, by contrast, keeps the personal always at the fore — as well as the magical, in the form of monsters. So far, the show seems to be charting its own course, but it may find that course more difficult as competing agendas emerge.
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