Geralt Gives Up On Neutrality And Picks A Side In The Witcher Season 3
The buzzword of "The Witcher" season 3 seems to be "neutrality." It's a term Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) uses in the first seconds of the trailer for the latest season when he reasons that neutrality "won't get you a statue, but it'll certainly help in keeping you alive." The monster-hunter is known for keeping things neutral, but as the princess he shares a link with, Ciri (Freya Allan), continues to end up in harm's way, it gets trickier and trickier for the hero to remain apolitical. In an interview with SFX Magazine, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich spoke about the political evolution of Geralt and explained exactly why he decides to take a side in season 3.
"From the very beginning, Geralt has talked a lot about being neutral," Hissrich said. "He is very clear that he doesn't want to get into politics. He exists for one reason — to kill monsters." Geralt has done plenty of that in the show's first two seasons, but he's maintained a veneer of indifference much of the time, adhering to a sort of witcher's code that he seems to think prevents him from letting his loyalties lie with one side of any given conflict or another. This comes up in the games and novels on which the series is based, too, but as the story wears on, it's clear that neutrality isn't always an option. In season 3 of the series, Geralt seems set to realize that too.
Geralt isn't just 'reacting to the world' anymore
"This season, with all the parties that are after Ciri, his neutrality really comes into question," Hissrich told SFX. "When Geralt loses the two people he loves so deeply, it causes him to give up on his neutrality because he will do anything to get them back." Hissrich is likely referencing Ciri (Freya Allan) here, as the official season 3 synopsis states that "destiny brought them together," but "dangerous forces are trying to tear them apart." The second "Witcher" book from which the series is set to pull inspiration, titled "Time of Contempt," also includes a plotline that sees Ciri, Geralt, and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) separated.
"From this point on, he actually has an agenda," Hissrich said. "He is not reacting to the world. He is proactively seeking to change something." That new agenda could come with risks, but Geralt wasn't exactly safe before, either. As Jaskier (Joey Batey) points out in the trailer: "Neutrality has consequences, too."
More big changes are on the horizon
While Geralt might find himself in the middle of the action in a way he doesn't expect this season, fans will find themselves in an odd position, too. Cavill is set to be replaced by actor Liam Hemsworth in the upcoming fourth season of the show, so viewers will be on the edge of their seats waiting to see if the fantasy series finds a decent way to explain the casting change. Elsewhere in the SFX feature, castmate Chalotra explained how difficult it was to say goodbye to the actor who's played Geralt for the past four years. "It's a journey we have been on together for a long time, all of us," Chalotra said, admitting she "may have shed a tear" saying goodbye to the actor.
"Especially in my career, 'The Witcher' has been the biggest thing I have done. It's the project that started me off," Chalotra admitted, adding, "Henry was a huge part of that. He's a crucial member of the show and I will miss him dearly." Lest we worry prematurely about how exactly the show will explain away Geralt's changed experience, it's worth noting that the new season of "The Witcher" is taking its time with the goodbye by dropping its episodes in two different volumes.
Part 1 of the season will hit Netflix on June 29, 2023, while Part 2 — likely the last episodes starring Cavill — will drop on July 27, 2023.