The Witcher's Anya Chalotra Never Wants To See This Yennefer Book Plotline In The Show
This post contains spoilers for Netflix's "The Witcher" and the source material.
In Netflix's adaptation of the megapopular "Witcher" saga, Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) has come a long way from being a timid girl unaware of her true potential and power. Three seasons in, Yen symbolizes the epitome of the flawed sensibilities that come with unbridled power — while she is susceptible to moral missteps, she is never let off easy for her actions and actively takes the onus to do better. The roots of her character stem from Andrzej Sapkowski's "The Witcher" novel series, where Yen is a blunt, no-nonsense sorcerer who shields her tenderness with tough cynicism. Once we get to know her heart, it is clear that Yen is loyal to the core, and she's willing to do anything for the loves she loves. Chalotra's rendition is true to this core aspect, despite several changes being made to her arc over the course of three seasons.
While loyalty to the source material is necessary to an extent, some changes might be warranted to improve upon certain storylines or accommodate medium limitations. For instance, the "Witcher" video game trilogy heavily alters the source material to create a more dynamic, immersive experience for the player, and this works, as the changes are lore-relevant and meaningful. While the Netflix adaptation has struggled with maintaining a healthy balance between staying true to the books and exercising artistic liberty so far, Yen's storyline has finally been balanced out after a rather drastic character decision she made in season 2 of the show.
Chalotra spoke to Vulture about the importance of drawing faithfully from the books but also said that she hopes that a certain future storyline is never adapted in the upcoming seasons. Here's what she had to say.
No artifact compressions, please
Chalotra has previously talked about the need to find her own version of Yennefer that is truthful to the show and what she wishes to bring to the role, as it helps add nuance to an already-complex, powerful character in a fantasy setting. In the Vulture interview, she went on to explain the need to strike a balance between source faithfulness and new creative directions:
"It's very important that we draw from the books. The character was born there, and I really want to stay true to that. But because of this TV adaptation, we have to add elements and take certain subplots away to give more space to the drama of each relationship."
Chalotra went on to say that she's excited for Ciri's (Freya Allan) arc in season 4 while hoping that "she's [Yennefer] not turned into a figurine for the next season." as it would leave Chalotra with very little to do. This is in reference to Yennefer's sudden disappearance in "Baptism of Fire," right after Vilgefortz and his allies scatter across the continent, as Francesca used the Artifact Compression spell to turn her into a jade figurine. This incident led to Yen being confined for 47 days until Francesca releases her and offers her up as a candidate for the Lodge of Sorceresses.
While Yen is destined to be a part of the Lodge, it is likely that season 4 will omit the figurine storyline completely and aim for something more plausible, allowing Chalotra to progress as Yen without being turned into a miniature jade statue at Francesca's mercy. Moreover, season 4 has a lot on its plate already, especially with its main character transition that absolutely needs to hit the landing.
Season 3 of "The Witcher" is currently streaming on Netflix.