First a book series, then a video game, The Witcher series could be the next Game of Thrones. Premiering on Netflix in late 2019, the trailer promises a lot.
The trailer for Netflix’s The Witcher has amassed over 14M views in four days, with reception being generally positive. While many fans are more familiar with the video game, the showrunners have stated it will be more true to the books. Excitement is buzzing for Henry Cavill’s Geralt and for the action-packed battle sequences. The trailer also shows us multiple gorgeous and mysterious locations belonging to the Witcher mythology. It’s definitely on track to be must-see TV, but what insider info can we get from the teaser?
Geralt
While Geralt says that monsters and money is “all there needs to be” to life, his skills as a witcher get him entangled in a larger story. The showrunners have said that they will delve into the political aspect of the books; therefore we can expect Geralt to get mixed up in this. There is a scene with him in bandages, being healed, however it’s unclear when this takes place in the season or how serious his injuries are. We’re also shown the scene where Ciri has to decide to stay with the dryads or return to civilisation. As this decision was prompted by Geralt, he may feel a certain connection to Ciri as he indirectly puts her in danger. Their paths will cross a few times, but we don’t know how open Geralt will be to helping Ciri. Particularly as women cannot be witchers, he may be opposed to mentoring her if she will not be his successor.
Ciri
In the trailer, Ciri is shown to have strange powers that cause many to hunt her. An army even storms her castle in an attempt to kidnap her. It is likely that she cannot control these powers as she has never been taught, and is still very young. We do see a shot of her in what looks to be an Elven land in the desert, which is only accessible through portals. Although this may be a vision, either way it shows unexpected control and bravery. She is also instructed by her grandmother to “find Geralt”, implying that he may be her reluctant mentor as the season progresses. We see shots of Ciri alone in multiple barren and dangerous lands, so perhaps by the time she finds Geralt she will already be somewhat proficient with her powers.
Yennefer
In the books, Yennefer’s backstory and previous deformation is only revealed through flashbacks as her relationship with Geralt progresses. However, the series seems to show Yennefer’s transformation in real time, including her training as a sorceress. Her trainer appears cold and ruthless, while also providing much of the exposition about how magic works in the series. A shot of Yennefer screaming is shown, and later her deformity is gone, so we can safely assume there is a painful magical remedy that changes her looks. There is also a masked ball scene where Yennefer approaches Geralt; this could be the beginning of their relationship, or it could be later in the series at the Sorcerer’s Banquet. We see multiple shots of Yennefer using her powers, and we can only hope that she uses them for good. However, with her troubled background as well as much of her magic coming from anger, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Magic
Not much is known about how exactly the series will deal with magic. What we do know is that “magic comes from chaos” and the Elves first taught humans how to wield it. Now it seems that magic is almost solely practised by humans, and they learn in a very controlled environment. As the trainer levitates the rock, the flower in her hand wilts. This could imply that magic in this world comes at a cost, and perhaps humans are not mindful of this. Later in the series there could be an Elf uprising, or the human society could fall apart due to their use of magic. A blonde woman who might be Ciri shows the strongest magic in the trailer, blasting people into the air and possibly killing them. It is unclear if this is a purposeful attack or her uncontrolled powers. Ciri could be the one to lead the Elves in an uprising, or conversely to foster understanding between the two peoples.
