When Henry Cavill returns to Netflix this December, Geralt of Rivia will be a changed man. At least, that's according to the actor who says his character’s relationship with both Ciri and Vesemir marks a drastic turn for everyone’s favorite Witcher.
The Witcher's first season took its time to introduce its core cast through a myriad of time jumps, all ending in a finale that saw Geralt and Yennefer drift apart but finally reunited the White Wolf with his adoptive daughter. However, besides taking on the guardianship of Princess Cirilla, season two will also feature Geralt meeting his mentor Vesemir, played by actor Kim Bodnia.
These are all things going through both Geralt and Cavill’s minds, as the actor discussed with Entertainment Weekly the importance both relationships have for The Witcher in a second season that will "bring [out] more of that intellectual, philosophical, wise Geralt." When it comes to the Witcher becoming a more paternal figure, Cavill says that “While he hasn't necessarily been someone who craved children, he does take quite naturally to being a protector." This is because Geralt usually cannot puts aside his kind desire to help people, despite how grumpy and moody he might seem at times.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Geralt’s grunts will be completely gone, but Cavill does highlight that he wants to “avoid him being too one tunnel” in order to explore the complexities of Andrzej Sapkowski’s protagonist. On the other hand, Cavill also talked about working with Bodnia, who brings more emotion and a “real sense of soul and heart” to Vesemir, with whom he ended up shooting some of his favorite scenes for the season.
A lot of that personality definitely stems from Vesemir’s own complex past, as seen in The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, where the audience got to see the anime Witcher as a young boy, undergo the Trial of the Grasse, rekindle with the love of his life, and ultimately witness the fall of Kaer Morhen and his fellow Witchers, up to the point when he finally embraces an innocent Geralt. Although Nightmare of the Wolf did not please everyone, the animated film does provide a much-needed background story for Vesemir before the character's live-action debut.
Regardless of The Witcher 4 being far away into the future, fans of the franchise have plenty to be excited about as the upcoming season dives in to explore the Blood of Elves novel, possibly brings The Witcher to planet Earth, and most certainly brings back some bathtub scenes. Add in Yennefer’s own misfortunes, and the series is bound to deliver on Cavill’s promise of multiple cliffhangers, even in single episodes.
The Witcher season two is coming to Netflix on December 17, 2021.
Source: Entertainment Weekly