The Witcher Season 3 Ended As It Started—Messily

I sat down to look at the final three episodes of The Witcher season three with an open thoughts. Although I, like others, have been pissed off with the collection’ pacing and path as of late, I noticed shining moments in each character improvement and motion within the newest season, and was hopeful the collection would stick the touchdown for Henry Cavill’s closing run as its lead.

Sadly, because the display pale to black on the finish of the final episode, “The Value of Chaos,” I felt principally apathy. Now what?

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The Witcher Netflix collection has courted controversy and pushed discourse because it was introduced again in 2017. The present’s based mostly on Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy collection that impressed the CD Projekt Pink recreation franchise of the identical identify, and followers of The Witcher are as passionate as they’re resistant to alter. The casting of Cavill as protagonist Geralt of Rivia helped, because the actor is an outspoken fan of each the books and the video games. Although followers have (wrongfully) lamented even the smallest of deviations from the novel and (rightfully) complained concerning the present’s unusual pacing and subsequently complicated plot, it’s completed pretty nicely for Netflix since its 2019 debut.

However when Cavill introduced he’d be leaving the present after season three and changed by The Starvation Video games’ Liam Hemsworth, issues received rocky once more. Rumors swirled that the showrunners have been deviating an excessive amount of from the books, inflicting Cavill to depart out of frustration (the true purpose for his departure remains to be unknown). After the primary half of the season debuted, views have been reportedly down and followers had quite a bit to say about it, and a producer just lately blamed younger American viewers for it. However, the second half of the season would convey an enormous mage battle, and producers promised Cavill’s transition into Hemsworth could be seamless and “meta.” So, how did The Witcher season three ending do?

The Witcher season three finale recap

In brief: meh. After the battle of Aretuza, which was fairly rattling good, an excessive amount of time is spent lingering on areas and locations that serve little narrative goal, reminding us but once more of The Witcher’s important downside: pacing. The collection has made notoriously unusual decisions on who and what it facilities and explains, leading to a present that at instances feels prefer it’s dragging you thru a whole bunch of years of dense historical past by the scruff of your neck, hand-waving away key folks and moments, and at others such as you’re caught listening to a tertiary character inform their whole backstory over a seemingly countless pint of beer.

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As somebody who has learn all the books, there have been far too many instances that I requested aloud “Who’s that once more?” The collection may be so convoluted that I ponder if my information of the lore is harming greater than serving to, as I battle to recall occasions that occurred seasons in the past and surprise if I’m truly remembering one thing from the books. Does the informal viewer bear in mind who Emperor Emhyr actually is? Do they get why Francesca Findabair would return to Nilfgaard after the best way she was handled by them?

And the pacing issues persist in the previous few episodes of The Witcher season three. Ciri spends almost a whole episode in a desert, and whereas that’s undoubtedly a prolonged bit within the books, it eats up valuable time within the tail finish of the season. It’s not till the top of the penultimate episode that we see Geralt once more, and he’s barely alive. Cavill spends a big chunk of his final moments on the present mendacity inclined within the forest of Brokilon, his eyes ringed by an unhealthy tinge of pink, grunting and groaning in ache.

His closing battle, wherein he takes on a whole troop of Nilfgaardians demanding bribes at a roadblock, is at the least emblematic of Geralt’s determination to not stay impartial—he fairly actually leaves Renfri’s brooch behind; should you recall, he received it in season one through the famed Blaviken battle that brought about him to double down on remaining impartial within the Continent’s wars. Geralt has chosen a facet, and it’s no matter facet ensures Ciri’s security. A pleasant little bit of character improvement, although it seems like we’ve tread this path earlier than.

Not less than the ultimate moments of season three set us up for what will likely be a incredible, Ciri-led fourth season wherein she’s embraced the facility of Falka and goes on a queer, riotous rampage with a bunch of teenage dirtbags known as the Rats (although it’s clear that her determination to introduce herself as “Falka” confused viewers, because the query “why does Ciri name herself Falka” is trending). The core story of The Witcher is Ciri’s, not Geralt’s or Yennefer’s, regardless of what followers could consider or need. However I used to be shocked to see that the final glimpse we received of Cavill’s Geralt was that Nilfgaard battle, contemplating the producers teased a “meta” transition to Hemsworth. How the hell are you able to try this now?

Will the following season really feel extra coherent and cohesive? Will the welcome deviations from the ebook (like not sidelining Yennefer for ages by actually turning her right into a statue) assist middle the collection on a very powerful characters? Will we lastly get a fucking map? I’m unsure the place The Witcher goes from right here, or if it’ll pull off among the extra heady ideas launched in Sapkowski’s books, however I’ll nonetheless be watching.