Within the expansive realm of fantasy on television, The Witcher has always found a way to stand out — not because of its creatures and magic, but because of the characters at its center. When it was announced, ahead of the Netflix series’ return for its fourth season, that former lead Henry Cavill had decided to bow out as the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, the resulting shockwaves could have been enough to kill any remaining momentum the show still possessed.
Yet what The Witcher has already demonstrated, and Season 4 reiterates, is that its story has always been about more than just Geralt. It’s also the story of Cirilla of Cintra (Freya Allan), the wayward princess of a besieged land who finds her destiny linked with Geralt’s through an unlikely series of events, and it’s also the story of Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), a sorceress who prized power above all else until her paths crossed with the two people she would grow to care about most.
While the series’ new Geralt, Liam Hemsworth, had shoes to fill in picking up the torch from Cavill, it’s a challenge that he successfully meets, his performance evolving into something that feels entirely apropos for the version of the character he’s portraying. This isn’t Cavill’s Geralt, but mostly because that Geralt doesn’t exist anymore — not at this point in his story, when the two women he now considers his family, and would do anything to protect, are facing threats from all sides.
What Is ‘The Witcher’ Season 4 About?
In the aftermath of the rogue mage Vilgefortz’s (Mahesh Jadu) devastating attack on Aretuza, everyone has been left to pick up the pieces in different ways. For Yennefer, it means linking together with the surviving magic-wielders who haven’t joined forces with the enemy, including Triss (Anna Shaffer) and Sabrina (Therica Wilson-Read), as well as becoming unlikely allies with shapeshifting sorceress Philippa Eilhart (Cassie Clare) and elven queen Francesca (Mecia Simson). With the discovery that Vilgefortz and his loyalists have discovered a means of controlling portals, nowhere may be safe for this growing collective of powerful women — but Yennefer’s also willing to lean on old friends, including Geralt’s old mentor Vesemir (Peter Mullan), to provide the muscle she needs for her inevitable rematch with Vilgefortz.
Meanwhile, Ciri has fallen in with a band of notorious thieves who refer to themselves as the Rats, but she’s also doing her damnedest to leave the biggest and most identifying parts of her past behind. After renaming herself as Falka and even giving her long, ashen hair a fresh chop, she realizes that simply tagging along with this new group of outlaws isn’t enough; she needs to officially become one of them. Some of the Rats are understandably wary of this newcomer, but one in particular, Mistle (Christelle Elwin), is willing to show her the ropes, and as the two women grow closer, Ciri becomes more and more willing to indulge a darker side of herself without necessarily considering the potential cost.
As for Geralt, he’s still determinedly making his way to Nilfgaard with others, including Jaskier (Joey Batey) and Milva (Meng’er Zhang), in tow. While he believes he’ll be able to save Ciri from the clutches of the ruthless emperor Emhyr (Bart Edwards), we already know that the Ciri being held in Nilfgaard isn’t actually Ciri. It’s an imposter (Frances Pooley), brainwashed by Vilgefortz into believing herself to be the Lion Cub of Cintra. Both Emhyr and Geralt are none the wiser, but how long will Fake Ciri be able to keep up her facade, and what will Emhyr do once he realizes he’s been betrayed by his supposed ally? Geralt’s journey, however, sees him encountering more parties, both friendly and otherwise, several of whom agree to join him in his travels — including a mysterious barber-surgeon named Regis (Laurence Fishburne), who bides his time before revealing his biggest secret about his true nature.
‘The Witcher’ Season 4 Puts the Spotlight on Yennefer and Ciri’s Stories
While The Witcher has always revolved around an ever-growing cast of characters, especially as more villains enter the fray, Season 4 divides focus across the main trio in a way that emphasizes equal narrative importance. As mentioned before, Hemsworth certainly has the biggest task of all three to shoulder in assuming the role of Geralt from another actor, but the show cleverly weaves him into the story to the point where it feels like he’s been there from the beginning. From that sequence on, it’s easy to follow him on what feels like an homage to the classic fantasy quest, fighting monsters and acquiring new comrades. One episode, devoted to the group pausing for a much-needed break around a campfire, leads to certain party members recounting a pivotal moment from their past, each of which is told in a distinctly different visual style. (There’s significant opportunity for Batey to once again show off his singing chops, in other words, even if Jaskier is more of a supporting presence this time around.)
Hemsworth clearly becomes more comfortable in the character as the season (provided for review in its entirety) progresses, but it’s also evident that this Geralt has been irreparably changed by his experiences. He’s no longer running from closer ties or shoving down deeper feelings; he’s embracing them, and reaching a place of acceptance about fatherhood by extension, and Hemsworth is afforded much more runway to explore Geralt’s emotional evolution than previous seasons were able to devote time to. As for his allies, Fishburne infuses Regis with a delightful combination of gravitas and cheekiness, especially as more about his origins is spooled out. Geralt and Regis instantly clock each other’s hidden truths from their very first meeting, but neither is in the habit of spilling anyone’s secrets, and it leads to a mutual respect amid a somewhat wary alliance.
Yennefer, who could have easily found herself more adrift after Tissaia’s (MyAnna Buring) shocking demise, takes her mentor’s place as a leader, rallying her fellow sorceresses to fight for the future of the Continent. Although she and Philippa are somewhat reluctant bedfellows, their pact allows for some terrific repartee between Chalotra and Clare. It’s also great to see Chalotra getting to dive into even more action than she’s been given previously. In addition to one all-too-brief sequence in which she and Simson’s Francesca size each other up over swords, there’s an entire episode devoted to the deadliest magic battle the show has seen since last season’s shocking coup. (On a purely selfish level, any show that establishes a coven of sorceresses on a mission to save the world is one I will be absolutely seated for.)
If you thought Ciri’s time in the desert was intense, her Season 4 journey is more of that in a slightly different vein. She’s not necessarily being subjected to physical or magical trials; instead, these new tests in the Rats’ company are all about her morals, and what she’s potentially willing to do to survive in this harsh world. The result is a side of Ciri we’ve never seen before — at least, not to this extent — and Allan knows exactly how to wield the sharper edges of a character that have been honed to something bordering on ruthlessness. That’s not to say Ciri still doesn’t earn her softer moments; her connection with Mistle, despite its emotional ups and downs, is one of the more heartwarming aspects of this new storyline, and one can’t help but think that she deserves a bit of happiness in the wake of all that she’s already endured.
‘The Witcher’ Sets Up a Devastating Final Season
The biggest villains of The Witcher‘s story still loom heading into its final season, however, with the deadliest of all being the bounty hunter and former soldier Leo Bonhart, played with unnerving precision by Sharlto Copley. From the moment he’s introduced, Bonhart proves himself to be a major threat, with a penchant for hunting down and slaying witchers, wearing the medallions he snatches from their corpses as twisted trophies. Fans of the books will know exactly what kind of menace he poses, but for most of Season 4, he’s a lurking shadow, operating at the fringes of the narrative and merely waiting for the right time to strike. Copley is already no stranger to playing bad guys, but Bonhart is a cut above the rest — or a new level of low, depending on your perspective. He’s unsettling and unpredictable, and he makes for the show’s most despicable villain yet, heading into what’s poised to be a particularly dark final batch of episodes.
Despite the dismal note that The Witcher Season 4 leaves off on, what leads up to that fateful sequence is anything but. Even though Hemsworth has stepped into a role that wasn’t originally his, he manages to make Geralt his own over the course of the season’s eight episodes. That said, Season 4 is further proof that The Witcher has increasingly become about more than just one character. Chalotra’s Yennefer has more than earned a spot on the list of all-time fantasy heroines, and Allan has a commanding grasp on Ciri ahead of what’s about to be her character’s most devastating gauntlet yet. All eyes might be on Hemsworth in anticipation of his debut, but everyone should be watching this action-packed fantasy epic for far more than just Geralt of Rivia now.
The Witcher Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.
- Release Date
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December 20, 2019
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Stephen Surjik, Charlotte Brändström, Edward Bazalgette, Loni Peristere, Louise Hooper, Bola Ogun, Alex Garcia Lopez, Gandja Monteiro, Sarah O’Gorman
- Writers
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Haily Hall, Clare Higgins, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jenny Klein, Tania Lotia
- Franchise(s)
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The Witcher
- Liam Hemsworth doesn’t try to repeat what came before, and effectively makes Geralt of Rivia his own.
- Yennefer becomes a true leader in Season 4, with Anya Chalotra showing off even more of her action skills.
- Freya Allan finds new layers to Ciri, continually raising the bar with her performance.
- Laurence Fishburne is a delightful new addition to the series as Regis.
- Some of the supporting members of Geralt’s party are a little more forgettable.
- It does take some time before Hemsworth feels more comfortable in the character.
