The stranglehold that The Witcher has over the fandom is yet to be let down, especially after the departure of Henry Cavill from the series. The skies have now been overshadowed by the gathering storm clouds on the horizon as fans battle the urge to boycott the series entirely after its Season 3 run. Even as reports increase about the upcoming narrative digressing further from the source, new trouble lurks around the corner for The Witcher team after a resurfaced video proves how the showrunners have been consistently disappointing the fandom since Season 1.
Henry Cavill Confirms Geralt-Ciri Arc Was Cut From Season 1
When The Witcher launched in 2019, a new era of epic fantasy dawned on civilization with the Henry Cavill project. Not only did the actor reinstate his superstardom and versatility but gained immense respect for showing his faithfulness and respect for Andrzej Sapkowski’s original work. Overnight, Hollywood merged with the world of video gamers and literary enthusiasts as fans united in their love for the Netflix adaptation.
Season 1, a unilaterally loved vision, did a lot of things right but it also committed a few wrongs. Quite a few character backstories were tweaked and the chronology of events was manipulated in Yennefer’s case. But through it all, the intertwining and interweaving plot flowed toward a common goal: the destiny of Geralt and Ciri, which was masterfully presented via a juxtaposing narrative moving at 3 different paces.
However, the entirety of the first season kept the two destined characters away from each other’s reach only to meet at the very end and utter two words. In an interview in the aftermath of the Season 2 premiere, Freya Allan and Henry Cavill revealed a slight change in the scripts which would have otherwise allowed more screen time between Ciri and Geralt in Season 1.
Allan claimed, “We had one scene, and I swear a majority of it got cut as well,” to which Cavill chimed in an affirmative. It is a thing that now haunts the fandom about what could have been if only the series had let Geralt and Ciri’s first meeting run longer. With Cavill now exiting the franchise and the series facing a potential doomsday situation, the potential of what-could’ve-been strikes with more fervor and intensity, especially as it becomes clear Netflix might never release the cut footage.
The Witcher: Netflix Shows How Pride Comes Before the Fall
For as long as one can recall, Henry Cavill has been the face of The Witcher franchise just as much as Doug Cockle has been its voice. There is no disputing the love and respect that the pair has for the characters that they have had the honor of portraying over the years. As far as the fandom is concerned, Cavill and Cockle have become the unofficial custodians of the high fantasy character and will remain as such for the foreseeable future.
Yet, the single-minded dedication that Cavill has displayed in bringing the character of Geralt to light has been undermined by the production time and time again. If even a percentage of the reports and rumors surrounding Cavill’s exit are true, it seriously discredits The Witcher showrunners, writers, and producers for their lack of sensibility when it comes to their leading man and the show’s core mythology itself.
Lending a brand signature to a work of art is acceptable as long as it is original in its form and nature. The Witcher is not an original creation by Netflix and no matter how much the writers would like to believe otherwise, their transgressions only serve to display their arrogance and lack of integrity for the source of which the series is only a replica, and a poor one at that.
The Witcher Seasons 1 and 2 are available for streaming on Netflix with Season 3 premiering in the Summer of 2023.
Source: The Witcher: Unlocked
