The first official teaser trailer for The Witcher season 3 has landed on Netflix and we’re a tiny bit nervous.
And it’s initially not because this sees the return of Henry Cavill as Geralt, Freya Allan as Ciri, and Anya Chalotra as Yennefer. We’re happy to have our family back together. If fact, from the teaser poster to the trailer, it’s become abundantly clear that they are no longer travel companions or acquaintances you fight for each other. They are family. And with family comes the fear of losing them, leading you to treat those precious moments with them as if they were spun of glass.
For Geralt, there is this remarkable shift in the teaser where he is done pretending he doesn’t care or that distance will make things easier. He has a daughter and he fears losing her and the trust she puts in him. You can hear it and feel it when he says, “Now, for the first time, I understand real fear.” That same fear of loss is seen in Ciri calling out for her protector in times of fear and pain. And you can also see it in Yennefer, who fights with everything she has to protect this young woman and the man that she loves.
Wrapped all around that is the looming reality that this is the end for Cavill. Not in real life of course. He’s got tons of other projects he’s working on. We’re talking about the end of his time on The Witcher as Liam Hemsworth is preparing to take on the lead role of Geralt of Rivia. And while Cavill is “satisfied” with his run on The Witcher and ready to “pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt” we can’t help but worry about what is to come because change is scary to begin with.
Remembering Cavill’s looming departure also makes us think differently about his words, “Now, for the first time, I understand real fear.” Is this part of the reason why he changes or is transformed into Hemsworth’s version? And he fears that if he becomes a new version of himself, he’ll lose the progress he’s made or the bonds formed with Ciri and Yennefer? I mean we are dealing with a show that has the convergence of many worlds into one and the terrifying consequences of that. Maybe this is something that can happen on The Witcher and Geralt fears who he will be when he changes.
On the flip side of things, maybe Hemsworth is the change that The Witcher needs. (I know. Heresy.) But we can’t help but think of Doctor Who and how regeneration saved that show and turned it into the global phenomenon it is today. Maybe the same thing can happen to Geralt. There’s also the whole thing about the rumors circulating that Cavill did not want to do any romantic scenes (for reasons?) leaving Geralt/Yennefer fans scratching our hearts because romance sells, especially when it comes to brooding characters like Geralt.
Ultimately, and no matter what we do, this is the beginning of the end for Cavill. And while we’ll miss him dearly, we’ll probably keep watching for Yennefer and Ciri. Their stories deserve more love, light, and time to grow into the women they will become. And not even Henry Cavill leaving The Witcher is going to stop that. Plus, who knows if Hemsworth does a good job? There have been plenty of TV/film shockers from casting and maybe this will be one of them.
Watch the teaser trailer for The Witcher season 3 below:
The Witcher season 3 premieres on June 29, 2023 on Netflix.
