This text comprises spoilers for “The Witcher” season 4, episode 1 – “What Would not Kill You Makes You Stronger.”
Liam Hemsworth is not an issue, it doesn’t matter what essentially the most reactive followers of “The Witcher” would have you ever imagine. He is such a pure match as Henry Cavill’s successor that every one these flashbacks and combat scenes in “The Witcher” season 4 premiere making an attempt to persuade us that Geralt of Rivia continues to be Geralt of Rivia come throughout as a bit redundant.
Sadly, “The Witcher” season 4, episode 1 stumbles on one other entrance. We already knew that the season will probably adapt Andrzej Sapkowski’s third novel within the “Witcher saga,” titled “Baptism of Hearth.” Which means that Geralt, Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” star Freya Allan) pursue their very own quest strains within the wake of the tumultuous occasions of season 3. It additionally signifies that the latter will sadly spend a lot of her time with the Rats – a free assortment of thieves and outcasts. In true “The Witcher” fashion, they’re removed from Robin Hood and his Merry Males. In one of the controversial scenes in your complete franchise, an evening of partying after Ciri’s first theft mission with the group ends with a Rat known as Kayleigh (Fabian McCallum) making an attempt to sexually assault Ciri. One other Rat known as Mistle (Christelle Elwin) steps between the 2, however quickly makes a transfer on the shaken and tearful Ciri herself.
Followers of the novels knew to count on that some model of this scene could be coming eventually. Nonetheless, “What Would not Kill You Makes You Stronger” is arguably a very powerful “The Witcher” premiere since season 1, so it is a fairly peculiar transfer to place such an unsavory second in play at this stage.
The scene undermines the entire season premiere
It has been recognized for some time that Ciri is a really completely different particular person in “The Witcher” season 4, with loads of character progress in retailer. As such, it may very well be generously thought that the present’s making an attempt to get her all-time low second out of the way in which as quickly as attainable. Nevertheless, a much less beneficiant practice of thought could be inclined to suspect that placing the scene within the season premiere is an try to create at the least one main Second for the followers to debate that does not revolve round Hemsworth.
Within the curiosity of equity, the scene is not fairly as dangerous because it comes throughout within the guide, however Ciri continues to be visibly traumatized by the ordeal and it is a fairly uncomfortable watch. Freya Allan even issued a warning for these within the know that the scene could be coming in her 2024 interview with Elle:
“She has her first expertise with romance, in the event you may even name it that, as a result of it is not a very good relationship. She goes into a really darkish a part of herself that I believe goes to be terrifying to have a look at.”
As such, the writing for Ciri’s darkest moments has actually been on the wall. Nonetheless, I would argue that together with this scene so early within the season does the present an ideal disservice. “What Would not Kill You Makes You Stronger” would possibly earn a complete lot of goodwill for Hemsworth’s Geralt, but it surely finally ends up undermining itself by treating Ciri like a throwaway “Recreation of Thrones” character.
“The Witcher” season 4 is streaming on Netflix.
In the event you or anybody has been a sufferer of sexual assault, assist is accessible. Go to the Rape, Abuse & Incest Nationwide Community web site or contact RAINN’s Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
