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The-Witcher's-Answer-For-Henry-Cavill's-Departure-Could-Also-Resolve-The-Netflix-Series-Other-Biggest-Controversy

It seems that Netflix’s The Witcher has found a way to address Henry Cavill’s departure, and this method could also be used to explain away another series controversy. It was announced during the lead-up to The Witcher season 3 that this installment would be Cavill’s last playing Geralt of Rivia. Starting with season 4, Liam Hemsworth would instead play Geralt, and this big shift has been hugely controversial. Of course, this isn’t the only divisive aspect of this series, but The Witcher may attempt to kill two birds with one stone here.

The Witcher’s “Unreliable Narrator” Explanation Also Works For The Show’s Massive Changes To Canon

There Are Different Versions To The Story Depending On Who Is Telling It

Liam Hemsworth as Geralt in The Witcher The-Witcher-Is-Addressing-Henry-Cavill's-Exit-Exactly-How-I-Hoped,-But-With-The-Wrong-Characters Henry Cavill wielding an ax in The Witcher S3 Liam Hemsworth as Geralt in The Witcher The-Witcher-Is-Addressing-Henry-Cavill's-Exit-Exactly-How-I-Hoped,-But-With-The-Wrong-Characters Henry Cavill wielding an ax in The Witcher S3

The Witcher‘s explanation for Geralt’s recasting is essentially a meta “unreliable narrator” approach, claiming that what audiences had previously seen on screen was inaccurate because a witness misled us. This isn’t a new idea in the world of storytelling. Movies, TV shows, and books that rely heavily on the concept of folklore have been using this excuse for generations. Even Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings utilizes the unreliable-narrator trope, since the author wrote different versions of the same story and later claimed that they were competing accounts from other witnesses.

The Witcher book series is written as a collection of stories repeated by different characters, and this format makes it far easier to adapt to the screen because there isn’t technically one true canon. These stories change depending on who is recounting them, so Netflix’s use of Stribog—a storyteller in the Witcher books—makes some sense as a way to explain The Witcher‘s Geralt recasting. The idea that what we see on screen may not be accurate because of the unreliable narrator can, therefore, also be applied to controversial changes to canon.

If The Witcher season 4 uses its unreliable narrator to explain Hemsworth’s appearance, then it can also use it to point out to audiences that this on-screen story doesn’t necessarily have to match what was outlined by the books.

This fantasy Netflix series has long been criticized by fans of the book and video game for its significant deviations from The Witcher canon. It’s even rumored that this is precisely why Cavill left the series. However, if The Witcher season 4 uses its unreliable narrator to explain Hemsworth’s appearance, then it can also use it to point out to audiences that this on-screen story doesn’t necessarily have to match what was outlined by the books.

The Witcher’s Fairytale Format Allows For Creative Liberties (But Fans Are Sure To Be Angry Nonetheless)

Just Because Netflix Can Doesn’t Mean It Should

Yennefer and Ciric shopping and looking around items like a knife in The Witcher season 3

The Witcher draws heavily from folklore and fairy tales. We see the influence of age-old stories like Snow White and The Beauty and the Beast, as well as endless introductions to monsters of folklore, such as the Baba Yaga. Of course, the Witcher books, video games, and TV show present very different versions of these stories than are traditional. The whole idea here is that these stories have been changed and distorted over time, to the point that there are now countless versions. This allows Netflix some flexibility with canon, but Witcher fans are unlikely to be impressed.

When it comes down to it, Netflix is allowed to make the changes it has made to the story in its Witcher adaptation. The unreliable narrator trope and folklore influence of the original books allow it. However, this doesn’t change the fact that fans who have known and loved these characters for years aren’t going to be pleased by significant shifts. Yennefer’s villainous role in The Witcher season 2 is a prime example. Sure, it could have happened that way, but it’s a dissonant change from the more familiar story. Overall, just because Netflix can, doesn’t mean it should.