Geralt of Rivia’s reputation proceeds him in The Witcher franchise, with characters referring to him as “the Butcher of Blaviken.” The explanation for Geralt’s nickname can be traced back to the first book in Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series, The Last Wish. Since its release in 1993, Sapkowski’s world has become one of the most prevalent in fantasy, spawning a multimedia franchise of video games, animation, and the popular Netflix TV series.

Many fans of The Witcher universe discovered the world through 2015’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and the 2019 Netflix series. For those who started with the video game, Sapkowski’s world can be rather confusing, as the player is tossed into a story with previously established character dynamics, world events, and narratives. A new book from Sapkowski, The Witcher season 4 on Netflix, and The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep are all set to be released in 2025, making it a massive year for the franchise. The Witcher 4: Polaris video game is also in development with CD Projekt Red.

Geralt’s Butcher Of Blaviken Nickname In The Witcher Franchise Explained

Geralt Was Caught In A Misunderstanding In Blaviken

The story of Geralt’s nickname is revealed in The Last Wish short story, “The Lesser Evil,” and it involves a dilemma that leads Geralt to kill a group of men. In the town of Blaviken, Geralt finds himself in the middle of a conflict between a princess named Renfri and a mage named Stregobar. Both try to win Geralt over to their side, and the witcher encourages them to resolve the situation peacefully. At a public event in town, Geralt realizes Renfri’s strategy and a nasty battle ensues.

Not wanting any innocents to be harmed, Geralt fights the mercenaries, killing all of them

Geralt believes Renfri has assembled a team of mercenaries with the intent of holding innocent townsfolk hostage, hoping to draw out Stregobar from his tower to kill him. Not wanting any innocents to be harmed, Geralt fights the mercenaries, killing all of them, and then Renfri after she refuses his request to leave peacefully. The townsfolk, unaware of what’s transpired, believe Geralt had murdered a group of innocent men. They throw rocks at him, and he’s proclaimed “the Butcher of Blaviken.”

The Witcher’s First Episode Features The Blaviken Incident Responsible For This Nickname

Episode 1 Plays Out Geralt’s Iconic Sword Fight

While the Netflix series doesn’t use the nickname as the games and books do, the show at least provides a memorable sequence to demonstrate the incident. The Witcher’s first episode sees Henry Cavill’s Geralt in an intense sword fight, playing out the Blaviken incident similarly to how it occurs in the book. It’s one of the best fight sequences in the show and one that hooked many viewers to the streaming service’s rendition of The Witcher.