The Witcher Season 3 Part 2 Review

The Witcher Season 3 Part 2 Review

Toss a coin to Henry Cavill as we officially bid him farewell from his role as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix‘s The Witcher Season 3. The dark fantasy series that saw Cavill embody the character in every shape and form has officially put his swords away as the streamer moves forward with the sword-slashing violence with Liam Hemsworth. After a one-month hiatus between Part One and Part Two, the series ended its second half with very little glimmer as a dark climate shadows our beloved characters.

As Netflix looks to move towards its prime content being divided up into two parts, The Witcher Season 3 suffered from this format as it felt messy. This season was definitely one that needed to be consumed as a whole so as to not let the weight of what we experienced in Part One diminish during the break. It’s understandable why the streamer is adopting this format for its premiere original content but maybe there should be some creative input on the service that’s being done to the content with these decisions.

Now, moving on to the second half of The Witcher! The season as a whole was great character development for Geralt (Cavill), Ciri (Freya Allen), and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) as we saw the makeshift family fight tooth and nail to keep each other safe and by each other’s side. That being said, for those fans of Cavill hoping to see him ride off into the sunset with a bang,

I am sorry to disappoint. This is definitely not a season that gives Cavill a glorious exit and it is really nobody’s fault as his exit was announced last November, we couldn’t have expected a season crafted specifically for his grand departure. Cavill would not have it anyway as he has continuously championed for the series to maintain a resemblance of the source material.

The series really found its footing in episode 6 which could have been a final all on its own as we saw the big showdown at Aretuza which is a phenomenal showing of all the characters in this story while showcasing the thunderous spectacle of the magic in the series while also giving us an eye-opening punch to the gut of the devastation of that magic.

We don’t do spoilers here, so all I can say is get ready to see some of your most beloved characters finding themselves in situations you and they could have never seen coming. This might not come as a huge surprise to every fan as those who followed the source material closely might not be so surprised to see what transpires.

The series is working towards something that is not so much the supernatural creatures Geralt is used to and instead finds himself dealing with some of the worst creatures in this world, humans. The politics in the series is peering its devilish head which is not something I would consider to be in Geralt’s wheelhouse.

He is wise but he does best when there is something he can put his steel to and cause damage. And although he does get his opportunities to do just that, the looming war and scope of things seem to be something that might challenge his normal political neutrality.

Overall, The Witcher both in spirit and body finds itself at a crossroads. With the impactful departure of Cavill which will be felt even more so after his performance in this season, and the continued dance by Netflix of nitpicking at the source material, the series would benefit from it choosing a side and running with it. Hemsworth might be a great Geralt but asking or expecting him to do what Cavill has done is unfair and he would benefit from bringing his own version of his strengths to the character.

I will not join the naysayers until I have seen it with my own eyes as we have been proven wrong before. Going back to Die Hard when Bruce Willis was criticized for being cast as an action star due to his romance film reputation. He went on to make a career as an action star. Heath Ledger was also a question mark when cast as the Joker and although shortlived, his performance remains as the performance to which every Joker portrayal that has come since is measured.

Furthermore, after the brilliant performance by Allen and Ciri’s incredible growth in this season, it may very well be time for Ciri to take the reins of the series as the lead with Chalotra’s Yennefer justifiably being the second focal point of the series. Easily two of the best performances this season and the emotion they poured into this season carried throughout every episode.

Both these characters have come a long way and their connection was both inevitable and needed. Yennefer calling Ciri her daughter as they prepare to part ways is something that will resonate with many fans for a long time. Allen and Chalotra deserve an immense amount of credit for being able to emulate that emotion and their talent is a truly shining light in the season.

Geralt is still very much a key piece of this story and series but with the future adventures definitely feeling and looking different. The streamer and series could benefit from a big move to bring together the series before it becomes too disjointed to salvage.