This text incorporates spoilers for “The Witcher” season 4, episode 1 – “What Does 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 each one these flashbacks and combat scenes in “The Witcher” season 4 premiere attempting to persuade us that Geralt of Rivia remains 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 doubtless adapt Andrzej Sapkowski’s third novel within the “Witcher saga,” titled “Baptism of Fireplace.” Which means that Geralt, Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” star Freya Allan) pursue their very own quest traces within the wake of the tumultuous occasions of season 3. It additionally implies 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” model, they’re removed from Robin Hood and his Merry Males. In probably the most controversial scenes in the whole franchise, an evening of partying after Ciri’s first theft mission with the group ends with a Rat known as Kayleigh (Fabian McCallum) attempting 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 can be coming ultimately. Nonetheless, “What Does not Kill You Makes You Stronger” is arguably an important “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 individual in “The Witcher” season 4, with loads of character development in retailer. As such, it could possibly be generously thought that the present’s attempting to get her all-time low second out of the way in which as quickly as potential. Nonetheless, a much less beneficiant prepare of thought could be inclined to suspect that placing the scene within the season premiere is an try to create at the very 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 e-book, however Ciri remains 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 can be coming in her 2024 interview with Elle:
“She has her first expertise with romance, if you happen to may even name it that, as a result of it is not a superb relationship. She goes into a really darkish a part of herself that I feel goes to be terrifying to have a look at.”
As such, the writing for Ciri’s darkest moments has definitely been on the wall. Nonetheless, I might argue that together with this scene so early within the season does the present a terrific disservice. “What Does not Kill You Makes You Stronger” would possibly earn an entire lot of goodwill for Hemsworth’s Geralt, nevertheless it finally ends up undermining itself by treating Ciri like a throwaway “Sport of Thrones” character.
“The Witcher” season 4 is streaming on Netflix.
Should you or anybody you understand has been a sufferer of sexual assault, assist is on the market. Go to the Rape, Abuse & Incest Nationwide Community web site or contact RAINN’s Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
