The Witcher Cast on Season 3 Shocks and Twists (So Far)

The Witcher Cast on Season 3 Shocks and Twists (So Far)

After a long wait, The Witcher returned to Netflix with a solid set of season 3 episodes and, thanks to breaking the season into two parts, a legit cliffhanger fans should be talking about for the next month. The remaining episodes debut on July 27.
But that cliffhanger is not the only shock to be experienced in the quintet of season 3 episodes so far. Finally catching up to one of the great twists in author Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel series, the TV show also deployed some departures from the books that may prove controversial — they’ve certainly lit a fire...

After a long wait, The Witcher returned to Netflix with a solid set of season 3 episodes and, thanks to breaking the season into two parts, a legit cliffhanger fans should be talking about for the next month. The remaining episodes debut on July 27.
But that cliffhanger is not the only shock to be experienced in the quintet of season 3 episodes so far. Finally catching up to one of the great twists in author Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel series, the TV show also deployed some departures from the books that may prove controversial — they’ve certainly lit a fire on Reddit and social media platforms — and its most Netflix episode ever with the Conclave Ball in the part one finale, “The Art of the Illusion.”
The Witcher cast members, including Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, and Joey Batey, spoke with Rotten Tomatoes about a few of the latest developments, the ball, and what might be waiting the characters in the near future. Spoiler alert: The following contains spoilers from the episodes included in Vol. 1 of The Witcher season 3. Stop reading here if you have not watched part 1 of the season and wish to avoid spoilers. The Advantage of Neutrality (Or Lack Thereof) Henry Cavill in a character poster for The Witcher season 3 While there is a big departure from Sapkowski’s third full Witcher novel, Time of Contempt, we’ll be talking about in a moment, season 3 is faithful in one key way: the discussion of Geralt’s (Henry Cavill) neutrality. The power players on the Continent are all converging on Ciri’s (Allan) whereabouts and despite the Witcher’s belief that his stated neutrality will keep him alive, it’s clear choices will have to be made as The Witcher enters its political phase.
Well, the politics of the Continent, anyway.
According to Batey, that focus was established in the second season.
“We’re introduced to a number of different characters in season two that expand upon the political world, and not least of which is Sigismund Dijkstra who is a huge fan-favorite character,” he explained. Graham McTavish and Cassie Clare (Photo by Susie Allnutt/Netflix) Dijkstra actor Graham McTavish said the push into a more direct political conflict was “inevitable” and “that’s what [Dijkstra and Philippa] have been plotting.”
As viewers saw during the Conclave Ball, Dijkstra is even the person who puts the question of alliances directly to Geralt. But ever trying to evade committing himself to the affairs of state, the Witcher chooses nothing but to protect Ciri. Cassie Clare, who plays Redania-aligned mage Philippa, sees even that much as a change in Geralt’s posture and, potentially, a new flaw in the armor neutrality gave him.
“I think he’s going to struggle more and more with that because he has so much now that he wants to live for,” she explained. While he was previously happy just to wander and kill monsters, “now he has this family, this chosen family, if you will, that he’s building. So anything that threatens that I think is going to force him to pick sides, if he wants to take care of his family.”
Batey added, “I’ve been chomping at the bit to explore more of that. It’s a part of Sapkowski’s books that it’s just so intricately designed that I was excited to see it on the screen.” The Tricky Journey to Aretuza Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, and Anya Chalotra (Photo by Susie Allnutt/Netflix) Before the Conclave, though, Ciri and Yennefer (Chalotra) faced a tough road to reach Aretuza, both in terms of external threats and the still-frayed trust between them. As Chalotra put it, “it was always going to be a tricky journey.”
“We begin to see the emotional part of this relationship come out a little more and they’re sent off on a journey together,” she said. “They really do have to depend on one another.”
Of course, the willingness to trust one another comes with some brutal honesty and a number of moments where the s...