The Witcher Season 2 Relationship That Fans Agree Was A Letdown
Warning: Spoilers for "The Witcher" Season 2
Author Andrzej Sapkowski created a captivating world in his "The Witcher" book series, which was later adapted into popular video games, and fans agree that the relationships of the original novels, games, and now television show are what make these stories so special.
After a season of Geralt (Henry Cavill) ignoring his Child of Surprise, the end of Season 1 of the Netflix live-action series "The Witcher" culminates by finally uniting him and Ciri (Freya Allan). Geralt and Ciri are arguably the heart of "The Witcher" and that does not change in Season 2, with the two sticking together as Geralt fights to protect Ciri from a world that wants to use her for her immeasurable power.
While Geralt and Ciri are the shining light of Season 2, there are some character arcs in "The Witcher" that have fans fuming. On top of that, there is one central relationship in the books that some believe are not honored in the way that they should be.
Yennefer, Ciri, and Geralt should be a family
Geralt and Ciri are one of the main dynamics in the source material for "The Witcher." But to imply that Geralt is Ciri's only parental figure would be false. Another main force in Ciri's life is Yennefer, but the television adaptation was a bit lacking on this front, and fans on Reddit noticed this oversight. "WAS ANYONE ELSE DISAPPOINTED WITH HOW THEY BUTCHERED YENNEFER AND CIRI'S RELATIONSHIP, or glossed over it," remarks user u/greynoodlez.
In the books, Yennefer is a maternal figure who teaches Ciri about sorcery, which is a glaring difference from the new season. After Yennefer loses her Chaos during the Battle of Sodden Hill, she attempts to use Ciri to get her magic back. This is a betrayal of the loving relationship they have in the source material. One Reddit user highlighted the moment "in which Yennefer almost tried to sacrifice Ciri" as one of the worst of Season 2, stating that "It goes so much against the spirit of the books and her character that it's my biggest issue with it." This opinion is shared by many fans. Reddit user u/Avaloneer shared, "For some reason they skipped over Yennefer and Ciri's relationship for what? more Istredd and Nilfgaard story (Fringilla)??"
In Season 2 of "The Witcher," Yennefer manipulates Ciri into opening a portal so they can get away from Geralt, but ultimately, Yennefer doesn't go through with sacrificing the princess. Even so, this plot decision compromises an important dynamic. Thankfully, at the end of Season 2 it appears that Geralt and Yennefer are moving towards a truce, so fans hope the relationship between Yennefer and Ciri is mended in Season 3.