5 Essential Things to Know Before Netflix’s ‘The Witcher’ Premieres ~ Digital Library

Netflix is looking to fill that Game of Thrones-sized hole in your fantasy-loving heart later this week with The Witcher, a new original series starring Henry Cavill. Cavill stars as the ruggedly handsome, white-haired Geralt of Rivia.

Geralt is a Witcher (more on that in a sec) and he finds himself entangled with two other characters: Princess Cirilla (Freya Allan) and Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra). Over the course of the first season (The Witcher scored a renewal for Season 2 ahead of the premiere), we’ll become better acquainted with the characters and the mission drawing them together.

But, before you click “Play” on The Witcher and settle in for the first eight episodes of the epic story, there are a few key things you should know. With these facts in place, you’ll be able to wrap your head around this epic high fantasy world so you can more readily sink into the story without having to stop every few minutes to Google what the heck is going on. Here are the five essential facts you should make note of as you head into your Witcher binge.

The Netflix Series Is Based on the Books, Not the Video Games

Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes / Netflix

Wait, the books? There are Witcher books? Before there was the massively popular Witcher video game series from CD Projekt Red, author Andrzej Sapkowski was busy penning The Witcher short stories in the mid-80s. These short stories mainly focused on the lead character of Geralt of Rivia, a beast hunter with magical abilities.

The first short story appeared in a Polish sci-fi and fantasy magazine, Fantastyka, and things quickly progressed from there as Sapkowski developed Geralt’s story and the world of The Witcher. Many of the Witcher short stories have been collected into their own anthologies over time.

So, while you’ll find listings for The Witcher books including The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, those books are actually comprised of individual stories which cover tons of adventures from all characters. Shortly after the short stories, Sapkowski did write a series of actual Witcher novels beginning with Blood of Elves which was first written in 1994 and then published in English in 2008. It’s likely this is where the Netflix series will begin, since Ciri figures prominently in the novels beginning with Blood of Elves, but some backstory and pre-history on the show could very likely be pulled from the short story anthologies.

It’s Sapkowski’s books which form the Netflix series foundation, but it’s not exactly as if the streaming giant has ignored the supremely popular CD Projekt Red Witcher video game series altogether. Even though we won’t see Geralt or Yennefer leveling up, elements of the video game have made their way into the show. Among the most immediate links is, of course, the infamous bathtub scene from the Witcher trailers which is a direct pull from the video game. Keep your eye out for any other links!

The Series Will Focus on Three Characters: Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri

Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes / Netflix

At the heart of the Netflix adaptation are three characters: Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Ciri, Princess of Cintra. They’re a motley crew, yes, but each of them brings something special to the table. All three have magical abilities — to varying degrees — and, more importantly, all three work better together than they do separately. All three have been shaped by chaos and tragedy working its way into their lives and all three are destined to come together in an unusual but familial configuration. As such, Season 1 will focus on how these three come together and become bonded.

Geralt and Ciri Have a Powerful Connection

Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes / Netflix

One of the big eventualities of The Witcher is the fact that Geralt and Ciri have an especially powerful connection. Through the books and the Witcher video games, we know that Geralt has a paternal relationship to Ciri after she finds him after her family is murdered.

In the books specifically, we know that Ciri’s father was once saved by Geralt and, as means of thanks, Geralt invokes the Law of Surprise. In the world of The Witcher, this law basically promises a man’s firstborn to the other man who saves him. Yes, it’s a weirdly specific rule, but at the time Geralt invoked it, Ciri hadn’t been born yet but essentially tied her to him for good.

Years later, when Ciri loses her entire family, she is instructed by her grandmother’s dying words to find Geralt because their fates are tied together. Eventually, Geralt takes Ciri in and begins training her — something we should expect to see play out over the course of the show.

The World of The Witcher Is, to Put it Mildly, Very Interesting

Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes / Netflix

The action of The Witcher takes place in a land known as The Continent. Like most high fantasy worlds, a mix of species both familiar and unfamiliar live on The Continent and there is a familiar social hierarchy in place. There is a monarchy and there are the average folk. There are mythical beasts, people who use magic, vampires, humans, elves, fairies, big reptiles, and much more.

The Continent was first home to gnomes and dwarves before elves entered onto the scene and helped establish peace amongst all races on The Continent. These races as known as the “Elder Races” and built many of the cities in the books. About 1,500 years before the events of The Witcher, an event known as the “Conjunction of the Spheres” essentially tore a hole in the multiverse and trapped monsters from other worlds on The Continent.

Five centuries later, humans have become the dominant force and have forced other magical beings to submit to their power. Two major powers have risen out of this: the Northern Kingdoms, an alliance of different nations led by Cintra, and the Nilfgaardian Empire. These two powers are at war when The Witcher story begins.

Wait, What’s a Witcher?

Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes / Netflix

Glad you asked! Knowing what a Witcher is will be fundamental to understanding The Witcher because, well, the title of the series is also what Geralt, our main character, is.

In this world, Witchers are outcasts and reviled by basically all other beings in The Continent. They are bounty hunters and well-trained in fighting monsters. Witchers use magic in order to do their work properly and have achieved a certain level of long life (when we meet Geralt, he’s pushing 100 years old).

Witchers have spent most of their lives going through rigorous mental and physical training, including drinking a variety of potions to not only strengthen them, but heighten their magical abilities which help them do their work. By then end of their training, Witchers are essentially mutants with heightened physical abilities which allow them to continue to consume and use magic in bounty hunting and monster fighting.

The Witcher Season 1 arrives on Netflix on Friday, Dec. 20.

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