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Henry Cavill’s Final The Witcher Season 3 Fight Broken Down By Director: “Send Him Off In An Epic Way”-TGN

Summary

  • The Witcher season 3 handles Henry Cavill’s departure by giving his Geralt a strong and emotionally-framed send-off, the episode’s director explains.

  • Cavill’s final fight scene in the season serves as a perfect way to conclude his portrayal of Geralt and create a simple transition for Liam Hemsworth.

  • The fight scene is brutal, bloody, and epic, showcasing Geralt’s determination to protect others and live up to his moral code.

The Witcher director Bola Ogun explains Geralt’s final fight scene in the third season and how it serves as a perfect send-off for Henry Cavill. Ahead of season 3, Cavill announced that he was leaving The Witcher, with Liam Hemsworth taking over the role of Geralt for season 4 and beyond. The news was met with backlash from viewers, considering Cavill’s performance as the monster hunter was often singled out for praise. However, it also raised curiosity about how the show would bid Cavill goodbye.

In an interview with Polygon, Ogun explained the significance of Cavill’s final fight in The Witcher season 3 and why it was a fitting send-off. The scene was made to evoke a feeling of change, which was appropriate for both the season’s political themes and Cavill’s exit. Check out Ogun’s statement below:

The way that it was written and the way they designed it — because so much is changing already, so much is going down in the season, it almost felt like it was a nice chapter closing on its own. I think the style of the last block, you can tell, is a little different. It’s a little more emotional, and that’s on purpose. When it came to that episode, it was very much trying to lean into the political espionage (and) the magical themes of Brokilon Forest, and seeing more of it than we’ve seen in the past, in a different way. So I very much lean into the feeling of magic, the feeling of something changing like that. Basically it was just trying to create a continuation but make it feel different, make it feel like it was a long, soft goodbye. We’re definitely going to miss him because he’s a great Geralt. And I know that Liam is going to step into those shoes just fine and going to bring the same gravitas that he did. I just wanted to send him off in an epic way. And he does! It’s a great fight. It’s a great last hurrah.

How Does The Witcher Season 3 Handle Henry Cavill’s Departure?

Going into The Witcher season 3, there was a lot of intrigue over how the show would handle Cavill leaving and Hemsworth taking over. It’s common for TV shows to recast major characters and for things to go on as if nothing has changed. However, it seems The Witcher might take a different approach, as its producer has teased that Cavill’s exit will be “lore-accurate” and utilize “meta ideas” from the books. This led to theories ranging from Geralt’s possible death to him sustaining several scars in battle, thus changing his appearance.

In reality, nothing as dramatic as death or an onscreen transformation happens in The Witcher season 3. Cavill’s final scene as Geralt sees him doing what’s customary, which is attempting to protect Ciri (Freya Allen) and live up to his moral code. On his journey to find Ciri, he comes across a Nilfgaardian checkpoint, where he notices a family of refugees being harassed and threatened by guards. Geralt is warned by his companions to not get involved, but after he witnesses the guards snatch a doll from the family’s little girl, he jumps into action.

What follows is a brutal, bloody, and epic battle in which Geralt and his team defeat the guards. The Witcher season 3 ends with Geralt walking victoriously into the sunset with his new team to find Ciri. While it may not have provided the answers that viewers are looking for in terms of his transformation, it did serve as a strong send-off for Cavill’s Geralt. As Ogun explained, Cavill’s final fight in The Witcher framed his exit emotionally and epically, but subtly enough to tease Hemsworth’s arrival.

Source: Polygon