Why Witcher used First Book in The Witcher Season 2 on Netflix
The Witcher Season 2 covers one story from the Witcher Book, and the use of that story in season 2 makes a lot of sense.
Netflix’s Witcher is based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels and season 2 uses a story from the first book named “The Last Wish.” The books were basically in Polish as they were written by a Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
The first witcher book was released in 2007 in the English language. Apart from being inspirational fiction, Sapkowski’s books help in explaining some of the events in detail in the series.
One of the stories in the Witcher books, “A Grain of Truth,” encompasses a meeting of Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher with Nivellen, a cursed human. Nivellen was cursed for raping a woman, a priestess, because he was living alone having feelings of love with an exceptional monster.
The meetings were witnessed in the first episode of the witcher season 2, which includes similar names as the book. During the journey of Geralt of Rivia and Princess Cirilla, Ciri discovers an abandoned village near a manor. The village was inhabited by Nivellen, the cursed human, a friend of Geralt.
The talk between Nivellen and Geralt focused on the topic of the nature of evil and why a person becomes a monster. The topic started because of the curse Nivellen got raping a priestess. It was disclosed that the house in the village was occupied by Vereena, a burax, and Nivellen’s lover, who uses the house to hunt travelers. During the hunt by Vereena, Nivellen saves Geralt by impaling Vereena, and she confesses her love to Nivellen, leading to the uplifting of Nivellen’s curse.
Netflix Witcher & Witcher Book: Nivellen
The reason behind the appearance of Nivellen in the Witcher Season 2 is that it bestows an idea narrative and makes the viewers familiarize themselves with Geralt’s morality. And the alterations in the scene, the presence of Ciri during the meeting of Geralt and Nivellen and help her bond with Geralt when telling his past stories.
Geralt’s morality displays through the discussion between him and Nivellen about what makes a monster? Nivellen explains the curse, as he was high on mushrooms, leading to trashing a temple and raping a priestess. However, Nivellen was an excellent human who everyone rejected after being cursed because of his beasty appearance.
Geralt shares his views on the topic that looks don’t make a person monster; however, the actions and motivations do. The discussion was an awareness to the viewers stating that not all beasts are monsters and not all humans are good.
The bond between Princess Cirilla, Ciri, and Geralt was made when she listened to all the discussions and found some of the experiences Geralt faced. The learning from the story teaches Ciri a lot about monsters, and one incident happens in front of her.
Vereena, a burax, meets Ciri differently and tries to become friendly with her. Then Vereena’s truth was revealed that she hunts travelers. Nivellen helps Geralt in protecting Ciri, and Vereena dies confessing her love to Nivellen. The death of Vereena and confession become the reason for lifting Nivellen’s curse.
Ciri learns that it is hard to identify a monster, which motivates her to become a witcher through Geralt’s training. The modification worked out well in the series, and the learnings will continue to change Ciri.
