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Debate is nothing new for The Witcher community, whether it's sharing our thoughts on Henry Cavill's recasting or reacting to news of a new book on the horizon. However, one of the age-old disagreements among fans is over who the protagonist of the popular saga is.
Given its title is literally The Witcher, you'd be forgiven for thinking that maybe the answer was obvious. In reality, though, it's a bit more complicated. In the books by Andrzej Sapkowski, which both the show and the games are based on, the focus switches more and more to Ciri as the series continues. This is a pattern that also became pretty clear in the Netflix adaptation too, especially the latest season which makes the Lion Cub of Cintra the focus of its later episodes.
The argument is made a bit more complicated by the author's own comments as well. Back in 2020, Sapkowski was quizzed about who he thinks the main character of his saga is – and his response is pretty definitive. "Geralt is a fictional character, created to serve the story, which revolves around him," he told Audible.
One fan wholeheartedly agreed, adding: "Without Geralt, there's no Witcher, and without Ciri there's no story. Both characters are extremely important for the saga and the developmental arc of the other." As another put it, sharing their thoughts on the Netflix show, "Everyone knows this except those making the show. I think a lot of that could've been solved if they spent the first season on Geralt and 'The Last Wish' before Ciri's story really starts."
However, not everyone is so sure that it's as clean-cut as that. "Oh, Jesus," argues another. "I read the books before the show had even been conceived of, and I was of the opinion then (and now) that as the books progress, Ciri transitions to be the main character." A second puts it: "I'd say she takes the lead in the 'Time of Contempt' when she joins the rats." As fans of the show will know, this is just the point we’ve got to in the Netflix series too.
"Just because she gets to have a lead presence in books doesn't necessarily make her the main character," another considers. "One of the best examples I could give about this is Mushishi where the main character only serves as a tool through whom we learn about other people's stories. That doesn't mean he stops being the main character."
It's certainly interesting to see how the show will tackle this going forward too. For more on our thoughts, check out our argument about why you shouldn't be writing off The Witcher season 4 yet.
