With The Witcher season 3 episode 8 concluding the third segment, Henry Cavill has also hung up Geralt’s sword and armor after an eventful journey alongside Ciri (Freya Allan) and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra). The season 3 finale shows Princess Cirilla’s arc just beginning to unravel taking on a new persona as Falka while Yennefer is forced to carve her path after Tissaia’s passing. Unfortunately, while Geralt of Rivia’s story is also far from over – Cavill’s is.
With Henry Cavill’s retirement from playing the role of Geralt, many followers of The Witcher series are also quitting their commitment to the Netflix adaptation. While fans are still hungover on their disappointment over Cavill’s sendoff in The Witcher season 3 episode 8 – his portrayal as Geralt of Rivia has won many hearts, enough to wonder if Liam Hemsworth could fill the shoes, literally. Cavill’s burly look was one of the highlights for audiences.
The devastating events at Aretuza in The Witcher season 3 finale claimed many of the Sorceress’ lives and Geralt was sadly one of the gravely injured victims of the aftermath. Although The Witcher is not slain, his one-sided soon fight against Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) leads to his worst defeat yet in the show. Geralt’s pride, back, and leg are broken as a consequence, leaving him at the mercy of dryads in Brokilon Forest, receiving their care.
Geralt is mostly shown grunting while on a slow journey of recovery making audiences wonder why Yennefer has not yet come to his aid to heal him. Though the Vengerberg sorceress has problems of her own, to find Ciri before the Elder Blood child is delivered to her father Emhyr in Nilfgaard.
just cancel it https://t.co/OYOYoMFymR
— LAUREN ASH (@laurenashastro) July 27, 2023
I binged season 3 of The Witcher and I think I'm done with this show and it has nothing to do with Cavill's leaving. The writing is just so bad it hurts. No sense of the world. No scale. It's 90% awful exposition like who cares.
— Daniel Richtman #BlackLivesMatter (@DanielRPK) July 29, 2023
Going to miss Henry Cavill as Geralt and Superman. He was perfect in every aspect💔 pic.twitter.com/4WiFM71CkH
— 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘁 of North 🐺 (@Itssan17) July 28, 2023
welp! that’s the end of that show. https://t.co/FZU8KsIyMX
— danisha carter (@DanishaCarter4) July 28, 2023
The writing in Henry Cavill’s final episodes of The Witcher were truly abysmal.
So much precious TIME was spent on desert Ciri and him on his back moaning and groaning😭
His “send off” was a fight scene against… random guards?!? What a shame. No wonder he’s leaving the show. pic.twitter.com/UWo0n3RAmR— CanWeGetSomeToast (@CanWeGetToast) July 28, 2023
This is the last picture of Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia.
He was supposed to be the Viggo Mortensen to Aragorn, the Ryan Reynolds to Deadpool, the Christian Bale to Patrick Bateman, but the Witcher Netflix showrunners had different plans.
What a waste. pic.twitter.com/zCyqZ0b4Tm
— Witcher Stuff (@WitcherStuff) July 27, 2023
Thank you for everything Henry ❤️
There's no other after your Geralt! You gave everything to this role 😭
From now on this show doesn't exist for me! #HenryCavill #GeraltOfRivia pic.twitter.com/CfGNppc7qa— Athinahc (@athinabesi) July 28, 2023
Henry as Geralt was one of the best castings ever, he absolutely embodied the role. And as much as i like some of the other actors too I will not continue to watch the show. https://t.co/PAlztEOHRs
— henry cavill Fan 🦋 (@softcavilly) July 28, 2023
Henry Cavill was perfection in this role, this was so sad. Can’t watch anyone else as Geralt. #HenryCavill #TheWitcher3 pic.twitter.com/JWuBzLstHT
— Grace Brown (@gbeebrown) July 28, 2023
#TheWitcher S3 #HenryCavill as *always put in *💯 he played a complex sometimes disconnected character yet Henry gave warmth & wit to #Geralt that was genuinely funny. Henry’s astonishing sword fights were 💯 him. He is well loved & will be missed. IMO HC was the heart & soul… pic.twitter.com/XNv8fPeoTM
— Henry Cavill Legend Superman & The Witcher 🐺 2022 (@LeonieMargaret2) July 29, 2023
henry cavill is the witcher! the showrunners may have disappointed many of us, but i hope henry cavill knows how much he is appreciated. his geralt of rivia can't be replicated or matched. pic.twitter.com/e56d979GFV
— 🖕🏾wind's howling (@witchersigns) July 28, 2023
While Geralt of Rivia manages to get back up on his feet thanks to Yennefer and a concoction of healing potion he mixes (regards to Vesemir) – the only action we see him engage in is picking apart the Nilfgaardian army. He sends a message to Emhyr warning him of his arrival to rescue Ciri as walks into the mist along with Jaskier (Joey Batey) and their new ally, Milva (Meng’er Zhang).
In many ways, Henry Cavill’s final sequence in The Witcher season 3 episode 8 parallels Geralt’s first one-many-army fight that earns him the infamous name, Butcher of Blaviken. Geralt is reminded of Renfri too though it doesn’t do much in offering a proper conclusion to Cavill’s take on the White Wolf.
Interestingly, it looks like the showrunners have chosen not to address the change in actor for Geralt’s role. The situation would remind some of the 2010 incident when Marvel Studios replaced Edward Norton with Mark Ruffalo to portray Hulk in The Avengers. Ruffalo has also been candid about audience confusion during his attendance at SDCC.
The Witcher Season 3's "heroic" sendoff for Henry Cavill was lame as fuck. Dialogue is still atrocious. Writing/Editing is messy. The Politics are boring. Mockery of the lore continues. Geralt is a bystander most of this season, what a waste.
Netflix fucked this show up badly. pic.twitter.com/vHuVahMzh4
— Michael (@LegacyKillaHD) July 27, 2023
This is what professionalism in the art of acting has always looked like until T'Challa's story dared cross into Alist territory(1.3bill) and inspire. HenryCavill was a superb Geralt. Witcher is a mantle. Yet Geralt's story still goes on and another actor gains opportunity. https://t.co/5Ey4fwWNzc
— T'Challa: The Black Panther facts (@Ekie0) July 28, 2023
i have also retired from finishing the show then https://t.co/aQHmgC2Q7l
— laylah (@okaylaylah) July 28, 2023
So they losing the main actor for geralt but they not killing the character? they brining in another actor coz they feel that Geralt's story is that important? interesting #RecastTChalla https://t.co/mgoUojnxTI
— Buckmeister (@BuckmeisterCul) July 27, 2023
#HenryCavill made the right choice leaving. Liam is just there to be the bodyguard of the girls.But the story is not about him. Casual viewers thought it was all about Geralt but isn't! Too bad for the producers because many viewers mainly watched just for Henry. #TheWitcher https://t.co/Qe51gQ0Mae
— Gracebella (@GallardeMabel) July 28, 2023
I am officially retiring from my role as 'the watcher' of this show. Thank you. https://t.co/LRugX3ZzPI
— Zuko's Honour :(: (@J4MM4x_xW0CKY) July 27, 2023
And I am done watching as well. My season ends with Cavill. https://t.co/ap0qVu0dga
— yen (@_qzril) July 27, 2023
Witcher Season 3 is Disappointing one. #HenryCavill Deserved Better Sent off, Can't Imagine Anyone as Geralt Of Rivia. Will Miss Our Witcher 🥹❤️.#TheWitcher #GeraltOfRivia pic.twitter.com/t2fNkUqErv
— Anandajith (@anandajithsnair) July 29, 2023
i just finished the new episodes of the witcher and i truly don’t know how i’m supposed to cope with losing henry cavill as geralt….. I’M NOT OKAY;; pic.twitter.com/oa8tjW8MJj
— Destiny Rachael 🧜🏼♀️🏝️ (@DestinyRach) July 29, 2023
So far, Henry’s exit still appears to be an open wound that followers of The Witcher series are yet to recover from. Furthermore, unlike season 2’s impressive critic score, The show’s audience score has also received an abysmal 22% rotten mark, which is no doubt partly a reaction to the White Wolf’s exit. Nonetheless, season 3’s overall rating has not appealed to followers as well.
