The Witcher season 3 will be Henry Cavill’s last as Geralt of Rivia, with Liam Hemsworth taking over in season 4, and there are a couple of ways in which The Witcher can explain this big change in canon. After exploring other sides of this universe with the prequel movie The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf and the miniseries The Witcher: Blood Origin, the universe of The Witcher is going back to the main series with a third season.
By the end of The Witcher season 2, half the Continent had begun their hunt for Ciri (Freya Allan), so season 3 will see Geralt, Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri doing their best to stay safe. The Witcher season 3 will be key in the development of this universe, not just narratively, but also because this will be Cavill’s final season as Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher has already been renewed for a fourth season, which will introduce Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia. Of course, The Witcher season 3 will have to find a way to justify or explain Geralt’s physical change, and there are a couple of ways the series can do so in canon.
9 A Spell Gone Wrong Changes Geralt’s Face In The Witcher
The universe of the witcher is one where magic, spells, potions, curses, and more are everywhere, and even the witchers themselves use magic. With Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri now doing everything they can to stay together, it could be possible that Geralt could be struck by a spell that doesn’t go as intended. Geralt could be attacked by a sorcerer with a spell, which Geralt could try to deflect, leading to the spell having unwanted results on Geralt’s appearance. It could also be that the one casting the spell is Yennefer, which will add yet another layer of conflict to the already complicated relationship between Geralt and Yennefer.
8 Geralt Has His Face Changed With Magic For Protection
Although Ciri is who most of the Continent is now looking for, for different reasons, Geralt and Yennefer are also in danger simply because they are defending and hiding Ciri. In order to ensure their safety, Geralt could have his face changed with magic for his and Ciri’s protection – after all, Geralt’s appearance is not one that goes easily unnoticed. Once more, Yennefer could be the one who makes this possible, though they could also count on the help of another sorcerer or mage, such as Triss Merigold, Tissaia de Vries, or even Vilgefortz.
7 Geralt Goes Through More Mutations In The Witcher
The process to become a witcher is a complex and deadly one, and a key part of it is mutations. Each witcher prospect had to go through the Trials, a series of processes through which they were mutated thanks to magic, alchemy, and mutagens. The process was extremely painful and many prospects didn’t survive, but those who did were granted the powers and enhancements of witchers. In Geralt’s case, he not only survived the Trials, but as he displayed unusual tolerance, he was subjected to further experimental mutations, giving him greater strength, speed, senses, and more, including complete immunity to diseases and conventional poisons.
In The Witcher season 2, it was revealed that Ciri’s Elder Blood is the key component to making more witchers, and this could come in handy in season 3. Geralt could be severely injured and agonizing, with the only solution being subjecting him to more mutations. Ciri’s blood could come into play here with the help of Yennefer or other characters, and these new mutations could completely change Geralt’s appearance.
6 A Potion Changes Geralt’s Appearance in The Witcher
Potions are often seen in the universe of The Witcher, and even Geralt carries some that turn his eyes completely black. A potion could also be the reason behind Geralt’s different appearance in The Witcher season 4, and the most likely reason behind it could be for protection. Instead of using magic to change his physical appearance, Geralt could use a potion, though one with long-lasting effects as he will stay with this new look for the rest of the series.
5 Rience Disfigures Geralt In The Witcher Season 3
Among the enemies that Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer will have to face in The Witcher season 3 is Rience (now played by Sam Woolf). Rience is a mage who uses the forbidden practice of fire magic, and in order to be able to use this type of magic, he sacrificed his soul. Rience is a dangerous enemy, so it could happen that Rience disfigures Geralt with fire during a fight. Although the witcher has healing powers, Rience’s magic is too powerful, and Geralt might need some extra help to recover. Surely, Geralt being disfigured by magic and healing with a completely different face would be an unexciting excuse for the Cavill/Hemsworth change, but it would fit the narrative of The Witcher season 3.
4 Geralt Will Die In The Witcher Season 3 (& Return With A New Face)
Witchers, and especially Geralt, heal fast and are immune to diseases, but they are not immortal. On his quest to keep Ciri safe, Geralt could end up sacrificing himself for the safety of the Princess of Cintra, but he has some powerful allies on his side. Geralt could be brought back through magic but with a different physical appearance, again either for protection or for some other reason. This would add some conflict to his relationship with Ciri, as to her, he would be dead, and having him return with a new face would be confusing and shocking for the young princess.
3 The Witcher Uses The Multiverse To Recast Geralt
One of the most used concepts in movies and TV shows in recent years is the multiverse, mostly seen in the superhero genre, but The Witcher can use it to its favor. In the world of The Witcher, there are an infinite number of universes, parallel realities, Spheres, and Dimensions, though some of them mixed and others disappeared following the Conjunction of the Spheres. Still, the multiverse is a thing in The Witcher, and with Ciri having the ability to open portals to other dimensions (as she did at the end of The Witcher season 2), The Witcher could introduce a Geralt variant, thus explaining the change from Henry Cavill to Liam Hemsworth.
2 The Witcher Will Brush Geralt's New Look Off With Humor
With so many things happening in The Witcher already, there might not be enough time to find a way to explain why Geralt looked one way for years and suddenly woke up with a different face. However, it could be addressed in season 4 through none other than Jaskier. The bard is known for his sense of humor and for teasing his witcher friend at any given chance, so of course he would have something to say if he shows up looking completely different.
1 The Witcher Season 4 Will Ignore Henry Cavill's Exit
Of course, it’s also possible that The Witcher won’t even address its Geralt recast and will move on as if nothing happened. Geralt is not the first character to be recast in The Witcher, as Rience got a new actor in season 3, but Rience isn’t the show’s title character and can get away without anyone addressing his different looks. However, and as mentioned above, there’s a lot going on in the universe of The Witcher that Geralt’s new face can be ignored in order to focus on the events happening around him. In any case, whatever excuse or reason The Witcher gives for Geralt’s new physical appearance won’t be convincing enough, and it’s to be seen how the audience will receive Liam Hemsworth’s performance as Geralt of Rivia.
