The Witcher: Origin of Blood has just been released on Netflix. This prequel is set in the distant past, 1,200 years before the events of the main series, and is pleased to present an attractive cast of new characters throughout its four episodes. Although Geralt is missing, there are plenty of new details for fans of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel series and the multimedia franchise that has grown out of it.
Fans of The Witcher will recognize some notable changes from the world they know. When we meet the elven clans in the main series, they are scattered and fear that they will soon cease to exist altogether, while here we see some of the major events that led to the fall of the elven empire. Learning more about the subjugation of the dwarves, which enabled the rise of the elves, and taking a look at their strict classism adds some context behind why few non-elves in the main series are eager to see their empire rise again.
Although there are many differences between this miniseries and the main series, there are still some familiar faces and themes here and there. Showrunner and co-writer Declan de Barra is no stranger to The Witcher, having written episodes of the main series and even sung on several songs on the soundtrack. Although only one main character from the main Witcher series appears due to the major time jump, there are two other canon characters that make an appearance. With all this new stuff, even the most seasoned fans might need a guide so they don’t miss a thing. Luckily, we are here to take care of it.
Buttercup (Joey Batey)
At the start of the series, Dandelion is the first major character we see, drenched in the blood of the battlefield and destined to die. However, he soon meets Seanchai, who wants to make use of his bardic skills and asks him to sing his story again. Although his role in Descent of Blood consists primarily of transcribing the epic story that Seanchai depicts, the wit and sulking we’ve seen in Dandelion in the main series is on full display when he tries to fire Seanchai, only to find himself dragged off. immediately back to your story. For longtime fans of the series, Dandelion, based on the character from the Dandelion series of novels, needs little introduction, and his conflicting mix of admiration, impatience, love, and jealousy for Geralt is certainly very much on display in this new series.
Knife (Michelle Yeoh)
When we meet her here, Scian is the only surviving member of the honorable Ghost Clan, and now lives in solitude after spending years as Madrina Espada, or trainer of young fighters, in the Queen’s service. Michelle Yeoh fans are well-acquainted with her ability to steal nearly every scene she appears in, and that goes double here, with Scian possessing biting wisdom and dishing out some incredible one-liners. One of The Witcher: Origin of Blood’s strengths is its fight scenes, and Scian’s are among the best, which will come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the many martial arts films of Michelle Yeoh’s career. . While not one of Yeoh’s more prominent roles in recent years (that honor will likely go to A24’s recent All At Once Everywhere), it’s still a solid supporting role that allows him to showcase some of her greatest virtues as an actress.
Fjall (Laurence O’Fuarain)
A member of the rude Clan of Hounds, Fjall falls from grace for a mistake he makes early in the series and is banished from the service, family and town he has protected his entire life. Naturally, this leaves him reeling, looking for a job as a mercenary and drowning his sorrows with his spare coins. When he meets Elle, everything changes, as the two are aware of the great threat that hangs over the elven civilization and soon discover that they will have to work together to try to prevent Ithlinne’s catastrophic prophecies from coming true. Fjall is a rough and gangly warrior who hides his heart from him, making him the perfect counterbalance to the more emotional Eile.
Other (Sophia Brown)
Though she was born into the Raven Clan, a proud group of warriors often at odds with the Hound Clan, Eile longed for a life far from the battlefield. Eile finds himself at a crossroads, as he feels that he has let his family down. Although he tries to make things right, fate takes control and sends her down another path. Officially made the oldest relative of Ciri, the protagonist of the series, the events of The Witcher: Origin of Blood see Eile undergo monumental changes and epic struggles, although her contribution as a composer may prove to be the most impactful. .
Eredin (Jacob Collins-Levy) e Ithlinne (Ella Schrey-Yeats)
While neither of these characters play a major role in The Witcher: Dawn of Blood, both will be very familiar to fans of the franchise in general. Here we meet Eredin when he is very young and still has a lot to lose, although longtime Witcher fans will know him best as the intimidating head of the elven clan known as The Wild Hunt, who served as a general until he killed the king. and took his place. For her part, Ithlinne is just a child when we meet her in the series, though she is known in the franchise for being an ancient oracle and healer who prophesied a catastrophic future in which only elves would survive. Both are characters that give a glimpse of what people they will become one day throughout The Origin of Blood.
Merwyn (Mirren Mack)
We have heard of the famous “Conjunction of the Spheres”, in which the individual worlds of monsters, men and elves were fused into one. In The Witcher: Descent of Blood, we see some of the events that led to this, including the fall of the elven empire. Behind many of these events is the naive but mean-spirited Merwyn, an elven princess who is intended to be married off to unite the kingdoms, but finds herself manipulated behind the scenes and working to gain her own power during a pivotal moment in history. of the elves Merwyn is a hard character to hate due to the complexity of her position, but she is also complicit in several major events in the series, making her one of The Witcher’s more difficult antagonists.
Balor (Lenny Henry) y Fenrik (Amy Murray)
Chief Druid Balor is what is referred to among elves as “lowborn,” meaning that his chances in life would necessarily be limited by the power structures of elven culture. Although he was welcomed into the royal family and granted opportunities for advancement, the lessons of the class system stayed with him throughout his life. Here, he works alongside Fenrick, with whom he shares his strongest emotional bond, but his quest for greater power in the hope of somehow erasing the impact the cruelties of elven classism have had on him is what checks his ambitions. .
Syndril (Zach Wyatt) y Zacare (Lizzie Annis)
Syndril and Zacare are celestial twins, born when a comet streaked across the sky. Zacare’s mother took Syndril in, making them brothers in everything but blood. Although we meet the two after an argument over their mother’s death, the complexity of their feelings for each other is obvious, as is the need for them to put those things aside for the good of the group. Both are wise elves who work with the elements in hopes of creating a greater universal balance. They don’t get much individual attention, but both are dedicated to creating a better world, making them increasingly crucial characters as the series progresses.
Callan (Huw Novelli)
Zacare’s partner, we meet Callan when the group needs a healer and he invites them to benefit from his special abilities. His friendship with the dwarf Meldof becomes a fundamental part of his growth as a person. Although he is out of his depth in the presence of Syndril and Zacare’s magical abilities, he brings a sense of empathy and a genuine desire to help that lights up every scene in which he appears.
Meldof (Francesca Mills)
The dwarf Meldof, undoubtedly one of the most charming new additions to the mythos of The Witcher, has a mission of revenge against a very specific group of elves. Traveling from city to city, she finds each person on her hit list and offers them a quick finish with her warhammer, affectionately named Gwen, with whom she holds full conversations. As the series progresses, we discover that Meldof is much more than meets the eye, but her unique vision of the power of the lower classes to rise up and her desire to right cosmic wrongs cement her as one of The Witcher’s most endearing characters. .
Seanchai (Minnie Driver)
Among all the characters in The Witcher: Origin of Blood, Seanchai is one of the most mysterious and tops the list of characters we’ll likely see again in the main series. Seanchai is a shapeshifting collector of ancient lore whose only motivation seems to be to bring old stories to life in a modern context, when the world needs them most. We meet her when she chooses Jaskier to give her the details of the story that she tells him, that of the birth of the first Witch. Jaskier hesitates before realizing this is songwriting gold, and picks up a pen and paper in hopes of turning it into a melody. The versatility of a shape-shifting, time-traveling historian with a desire to set the record straight across the ages is exactly what makes us confident that this won’t be the last we see of Seanchai.
