Renfri, Triss, Jaskier, what do all these names have in common? They’re secondary characters in The Witcher. Renfri only appears briefly in the story yet leaves a significant impact. Triss Merigold also takes a secondary role yet is intriguing for fans. Jaskier is a secondary character as well, yet one that is quickly becoming known throughout the fan base for his loyal friendship and catchy songs. The world of The Witcher is full of intriguing characters like these.
The secondary characters, from Renfri to Filvandrel, Triss to Borch, Jaskier to Queen Calanthe of Cintra, are just as compelling as the main characters. Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Ciri of Cintra have some stiff competition on the Continent when it comes to being interesting characters. But that’s actually a good thing.
The characters that make up the world of The Witcher are just one aspect of the story that makes it compelling. Yet characters are essential. For many viewers, characters are what make them get interested in the show. Characters are the ones that fans root for and keep coming back to see. Characters, therefore, can make or break a show. Shows that treat their characters well are often rewarded with grateful fans. Shows that don’t, such as Game of Thrones at the end, leave fans confused. Luckily for fans of The Witcher, the world is full of intriguing characters. So if one character’s fate doesn’t satisfy fans, perhaps another will. Of course, Game of Thrones also had a lot of interesting characters.
Yet The Witcher is a slightly different case than the popular HBO series. The books the show is based on are finished, not to mention the popular video game series. Therefore, there is plenty of material for the show to base itself on. All the writers have to do is follow it while still leaving some room for creativity, of course. So when it comes to character development, the writers of The Witcher have a lot more to go on than the Game of Thrones writers did at the end. There is room on the Continent for all the characters to go through enough development to stay interesting. Though, of course, the focus will be on the three main characters. Yet the side characters of The Witcher deserve more appreciation.
Whether it’s Mousesack being loyal to Cintra – and therefore to Ciri – until the end or Queen Calanthe’s strength, the side characters give the main characters a lot of competition. In fact, the whole story starts off with Geralt meeting Renfri, a secondary character. The two of them bond and even have a brief romance before he has to kill her. Their fight and the anguish it causes Geralt are central to the story that The Witcher is telling. Characters like Triss also provide fans with a deeper look into things like what it’s like to be a mage, which is very important for characters like Yennefer. It allows viewers to compare and contrast the two characters as well. At the same time, characters like Jaskier provide some much-needed lightness and a contrast to how people usually treat Geralt.
And let’s not forget about Ciri’s parents and her grandmother Calanthe, who are all fascinating. All of these characters’ lives led to Ciri being who she is, and for that, fans are likely grateful. These side characters, therefore, not only keep fans engaged while watching but also help fans to appreciate the main characters further.
Without characters like Triss, fans might not appreciate Yennefer to the degree that they do. Without characters like Renfri, Geralt wouldn’t have grown and developed into who he is now. Knowing how she was raised and by who helps fans have a greater appreciation for Ciri. All of the characters that make up the world of The Witcher add something to that world and to fans’ appreciation of it. They allow fans to be intrigued by them, and therefore to get further involved in their world.
Without the wide cast of interesting characters, The Witcher would not be the same. Each character adds to the rich tapestry of this world, and each one has their place in it. Each character makes fans root for them or hate them, depending on who the character is. And that is what keeps so many people interested in a show, feeling things about its characters.
The side characters being just as compelling as the main characters is also good because it means that the writers of the show care about creating intriguing characters. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t bother developing the secondary characters so much. After all, it’s not necessarily the most important thing to do. Yet, the writers of The Witcher so far seem to be treating all their characters with equal respect. And that’s a good thing.
Of course, not everyone will agree that every character should be treated the same. Some people will prefer to focus on the main characters, which is fine. Everyone has different tastes. Yet the world of The Witcher would be a lot worse without all its intriguing characters. Developing each character well enough that fans are invested is no small feat. And it’s one that many will be glad about.
