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The showrunner of The Witcher has confirmed that Geralt of Rivia’s disability will be explored in future seasons of the show.
The Netflix series is set to return in 2021 for its second season after its debut offering, which stars Henry Cavill as Geralt, premiered in December 2019.
The Witcher‘s showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich has now commented on her plans to explore Geralt’s disability, which is caused in the Witcher novels by an injury that the character sustains in Time of Contempt, in future seasons of the show.
While Geralt is healed in the story by the Waters of Brokilon, he continues to suffer from chronic pain due to the injury — leaving him unable to comfortably do many of the things he was once able to do, such as ride a horse.
Hissrich spoke about Geralt’s disability after a Twitter thread posted by @Mustangsart last week sparked discussion among The Witcher fanbase.
Geralt of Rivia & the Importance of Disabled Protagonists
A Thread.
Geralt of Rivia is disabled.
That statement always surprises people, even fans of the series. But it's true. It's just that people only remember how Geralt is shown in- 1/20 pic.twitter.com/7RlFtiK0ol
— the dislocating GM Making DnD Better (@mustangsart) November 9, 2020
“Why is it important that Geralt is disabled?” @Mustangsart wrote. “It adds a lot to Geralt as a character and a protagonist. When you think about Geralt of Rivia, you think about a strong and capable (if sometimes reluctant) hero.
“That isn’t something you see very often in fantasy novels or the genre as a whole and as someone whose disabilities include osteoarthritis and nerve damage, it meant the world to see someone like me be a famed and powerful monster hunter.”
The Witcher fan added: “It’s so very important that media normalises disabled heroes/protagonists and stops erasing the disabilities of those who were already established as being disabled. It’s damaging.”
In response to the thread — which she said she hadn’t “stopped thinking about” — Hissrich confirmed that she and her producers “won’t forget” about the points made and reflected on her own initial interpretation of Geralt’s injury.
I haven't stopped thinking about this thread. I've read these books a dozen times, these specific sections, and I've not thought of it further than: "Geralt has some pain, onto the next thing."
I've been wrong.
I'm excited to dig into this more. To add this layer to our hero. https://t.co/ra3kc2bJk5
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) November 10, 2020
“I’ve read these books a dozen times, these specific sections, and I’ve not thought of it further than: ‘Geralt has some pain, onto the next thing,'” she said. “I’ve been wrong.
“I’m excited to dig into this more. To add this layer to our hero.”
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