00:13It looks like The Witcher Season 5 is gearing up to be the final chapter of this fantasy
00:17saga, and there's a lot of discussion about how it could actually save the book series
00:21in one huge way, even though the show has had a bit of a rocky relationship with its
00:26source material over the years.
00:27Netflix has a variety of fantasy TV shows, and one that's currently preparing for its
00:33fifth and final season has the chance to redeem itself by handling the ending differently
00:37than the novels did, because the books leave some major character fates pretty ambiguous.
00:43The show had a strong start back in 2019, but it has been struggling to stay afloat since
00:48Season 2, which made some controversial changes to Andrzej Sapkowski's original story, and
00:54that's caused a lot of debate among fans who feel like the adaptation hasn't been faithful
00:58enough.
00:59Season 4 was a major shake-up, because it marked the debut of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia
01:05after Henry Cavill left the role, but it was actually closer to the books in many ways and
01:10set up some dark stories for the main characters, which gave fans hope that the series was getting
01:15back on track.
01:17Now, with the final season on the horizon, The Witcher has the chance to save the book
01:21series if it does one big thing, and that's giving Geralt and Yennefer a definitive ending
01:26that the novels never really provided.
01:29Now, a bit of a spoiler warning, because we're going to talk about how the books end, and that
01:34could potentially give away what might happen in Season 5, so if you haven't read the novels,
01:38or you want to go in completely blind, you might want to skip this part.
01:43But for those who are curious, The Witcher books tell the stories of Geralt, the title
01:47Monster Hunter, along with the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg, and the Cintrin Princess Ciri,
01:54and while half the continent wants to capture Ciri for their own selfish and often disturbing
01:59reasons, Geralt and Yennefer have fought to keep her safe throughout the entire series.
02:04Together, they've formed a family, which is really the core of the books, although in
02:08the Netflix show, this bond hasn't always been fully believable because of how the adaptation
02:12has handled their relationships and made some questionable choices along the way.
02:17Still, the series is now focused on that family dynamic, their individual fights, and their
02:22efforts to reunite and finally live the peaceful life they deserve, which is a nice sentiment,
02:27but it's complicated by the fact that the books don't give them a proper ending.
02:32In the novels, Geralt is impaled with a pitchfork during a riot in Rivia, and Yennefer uses her
02:37magic to heal him, but she loses consciousness in the process, and then Ciri puts their bodies
02:43on a boat, and they disappear into the fog.
02:45But since Ciri is the one telling the story, what happens next is left completely unclear.
02:51She says that Geralt and Yennefer wake up in an unknown location and comfort each other,
02:56but she admits that's not how she wants the story to end, and then she tearfully adds that
03:00they got married and lived a happy life, which leaves readers questioning if that actually
03:05happened, or if the whole boat and fog sequence is just a metaphor for their deaths.
03:11That ambiguity is a bit of a problem, because after all the changes that Netflix's The Witcher
03:16has made to the source material, being loyal to that vague ending would be a huge mistake,
03:21even though it's ironic that being unfaithful to the books is actually the better choice here.
03:26While Ciri is now the main character of the show after season four, the series has spent
03:31all this time focusing on Geralt and Yennefer and making the audience care for them, both
03:36as individuals and as a couple, so leaving their fates up in the air would feel like a
03:41betrayal of everything the show has built.
03:43Geralt and Yennefer have gone through so much since season one, because the show has explored
03:48parts of their complex and tragic backstories and followed them through tragedies, wins, losses,
03:54and lots of heartbreak.
03:56So the least The Witcher can do is give them a proper and clear ending, regardless of whether
04:00it's happy or a sad one.
04:03By giving proper closure to these two characters, Netflix's adaptation can actually fix one of
04:08the book's biggest mistakes and offer some resolution to their ending in the novels as
04:13well, because the books left readers hanging, and that's not a satisfying way to conclude
04:17such a long and epic story.
04:20Season five has many challenges to overcome, but if there was ever a time to not be faithful
04:25to the books, it's this one.
04:27Because the show has already diverged so much that sticking to the source material now would
04:32feel inconsistent and disappointing.
04:34Now, on top of all that creative discussion, there's also some news about the release schedule,
04:39because according to a report from What's on Netflix, The Witcher season five has reportedly
04:44been delayed until 2027, although a more specific release window hasn't been revealed yet.
04:51The streamer hasn't officially confirmed the update, but the report notes that season five
04:55was once included in the Next on Netflix campaign for 2026, but the show has since been removed
05:02from those promotional materials, which is a pretty clear sign that something has changed
05:06behind the scenes.
05:08No explanation has been given for the delay, but it's possible that the crew needs more
05:13time in post-production, because these fantasy shows have a ton of visual effects that take
05:17a long time to perfect.
05:19Or it could be a deliberate scheduling move on Netflix's part to ensure that as many eyeballs
05:25as possible watch the farewell season of The Witcher.
05:28Since the final batch of episodes was shot back in 2025, it's not an issue with filming,
05:34because that's already wrapped up.
05:35So the delay is likely related to the editing and effects work, or it could be that Netflix
05:40wants to find the perfect release window to maximize viewership.
05:44The show is based on Sapkowski's book series, and it centers on Geralt as a monster hunter
05:49who attempts to protect Ciri and keep the world safe from dangerous magic.
05:53And it's been a major part of Netflix's lineup since Cavill first played Geralt in 2019.
05:59Aside from Cavill and Hemsworth, the show also stars a bunch of talented actors, including
06:04Anya Chalotra, Freya Allen, Eamon Farron, Joey Beatty, Myanna Brewing, Mimi M. Kaisa, Anna
06:11Schaefer, Royce Pearson, Mahesh Jadu, Misha Simpson, Graham McTavish, Cassie Clare, Hugh Skinner,
06:17and Bart Edwards, so the cast is extensive and full of familiar faces that fans have
06:22grown to love over the years.
06:24Season 4, which was released in 2025, ended on a pretty intense cliffhanger because Ciri
06:29was captured by Leo Bonhart, who's a terrifying antagonist from the books, and Yennefer got
06:35pulled into a portal, so her fate is up in the air.
06:38While Geralt was knighted by Queen Meve, but the action ensured that he would be bound to
06:43her service, which complicates his situation moving forward.
06:47Season 5 is expected to continue adapting The Tower of the Swallow and The Lady of the
06:51Lake, because previous seasons have already covered The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood
06:56of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, and parts of The Tower of the Swallow, so the
07:02final season will wrap up the main saga.
07:05Aside from the main series, the small-screen Witcher franchise has also expanded into multiple
07:10spin-offs, including the animated films Nightmare of the Wolf and Sirens of the Deep, and the
07:15prequel series The Witcher Blood Origin, so there's plenty of content out there for fans
07:20who want more of this world.
07:22Even though The Witcher Season 5 may not be on the calendar for the second half of 2026,
07:27Netflix still has a ton of other content lined up in the coming weeks and months, like Lupin
07:32Season 4, Three Body Problem Season 2, Black Dove Season 2, The Diplomat Season 4, The Hunting
07:37Wives Season 2, and Outer Banks Season 5, so subscribers won't be short on options.
07:43But for Witcher fans, the wait is going to be a bit longer than expected, and the hope
07:47is that the delay will result in a final season that does justice to these characters and gives
07:52them the ending they deserve.
07:54And that wraps up today's video.
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