The truth about Ciri in Witcher 4 - What the books REALLY say

[@VJMAV]

Finally, a video about Gwent's new upcoming expansion

[@californiansniper2133]

Apparently there’s a game that comes with it but who cares GWENT TWO BABY

[@LeleiTheTigress]

There needs to be a Ciri vs Geralt Gwent match in the game or I'll cry. Actually, I'll cry either way. But one is of happiness and joy, the other is of sadness and despair.

[@Ichiko980]

@@LeleiTheTigress papa Geralt gives his precious collection of gwent cards to ciri when she visits 🥹🥹

[@RealityBased]

​@LeleiTheTigress there should be a quest where you battle insane gwent masters in order and every time you defeat one they allow to fight the next one until finally they reveal geralt is the final gwent master. Would go so hard.

[@Lazarrus89]

Been waiting for your reaction to this

[@scottmiller4587]

All I can say is I can't wait to play the Witcher 4, been thinking about replaying the Witcher 3 again for the 5th time I mean I think I have 650 hours of play time on the Witcher 3 so yeah I d say it's way past time for a new Witcher game

[@nicechock]

all the lore stuff and canon is quite irrelevant. this will be a bad game. because of the wuoksers and acticvysts.

[@nicechock]

they might even claim she is sterile . it goes well with modern women not having babies anymore🤣 you cant make this stuff up

[@johntyalt8723]

@@nicechock F tier bait

[@GalacticToadGames24]

@@nicechock Thank you for your very nuanced and constructive contribution.

[@harrywilkin9460]

“More Witcher 4 coverage in the coming DAYS” I’ll hold you to that Witcher

[@jordanbooth4470]

Been waiting for your thoughts, was intrigued to see what you had to say. For myself, I’m super excited to play as Ciri

[@whitegoose2017]

Hopefully she is a woman and not pretending to be something else is all I would say...

[@GundamX13A]

I think you are right about Ciri. The developers have been posting coins as teases for the game. There's writing on one coin posted after the reveal that translates to "Days and nights pass and the blood remains the same." I think you are right on the idea of why Ciri wanted to do the trial to basically get rid of the elder blood, but as we'll learn in the game, the blood will remain the same. I've seen others have this same idea as well.

[@rpgadventurer32]

Except that she did get rid of it based on the trailer and the comments from the devs. You don't get it, they destroyed her entire character that was not only established in the books but also in their own games. Ciri would never go through this process willingly nor would Geralt, Yennefer or Triss would ever allow her character to do it.

[@anotherhappylanding4746]

​@rpgadventurer32 did u watch the video?

[@AhmadWahelsa]

@@rpgadventurer32 second book mentioned Ciri drank a potion but survives, thus leading her discovery about her elder blood i have a theory that game starts as Witcher Ciri without elder blood powers, but behind the scenes her blood is fighting against the mutation, and as game progress maybe we unlock elder blood skill tree, this trailer might be set just not far in the story campaign

[@dr_diddy]

@@AhmadWahelsa that's actually pretty interesting, I think BG3 did something similar with illithod powers, it works differently but the point is that you get an additional skill tree with effects the story.

[@IsraelBelongToChrist]

She uses the elder blood abilitys in the trailer so😂

[@noamias4897]

It is nice to see a big voice in the Witcher community actually be thoughtful and reasonable instead of the usual misinformed or unstable people

[@ImNotLuthien]

I fucking hate that kind of people complaining about everything just from one damn teaser trailer, it's just insanity. In person, acting like that, would automatically put you into a fucking pscyh ward.

[@mundanephysics521]

@@ImNotLuthien I swear, so many people claiming that the game will be 'horrible' and was 'ruined' by new hires from one singular trailer, that likely won't be in the game like many, many of TW3 trailers. People need to calm down, stop being angry for two seconds, and realize that this isn't even gameplay, and knowing CD Projekt Red, it will all be explained in an actually compelling way!

[@gabrielmccray3457]

Plot twist. We get to make our own Witcher and ciri is vesimir role.

[@calvin659]

@@mundanephysics521 Doubt it.

[@GenericProtagonist7]

​@@mundanephysics521 "knowing CD Projekt Red, it will all be explained in an actually compelling way!" Jesus you actually believe that.

[@DonkiDonkey]

The main problem with Ciri going through the trials is purpose, or the lack thereof. The trials are deadly and Ciri is already a competent Witcheress. Her elder blood had to go dormant for any of these things to make sense i.e her elder blood goes dormant and she can't be an effective witcheress. So ciri had to risk the trials.

[@thelastcrow5660]

In this house we love Cirilla, end of story.

[@GG_1318]

no

[@Melon448]

@@GG_1318 yes

[@TESMediaGroup]

@@thelastcrow5660 She was a brave Cintran princess! She did what she had to do!

[@gabrielmccray3457]

Just to rub salt in the wound. They should have made her look like the angry baby painting of her.

[@lilSmurf69]

she loves woman in witcher 4

[@MrEffectfilms]

To tie into your idea that the crux of this story could revolve around Ciri running from her destiny I really like the idea that Ciris Elder Blood is what allowed her to survive the Trial of the Grasses but as a result her Elder Blood powers have gone dormant and part of the plot is her needing to slowly reawaken her powers and by extension accept her destiny and the responsibility that comes with it. This would be a great way to introduce an Elder Blood skill tree to the game and justify why she isn't as powerful as she was in The Witcher 3 as well as justify still needing to prepare for monster battles with potions, runes and oils for your swords, maintaining and upgrading your armor etc. This would allow for new magic and gameplay mechanics we've never had in these games before and still keep the foundation The Witcher has always had. This could also be how we bring Geralt and Yennifer back into the fold too, Geralt can teach her more swordfighting styles and techniques (kinda like having different styles to use in The Witcher 1) as well as how to make more complex potions and Yennifer can teach Ciri new and more powerful spells as you level up and become stronger.

[@AhmadWahelsa]

additional theory: game begins as normal Witcher without elder blood, but behind the scenes her elder blood is fighting the mutations and as game progress we unlock elder blood skill tree, God of war style like Kratos unlocking his old demigod powers, oh yeah the elder blood abilities could also be like Kratos's rage of the titans with limited bar meter

[@MrEffectfilms]

@AhmadWahelsa interesting, that's a cool way of depicting her destiny literally at odds with her current choices, like having good and evil at war within yourself which has always been important for these games, figuring out what the right choice is in a world that rewards evil and punishes good.

[@sundanser]

@@MrEffectfilms it could be similar to how the infamous games do it, where depending on if you chose good or evil your powers develop differently

[@memeaccount8095]

@@AhmadWahelsa maybe even having two skill trees, the witcher and elder blood trees that lock the other out of some skills the higher up you go, possibly even replacing existing abilities. elder blood adds a passive health regen but makes you unable to drink swallow or other healing items, maybe even one that gets rid of witcher eyes and other features making NPCs more tolerant of your existence but you have a hard time actually convincing people you are a witcher when you really need to. The new main threat actively tracks and ambushes you in the open world but the witcher tree has an ability that prevents it at the cost of your dash ability.

[@MrEffectfilms]

@@memeaccount8095 This is definitely how I'd like progression to be handled especially if they plan on having progression carry over through each game in this new trilogy. For instance, if you choose to level up your ability to make stronger potions that make monster preparation easier you lock out Elder Blood abilities that deal more damage to monsters. Or if you choose to level up magic that allows you to dominate the mind you can avoid combat and even unlock new quests for yourself but this is more noticeable than if you were to use Axii which is more of a gamble but more discreet and as a result certain NPCs will be too afraid to talk to you. Blacksmiths could refuse your business entirely so you can't have them craft new weapons, herbalists won't let you buy or sell to them, and some Witcher contracts and Side Quests might be unavailable if the NPCs are too afraid.

[@lpvrooom6714]

I almost hope the story is her discovering some problem that the witcher mutations will help fix/prevent, and that transformation is later in the game

[@Jay-Voorhees]

Well, more than likely, considering this is years later, we might get lore talking about it, or her reminiscing about it with somebody in the story🤔

[@benross9174]

My theory is that among one of the many reasons is that she wants to be sterile and be free from the Elder Blood thing for good

[@Irgendjemand2009]

Yeah, I agree-that would make the most sense. There needs to be a real necessity for her to undergo the mutations; otherwise, it just wouldn’t feel justified.

[@Weiswolfe]

​​@benross9174nice idea if they use it in an lore accurately explain her mutations it will work, and as long as they keep the bullshit woke agenda

[@dr_diddy]

@@Weiswolfe Weis... what the fuck are you talking about?

[@steppeone]

You are such a breath of fresh air and voice of reason around all this. Instant sub.

[@65firered]

Thank you for ACTUALLY acknowledging the criticisms people have and being understanding of them. That's not as common as it should be.

[@madelinemcmillan4020]

while also calling out the people who just never paid attention

[@TESMediaGroup]

I really hope they bring Avallac’h back. His character arc was way too rushed. I really need them to explore Ciri’s heritage and Destiny more.

[@panpawe9738]

If Avallac'h will be back, I'm 99% sure he'll be a villain. Let's meet here in 2-3 years when the game will be out and we'll see if I'm a prophet.

[@TESMediaGroup]

@@panpawe9738 I hope so.

[@moonknightish]

​@@panpawe9738in the 2012 version of the story, Avallac'h was a boss fight

[@przemysawtroszczynski8695]

Like you said, it's not about her not being able to become a witcher but her even considering this. First thing that crossed my mind when I saw her eyes was "What about the prophecy?". Her trying to escape it through mutations would be very interesting take and would love to see how it ultimately fails. Because we all know that destiny always wins.

[@rpgadventurer32]

She can't do it though. It doesn't make sense with the established lore about the trials both in the books and in the games. The Witches will never help her get sterilized they are against doing it in the books and the same is true for the Witchers.

[@anotherhappylanding4746]

She'll probably do it without them then​@@rpgadventurer32

[@dr_diddy]

@@rpgadventurer32 Very easy to explain Ciri: "help me through the trials and I'll teleport you to boob world." Geralt: "say less."

[@atyaatdsau13]

​@@rpgadventurer32 did you watch the video...

[@Chardan001]

​@rpgadventurer32 it's clear you haven't read the books. I guess you're also okay with the games lore changes too. This conflicts nothing, no Source ever took the Grasses. I'm sure if it was Alvin no one would give a damn

[@6runger]

Thanks for this video dude, I thought I was going crazy with the other videos on KZbin. I've been following you for years now, this channel is legit. Keep it up.

[@reddskair9523]

Algorithm comment for the algorithm gods 🙏

[@Rj-vr9uc]

Praise the Algorithm Omnissiah!!!!

[@jordandittman9474]

Praise be the Algorithm 🙏🙏

[@przemysawtroszczynski8695]

It's tradition. Chosen it is. By the gods.

[@Nilhilion]

There are no gods here. Only algorythms.

[@motocross_cooper]

I feel like the biggest problem with Ciri going through the actual trials of the grasses to "Become a fully mutated witcher". Is how that would actually be like a step down for Ciri. She is already far more special and power and interesting than a regular witcher. She is already basically a witcher in every way except the mutations. She has trained as a witcher, taken some enhancing witcher herbs and has fought alongside witchers for most of her life. She's already capable of doing the job of a witcher without the mutations. Her elderblood and unique abilities are entirely sufficient to enable her to hunt and kill all the monsters that witcher hunt and kill. Just think of it this way, If the heads of the witcher schools had a choice to: 1) Create witchers with mutations via trials of the grasses and training them in swordsmanship and signs (i.e. Geralt, Vesimir, Eskel, lambert) Or 2) Having witchers who have Elderblood powers and Ciri's abilities and train them in swordsmanship. So basically, Would they prefer to have superhumans with Witcher superhuman abilities or Wichers with Ciri's Elderblood Superhuman abilities? Which would they choose? I think there is Absolutely ZERO chance that they choose to have witchers with mutation enhancements over Wichers with Ciri's abilities. Hence why, I feel like Ciri going through the trials of the grasses to become a witcher in that specific sense. Is a step down. She was already superhuman enough to carry out the duties of a witcher without the mutations. I don't believe for a second that Ciri would feel the need to go through witcher mutations to feel like she's a full fledged, Bona-fide Witcher. She was already a witcher in the mind and heart of everyone that she loved and respected. Including her own. She doesn't need yellow cat eyes to prove her bonafidès.

[@chrisalder9096]

But she may have a reason for it just like it's speculated in this video

[@MichelDood]

You don't know it's a step down because you don't yet know if she even still has her elder blood powers.

[@motocross_cooper]

@chrisalder9096 It's true, That is possible. But, That would just mean: The writers created the problem so they could impliment the solution of: Her going through witcher mutations. Because, So far there's been no need for her to go through the mutations. And that just feels like a step back, So we can just play as a standard witcher again. When having Ciri's be the main character, With her many different and unique powers. Could have opened up a hole bunch of new abilities for gameplay mechanics. Instead of the signs and swords that witchers use.

[@omegasupreme2200]

Exactly! I hate when they take a already strong character in a series without the powers of the protagonist or the powers of the main powerful group. Because it shows that they don't need the mainstream OP powers of the series but their own, just like Ciri. But she trained under Witchers and learned their magic (I think, I'm just saying this as other people are saying and stuff) and using her own powers. She doesn't need the transformation to become a biological Witcher, she's already one, even if that's just a title. Which, for me, is really badass and shows how powerful she is. But even if the character doesn't have a unique power but trains to be a Witcher without undergoing the mutations, uses their magic and drugs, they will become more powerful than the common warrior in the series. Weaker than a Witcher? Probally going to a absolute yes. So for me, making her a Witcher is calling her weak. Weak to the point in needing to make her "more powerful" than she already was. (Almost like the custodes and sisters of silence in 40k. Which I won't say about this shit. The focus is about The Witcher series and Universe.)

[@danielreynolds1632]

From Ciri’s perspective…this is *not* a video game! It’s her life! It’s her children and grandchildren’s lives! She’s not *looking* to be the most powerful being out there! She’s looking for freedom, choice, and peace! None of which she or her family has *ever* had because of this damned combination of blood and placenta of hers! THAT’S how she’s most likely looking at this. Again, this is *not* a game for her.

[@nerdoutreachprogram5358]

Thank God, I’ve been waiting for this. Thank you NK for all your work.

[@iambrando8342]

I don’t have a problem with ciri becoming a witcher or playing as her, however in my opinion Geralts story is finished, same with ciri. It saddens me that we do not get to experience an earlier time period when witchers and monsters were more common. I was really hoping the witcher 4 would follow a new original character, from a new school, in a different area.

[@RealityBased]

True but I want to see geralt again.

[@SergioMendoza760]

My biggest thing they need to address is regardless of how brutal the trials may be, I want to see them from ciris perspective. I want to see how she survived them and what were the immediate repercussions of this, did she immediately lose her elder blood powers? She’s already very proficient with a sword so was she made a mutant and just immediately start slaying monsters? Is she part of the school of the wolf? Etc etc. all of this stuff I want to see be addressed throughout the story.

[@atyaatdsau13]

In an interview they said that the whole process of becoming a witcher is a part of the plot!

[@SergioMendoza760]

@ then I have no concerns! I also kinda figured they’d have to address these things no matter what in order for the game to make literally any sense at all. I just really hope they don’t kill off geralt for no reason.

[@0din176]

Leaving a comment for the algorithm. Thank you for clearing this up, Neon! I've been binge watching your Witcher vids since 4 was announced.

[@erdath87]

I am all for the idea of Ciri sterilzing herself to prevent her destiny. Especially once you take the Falka's Curse and the prophecy about the Destroyer into account. I mean knowing, that you'll be a mother of a man who will destroy the world may leave you a bit desperate. I guess some might say that there are less extreme ways of not having kids, but I guess becoming a witcher might be the most optimal from Ciri's perspective. And I absolutely wouldn't be surpised if the sterilization process didn't work, because either Elder Blood is too strong, or something during the mutations got botched, either way Destiny goes lol, lmao on Ciri. Also, the romances have already been confirmed, just putting it out there.

[@Mrm-7799]

I really hope that's the case. I really want to see this prophecy as a plot for the next Witcher games and If Ciri becomes infertile it 's all wasted.

[@PaulusAlone]

@@Mrm-7799- If they let Ciri get pregnant it means one of the cis gendered heteronormative males actually got to put hands on her and that is so not happening in their game for “ a modern gaming audience.” Nope! It’s sterilization and the Big Abby route for our Ciri because the male feminists at CD Projekt Red only know how to write that stoic wannabe man trope rather than writing an actual strong female character? Just like they manwashed Lady Galadriel in Amazons Rings Of Power and turned her into GUYladriel another stoic male action hero.

[@_Beans_]

hard to believe this is the reason tho, there are easier ways to get sterilised that don't involve in incredibly high risk of mortality, and Ciri couldn't even be sure that becoming a witcher would sterilise her at at all, given that there have been no previous female witchers.

[@elsie3469]

YAYYY you posted, been waiting for this!!! I'm personally looking forward to Ciri being the protagonist in the witcher 4

[@erfanbidi5244]

how much i waited for this video from ur channel

[@DerOrso]

IIRC the Trail of the Grass had a lot to do with hormones, and hormonal households between boys and girls are different worlds. One would hardly expect something developed for boys would work the same on girls. Whether Ciri might even be affected by the chemicals of the Trial of the Grasses at all remains to be seen. She drank from the Waters of Brokilon--which is how the Dryads turn girls onto new Dryads--and she simply said it was tasty water - no affect what-so-ever. Geralt thought Eithné--the queen of Dryads--was playing a trick and drank from the water himself and was immediately thrown into a psychedelic trip, as if he'd taken LSD. The Wiki describes the Waters of Brokilon as "a psychotropic, mutagen-containing substance which can turn human girls into dryads". So if the Waters of Brokilon have no affect on Ciri, one might on expect the Trial of the Grasses chemicals to have as little affect. On the other hand, the mushrooms the Witchers in Kaer Morhen and White Gull did have affects on her, but maybe because they are purely biological in nature. CDPR can twist and turn the story any which way they want. They have purchased that right from Sapkowski, but only as CDPR-Witcher-lore. The one thing I keep thinking about is Ciri's power over time and space. Basically by the end of TW3 she had complete control over it, ergo could blink out of the current time and place to blink back in to anywhere at any time, just like in the trailers for the Gwent stand-alone game where, when being attacked from behind she simply vanishes in and instant and then reappears directly behind her attackers less than a second later. Who needs Witcher abilities when you are the master of time and space? It's like the difference between 'I have a box of matches' and 'I have a nuclear power plant'. It will be interesting how CDPR deals with that, if at all. They might simply ignore it as if it never existed, or that after Cir returned from Tor Gvalcha, where she entered to fight the White Frost, she suddenly had lost her powers over time and space, which would be a huge twist in the lore of the books, which never spoke about the powers being dependent on the White Frost. We will see.

[@anearthian894]

They can definitely combine all the endings with something big like Avalach being The villain and conjunction...

[@Eerex594]

FINALLY HE POSTED LFGGG

[@aXPw39]

Good video bro!

[@therapyquantified987]

this is the most calm rational take I've seen on KZbin. good shit bro

[@dr_diddy]

because there's no anti-woke people here, it's peaceful... hear that? the sound of civil discussions? I missed this 😢 Hearing everyone's POV on both the lore and how Ciri goes through the trials and what that means for the game is refreshing.

[@x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x]

The series is called The Witcher, not The Witcheress.

[@yez276]

🤓☝️

[@matthieuzglurg6015]

as someone that has read the books several times, played through TW3 11 to 12 times (currently doing the 13th run after the trailer dropped...), I am EXTREMELY happy to see that Ciri is the new protagonist.

[@XLCook12]

Out of curiosity, since you’ve read the books. Is her becoming a Witcher a huge breaking of lore? (I haven’t read the books yet, but plan to) I’m also SUPER happy she’s the protagonist and don’t get the hate. Would rather wait and see what CDPR has planned before jumping to conclusions.

[@matthieuzglurg6015]

@@XLCook12 well, watch the video, he explains it better than I could. But in a nutshell, no not really.

[@LunnarisLP]

@@XLCook12 honestly the games play way after the books. Loads of things can change as well. If you say there is a new method to make witchers where ciri can become a witcher thats not necessarily "out of lore" or something. Even if Ciri would be the first female witcher and with completely new mutagens and everything it would still not def. be not lore. I mean while certain things are lore accurate, the games are actually in tonns of places not lore accurate anyway. From my experience on the internet it seems like especially people who for some reason just dont want to play a female main character for whatever reason seem to suddenly care very much about how lore accurate it is that ciri is a witcher or rather use it to claim that using Ciri as main character would be wrong to do since it according to them would not be lore accurate.

[@coldfire22]

Right on. I'm on my 9th replay of Witcher 3 at the moment. I'm the opposite though. I can't role play as a women, so I probably won't get the game. :(

[@saintanger3628]

You and me both .. I play W3 every year since it dropped ( at least 10 times). Currently playing my annual playthrough ATM. A game so good it literally ruined every other game for me for a couple years. It's just hard to believe W4 can live up to W3.. I am hopeful.. question being, does it bother you to see videos being posted that seem to be an attempt to hurt the games release?

[@hermconfirm7368]

Ive been so hyped for a video from you on witcher 4!! Glad youre joining the discussion in a very reasonable manner

[@SuperFlik]

My biggest concern is why Ciri would want to undergo the trials as well.

[@jasonjohnson1697]

Imagine using a power that at any given time you use it that you leave a trail that can be followed by powerful beings. I'll be honest, I would lose my fucking mind.

[@Raizan-IO]

@@jasonjohnson1697 Imagine having a power that makes you stand on par with powerful beings and deities and instead wanting to become like Geralt. Geralt is an outstanding Witcher, the best some may say, he is super powerful compared to humans; but he is nothing compared to both monsters, otherworld beings and "powerful beings" even comparatively to mages (like the one that mops Regis). Geralt is constantly complaining that he is doing a job, that admittedly he manages somehow through rather intellect and preparation like Batman some would say rather than power or pure skill. Now imagine knowing all this first hand as Ciri, and deciding: Yes, I want that. There is no logic there, if she is scared, she can stop using them all together. If she is tired, she can square up AND SHE CAN COME ON TOP. Hell, the only promising thing to me about these games if they somehow justify the lore is that she can rise up to threats and existances no sane witcher would, or could, like the Elder One even Geralt showed a hint of fear despite supposedly lacking emotions.

[@theanonymspysandwich]

Because she only heard good things about them from her mentors

[@aawsome69]

​@@jasonjohnson1697 That would actually make for an amazing game. Running away from powerful beings while slowly becoming more powerful yourself, and eventually taking on those beings. Damn.

[@adrimiq]

​@Raizan-IO You forget the most important thing in the Witcher universe: the elder blood is more of a curse to Ciri than a blessing. She always WANTED to become a witcher. Her elder blood powers have only brought her pain. Even if she can "use it against powerful enemies", the ENTIRE point of the saga is that Ciri doesn't want to become the lady of time and space. She wants to be a witcher. And of course, there is a tragic undertone to all of this. It's called nuanced and complex character development.

[@KingSunny]

The only correct choice for the protagonist of witcher 4 was always Ciri, not a random customisable bot character.

[@florin-alexandrustanciu5643]

Most people don't argue with that.. just as the video says it's a really hard sell for her to undergo the mutations. It's that simple, it feels like they gave her the mutations just because it's safe from a gameplay perspective, same ol potions signs and swords. I really hope they find a good reason for her to do it. And the best way Imo is to have the transformation done by the players, have us in a really hard spot where it does not make sense to not have it done or have a couple of side missions before where both us and ciri go like " it would have been soo much easier/safer if I could use witcher potions or have enhanced senses and metabolism and then present us with the opportunity to have it

[@dr_diddy]

@@florin-alexandrustanciu5643 That is most likely what's going to happen imo. I understand people wondering why they chose the straight witcher route. Maybe in the game there's some sort of mix due to her blood so that she's atleast still rather unique.

[@simonphoenix3789]

Ciri seems like the most boring choice. her story was wrapped up in the witcher 3, and the world had so much left unexplored. A game set in the past era when monsters and witchers were more commonplace, or one set in the Oferi lands or even Nilfgaard would have been far more interesting. But creating new characters takes a lot more work I guess.

[@AngeloGrandeMyUManitoba]

worth pointing out in the end of witcher 3 when ciri visits gearalt at corvo bianco she mentions killing a garkin and drinking black blood. idk if black blood is less toxic though

[@rpgadventurer32]

Except that she's not a full Witcher at that ending. She has her green eyes and teleportation powers intact. She's the same Ciri.

[@bolg892]

​@@rpgadventurer32 Still drank a potion. :) Clearly that already kind of implies that her body can handle toxicity, maybe tied to her Elder Blood somehow.

[@nico_rissoasdf]

i've been waiting for you dude

[@bigman17777]

Boy oh boy I have been waiting for this for a long time

[@williammccord911]

Finally the video I’ve been refreshing my feed in search of

[@msf47]

i don't know why they corner themselves with the Ciri as a witcher that went through the trials story when they could simply nerf her elder powers a bit and make her a witcher mixed with her elder blood powers .Maybe she is going to do the trials and loose some of her power doing the trials ? Outside of that i don't see any possible and believable scenario where Ciri successfully finishing the trials and becoming witcher .Also if you remember in Witcher 3 during the novigrad quests when u are doing quests for that circus people to steal some horses Ciri said many times she wish she could get rid of her elder blood powers and have normal life .

[@rpgadventurer32]

Except that she would never be able to get rid of them. They are part of who she is. Turning her into a full Witcher doesn't make sense for her character.

[@WindmilI]

I’ve literally been checking your channel multiple times a day just incase my sub box missed this upload, really excited to hear your opinion on this, thank you for putting in all the work :3

[@Rompstirdg]

I have been looking up your channel at least twice a day to see if you've posted sense the trailer dropped

[@lukeisstrange1533]

Very excited for the next video about Witcher 4, after so many topics like Ciri using magic, her having a medaillon of a lynx or the country witcher 4 will be set in. Been watching a lot of your videos recently right after finishing witcher 3 again on the highest difficulty and achieving all the achievements and you put so much effort into it. So I just know that there will be something about these ideas

[@OverlordRosenburg]

Dude, not sure if you saw the devs post on twitter about the other side of the coin and the translation of that text. Your last hypothesis is very likely to be right, even though she tried to suppress her elder blood its power still remains.

[@Dragonfish818]

Dude I been waiting for this video keep em coming

[@Sajgoniarz]

Finally someone made a video about what i was writing in every comment about Witcher 4 since trailer. Thank You for that!

[@FaerieDust]

Proper Bird has a really good video out, too! It's so refreshing, I've found a lot of the other videos I've seen very frustrating...

[@koenradofrinbe]

Interesting interpretation. My fear is that CDPR has become a corporation that will go the easy path of "hey, you like the Witcher and Ciri? Here is a witcher Ciri, enjoy it". But if they're actually able to still take some risk, exploring Ciri trying to escape her destiny by destroying her fertility and mutating her body (also blood perhaps, that would leave her without her original powers?) just to become someone else - this might be both worth our time and also explain the fact that her face has become uglier. The mutations leave scars. Geralt got his white hair because of them. Ciri should not look fresh from the shower after the grasses trial. But hey, we might be expecting too much from the current writers, idk.

[@oliver1784]

I pray on all fours 6 hours a day that this game wont suck.

[@dominikmdmx]

So a complex character with extremely unique powers that could serve a plethora of narratives and spin offs is reduced to being a witcher. Waste doesn't even begin to describe this kind of butchery and slop. It's nothing but a cheap bait and switch that again like many others before uses established lore to gaslight the fanbase for purposes of agenda that wants to current day everything it touches. Not to mention 1/3 of your video is pure speculation what you think Ciri wants. How is this any different from speculations of people that don't want Ciri to go down that path? You solve nothing. Added nothing to the problem.

[@szymonk.7267]

One thing i disagree on is that geralt would allow that Ciri to undergo the trail of the grases and ESPECIALLY Yenefer would not allow that or make the mutagenes necessary for the proces. Geralt shares hys opinion on the trails in the game and won't allow ciri to do something just straight up stupid as that just so she can call her self a true wither for what ? For potions ? For infertility? There are easier ways to achieve that

[@rpgadventurer32]

In the books they don't want to do it because they know she will either die or become cripple. It's too risky. Neither the Witches nor Geralt or Vesemir Wanted her to go through the process. They would never allow her to do it.

[@TheGeoCheese]

As if they’re going to be able to stop her. Both Geralt and Yen are the only ones who are capable of doing the necessary homework to give Ciri the biggest possible chance of succeeding. Nothing will stop Ciri from attempting it and entrusting anyone else to even attempt it is even dumber. They’re going to support her decision even if they disapprove of it because they’ll give her the respect of an adult and not a child which is the bottom line which means you are wrong. They will allow it even if they disapprove of it because they’ll treat her as an adult and so they will help her get to it. Go play the Witcher 3 again and understand that Ciri’s best ending is literally treating her as an adult and supporting her and this is apparently the canon ending.

[@khrishp]

Allow? Ciri looks to be in her mid 30s or even later in the trailer? They could barely keep a teenage ciri in line and you are now complaining that someone wouldn't ALLOW a fully grown woman trained in witcher arts, sorcery, and fully in control of elder blood powers (kinda) to do something she wanted is the big issue.

[@TheGeoCheese]

@@khrishp ikr? People are delusional in thinking Geralt and Yen are even capable of making the decisions for someone who is fiercely independent and incredibly very stubborn. To me it’s just more delusional rhetoric from the other side of the coin.

[@szymonk.7267]

​@TheGeoCheese Nice accusatory tone you speak in and you might be right in the case of geralt but I read the book and Yemefer thinks too highly of herself to allow ciri to get the better of her ... than given the limited number of mages capable of imitating the trails the conversion ends on ciri being at worst pised at Yenefer and incapable of performing the trail. Not to mention she should probably not survive the trails at the age of at least 20

[@GnaedigerJupp]

Going through the trial is dumb. Ciri being a Witcher who didn't do it, was perfectly fine. It removes an interesting aspect about her in the lore, and I feel like they did so they don't have to dump gameplay features from the first 3 games, that were centred around Geralt. Actually, not even he was drinking potions in the novels all that much. A game about Ciri didn't need it. It's also established that she can handle herself already and Characters like Bonhard proofed that the trial or magic isn't even necessary to be some sort of super fighter

[@Frugustin]

Yes, but have you considered that a small Polish indie studio would have to come up with completely different core mechanics for Ciri instead of copy-pasting the same potion crafting and toxicity meter? I also think people just kind of ignore the marketing aspect, nobody gives a shit if she was already de facto Witcher, someone on the board said that Ciri NEEDS witcher cat eyes™and that's that.

[@benross9174]

Even if she can teleport that doesnt mean she has witcher super reflexes. She is still like a regular human in that sense. Also Ciri could be interested in the procedure due to her wanting to become sterile to finally leave the whole being chased for her Elder Blood behind for good

[@kaushalsuvarna5156]

Characters like Bonhart show that Sapkowski didn't care much beyond the plot device, it's impossible a normal human could match Witcher reflexes in a sword fight, based on his description of Witcher abilities. Ciri herself was used over and over again just to push stories, a Mac Guffin on top of a continually nerfed Mary Sue

[@Tarmenell]

@@Frugustin What do you mean by "small Polish indie studio"? CD PROJEKT is an absolutely huge studio, a publisher and operates its own video game platform GOG. It's not 2007 anymore, when that would have been true. And as for "come up with completely different core mechanics" - First of all, that's their job as game developers, and secondly, compare the core mechanics from The Witcher 1. to The Witcher 2. They were a really small studio back then and they managed it, so there's absolutely no reason to say they couldn't or shouldn't manage it as a multinational corporation.

[@TheGeoCheese]

@@benross9174 to add to what you’re saying Ciri using her elder blood powers is a signal flare to everyone hunting for her powers. Why use something that’s going to draw unwanted attention? She’s better off being a fully fledged witcher with the ability to use what witchers use rather than rely on something that’s going to bring all kinds of bad apples her way.

[@flakpanzer074]

Still doesn't fit well with me. 'Female Witcher'. Especially when its well documented that women in that universe have an upper hand over men when it comes to Magic abilities. I would have played the game if she was NOT a Witcher but just someone on a adventure through different worlds, just like in the books!

[@-RedCloud]

This video must be sent to all corners of the continent

[@justwrath2049]

Thank you for taking a few days to refine this Witcher 4 trailer analysis video and the opinions and ideas to put in it. As a Witcher fan and a Neon Knight fan, this was all I could hope for.

[@cheften2mk]

I hope Gaunter O’Dimm makes an appearance!

[@MountAverage28]

isnt he like bannend from the human world for thousands years or something dont remember exactly

[@Mrm-7799]

​@@MountAverage28 I think he only got banned from seeing Geralt and Olgieird😂 also his final words were: "I can't be killed, I will be back." I really hope to see him in The Witcher 4

[@chandler1473]

He was an excellent character. I hope so too

[@Starlit_Juno]

kinda overdone imo

[@Rinchen8192]

Ciri undergoing the mutations to becoming a witcher is like Superman rolling a 12 on dice to become Luke Cage or else eats a kryptonite.

[@tomczakowski530]

im so glad we have a reliable witcher youtuber that actually knows his stuff

[@gabehere]

I've been WAITING for this. Love you, Neon!

[@Adam-xk1xn]

Nice video Neon! I think if this game trailer came out maybe 5 years ago reception would be different. It’s the combination of fans watching other game companies following similar routes of story telling or DEI taking priority over their established fantasy world that gets fans worried. Very skeptical of this game but willing to wait a few years to hear CDPR explain things. Final thought is to paraphrase Henry Cavil “Fans have a right to be passionate” all this back and forth on who is a true fan seems silly both sides of this argument love the witcher but both have different views on the lore.

[@badflash1337]

Thanks for the video! Top quality as usual.

[@zgmfx-09a]

Clearly the trials are optimized for boys and statistically it makes no sense to "conscript" girls, but under the supervision of mages and experienced witcher(cough yen and geralt) it's absolutely possible. Going to make a macro of this sentence for further online discussion.

[@Coconutgl]

I think some schools have girls?

[@Graymeyne]

Like the older trials ain't supervised by mages and experienced witchers.

[@kaushalsuvarna5156]

About her having a terminal illness - She could always go to the Isle of Avalon, even dead people come back from there, absolutely normal and healthy About changing her destiny - Will she already fulfilled it at the end of the Witcher 3 by defeating the Frost These are just excuses to continue the same character, and not even that, because they wanted a safe bet instead of moving to another time/character like they said they would when they announced earlier that it won't be called Witcher 4 But here we are

[@AKTechX17]

I think the comment that Geralt and or Yen would never allow Ciri to undergo the trial is more valid than you let on. While its true that Ciri making her own decision is one of the core themes of the game, the risks associated with the trial of the grasses and the unknown of how it would react to Ciri's body would probably mean that Geralt and Yen would vehemently oppose that and try to convince Ciri to not go through with it. And considering how Ciri would need help to conduct the trial of the grasses, its hard to believe Geralt or Yen would help unless they knew the risks were very minimal. Or she could get outside help instead of relying on her adoptive parents i guess. If your child wants to do something that has an extremely high chance of fatality, say, jump of a two story building, you would probably go out of your way to interfer, even if you would otherwise respect their decision. That being said, the real question is Ciri is already considered a witcher at heart and I do not remember Ciri ever desiring to undergo the trial of the grasses in the Witcher 3. She is already extremely capable and confident in her abilities so this new plot point of Ciri wanting to become a full blown witcher is a shock to me. Like you mentioned, everybody already treats her as a "real" witcher so she does not need to prove herself further by undergoing the trial of the grasses.

[@sillylittlesheepjax6009]

she doesnt want her elder blood, she doesnt want to be special. she wants to risk trail to weaken or destroy elder blood and to not have children so nobady can use them

[@roronoazoro8403]

I have been waiting for your video since the release of the trailer, and you didn't disappoint.

[@dantedetoussaint209]

I'm looking forward for Cirillas Trilogy

[@Wugglesworth]

I think that all of the online raging over the lore is a bit pointless. People aren’t debating about the physical laws of gravity or something but rather the world building details from a fictional story that were literally made up by other people. Putting that aside I think there are actually two key points that probably explain how we got here: Point 1. CDPR are spending tens of millions (hundreds?) on the development of this game which necessarily pressures them to go with the safest and least risky protagonist. In this case that means Ciri, a character who is already well established, generally well liked by the fans, and as this video pointed out already has some…plausible…justification for being a Witcher. It’s a business decision and on paper it’s the smart one, especially when so much is at stake. Point 2. Most of the negative fan response is a (justifiable) reaction to the suspicion that this is yet another example of gender politics getting shoehorned into a beloved IP and that is frustrating and leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Just my opinion ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@LarryJ602]

I'm not even done with this video and I already appreciate it. This is what I have been debating the whole time and getting, well nasty responses. To me it just seems like being a Witcher is a step backwards. It's like Batman raising Kara Zor-El (Supergirl) and she takes golden kryptonite (forever losing her powers) to be Batwoman. I always saw her as being more powerful and exceptional than a witcher. It just seems like they took Ciri, and instead of exploring her as she was and her power, they just made her a female Geralt. Her personality, characters, powers, ability, and everything that set her apart is just replaced with Geralt's personality, characters, powers, ability. She doesn't seems a special anymore, she's just another witcher. So I'm just disappointed by it.

[@Zyphent]

Ahh, a video based on evidence with specific sources. Cant wait for most of the comments to ignore it and go with whatever they've already decided should be the case.

[@sirricheth2111]

The reason this is so hotly debated is because her transformation is unprecedented. Precedence is important. In this modern media landscape departing from precedence is divisive and invites skepticism. Think of an IP you love that’s been adapted. Then think of where the adapter took advantage of obscurity or gaps in the lore. It usually never goes over well. There are red flags all over this and CDPR is going to have to handle this carefully. Because the immediate reaction a lot of people have is that they just gender swapped Geralt.

[@aku9399]

Witcher Ciri is great and all. But it’s unfathomable to believe that Geralt, Yen, Eskal or Lambert assisting or allowing her to go through the Trials. Nevermind the fact of how they could even commence the process logistically by the modern time in the first place. Guess they kept the table around after Uma…

[@theanonymspysandwich]

Stop thinking too hard and enjoy product.

[@JW_vintage83]

I’ve been waiting on this video. Thank you for your thoughts

[@HochfrequentT]

I was so excited for ur video!

[@saluluu9119]

The rule of cool says we needed her as a witcher and my beloved full drama tw3 bad ending save wont change anything about it

[@son1cc567]

I don't really like Ciri as a protagonist. She's a demi-god, and there's practically no one stronger than her. Yes, she'll probably be downgraded in power, but the knowledge and past expierence won't go anywhere. She's a fully developed character, and I don't see where she needs to be grown more (In the next trilogy at least). She's seen more in her 20s than Geralt has seen in his entire life. And the affairs of witchers and the problems of mortals should not surprise her at all. Geralt was already special even among the Witchers, and here Cirilla is also a sorceress + witcher powers and demi god expierence, this puts her at the very top of the food chain in Dark Fantasy world. Where's the appeal? You know who would be a great protagonist? Lambert. Cynical, angry at the world for his shittiest witcher fate, sharp-tongued and not as special as Geralt. So much room for growth and drama potential than Ciri.

[@sillylittlesheepjax6009]

lambert is fun , but he has 0 mainstream pull for next witcher game. he could be good in some side porject but not witcher 4 or full saga

[@son1cc567]

​@@sillylittlesheepjax6009 Like I said he has much more dramatic potential as a character and more room for growth than Ciri. Would be bold move. Ciri is just a commercial safe choice because everyone knows her.

[@coreycasciano3255]

@@son1cc567exactly, CDPR played it too safe having her

[@tushi_fu]

was waiting for this upload

[@NV..V]

Correct. CDPR has never lied to their fans before... Oh wait...nevermind.

[@ShotgunJezus]

Thanks for being a deep diving hardcore man. It became exhausting real fast listening to so many complain, even though the "canon" ending of Witcher 3 led up to this moment.

[@anon7596]

There have always been female -Custodes- Witchers

[@benross9174]

Just because there havent been any in the past ≠ there can’t be ones in the future

[@calvin659]

@@benross9174 Sure, anything can happen with the power of retconning.

[@benross9174]

@@calvin659 Introducing new things ≠ retconning things either. Like in Warcraft only women night elves can be clerics but eventually men were allowed to. Thats not a retcon its change in cultural norms over time. Its only a retcon if you change the continuity retroactively; as the term implies. If you don’t change the past but things changes over time thats definitionally not a RetCon. Terms have meanings you know

[@GenericProtagonist7]

​@@benross9174 You simply like the change and will defend it no matter what, lore and quality doesn't matter to you.

[@benross9174]

@@GenericProtagonist7 Somebody uses a term wrong - I correct them by explaining and using an example - you think that means I will defend changes no matter what??????? Genuinly if you would like to explain your though process I would like to go over it. No dude if they genuinly do a bunch of retcons obviously that dumb. But Im not the blind defender here dude.

[@futbOla]

I stumbled upon your channel this week and now it’s my fav Witcher-related channel

[@Lord_Michax]

For people who are saying that Ciri absolutely should not survive the trail of grasses and how it breaks the lore, I wonder what they think about Paul Atreidis not dying after drinking the Water of Life in Dune?

[@TheMightofDab]

And I wonder what they think about Sam being able to resist the one true ring. Not really relevant to this topic though is it? Essentially you're just telling people to shut up when they're asking a fairly valid question that may or may not get an answer

[@Lord_Michax]

@@TheMightofDab Please don’t put words in my mouth, I've never told anyone to "shut up". I just asked a simple question regarding 2 quite simmilar situation from different franchises, where the main characters both go through a process that is said to be lethal to their respective genders. One of them caused significantly bigger outrage than the other.

[@GenericProtagonist7]

I mean it really doesn't matter because you'll defend it no matter what, even if they put it in big bold print "THERE ARE NO FEMALE WITCHERS" you'd still say the change doesn't matter. It didn't stop you with Custodes so why would it stop you here?

[@RodgerSkelton]

Was Dune not written by the same author with no intervention from companies adapting it and changing the story? You’ve just said ‘if you don’t agree with this change that contradicts the books and their previous games by people who hand no hand in writing the books or the previous games, I wonder what you think about this other story written by this singular author that fits into the world he created?’

[@Frencho9]

Paul was always the chosen one and main protagonist of the first 3 or 4 dune books. It makes sense it was the authors express wish and 100% relevant for him to survive. Ciri was never meant to be a 100% full witcher mutant in the books, she is the chosen one due to her elder blood not witcher mutagens. Also I argued with a guy and he said there are women witchers in the lore I asked for a source from one of Sapowsky's novels and he just went silent all the "lore" about witcher women is fan fiction from games, tabletops a polish movie Hexer and comics created by fans not Sapowsky himself. Female witchers are not canon. Also the trials of the grasses must be done to BOYS, before puberty for them to survive. Adulte do not survive even males. Not how comes a 24 year old female Citi survives the trial of the grasses? CDPR is pulling it out from whete the sun don't shine, lazy and cheap!

[@mikevann979]

I was waiting for your take specifically on this release. Your channel has become my favorite for all things Witcher! Keep up the good work!

[@RickeGnool]

I have a very simple take on this: I love Ciri and think she deserves her own game. If that means she will become Witcher than so be it.

[@GMP1isReal]

I really appreciate this channel taking a neutral stance and being fair, pointing out flimsy defenses while mentioning valid concerns since trailers (unsurprisingly) are intentionally vague to get us wondering.

[@gynvaelbleidd]

Great analysis as always. You did a fantastic job breaking down the lore and laying out the groundwork for the conversation around Ciri becoming a Witcher. That said, I still have major reservations about this narrative direction and what it means for her character. Making Ciri a full-fledged Witcher feels less like a natural progression of her book arc and more like a reinterpretation tailored to fit a different medium or narrative agenda. While it’s true that the books don’t explicitly forbid female Witchers, it’s not just a question of "can it happen?" but rather "does it align with the spirit of the world Sapkowski created?" Witchers, as an institution, were deeply tied to a harsh, patriarchal structure that reflected the values of a brutal, medieval-like world. Ciri undergoing the Trial of the Grasses would be a major break from that established framework. For this to feel authentic, the narrative would need to fully address the core tensions of her character, her fierce independence, her rejection of systems that try to control her, and her layered identity as someone caught between destiny and her own self-determination. The idea that Ciri would willingly subject herself to a brutal institution like the Witcher trials runs counter to her established character. Throughout the books, she fought to escape systems of control, whether that was royal politics, her Elder Blood lineage, or even societal expectations tied to her gender. The trials represent everything Ciri resisted, an institution that strips away individuality and autonomy, turning children into tools for a specific purpose. Even if this decision were tied to her wanting to escape her bloodline or destiny, it feels reductive and disconnected from her arc of resilience and defiance. And then there’s Geralt and Yennefer. As you pointed out, Geralt learned to accept Ciri’s independence by the end of The Witcher 3, but that doesn’t mean he would approve of her risking her life in the Trial of the Grasses. Yennefer, especially, would be vehemently opposed, she already disapproved of Geralt training Ciri in Witcher combat and openly criticized the Witcher lifestyle in Blood of Elves. Both Geralt and Yennefer are defined by their protectiveness of Ciri, and the idea that they would stand by and allow her to go through something as deadly as the trials feels deeply out of character for them. I have to admit that my skepticism isn’t just tied to the narrative direction, it’s also about CDPR’s current state and their ability to handle this story with the nuance it demands. The studio has made some questionable decisions over the past few years, whether it’s their hiring practices, their response to feedback, or the way they’ve handled existing lore in their adaptations. The fact that Cian Maher, someone who has openly praised Blood Origin and even expressed disdain for the very audience they’re creating games for, is now in charge of franchise and lore design gives me serious pause. It’s hard not to be concerned about how they’ll tackle a character as complex and beloved as Ciri. I hope they prove me wrong, but right now, I don’t have a lot of faith in their creative direction. Your point about exploring Ciri’s darker side is compelling. The version of Ciri we see in The Tower of Swallows, full of anger, trauma, and moral ambiguity, is one of the most fascinating aspects of her character. If The Witcher 4 leans into that darkness and allows us to see her struggle with those parts of herself, it could add incredible depth to her story. However, this needs to be handled carefully. There’s a fine line between exploring her trauma in a meaningful way and reducing her to it, which would strip away what makes her such a layered and resilient character. CDPR has a lot to prove here. Turning Ciri into a Witcher could theoretically work, but it’s a drastic reinterpretation of her character rather than a natural evolution of her arc. For it to feel authentic, the story would need to address the deep tensions within her character and the larger world of The Witcher. Without that, it risks betraying the essence of Ciri and the world she inhabits.

[@shawnwolf5961]

You don't even know WHY she is doing it, and are already condemning it. Such a wild and dumb thing to do. I HIGHLY doubt there won't be a reason why she would do it--and Geralt/Yen would let her if SHE chose to. She is an adult who makes her own decisions, why do you people have such a hard time with that concept? ffs

[@gynvaelbleidd]

@@shawnwolf5961 How is it any different than blind praise.

[@shawnwolf5961]

@@gynvaelbleidd Are you actually high right now? Who the actual fuck said anything about blind praise? At this point ya'll just want something to cry about, tbh.

[@Pinkish174]

Thanks dude you’re the best! I know it took you so long to upload because you literally doing research.

[@MrTreesusChrist-s5d]

My personal disappointment in Ciri being the main character doesn't come from any of this weird debate about wokeness or lore or anything concerning that stuff. Personally, I was hoping for the next Witcher game to be set in a time period where we would make our own Witcher. While I enjoy geralt and all, I think CDPR's character design peaked with cyberpunk, having an MC with established pieces but allowing for a good range with how any individual can play "their" V and it still making sense. I just don't think you can get that same kind of range with a character like Ciri because we already know her well enough that there are alot of choices that would just never make sense, and therefore limit the roleplaying aspect of an RPG game. I'm still excited, and will more than likely play it, but I think there's some legitimate reasons to say "I wish it was different" that aren't just culture war screaming.

[@adamp6320]

I was thinking a game where if you play as a male character you are a Witcher and a female character you are a sorceresss, if you make your own character. Both would have cool unique abilities to allow for replayability in a single player game. But I doubt the modern audience would like this binary route.

[@kakaasg]

Playing with Ciri allows a more compelling, in-depth and emotional storytelling imo. Would be awesome to play with a original self-made character, but just feels right for Witcher 4 to develop Ciri's story with more layers, more conflicts and more nuances; and she had a really good character construction.

[@TESMediaGroup]

@@MrTreesusChrist-s5d I disagree. I’m so glad we don’t have a character creator, The Witcher is a story about Geralt & Ciri, not a story about The Continent.

[@MrTreesusChrist-s5d]

​@@kakaasgI think there's room to say a story about on Ciri is at the very least more focused, but I vehemently disagree that a story with established characters is inherently more compelling or emotional. Again, cyberpunk has plenty of amazing emotional moments, many of which I think far out shine anything in the Witcher games. Not to mention, that as far as compelling storytelling goes, I think playermade characters have far more room for it then pre-estableshed characters. Personally I'm going to feel far more impacted by making a hard moral choice in a character I myself am playing as then as a character someone else has made, because I'm going to actually think about what my character would do rather then picking the choice most obvious for that premade character. Concepts like moral ambiguity or if the ends justify the means become alot harder to make work when you are playing in the shoes of a character with a pretty well defined moral standpoint.

[@MrTreesusChrist-s5d]

​@@TESMediaGroupI mean, that's fine, we just have a difference in opinion. I think the endings in Witcher 3 were the perfect ending point for Ciri's and geralts stories in game. I think the world is plenty compelling enough to have a game that doesn't focus on them or any of the other major cast, and I think 4 would have been a perfect jumping off point. Maybe the story will be good enough to justify the continued focus on them, maybe it won't. Only time will tell.

[@stephenbane9395]

To start this off, I love ciri. Truly love the character. I wanted her to be the protag in the next installment. I DIDNT want her to be a trialed Witcher. This is entirely not needed. Half the appeal is she is determined to fight like a Witcher and admires Geralt but ISNT ACTUALLY a witcher. I commented below on issues I have in general ( good vid ) but some points you made make no sense. Why would characters in universe referring to her as a “Witcher girl” mostly in a derogatory or placating way have anything to do with her actually becoming a trialed Witcher? I think you describing the “enhancements” or the salad they fed her as Witcher enhancements to be disingenuous. I think a marginally better interpretation of that is something akin to strong caffine jot permanent Witcher enhancements. Whether you like it or not her being a girl is a an issue conflicting with cannon. You can pretend it’s not all you like but it is. Her age on her 20s ? You think they used children because it was fun? They used them becuse their bodies were easier to mutate. Her being I. Her 20s also not happening. Unless I’m forgetting something ciri also cannot draw on energy to cast magic any longer after being stranded in the desert and tapping into fire. She shouldn’t be able to cast signs. At all. Granted it’s been a while but I don’t remember this being changed ? Overall good video, but I think you approached this as a fanboy that wants more game and not someone who cares About established lore. Which is fine, just don’t pretend otherwise Is it a HARD no she can’t pass it ? No but it’s a probably shouldn’t.

[@overtime8392]

Didn't Sapkowski think that the idea of his characters being turned into a video was a giant joke? He allowed CDPR to create this world with his characters and didn't really give it much mind. I find it interesting that 'fans' who most of which probably never read any of the books, are getting outraged over a property that the author himself isn't worried about. People need to chill tf out and go touch grass. Whatever direction CDPR decides to go with this series is THEIR business. This is completely uncharted waters, so to get upset about 'what might be' when we don't even have ANY clue how CDPR is going tell Ciri's BRAND NEW, NEVER BEEN TOLD BEFORE story is beyond pathetic.

[@MyNindo2000]

💯

[@MonochromeMemories]

Because the author of the books doesn't like video games and couldn't care less somehow we are meant to just default to not caring? What a silly thing to say. People care about writing and consistency in storytelling, its why people appreciate large fantasy worlds of any kind. They are fictional but grounded in that they have their own lore. Get off your high horse.

[@huntersrow7925]

@@MonochromeMemories okay but thats not what he said at all? the point is the games are SEPARATE from the books they always have been meaning sure in the books ciri couldnt become a witcher but this is a different universe its own contained story meaning she very well could become one so maybe get off of your high horse because you can read a book...just like 99% of the population also how can you know whether this will be consistent or not when we've yet to see any of the story? for all you know it is consistent with witcher 3 which ALSO did not follow the books meaning it is the only thing 4 has to be consistent with

[@k-nun]

ngl most anticipated video this week

[@anearthian894]

With Avalach being the villain, triple twist, many worst villains rise with that conjunction going sideways or another conjunction, Ciri decides to end her bloodline at herself..and also a chance of loosing her powers so it can't be misused (but days and night shall pass while blood remains same, destiny can't be changed) Conjunction requiring new witchers & with new school lynx...they can make it safer....this is perhaps best foundation..we will see.

[@moanlyn8450]

I'm very interested in why Ciri would want to even under go the trials because she seemed so much more powerful with her elder blood abilities. I hope CDPR have a great reason why she would want to do this either way I'm very interested in the new direction for this series.

[@marika4809]

I've seen multiple comments across social media with people stating that they as men prefer to play as male characters and how Ciri being the protaganist is a dissapointment for them, and you know what, I get it. I've played as male characters countless times and loved it for what it is (Witcher 3 being one example), but when given the chance I prefer to play as a woman, and I'm beyond happy that I get to in Witcher 4.

[@carontorliak2760]

I wonder, should games be made to satisfy our own perception of self? I also choose a male character first if I had the choice at the start of a game, but I don't feel the need to consider if a game is good for me based on if the character is my gender. I care more about gameplay and story. Sure if its hyper focussed on experiences from a female perspective then I will be disuaded; however, I think that is the problem of game devs mistaking their audience.

[@Venkullix]

im of the former i play as men because i am one so i can more relate to them and i also like to make characters look like absolute brick walls(im a fan of tanking) and men body types just fit that better anyway but i will absolutely play a game with a female protagonist like horizon tomb raider control bayonetta etc its simply when i have the CHOICE i will choose a man but i love ciri AND she looks like a badass so im super excited to play as her

[@Backstorm13]

You never miss man. Thanks for the great video!

[@nicholaskennedy6256]

Boys are naturally stronger. You don't need a reason beyond that justify witchers being boys. Beyond that I understand why people like the witcher ending over the empress ending. It feels better. But the empress ending is certainly better for the world and Ciri. Even if she does want to be a kind witcher, it seems like there are better options without taking the trial grasses. Her natural magic seems like a better talent to pursue.

[@rpgadventurer32]

It's not just that. They are hormonally different and it's from the books that only boys can survive the process and just a few of them, it's heavily inferred as such, especially based on the Witches' own comments about Ciri when it comes to the mutations and the trial.

[@dr_diddy]

@@rpgadventurer32 Where in the books does it say only boys can survive the trials?

[@ChimpBrained]

@@dr_diddy They said it was heavily implied. Which it was. Go read the books if you dont believe them, expecting people to write excerpts from novels that are hundreds of pages long is moronic.

[@jordanbooth4470]

Empress ending is absolutely not the best ending for Ciri. Nilfgaard is basically ran by the merchants guild and trade corporations (these are the people that overthrow and depose of Emhyr in a certain ending), as empress she’d have to do things she really did not want to do in order to please these guilds, or they’d be rid of her too. Definitely not best for Ciri.

[@shawntepage5158]

Honestly I was under the impression that they have tried with other females and failed and chose to stop that's what I've been going by

[@theconfusedllama]

However anyone phrases it, this game is woke. From the studio hiring activists to making Ciri ugly and a "girlboss" that can somehow overpower monsters through physical strength, the writing's already on the wall.

[@Pinkish174]

Please cry, your reasons are not valid based on a short trailer. We are excited and you crying and can’t sleep because you think the game is woke

[@Vizyouall]

If you want to argue elder blood allows her to undergo the trials, I'll argue that the elder blood stopped her from becoming a dryad. If we have lore showing the elder blood from stopping a transition. Why assume now that it would help with one instead of stopping it. Secondly, if she doesn't want her future daughter or granddaughter not to have the elder blood, wouldn't it make more sense to just not have kids. Instead she goes through the trials which have a (high in lore perspective) chance to kill her. That is a silly choice. Just don't have kids. If I'm missing something on any of my points, please correct me and help me learn.

[@BillyThatGoat]

Ciri being a Witcher was already teased in the Blood and Wine DLC in the Witcher 3 with her stating that she had drank a black blood potion to be able to kill a vampire. She has to be a Witcher to be able to drink it with out dying so it was already game canon that she had gone though the trails of the grasses during the DLC.

[@Vizyouall]

That has nothing to do with my points at all. I was addressing what he said in the video. Besides she hadn't even transitioned at that point, so that's not really the best argument in general.

[@Etherman7]

Ciri acting as a Witcher? I’m alright with that. It fits both book and game Ciri and her devoted love of Geralt and the Wolf school boys. Ciri getting the Trial of the Grasses? Ehhhh… not the best idea imho, just because she’s already got a set identity and skill set. Still hopeful for this game, I’m not inherently against anything that’s been shown so far.

[@stair.w2216]

Excellent stuff as always, can always count on you for a thought out, level-headed opinion. Yours is probably the best witcher coverage around!

[@James_744]

Stop defending CDPR, they sold out to black rock and are more worried about their ESG score than honoring the source material

[@sillylittlesheepjax6009]

go to other games youtube channels then James, nobody wants u here xD

[@O.Hölder]

You didn't even read this source material. Stop larping.