#witcher speculation

[tpchicken7]

There’s a line in episode 4x04, after the torture, and Jaskier is talking about what happened to him and Geralt is putting it all together and he says “That is what Dijkstra wanted; he used ME to break his new king of hope.”

And I thought a lot about that line, because it bothered me, the use of the singular. Dijkstra used both of them because the torture wouldn’t have mattered if Jaskier hadn’t been with Radovid when it happened. Yet, Geralt chose to keep the focus on himself. Why?

I think it was to spare Jaskier’s feelings. Jaskier calls the experience torture, even tho he isn’t physically injured and Geralt is. Jaskier is also very resolute that he made the right choice staying with Geralt. If Jaskier were to realize that he had been manipulated to make that choice, he might feel shame or doubt or regret. So sparing Jaskier of that realization helps Geralt back up his friend’s feelings. It’s a kindness.

I think Geralt cares about Jaskier. I think he knows Redania is dangerous for his friend. I also think he wouldn’t admit it to even himself, but he’s grateful that Jaskier is with him.

[timeofcontext]

So we got to see actual flashbacks to baby Geralt in 1x08 which I think could be really interesting at the beginning of season 2 where I assume we’ll start at Kaer Morhen already with Ciri. Maybe some training already started.

Since they already set a precedent for flashbacks I think it’s be a treat to cut back and forth between Geralt’s early training and Ciri’s. Make it about how Geralt doesn’t know how to be a parent bc he didn’t have one, so now he’s trying to pass on what he thinks were the best parts of growing up in Kaer Morhen while leaving out the worst parts.

[tpchicken7]

Horrible thought, but my speculation brain is on. Geralt just ran into some sort of trap, right? Something very powerful he’s adjusting to. Now he’s hearing sounds that Regis (and Milva) cannot, which some people (naysayers) have found to be incorrect because Regis has fantastic hearing. What if it’s an audio hallucination? What if Jaskier isn’t in trouble or screaming, but Geralt is hearing something because he affected. I hesitated to even mention this because I would hate being deceived by the sneak peeks with the promise of Bard whump and then denied. I figured better to say something and be wrong than to dismiss it and be disappointed and pissed later.

[tpchicken7]

Is anyone else wondering with the addition of Radovid asking (bribing?) Jaskier to stay with him and Jaskier refusing, if they’ll change the plot in season 5 so that Jaskier decides to leave Toussant with Geralt? It just feels weird after the mountain and denying Radovid he’s then be like, ya know what? I’m out.

The only way I’d accept the change of heart is if something incredibly traumatic happens, and the Bard is physically (or possibly physiologically) unable to continue on. 🤔

[tpchicken7]

I guess I’ve always assumed Jaskier was born into nobility, a younger child of a minor noble in the middle of nowhere, BUT after Sirens of the Deep, I think it would’ve been really funny if he had been bestowed the title at some point during his travels for some sort of accidental heroism.

Imagine Geralt doing the work but when the Noble turns around he sees Jaskier standing there and assumes the bard is his savior. Imagine Geralt going along with it because he hates the praise but knows Jaksier would totally lean into it.

Heck, I half was waiting for King Usveldt to bestow the title on him during the end of Sirens of the Deep. Jaskier would be so proud, of course he would share it with all the new people they meet, like Yarpen. Or maybe it would be funnier if the title was bestowed by dwarven royalty and that’s why he only mentions it to Yarpen…

As an aside: I still do believe Jaskier’s family grew up with money somehow. Who else would gift their child a string instrument and not teach him the proper care? Watching him carry his lutes near all that water? Anxiety inducing.

[tpchicken7]

Looking forward to season 5 and knowing that the Hansa is headed towards Toussaint and the Countess De Stiel, and knowing that Jaskier’s fear is Geralt leaving him again, if I were writing this (and I’m obviously not) this is where is take Jaskier’s storyline. In doing so combine elements from the book with the plots the show has created and allowing Jaskier not to disappear from the show entirely for awhile.

When they arrive, the Countess would insist they bathe. She would take Jaskier to a separate area of the castle and when he reappears, he’s got a haircut (because why can’t we get rid of the wigs and go back to the season 1 cut while still aging him a bit?) and new clothes that are not for traveling. (Everyone else would continue in their traveling garb but clean.) He would apologize for being absent, promise he’s still with them and invite them to be guests for dinner.

They have a fairly sumptuous dinner, drink, etc. the Countess is a decent host but she seems cold to the group and only has eyes for Jaskier. After dinner they agree to leave in the morning and the Countess separates Jaskier again from the group. Later that night Jaskier find them and says he’s not leaving with them. They argue because something feels off but the drink has them all confused.

In the morning, the Hansa departs, sans Jaskier, and the mood is dour and hungover. That’s when the audience finds out it wasn’t Jaskier that came down the night before, it was a mage or some sort of allusion. They had been drugged at dinner so they wouldn’t sense that it was a fake Jaskier and accept it. The real Jaskier is tied up in the Countess’s chambers (bonus points if they use his own scarf as a gag.) Jaskier manages to escape and tries to run after Geralt. He yells and screams but is eventually captured again.

Here’s where I think you could go 3 ways with this, depending on how long you want to stretch it out:

Geralt hears Jaskier’s screams of “Don’t leave me! And realizes they’ve been duped. They go back and save him and then they all continue on.

2. The Hansa ends up leaving him. The Countess has made a deal with Redania for protection if she promises to deliver Jaskier back to King Radovid. They find him later when Radovid decides to have him hanged for insubordination.

3. The Hansa ends up leaving him. Nilfgard attacks and kills everyone but Jaskier. They take him to Emrys as a bargaining chip for later.

Obviously, season 5 is already filmed, and I’m sure they will go none of these directions. I still think it would be a lot of fun if they did.

[tpchicken7]

I know this is old, but it all just clicked. Because they meet Regis right after this, and Jaskier is talking about violent undead in the cemetery and yet, he isn’t in this scene but Milva and Zoltan are. This wraith, this dead lady in the floaty dress? She totally took Jaskier and they’re trying to get him back. I’m so here for it.

[tpchicken7]

New video from Redanian Intelligence on X! Oddly, I don’t recognize this scene from the book, but it has been awhile. Yet the most interesting part is when, from off screen, Jaskier’s yells, “Geralt!” And that is in his ‘I’m scared please save me!’ tone, not the cheeky ‘I’m teasing you’ tone. When I put my headphones on, I can hear Jaskier say “Don’t leave me!”

So, I’m inferring bard whump here. This after the graveyard bard whump but maybe before the ‘captured by Temarians/Cintrans’ bard whump. So what I’m thinking is, we might see a lot of bard whump this season. Which, and I think a lot of us agree here, we’re are absolutely here for.