Control the story, control the world, a character quips in the second episode of the new Netflix limited series, The Witcher: Blood Origin. Stories have the power to inspire greatness, and a great story can transcend the bindings of time and space to impact humans—in this case, elves and dwarves, too—in a way few other mediums can. The prequel to The Witcher series, which takes place thousands of years before the appearance of Geralt of Rivia—the legendary torchbearer played by Henry Cavill—bases its entire premise on how stories carve the paths laid out for its various protagonists. But sadly, it fails to provide a coherent and engaging plot for fans and newcomers to truly immerse into.
A cliché-ridden plot
The story follows the adventures of Fjall (Laurence O’Fuarain) and Elle (Sophia Brown) as they assemble a rag-tag group of misfits (a fellowship, if you may) to take on the empress Merwyn, who is going through her ‘coming of stage’ phase. Add to it a dash of magic and a typical ‘race against time to save the world from destruction’ trope, and you have a story that offers little in terms of originality.
The Witcher: Blood Origin has a faint connection to the main series, which ends up being a bane. With not much existing literature to help navigate this fantastical world, the plot resorts to obvious character acts and clichés to keep the story from stagnating. Midway into the show, one feels like it is less of an addition to the lore and more of a Christmas special that showrunners felt compelled to produce. It goes without saying that this does not help the main narrative at all and fails to leave a mark, even in isolation.
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Solid cast saves the day
When it comes to performances, Michelle Yeoh as Elven warrior Scian is at her usual best with trademark stoicism and three to four intense action sequences that will make The Witcher fans extremely happy. It has been a solid year for Yeoh, who is in the running for an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Her brilliant performance adds life to an otherwise mediocre script.
Another solid performer was Francesca Mills, who portrayed the slightly demented and extremely funny Meldof. The British actor was absolutely on point—from delivering witty one-liners to killer blows. She also provides the show’s most emotional moments with her story about the hammer she named Gwen and the reasons behind her anger against the Elven royal soldiers.
While the script lacks originality, it does include pertinent discussions about fascism and revolution. Through the character arc of Merwyn, the story explores how true change cannot be brought by leaders seeking absolute power over the general public. For instance, both Merwyn and the chief mage Balor (Lenny Henry) try to bring reform through the consolidation of power, but the attempts turn out to be quite futile without the subjects’ support.
Unfortunately, while themes have been set, they have not been explored entirely. Despite being choreographed to perfection, the action sequences end up being shiny distractions in a story that could have been way deeper. However, series cinematographers Jean-Philippe Gosart and Terry Stacey deserve credit for beautifully capturing the vast icy plains of Iceland and the green mountains of rural England—something that helps The Witcher franchise in properly establishing its fantasy lands.
The Witcher series has been in the news recently—with the departure of Henry Cavill and Liam Hemsworth taking up Geralt’s role in the show’s third season. Many looked at the prequel to bring the conversation back to the magical world of the franchise, but sadly, it ends up being a footnote that never quite finds its footing in this world of humans and monsters.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)