Henry Cavill’s tenure as Geralt of Rivia concluded with the arrival of the final three episodes of The Witcher season 3 on Netflix. Moving forward, Liam Hemsworth will step into the role of the monster-hunting protagonist in the widely acclaimed fantasy series.
When the casting change was first announced last October, Cavill shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, reflecting on his time portraying Geralt.
“My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for season 4,” he wrote. “In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf.
Henry Cavill bids farewell to The Witcher saga (Photo: The Witcher/Studio Mir, Platige Image, and Hivemind)As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.”
Based on how season 3 wraps up, Hemsworth will seamlessly step into the role without any in-universe explanation for the change.
The transition mirrors previous Hollywood recastings, such as Bryce Dallas Howard taking over as Victoria in the Twilight films or Michiel Huisman replacing Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis in Game of Thrones. However, this time, it involves the central character of the show.
This approach ensures that Geralt’s connections with Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), Princess Cirilla “Ciri” of Cintra (Freya Allan), and other key figures of the Continent remain uninterrupted, allowing the story to progress naturally from its current state.
How Does the Witcher Season 3 Conclude?
As the season finale begins, Geralt remains in the care of the dryads, recovering from the severe injuries he sustained in his battle against Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) in episode 6.
Despite his weakened state, he insists on leaving as soon as possible after Jaskier (Joey Batey) informs him of an official announcement from Nilfgaardian emperor Emhyr “The White Flame” var Emreis (Bart Edwards), stating that Ciri is en route to Nilfgaard.
Following the destruction at Aretuza, Yennefer focuses her efforts on supporting her mentor Tissaia (MyAnna Buring), who is overwhelmed with guilt for failing to recognize Vilgefortz’s betrayal and prevent the Thanedd Coup.
Despite Yennefer’s attempts to console her, Tissaia at the end takes her own life. With Aretuza left in disarray, Yennefer assumes leadership of the remaining mages, urging them to unite in their mission to eliminate Vilgefortz.
Later, Yennefer visits Geralt, using her magic to aid in his recovery. Before parting ways, she makes him promise that they will meet again.
Determined to reach Nilfgaard, Geralt sets off and quickly comes to the realization that staying neutral is no longer an option if he wishes to confront the forces of darkness.
As a declaration of his resolve, he spares a Nilfgaardian soldier and sends him ahead with a warning for Emhyr: “No matter his armies, no matter his walls, I will free Ciri.”
This marks Cavill’s final scene as Geralt, setting the stage for Liam Hemsworth to assume the role when the character returns.
Ciri’s Transformation and Nilfgaard’s Deception
Meanwhile, Ciri finds herself transported through time and space to the Korath Desert after interacting with the powerful monolith in Tor Lara.
A group of bounty hunters captures her, eager to hand her over to Emhyr—who has been revealed to be her father, Duny—in exchange for a substantial reward.
Geralt pushes forward despite life-threatening injuries (Photo: The Witcher/Studio Mir, Platige Image, and Hivemind)However, fate intervenes when she encounters Kayleigh (Fabian McCallum), a young member of the outlaw gang known as the Rats, who has also been taken prisoner. His companions arrive to free him, ensuring Ciri’s escape as well.
During the altercation, Ciri is forced to take a life for the first time, a moment that profoundly affects her. As she assimilates into the Rats, she introduces herself not as Ciri, but as Falka—a name tied to the ancient princess and part-elf royal who appeared to her in the desert.
This spectral figure encouraged her to wield fire magic before she finally renounced her powers. Historically, Falka was notorious for leading a rebellion against her own family before being executed by fire.
Freya Allan discussed this pivotal transformation with Netflix, explaining that in that final moment of season 3, Ciri is mourning the innocence she has lost. “That last shot we see in season 3, she’s mourning and slightly shedding the Ciri we’ve known this entire time—that innocent dreamer Ciri,”
Allan explained. “She doesn’t feel like Ciri anymore. She feels, suddenly, like Falka, this character she’s been talking to who’s very brutal and bloody and has killed so many people.”
Back in Nilfgaard, the supposed “Ciri” arriving at Emhyr’s court is revealed to be an imposter. Villegefortz, now scarred from the explosion at Tor Lara, has delivered a lookalike rather than the real princess.
Though Emhyr seems to sense something is amiss, he chooses to present her as Ciri in a public display, raising their joined hands before the gathered Nilfgaardian nobility.
