Why Eskel And Ciri's Relationship In The Witcher Season 2 Is More Important Than You Think
The second season of Netflix's "The Witcher" is a dark romp through a foreboding world of monsters, politics, and the mysterious power of chaos that manifests as magic to be wielded by powerful sorcerers. Witchers like Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Eskel (Basil Eidenbenz) have been augmented through a brutal process that kills most that undergo it, but those that survive are gifted greatly enhanced strength, constitution, and agility, while also learning some minor magical cantrips that aid them in their chosen profession of monster-hunting.
Ciri (Freya Allan) is Geralt's ward by the "Law of Surprise," but originally she was a princess of Cintra. Unfortunately for Ciri, Cintra falls to an invasion by the ruthless Nilfgaardian Empire and she is forced to flee the country of her origin. Eventually, she crosses paths with her destiny in the form of Geralt, and the two set their sights towards Kaer Mohen, the ersatz home of all Witchers. This provided fans of "The Witcher" a unique opportunity to see the personalities of the other monster hunters, but the ultimate fate of Eskel was a huge departure from his role in the books by Andrzej Sapkowski, which has far more implications than one might think.
Eskel played a huge role in Ciri's training in The Witcher books
Warning: Major spoilers for Season 2 of "The Witcher" ahead.
In the books, Eskel is probably one of the friendliest Witchers, though that may simply be by comparison to his compatriots, while his appearance in Netflix's "The Witcher" is almost a complete contradiction from the source material. The show sees the character become brash, rude, and entirely base. Fans were upset with this characterization, and even more irate in the fact that Eskel was introduced and then later killed in the same episode.
This turn of events completely robbed the book enthusiasts of a character that would have later gone on to play a much more significant role in the story. Eskel was instrumental in training Ciri, and in the books, he has his very own ward by the Law of Surprise that is also a princess. Considering how close the story arcs are for both Geralt and Eskel, it was a devastating blow to those who were already familiar with Eskel and expected more from him. The other Witchers of Kaer Mohen have stepped up in the absence of Eskel for Ciri's training, and the showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich has stated that there were flashbacks between Geralt and Eskel that we may see in another season, but fans are left wondering which of the other Witchers will take the important role Eskel played in the books.