#witcher speculation

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.

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…

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.

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!”