The Witcher Is Switching Main Characters

Published Sep 10, 2026, 9:01 AM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. Netflix's The Witcher is currently preparing for its fifth and final season, in which the show will switch main characters. One of Netflix’s most popular TV shows in recent years is The Witcher, based on the books and universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski. Despite its many flaws, The Witcher has maintained its popularity throughout four seasons, and it's still considered among the best fantasy TV shows of the decade and the best Netflix original shows. The Witcher introduced the audience to the title monster hunter Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill and Liam Hemsworth), sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan), the young princess of Cintra. Throughout four seasons so far, viewers have followed their individual journeys as well as their brief time as a family as they continue to be separated by different threats. Despite Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri being the main characters, Geralt has been at the front and center of the Netflix show from the beginning. Being the title witcher, it obviously makes sense that Geralt has been the main image of the show, but when it comes to the story, it isn't all about him. The Witcher season 4 proved that the show isn’t about Geralt, and to further confirm it, the final season of the show will switch main characters, finally giving Ciri her place at the front and center of the show. Ciri Is The Witcher's Most Important Character Each of the main characters of Netflix’s The Witcher has their own problems and struggles, but they're all connected through Ciri. The Cintran princess is Geralt's Child of Surprise, and Yennefer becomes not only Ciri's mentor but also her mother figure, with Geralt and Yennefer taking on the mission of protecting Ciri against the various threats wanting to get her, among them her father, The White Flame, and the powerful sorcerer Vilgefortz, all of them wanting Ciri for different purposes. Season 1 of The Witcher followed Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri separately and at different points in time, with their paths eventually converging. Since then, the Netflix show has been gradually building Ciri's story with the help of those of Geralt and Yennefer, with season 4 being crucial in this process. With Ciri far away from Geralt and Yennefer, The Witcher explored one of the most difficult chapters in her life: her time with the Rats, which is only the beginning of the darkest part of her story. The final season of The Witcher has two books to cover, in which Ciri will face the biggest and most dangerous challenges of her life, including (but not limited to) the horrifying plans that the White Flame has for her. Thanks to all this, The Witcher season 5 will fully change its main character from Geralt to Ciri, though that doesn’t mean that Geralt and Yennefer’s stories will be left aside, as there’s still more to explore in both. The Witcher Franchise Proves It Has Always Been Ciri's Story CD Projekt Red It took Netflix’s The Witcher a couple of seasons to make Ciri the one true protagonist of the story, but the rest of the franchise has always been clear about her place. Sapkowski’s book series – formed by five main novels, two prequels, and two short story collections – has Ciri as the central figure in the story, with Geralt being more of a co-protagonist rather than the star. The video games, however, have done things a bit differently. The Witcher video games have had Geralt as the main character, which makes sense as they are action-focused and thus require a playable character that fits the tone. However, this is about to change, as The Witcher IV will have Ciri as the main character, following her on her journey as a monster hunter. The Witcher IV is projected for a 2028 release, meaning that season 5 of the Netflix show will arrive first. It’s to be seen if The Witcher season 5 will give proper and satisfying endings to Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri, and if it will leave the door open for spinoffs or other types of continuations – but, most importantly, season 5 needs to do Ciri’s story right, as she’s about to go through heavy stuff. Release Date December 20, 2019 Network Netflix Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Cast Anya Chalotra Yennefer of Vengerberg The Witcher follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter navigating a turbulent world where humanity’s darker nature often eclipses the monstrous.