#and he was dumb. it was silly how not a fight it was with borch v him

[abluescarfonwaston]

Okay Actually not done yet. "You cause him Nothing but trouble" Yennefer says to Jaskier in episode 5. And they hint then that that is Accurate. That Jaskier encourages Geralt away from following the Code (an actual thing in this verse) to doing things that are Right. (Geralt Please. Advise us. Tell me, tell Them how to stop this pogrom. How to stop these people from suffering)

And then we go to Novigrad. And it is Hard to watch. Because we see Exactly how right Yennefer is. This Jaskier? The writers didn't shy away from his less appealing aspects. Don't get me wrong- Super grateful they didn't show Netflix Jaskier being a creep but.

We see this Jaskier. He's a cheater. He doesn't pay his tab and he's a moch that never has any money it seems. He warns Geralt about the church that controls the city and burns people at the stake for hersey and we find out later that Ops Sorry. I Fucking knew but I did it anyway. (Which to be fair is maybe not a Bad thing but proves the point about him causing trouble.)

And then there's Dudu. What do you even DO with Dudu. I mean. Jaskier gets all like. Hey Geralt help me scare this halfling 'friend' into giving us some of his dinner Oh Wait he's a Doppler FUCK.

And Dudu admits (proudly boasts?) He's slept with Jaskiers girlfriend as Jaskier (who just threw Jaskier out for cheating) AND ALSO SLEPT WITH JASKIER AS HER. And the church is going to burn Dudu at the stake (also Jaskier) so Geralts like. We should go.

And then Jaskier Carries Dudu out of the city. In his arms. Despite what he's learned. Despite the fact he was FUMING mad earlier. And Geralt is very valiant and they manage to get out unharmed.

And then they're camping and, sure, Jaskier makes a thoughtless comment on wishing he could be whoever he wanted to be but then he pulls Dudu into his arms. 'Hey. Let me keep you warm.'

And I don't know! It adds so much to me that they can manage to make Jaskier this like. Not great person and still you come out the other end going 'No I understand why Geralt loves him anyway.'

Like in the books Nenneke sets up how terrible he is and how she hates him and how she doesn't understand how someone as good as Geralt could be friends with him. And then at the end when they're leaving she says 'i hate you.' 'no you don't.' 'no. Damnit I don't.' Because under all the Terrible horrible Flaws that should Disqualify him from any place in there hearts is someone so Fundamentally good that you can't help but love him anyway.

Because when the elves are suffering in the hexer he's the one who stands up and says 'This is not okay. You cannot be okay with this.' and he's the one who carries a man who has Hurt him from the city that would be his death in his arms and he's the only one who cried out of a rope when Yennefer and Geralt fell of the mountain while Everyone else stood by and said Let them fall.

Because he's the one in the series, he's the one in this Miserable fucking world who says No. This is not Okay. You cannot be okay with this. Do not be okay with this. DO SOMETHING.

He is so much trouble. He's a cheater, a cynic and a whoremonger. And you love him anyway. Because his character says we are flawed. Humanity is Flawed. But that doesn't mean there isn't good in us. Do not be okay with this. Do something.

And he does. He does do something. In a series that is Dark and gruesome and Miserable. He does something. As Dudu calls him. He is the little spark. The little spark of hope. If only he could catch tinder. Then maybe. Maybe. Something could change.