#dandelion is a good character bc he provides such a necessary contrast to geralt... i hate reading 'destiny is mean' for 10000 pages

[gayregis]

eldritchnights replied to your photo “episode 4, aka the only episode where jaskier was written as mostly...”

He's the most in-character in the story in book canon he wasn't even part of. That's a frigging trip ngl.

GOD..... its all painfully real lol

even though he was most in character in this ep i really wish he wasn’t in it. he can invite geralt to any other ball and any other performance, but the bethrothal of princess pavetta was the set-up for the MAIN CHARACTER ciri. it doesn’t make any sense for jaskier/dandelion to be there because HE has no relation to ciri through destiny, unlike geralt. it was GERALT’S choice to attend that event as ravix of fourhorn, on his own, hired by calanthe... the fact that he was HIRED pre-event was also important to enacting the law of surprise, which, by the way, he PURPOSEFULLY called because he WANTED to be ciri’s father. it was a moment for backstory for ciri, and the focus needed so desperately to be RIGHT UPON calanthe/pavetta/pavetta’s pregnancy, the lineage of the elder blood, and also the kingdom of cintra. this was a moment for geralt to be set upon the path of destiny and it was a preemonition for the arrival geralt’s daughter. but instead calanthe is a crazed elf genocidal maniac instead of a levelheaded stern lioness, and jaskier is just there for , you guessed it, comic relief, because that’s all they see him as.

i like jaskier/dandelion but i would not add him to stories he is not supposed to be in, because it ruins the entire message of what is going on. when dandelion is in a story, it actually does mean something. it means geralt needs to look on the bright side of things, it means geralt is in desperate need of a counsel, someone to listen, someone to respond. in voice of reason and edge of the world, dandelion provides his presence for geralt to speak to, and really, for the reader to learn about geralt’s troubles. in eternal flame, dandelion provides a contrast to geralt in personality and antics, distinguishing the differences between them, but also allowing geralt to show his kinder side that loathes violence. in a little sacrifice, dandelion is the voice of contrary (as he also is in voice of reason/edge of the world, too) and challenges geralt’s thinking and perspectives. in something more, he is a representation of the northern nobility (although he is not cintrian, he is a northern noble and is horrified of the nilfgaardian invasion) and possibly the northern kingdoms in general, he’s the messenger and bearer of bad news, but again serves to console geralt and listen to his troubles. in blood of elves, his role as the bearer of news is amplified as we see him sing and spy. in time of contempt, his visit to brokilon is the catalyst for geralt beginning his search for ciri. and then in the rest of the saga, dandelion continues this ever-important role as geralt’s best friend by remaining faithfully loyal by his side, listening and supporting but also harshly critiquing his pessimistic thoughts and downright grumpiness. he also has the role of kind of introducing the hansa to geralt and establishing this connection between them all before he kind of hands it off to angouleme in tower of the swallow/lady of the lake where he leaves.

dandelion DOES sing, but he’s not there JUST to sing. he always has a clear purpose in the narrative... bounds of reason is the story i’d argue he’s the least unnecessary in, but then again he provides this news-bearing by saying a dragon alighted, and supports geralt by providing counsel (i mean, geralt even asks his opinion on the dragon even when dandelion was reluctant to give it. geralt wanted to hear what he had to say, what he was thinking). 

also because i think his life as a character is more strongly felt when he’s absent in geralt’s life in places - dandelion has his own damn life with things to do that don’t involve geralt, just like geralt has his own damn life with things to do that don’t involve dandelion. this is demonstrated by his independent fame (one of his most famous and "celebrated” ballads (announced in a little sacrifice) being not about geralt, but about queen marienn and the black raven) and career (he mentions his rival valdo marx in the last wish, he and essi are professional colleagues in a little sacrifice, and he befriends musicians on the road and they play together in time of contempt). of course this all comes to a head later on in tower of the swallow/lady of the lake, because there are quite a few things about dandeion that geralt still does not know, despite having known each other as close friends for more than is logical for dandelion’s canonical lifespan. 

they are apart many a time, but they always meet up again eventually... dandelion’s importance in geralt’s life is highlighted by his absence from geralt’s life: geralt acts differently when with others / when he’s not around. it wouldn’t make any sense to have dandelion in a shard of ice or the sword of destiny, because those were moments that geralt developed his relationship with yennefer and his parental relationship with ciri. he shouldn’t just be in random shit to be funny... because that’s not his job, and it’s never been. in actuality, dandelion is quite capable of being a source of worry and tension for the reader (the last wish when he is injured, when he approaches brokilon in time of contempt, as he and geralt flee from vissegerd’s corps in baptism of fire and he becomes injured) ... dandelion is like all the other characters in the witcher in that he is quite complex and sort of lives and breathes despite being a fictional character from a book, because he’s not just a one-trick pony, he has a range of emotions and purposes in the narrative

tldr: “don’t forget - i’m complicated by nature.”