#twn s3 spoilers

[echo-bleu]

Uncle Jask and his pocket-sized princess.

I couldn't resist a quick and cheesy Jaskier and Ciri piece, their relationship absolutely gave me life.

[ID: two digital drawings on a reddish brown background, plus three handwritten quotes reading: "Well, if it isn't my pocket-sized princess", "You're the bravest bait that ever lived" and "My two orens? You're pretty alright, right now." The first drawing is of Jaskier holding Ciri around the shoulders, both of them looking at each other and grinning. The second is of Jaskier sitting on Ciri's bed where she is alseep, his eyes closed, singing and shuffling cards.]

[greisekinderschar]

Alright, guys, it’s been more than six months but it is time for a Radskier meta essay on why their storyline isn’t as badly written as many people say. (Includes spoilers)

Is it rushed? Yes. It’s a side-story of a side character and actually Jaskier’s first side-story on the show. Is it cliché? Yes. When I first watched the season I was terrified about where their story would be going, knowing what happened in the book and knowing how mainstream media treats queer storylines. (I did not know about Joey’s deep involvement in the writing until later.) But once I knew how it all ended, I was entirely sold. Of course, that’s a question of taste, Radovid just turned out to incorporate so many tropes I am obsessed with, but I am trying to say that compared to the overall writing of the show, their story is not particularly badly written, which blew me away considering it’s a queer storyline in a mainstream medieval fantasy show.

Yes, they gave Jaskier a queer story for the sake of having a queer story. That was another reason I was very anxious about it. But what they (read: Joey, and let’s be honest, Hugh too) made of it is so exciting to me.

Here’s the thing about them ageing up Radovid and making him Vizimir’s brother. I have seen people complaining that they could’ve introduced an OC instead of changing source material like that. But to me, the fact they chose Radovid makes it so much more than a queer storyline for the sake of having a queer storyline. He’s the prince and later the king of Redania. He is entangled in the greater scheme of things. He is /on/ the same chessboard as the main characters. Turning him into Vizimir’s brother rather than son is way less forced than introducing an OC to be Jaskier’s love interest. Because he is more than Jaskier’s love interest. He is the King of Redania, played by Dijkstra and Philippa. Also, he cannot be killed off.

As I already said because it’s obvious, their story is rushed. That’s just the fate of side stories in TV shows (that are not masterfully written, lbr). But to me at least it is amazing how much they managed to convey in these few scenes.

You have Jaskier’s role as a spy for the Redanian Intelligence. That begins his own side story where he has a role of his own, that has nothing to do with Geralt. He meets this guy who actually appreciates his music and openly flirts with him, showing that he is desirable, something new to the character of the comic relief (although he is the romancer but you know, we never saw it on screen, also this time he is being romanced). He is suspicious, because he knows the Intelligence is not to be trusted, and the Prince of Redania is kind of the enemy. But he is also Jaskier, and his interest is caught. Besides this interest, Radovid’s suggestion to bring Ciri to supposed safety is right up Jaskier’s alley, because he is one to rather avoid battles if possible. He ponders on whether it is a possibility.

Later, he uses this vague connection to Radovid to have some agency of his own. He negotiates with him about Rience without discussing it with Geralt. He’s following his own plan, checking out the possibilities. He’s like alright, this guy at least pretends to be into me, let’s see if I can put that to good use to help Geralt. He sweeps Radovid off his feet with his ballad, and then Radovid says things that blow Jaskier away. He speaks of his talents, of determination to get to know more about him, of how Geralt should be grateful for his loyalty and friendship. Jaskier, the comic relief, has never heard this before. He’s Weak and he’s Wanting™️. But he still knows that he is Jaskier, easily fooled by romance, and that there are great things at stake. At the same time, Geralt is also treating him with more respect to make the decisions harder on him. But Radovid stays on his mind, he doesn’t know what to make of it and discusses it with Vespula, and she knows. She sees what’s going on.

Then, Radovid shows up while he is looking after Ciri. He is still suspicious. But Radovid is different from the last time he saw him. He is scared and he is vulnerable, and Jaskier can see that the mask is gone, and that what lies beneath it is not a villain. He is still cautious, until Radovid sings him his own song and he cannot take it any longer. He is giving in, and he struggles still as he does, but he is Jaskier. He’s Weak and he’s Wanting™️.

The next morning, he is not surprised. Of course, stupid Jaskier got himself fooled by some pretty eyes once again. Of course such blatant desire and affection for him could have only been a lie. He never knew romance like this and he does not hesitate to believe it was simply not real.

But then, he finds Radovid surrounded by his dead guards, alone. The people he was supposedly scheming with left him behind, so he was not all that involved, maybe he really was their puppet. He’s scared and he’s full of regret, he’s a helpless prince in the middle of the outbreak of a war, but he’s telling Jaskier to not waste more time on him because he knows he fucked up beyond redemption. But he’s Jaskier. He has endless capacity for forgiveness. And now that their plans had failed and Radovid has no more reason to lure him in, he’s still begging for a second chance. He still wants to be with him. He wants to prove himself to him, even if that means leaving the court behind. Jaskier has other priorities right now and he’s still hurt, but if there is a chance that this affection he never knew before was real, he is taking it.

And Radovid? He’s the spoiled prince brat, underestimated by everyone (just like Jaskier), and he’s riding that wave, because he does not really care about state affairs. He likes Jaskier’s music, and when he sees him he thinks he’s hella fine. He has his fun and at the same time tries to show Philippa he’s capable of more than she thinks, but he was not expecting that Jaskier would blow him away like that. That he would challenge him (the Prince), that he would be honest with him, that he would see through his act and by doing that NOT underestimate him. Radovid is Vibing and he decides to enter Dijkstra’s and Philippa’s game until he realizes he Fucked Up with his arrogance and being a prince is actually worth shit. He knew everything going on in the castle is pretense, but he was not prepared for this level of violence. He is terrified when he meets Jaskier, and Jaskier is good to him. And, again, honest. Unlike anything he had known up to now, the courtly schemes that had only recently culminated to him being scared for his life. He is still a spoiled brat prince and wants to be with Jaskier very badly, so he Fucks Up again. It is that last mistake that makes him understand his faults. But when he sees that Jaskier still does not hate him, he is determined to fix it, and he will do anything. Fuck being a prince, I will leave everything I know behind to show this man that my feelings were true.

Jaskier changes this man’s entire life and Radovid is willing to do everything for him. Yes, the idea to just go off and find him WHEREVER was kind of idiotic, but that’s the beauty of these two. They are both smart and idiotic at the same time, and they let their actions be led mainly by emotions, which sometimes adds up to the idiocy of it all. But Jaskier has more experience, and Radovid learns from him how to be less selfish, he grows as a person through knowing him.

So yes, the love-betrayal-redemption story is hollywood cliché, but it fits the characters and leads to interesting character growth. And honestly, as a queer woman I enjoy seeing some queers having a cliché storyline in a mainstream media piece. Geralt and Yennefer had a similar story. It raises the queer love story to the level of the hetero story. They struggle and they suffer just as much as anyone else, and they have something that connects them, a story that has potential to be continued in an interesting way. They don’t just exist as the obligatory queers, and their storyline isn’t inherently queer either, to a point where it feels like they’re only queer so Jaskier’s love interest can be the gods forsaken King. (At the same time, the story has queer coded themes, like having to pretend to be someone else, but the way it is portrayed, it can be relatable to non-queers as well.) The cliché of it all does not feel more cliché than other storylines on the show (to me). Its not queered cliché, it’s just a story, and I love that.

Also, Joey and Hugh have actual chemistry. And - and no one really argues with that - immense talent that filled these few scenes with so many layers in the first place. We owe it to Hugh that Radovid is not just a romantic interest, but a layered, flawed character (although Hugh attributes it to the writing but he’s too modest).

The last thing I want to say is that I feel we are generally overly critical of queer storylines, which is not a bad thing per se, because we know how many harmful storylines there are, but I struggle to see how this one is harmful in any way. You have to relate them to the straight romances. The straights will just randomly smile at each other and then they will date, but no one complains about it being rushed.

I am obviously not saying everyone has to ship them, I genuinely do not care. I just think it’s unfair to drag their storyline when it is nothing but normal that they didn’t have enough time for an elaborate story, but they (meaning Joey and Hugh) put a lot of work into making it a good one regardless, an effort no one would have put into a straight love story, because they would not have had to.

[ahh-fxck]

Watching season 3 again and in episode 1, Yarpen is going off about the Belleteyn festival and Geralt hisses at him to shut him up. I cannot emphasize enough, there is an actual subtitle.

He is so fucking weird and I love him for that.

[limerental]

can't believe vilgefortz genuinely blew geralts back out with his huge impressive staff

[witcherthingies]

there is absolutely no heterosexual explanation for the entirety of Jaskiers stay in brokilon

[stillmadaboutpetra]

yen running and hugging triss. istredd running and hugging triss. when will i get to run and hug triss

[all-or-nothing-baby]

with you, i am enough.

[no-te-lo-voy-a-dar]

hello witcher nation, i never really say much here but today im thinking very hard about the fact that yes, while we see Jaskier rub the fingers Rience scorched as a very clear sign of the trauma steemed from him, let’s not forget that was just the catalysis. he basically spend a whole night being tortured by this mage, and the fire on his fingers was probably when he thought “this is it”

also, i am a very big fan of how rubbing his fingers together has become a nervous/anxious tic(¿is that the right word?). you can see Jaskier do it several times through the first part of the series (i have to admit, i still need to see if he doesn’t do that before Rience)

i just. we like seeing actions and experiences have consequences in a character’s development

[sargassostories]

four episodes in and

AHHHHHHHHH MOMMY DAUGHTER DRAMAAA

i’ve literally been sitting waiting for this since Four Marks like!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[monsterboyfriend]

Okay, still watching, but... some notes:

1. I'm loving this season so far. So much better than last season!

2. Ciri just gets better in every season. The first season she was meh. The second season was better. But this season, she's really entertaining and I'm actually looking forward to her scenes.

3. I feel so bad for Fringilla and Cahir!

4. Radovid is surprisingly likeable and interesting. Not exactly fascinating but then again he needs time to grow on me.

5. Geralt is, as usual, just okay.

6. Every time Jaskier's on screen I can't help but smile (even though every joke he's ever made in this series has been lame, but then again, that's part of his charm)

7. Just saw Valdo for the first time and immediately I love him

8. Yennefer is as lovely as always but her storyline is kinda boring compared to last season (one of the few things I really liked from S2). Now that she's at Aretuza though I have hope that it'll pick up, especially with the drama between her and Ciri

9. Philippa and Dijkstra.... I don't know how to feel about them yet.

[this-is-not-a-slow-burn]

So I finished the Witcher S3 last night and it was lightyears better than the first half of the season. However it still had some huge issues. There were many scenes that were aborted and rendered basically throwaway nonsense because of how terribly written the dialouge was, or how dismissive and weirdly paced they were. They felt like placeholders. They were obviously tossed in because there was information in them that was important to future scenes, but did they hire 5th graders to write them?

Though I will say it was quite effective for showing just how absolutely insignificant Rience had become, and how absolutely not worth a big scene he was. He was a horrible person who didn't deserve to be given attention, so Geralt acted accordingly. It was perfect. (I haven't gotten to that part of the books yet so I'm not sure if that's how it goes or if the show took liberties there)

But that technique in other scenes was jarring. As if the writers forgot they had written [JASK AND YEN SCENE GOES HERE] and just left it, without actually writing the scene. That or someone found continuity errors while filming and so they wrote the dialogue on the fly and filmed it.

But nothing will ever be as bad as the scene in the first half of the season with Ciri riding from The Wild Hunt on a very obviously fake horse head on a green screen. My god I literally burst out laughing at that scene. The absolute opposite of what should have happened in a scene about horse mounted murder elves bearing down on the princess they need for taking over the world.

[blatterpussbunnyfromhell]

I have SO many questions but it’s 10pm and I don’t watch the show alone so I have to wait 23 hours to get my anwsers aaaaaaaah

[echo-bleu]

For the WIP asks, the untitled season 3 thing? 👀

Thank you! I'm currently working on it xD

It's just a one-shot based on a thought I had about 3x01 that I'll put under a cut for spoilers.

All of them being attacked by the Scoia'tael made me feel some way, after we saw Jaskier being rescued by them in Blood Origin. Jaskier knows at least some of them, right? They attacked a Temerian army camp for him.

That plus Ciri seeing Dara...

So, a reflection on oppression, betrayal, and the horror of war. And good uncle Jaskier.

It also devolved into a "does Geralt know Jaskier is the Sandpiper" thing, since he doesn't really acknowledge it either way.

Here's a snippet:

“You’re the Sandpiper?” Ciri pipes up. “We heard about that! That’s so cool! So you help all the elves get out of the places where they’re being persecuted?” “I try,” Jaskier smiles shakily at her. She smiles back and hugs him tight. Geralt is still silent. Jaskier doesn’t like that at all. “The Sandpiper,” he says eventually, slowly, staring at Jaskier. “Yes?” “You’ve chosen a side, then."

Ask me about my WIPs!

[limerental]

so in the ferry scene, valdo marx claims that sabrina is interested in him sexually as well as musically and jaskier immediately leaps to talking about yennefer. here's how yennskier can still--

[viking-raider]

We ignoring Witcher, mutated to be nimble and shit, struggle bussing to fasten Yenn's necklace? XD

YENNEFER OF VENGERBERG The Witcher 3.05 “The Art of the Illusion”

[all-or-nothing-baby]

putting his whole bardussy into those puppy dog eyes [x]