Although his time as Geralt of Rivia is coming to an end, Cavill leaves behind many memorable moments throughout his journey as the White Wolf.
Set in a diverse world known as the Continent, The Witcher is full of bloodthirsty monsters, reality-warping mages, and power-hungry humans. When Netflix announced that a live-action adaptation was coming to the platform, the conversation on who might be cast as the protagonist of the series, the famed Witcher Geralt of Rivia, started instantaneously.
When the news broke back in 2018 that Henry Cavill would be taking on the role, both fans of the series and Cavill himself were itching to see what was in store. With Cavill being a huge fan of the source material, the casting choice felt spot-on for almost everyone. Now that he’s portrayed Geralt for three seasons, he’s delivered a fresh, exciting portrayal of the character full of standout moments.
10. His Explosive Introduction
The first scene of the first episode instantly set the stage for Cavill’s gritty, heavy-hitting performance. The stillness is shattered by Geralt blasting out of the water in the grips of the Kikimora, a giant long-legged beast. After slicing his way out of the air with his silver sword, he stands toe to toe with the monster. After coming close to defeat, he keeps his focus with the help of his potion to come out on top in the duel.
Starting the show with Cavill deep into a fight with such a large monster was the perfect way to show why he was chosen role. Instead of spending time building up to seeing him in action, we’re shown that Cavill can embody the look, style, and voice of the iconic Witcher in just over two minutes. He also provides a unique feel to the character that hasn’t been seen before. Moving forward, there was no doubt in the audience’s mind that he could pull off the role.
9. Defending Urcheon at the Banquet
After Queen Calanthe of Cintra hosts a Royal banquet to find a suitor for her daughter Pavetta, Lord Urcheon (under a curse) storms into the hall, claiming Pavetta by the Law of Surprise. Due to his porcupine-like appearance due to the curse, Calanthe orders Geralt to kill him. However, he quickly shuts down her request, being able to tell he’s under a curse. This leads to the guards in the hall all attempting to kill Urcheon who managed to disarm him.
Urcheon is about to be impaled by a swing of an axe until Geralt chops it in half. Geralt joins the fight defending Urcheon which turns into a massive brawl with almost everyone involved. Not only is this a display of Geralt’s strong morals, but it’s also another display of Cavill’s dedication to the combat elements of the role, seamlessly yet precisely wielding his sword against countless enemies.
8. Geralt vs. the Michelet Brothers
After taking Ciri to the Temple of Melitele, where Witchers learn to use their signs, fire mage Rience along with the Michelet Brothers come searching for Ciri. After briefly reuniting with Yennefer, played by Anya Chalotra, she takes Ciri with her away from the incoming fight, where Geralt takes them all on without hesitation. Without his weapons, Geralt swiftly deals with the brothers one by one.
What makes this scene so special is that Cavill’s physical dedication to the role is on full display as he gets much more hands-on with his enemies compared, something that we haven’t seen too much of. Geralt’s duty to protect Ciri is also at the forefront of the scene, shown by Cavill’s unmatched confidence he provides to the scene despite Geralt being severely outnumbered.
7. His Quick Return to Form
After it was announced that Liam Hemsworth will be replacing Henry Cavill as Geralt for Season 4 onwards, the decision was met with a huge wave of disappointment. Not specifically due to the news of Hemsworth taking on the role, but more so the fact that the majority have fallen in love with Cavill’s portrayal up to this point. Although Hemsworth is sure to come out of the gates swinging Geralt’s two swords, the idea of Cavill leaving was a tough pill to swallow for many.
Due to Cavill leaving, there was some worry that Season 3 might not contain the same level of energy as the two prior. This thought was instantly thrown out of the window with yet another explosive fight scene, with Geralt dispatching multiple fighters with ease. The grit, determination, and dedication that Cavill brought to the prior seasons are back in full force in his last outing as the character.
6. Ciri’s Rescue
By this point, all that matters to Geralt is keeping Ciri safe. After Ciri’s anger causes another split in the world’s crust, Nilfgaardian soldiers waste no time in closing in on her and Yennefer. With Yennefer not having access to her powers, they’re defenseless. When the soldiers manage to grab hold of Ciri and keep Yennefer at bay, Geralt along with Yarpen’s dwarves steam through the soldiers, saving Ciri and Yennefer.
While this scene is one of the most feel-good moments of the season, it’s made that much better by Cavill’s acting chops. The sheer focus he has on protecting Ciri is written all over Geralt’s face. The two had been separated for some time at this point, making their reunion easily one of the best moments of the second season.
5. Beginning Ciri’s Training
With Geralt being the toughest role model for Ciri, when the two finally reach Kaer Morhen (the Witchers’ home) in Season 2 of the show, Geralt relives his training from many years ago, but this time as the teacher. He hands her a wooden sword and starts to teach her the basics of movement.
This moment between the two ignites a flame in Ciri to become just like Geralt, a journey that fans of the books and/or games are more than familiar with. This would be a key moment in the show no matter who was portraying the characters, but the gentle yet stern approach Cavill takes to the relationship makes it hard to imagine someone else doing as well as him in the role.
4. Showing Cracks in the Armor
Shortly after Geralt and Ciri arrive at Kaer Morhen, another Witcher named Eskel (played by Basil Eidenbenz) walks through the door. Returning from a six-hour fight with a tree-like humanoid monster given the name Leshy. He shows his stab wound from the battle, but little is thought of it. Later on in the episode, Geralt is ambushed by Eskel, who has become the Leshy’s new host.
After a tough fight with help from Vesemir (Geralt’s teacher), Geralt has no choice but to drive his flamed silver sword through Eskel’s heart. What makes this scene such a standout moment is seeing the courage it took from Geralt to finally kill Eskel before he killed Vesemir. Another great display of his acting skills, Cavill shows a more emotional, vulnerable side to an incredibly hard-faced character.
3. Destiny Aligns
In the first episode, Renfri tells Geralt, “The girl in the woods will be with you always. She is your destiny.” The rest of the first season builds and builds to the point where Geralt and Ciri finally cross paths, this being one of the most crucial moments in the entire story. Before meeting her, Geralt is taken by wagon to a house in the woods after being found wounded by a hoard of monsters. As they arrive, it’s revealed that it’s the same house Ciri was taken to after being found in the woods.
Geralt overhears the man’s partner that she found a girl in the woods not too long ago. Sitting slightly dazed in the back of the wagon, he springs to life, remembering what Renfri told him. After going into the woods, he turns to see Ciri sprinting toward him. What makes this scene so special is the shock and relief that Cavill displays, another side of this Geralt that we haven’t seen before. This moment quickly became a highlight of both Cavill’s Geralt and the show as a whole.
2. All Night Monster Fight
Perhaps one of the toughest fights we’ve seen Geralt involved in is with the Striga in Season 1. A Striga is a monster that forms after a curse has been put on a human woman. This specific Striga happens to be King Foltest’s daughter Adda, who was cursed before birth. Only coming out at night to eat, she lives in a sarcophagus throughout the day. The brutal fight lasts all night until the sun begins to shine through the windows. Adda sprints to get away from the light, but Geralt barges her out of the way to lock himself in the sarcophagus with a spell himself.
This is one of the first times we see Cavill’s Geralt in such a tough fight, which in fact nearly kills him after he exits the sarcophagus. Adda’s curse hasn’t fully lifted, leading to her stabbing Geralt in the neck. Going from a confident, capable fighter to someone almost accepting their death in one sequence easily makes this one of Cavill’s highlights, especially when paired with his physicality on show throughout the sequence.
1.The Butcher of Blaviken
One of Geralt’s most infamous aliases is one we see him gain at the end of the pilot episode, that being the Butcher of Blaviken. In an attempt to stop Renfri from Killing Stregobor, Geralt slices his way through Renfri’s men, before a duel with Renfri herself eventually ending in her death. The townsfolk watched Geralt leave a trail of bodies through the street, which lead to the name quickly catching wind throughout the Continent.
Although the episode opened with a monster fight, this sequence is what truly cemented Cavill as Geralt. This scene is one of the most iconic moments in Geralt’s story, so there was a decent amount of pressure to nail the scene. It was also the perfect moment for Cavill to display his swordsman skills that makes Geralt so formidable, which he very much did. For these reasons, seeing Cavill give Geralt one of his most famous nicknames is his best moment throughout his time on the show.
