Here is all the information you need to know about Vesemir, Geralt’s mentor who appears in both The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf and The Witcher season 2. Vesemir, portrayed by Kim Bodnia, is the eldest of all Witchers and the main character in the Witcher anime Nightmare of the Wolf. He is best known for his performance as Konstantin in the television series Killing Eve. Although the character has been slightly changed for the Netflix TV series, he can still be recognised.
The Witcher, which is based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s books and stories, has developed into one of the most popular fantasy franchises in recent memory. After being turned into a successful trilogy of action-RPG games by CD Projekt Red, the original novels gained a new following. This in turn sparked discussions of making a movie based on the games, which ultimately resulted in the creation of the critically praised Netflix series Monster Hunter, starring Henry Cavill as the title character.
Vesemir plays a significant part in the Netflix TV series and animated films that explore the background and lore of the Witchers. Both in the books and the video games, the oldest Witcher had a significant role in teaching Ciri after Geralt brought her to the Witcher stronghold Kaer Morhen to watch her trained. However, there are also subtle discrepancies in how Vesemir was portrayed in other mediums; Nightmare of the Wolf revealed a lot of the character’s background and past, while The Witcher season 2 has further given the grandfatherly warrior new aspects.
Vesemir In The Witcher Books & Games
In the short narrative “The Voice of Reason,” Vesemir was first referenced by Geralt, who revealed his Witcher order to a priestess while he was healing from injuries sustained while battling a striga. Vesemir was more than just a trainer, according to Geralt, who referred to him as his father. In the short narrative “The Sword of Destiny,” where Geralt first encountered a young Ciri, Vesemir was referenced once more. Geralt recalled how Vesemir had read bedtime stories to the young children preparing to be Witchers.
In the book Blood of the Elves, Vesemir made his first physical appearance. Geralt had taken Ciri to Kaer Morhen, an old Witcher keep, to prepare her for survival. As he had previously taught Geralt, Vesemir proved to be a capable teacher and a well-respected leader, instructing Ciri in the use of a sword and the history of monster hunting. The young princess addressed him as Uncle Vesemir despite the fact that he was a strict teacher. As one of the few Witchers to survive for more than two centuries, he was also highly regarded by the sorceress Triss Merigold, who addressed him with the title “Grandfather.” He was old enough to have witnessed the start of Kaer Morhen’s construction, which took place somewhere in the 11th century, however his exact age was never determined.
The player of the first Witcher game, who assumes the character of an amnesiac Geralt, is guided by Vesemir through an instructional scene at Kaer Morhen. In The Witcher 3, he played a more active role, aiding Geralt in his search for the missing Yennefer and periodically reappearing to aid Ciri and Geralt. During the Battle of Kaer Morhen, Vesemir ultimately met a heroic death while attempting to protect Ciri from the Wild Hunt. At his funeral, he was recognised as a hero for his sacrifice, and Ciri claimed his wolf-head medallion as a keepsake.
Vesemir’s Story In Netflix’s Witcher Universe
The animated film The Witcher: The Nightmare of the Wolf, which is a key component of the expanding Witcher Universe on Netflix, tells the story of Vesemir’s beginnings. He was a “swashbuckling young Witcher who escaped a life of poverty,” as it is revealed, and he realised that people don’t seek witchers because they are more terrified of monsters. Deglan, Vesemir’s own mentor, saw this and covertly started creating monsters to keep the Witchers profitable. When his efforts were discovered, Kaer Morhen was taken over, with Vesemir just managing to save the survivors. Tragically, The Witcher: The Nightmare of the Wolf’s conclusion revealed that the attack destroyed the secret alchemy that allowed for the creation of new Witchers, which means the Witchers are doomed to extinction.
Vesemir stayed devoted to the Witchers, instructing Geralt and the other few kids he was able to save from Kaer Morhen. In The Witcher season 2, he found out Ciri is of the Elder Blood, which means her blood is an essential component in the alchemy to produce new Witchers, which gave him some hope. Despite the fact that Vesemir was delighted by the chance Ciri presented to bring the Witchers back, he would never have given in to the pressure to start experimenting on her if she hadn’t prodded him. The Witcher season 2 shone a light on all Vesemir’s flaws as well as his strengths, as he faced temptation — and succumbed to it.
Vesemir’s Strength & Abilities Compared To Geralt
A Witcher never passes away in his bed is not merely a lyrical bard’s proverb. No Witcher in history had ever passed away from old age, despite the modifications that give them a longer lifespan than ordinary humans. Vesemir’s longevity is all the more remarkable in light of this. Vesemir didn’t get much of an opportunity to show off his abilities in the original books and short stories, but the fact that he continued to be an active Witcher until he was well past his prime speaks much more about his skills than any historical account of his exploits ever could.
In the games, Geralt described Vesemir as “strong and vibrant despite his age” and noted that “many youngsters could envy him his health” in his journal. Geralt nevertheless left Kaer Morhen every spring to spend some time wandering the world and taking jobs to kill various monsters, despite being a trainer to the School of the Wolf Witchers. Vesemir allegedly understood more about battling monsters and magical creatures than all other Witchers combined. Even Geralt of Rivia, despite his prowess, seemed to have second thoughts about taking on his mentor in a fair fight, remarking in The Witcher 3 that Vesemir “could still give a younger man a run for his money” due to his skill with a blade. Vesemir is extremely powerful if knowledge is power, and if there were any indication that his sword arm had slowed at all with age, his skills could compensate for it.
