The Witcher season 2 departs from the books in a few crucial ways, one of which includes how the society of monster hunters is portrayed. The scenes between Geralt of Rivia and the other witchers of Kaer Morhen in particular were born from a careful collaboration between stars Henry Cavill and Kim Bodnia (Vesemir), and showrunner Lauren Hissrich. Cavill said an interview with Polygon that he wanted to emphasize the warmth of the brotherly bonds, while Bodnia added a grounding presence, and Hissrich was happy to let Cavill bring out more of Geralt's emotions that Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski only hints at in the books.
Cavill said he originally wanted to be in the British Royal Marines as a soldie,r but ultimately worked towards acting instead. His role as Geralt of Rivia allowed him to live that life of "warrior brotherhood" that he believes he would have had if he was in the army, and he was keen to make the witchers' emotions and relationships deeper in The Witcher season 2.
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Henry Cavill Enjoys "Warrior Brotherhood" of The Witcher
Cavill also shared his thoughts on this brotherhood in the interview. “This warrior brotherhood, which lives in the mountains and is misunderstood, both deliberately and accidentally, has gone through things that people don’t recognize or understand," he said. “I have the very good fortune of knowing people who have done extraordinary things in the armed forces. And the warrior brotherhood that I see represented in those people, you realize how soulful these individuals are, and the bond that they have with one another. The opportunity to play a Witcher was similar, in a sense, this very tightly knit warrior brotherhood, with an added element of intense sorrow.”
Pulling from Cavill's rich experience with the idea of warm brotherhood between brothers in arms, Hissrich actually allowed Cavill to rewrite his lines for this season.
Meanwhile, Bodnia was keen to blend his own experiences with Vesemir.
"I lived in the forest for 20 years, working, and I used a lot of that knowledge from being with myself alone in nature to ground him,” he said. “And we had a lot of beautiful talk with Henry, about nature and humanity. Through that we got a lot of trust. You have to understand that when you get together with Vesemir, you need to feel peacefulness."
As of now, the Witcher's Season 2 has eight episodes that currently available on Netflix. Fans can see Cavill's display of this warm warrior brotherhood in the episodes Geralt meets his fellow Witchers.