The trailer opens with mirrored images as two girls get ready to face their destiny.
One is a young girl, a villager in an Eastern European village who is adorned with robes and flower crowns and is burdened with bringing “salvation” to her people.
The other is an adult woman, who we have known since she was little, as she sharpens her sword, dons her hood and follows in the footsteps of the villager who reminds her of herself.
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Both chosen. Both burdened. Both with a destiny to fulfil but only one makes it out alive and that is our brand new Witcher.
But is she really brand new?
Check out the brand-newThe Witcher 4cinematic reveal trailer below!
Not if you have been paying attention.
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The world premiere forThe Witcher 4aired during The Game Awards 2024 as CD Projekt RED revealed that it would be continuing the series with Ciri at the helm.
To many, the trailer was a celebration of all things they have grown to love sinceThe Witcherwas released back in 2007: a Witcher hunting monsters but realising that the monsters were human all along.
However, to some so-called fans who lurk in the depths of social media, Ciri becoming our protagonist forThe Witcher 4is nothing other than “woke”.
What does woke mean, you may ask? Well, I wish I could tell you but not even the people who throw it around know what it means so I have no hope of deciphering it.
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However, it all boils down to a female protagonist which in itself boils down to outright sexism.
Not only that but if you have been paying attention to The Witcher franchise, both its video games and the book series that it was based upon, you will know that Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon was always destined to take the mantle and title to follow in the footsteps of her adoptive father.
When she asks if she can try the sword out, he replies with “Not here. You’ll have ample opportunity soon enough, Witcher”.
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That very same sword can be seen in the brand-new trailer forThe Witcher 4as Ciri sheathes it alongside her steel variation.
Her ashen hair is secured in a braid and the noticeable scar across her cheek has faded as she developed from a young girl into a woman.
However, why take my word that Ciri was always meant to be the face of The Witcher franchise?
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Despite CD Projekt RED not needing to, the studio decided to take the time to explain why it decided to choose the Lion Cub of Cintra as its new protagonist, as opposed to sticking with Geralt of Rivia.
CD Projekt RED
According to executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga in aninterviewwith IGN, Ciri was “the very organic, logical choice.”
Despite this, her new design, as well as brand-new voice actress and modern-day graphics has led some supposed “fans” from calling her ugly and claiming that her role as protagonist will ruin the game before it has even been released.
Well, I have some bad news about that one too.
The player then has the choice between three dialogue options, with one stating “To tell the truth, I prefer women”.
Not only that but in the book series, Ciri is in a sexual relationship with a woman with many Witcher fans believing that she is canonically queer, more specifically bisexual.
The woman in question is called Mistle, a female member of a young gang of criminals who Ciri forms a relationship with duringThe Time of ContemptandBaptism of Fire.
It is not the most healthy of relationships as it comes during a time where Ciri is under a lot of pain and distress. However, the duo soon develop true feelings for each other despite ultimately parting ways.
CD Projekt RED
Mistle made such an impression on Ciri that the latter claimed that she would return to her beloved “in a six-horse gilded coach. With a retinue of courtiers” before sealing their fate with a matching tattoo of a rose on her inner thigh.
In the book series, Ciri eventually ends up with Galahad, one of the first men in her life but, as we already know, this does not make her any less queer.
Reddit user carcanclaw went intomore depthwhen it comes to Ciri’s sexuality but it can be safely assumed that she is not straight and erasing her bisexuality would be incredibly disappointing.
Not only that but it’s just another example of these angry “fans” not having engaged with the source material at all, or even having playedThe Witcher 3.
“There was an intention behind this choice,” game director Sebastian Kalemba added.
“It was far from roulette. It wasn’t random. I remember we had discussions nine years ago, we were talking about who’s next? The very, very instant answer was Ciri. There are many reasons behind that. We’ve already mentioned a few. But she really deserves a stage and we want players to really experience her story because she has so much to tell, so much to prove.”
There is much more I can say here but at the end of the day, nothing anybody says will make a difference as Ciri will be our protagonist whenThe Witcher 4is released in the future and I, for one, am overjoyed with this decision.
Topics:The Witcher 4,The Witcher 3,The Witcher,CD Projekt Red,Features
