The Witcher's Surprising Fantasy Twist Far Exceeds Game of Thrones - The Winds of Winter Will Blow You Away!

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Witcher season 3.

Summary

The third season of The Witcher embraces fantasy elements that Game of Thrones deliberately avoided, presenting a stark contrast to the latter's more subdued approach. By incorporating fantasy elements, The Witcher not only adds an emotional and thematic depth but also progresses Ciri's narrative in a manner similar to how Game of Thrones could have done with the Starks and their direwolves.

Although Game of Thrones did not feature unicorns, George R.R. Martin has confirmed that they will be included in The Winds of Winter. Unlike Game of Thrones, The Witcher season 3 introduces a fantasy element that could have been utilized, but was intentionally avoided. While both The Witcher and Game of Thrones share certain similarities such as being high fantasy TV shows based on book series, with fictional worlds filled with violence and intricate politics, season 3 of The Witcher showcases distinct differences. Despite some storytelling issues, The Witcher season 3 mostly succeeds in terms of its fantasy aspects, which was not always the case with Game of Thrones.

The Witcher Season 3's Unicorn Is The Kind Of Fantasy Game Of Thrones Avoided

In The Witcher season 3, Ciri encounters a unicorn in the desert. This mystical creature serves as her guide as she embarks on the next stage of her journey, grappling with her past and forging a new path for the future. Ciri's pivotal decision to employ fire magic in order to rescue the unicorn, known as "Little Horse," contributes to her subsequent choice to relinquish her powers. It is highly likely that this remarkable creature will play a significant role in The Witcher season 4 and beyond. In the books, the unicorn, named Ihuarraquax, holds great importance in Ciri's narrative and stands as a foe of the Wild Hunt.

The unicorn is a prominent symbol in The Witcher season 3, representing both magic and Ciri's hero's journey. It stands out as a pure high fantasy moment, introducing an iconic mythical creature that Game of Thrones chose to avoid. While unicorns are acknowledged to exist in the Game of Thrones universe, they never made an appearance in the show. This avoidance of overt fantasy elements is not limited to just unicorns. Game of Thrones focused on dragons, which provided a visually stunning spectacle, and included White Walkers, but failed to explore the more intriguing and fantasy-driven aspects of these elements.

The direwolves were rarely featured, Starks' warging was largely cut, the Three-Eyed Raven's powers were left unexplained, prophecies were minimized, and ancient and powerful objects like the Horn of Winter, Dragonhorn, and glass candles were disregarded. The magical elements in Game of Thrones were lacking in true wonder and enchantment.

Initially, Game of Thrones successfully blended its fantasy narrative with its political landscape and family drama, earning comparisons to "Lord of the Rings meets The Sopranos." However, as the series progressed, it distanced itself from its fantasy roots, almost appearing ashamed of its magical elements. In contrast, The Witcher fully embraces the fantastical aspects of its story without reservation.

Ultimately, this utilization of fantasy proves to be advantageous for The Witcher. Not only does it enable the series to construct an extraordinary world, but more importantly, it serves to advance Ciri's story on an emotional, narrative, and thematic level. With Henry Cavill departing from The Witcher, there will be an even greater responsibility placed on Freya Allan's portrayal of Ciri. Despite Geralt's continued presence, with Liam Hemsworth taking over the role, Ciri is positioned to become the central focus of the main characters. Consequently, establishing a deeper connection with her story becomes essential, just as the inclusion of the unicorn and her desert visions allows. This approach is crucial and reminiscent of what Game of Thrones should have achieved with characters like the Starks and their direwolves.

GRRM Has Confirmed The Winds Of Winter Will Have Unicorns - Here's How

Rickon Stark on Game of Thrones was played by Art Parkinson.

While Game of Thrones may not have featured unicorns, George R.R. Martin's upcoming sixth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, will introduce these magical creatures. This is not mere speculation or a mere tease; rather, it is a revelation straight from the author himself. During an episode of Neil DeGrasse Tyson's StarTalk, Martin tantalizingly hinted, "I have an intriguing perspective on unicorns that will be unveiled in the new books."

Unicorns have already been mentioned in A Song of Ice and Fire, although they are not commonly found creatures in Westeros. They are primarily portrayed through dreams, including one experienced by Jon Snow. These unicorns have a shaggy appearance and resemble goats more than the typical unicorns. This distinctive trait is likely to be incorporated into Martin's depiction. While there have been brief descriptions, the upcoming book, The Winds of Winter, is expected to provide a proper introduction to them through Rickon Stark's storyline. Unlike the television series Game of Thrones, where Rickon's story was significantly altered, it is believed that Rickon is on the island of Skagos, which is home to various creatures, including cannibals and, yes, unicorns.

In the books, Davos Seaworth is on a mission to Skagos to locate Rickon and bring him back to Wyman Manderly, the Lord of White Harbor, who will show his loyalty to Stannis Baratheon in return. Game of Thrones changed the course of Rickon's story, deviating from the inclusion of fantasy elements. However, The Winds of Winter will offer a different narrative, presenting an intriguing contrast to the unicorns depicted in The Witcher, while still providing a unique contribution to its fantasy world.