Season 2 of “The Witcher” will contain minor spoilers.
With his appearances in Season 1 of “The Witcher,” the bard Jaskier (Joey Batey) gained popularity among fans. While he entered Geralt’s (Henry Cavill) life in an unfavorable manner, his presence proved to be more than comic relief as the season progressed (via Uproxx). Through that tragic encounter with a Djinn, he also helped introduce the title character to Yennefer (Anya Chalotra).
Because of their tumultuous breakup, it appeared that Jaskier would be gone from Geralt’s life. As the second season demonstrates, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Jaskier regains Geralt’s favor and shocks him with a few of his own. When viewers find him again, the conditions aren’t ideal, but he’s eager to make friends with the creatures who call a particular cell home, as is his custom. The decision comes from a not-so-surprising source — and someone who is all too familiar with Jaskier.
The Witcher Season 2
A mouse in the company of a man
Although befriending mice is an evident aspect of Jaskier’s personality, it was not in the screenplay. Joey Batey made the decision instead. “Any conversation with the mice is improvised because I came to [series creator Lauren Schmidt Hissrich] and said, ‘I can’t talk to these great buddies,’ so I named them all and provided their backstories,” the actor told BBC Radio 1.
Batey’s contributions didn’t stop there. This season’s new anthem, “Burn, Butcher, Burn,” was written with his help. It’s a far cry from “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher,” and it revels in rewriting the story while demonstrating how Jaskier now perceives Geralt. The song was written by composer Joe Trapanese, who collaborated with the actor.
Netflix itself may have been the best compliment to the character’s evolving attitude and flair. The music was not what the streamer’s executives expected, according to Batey (via RadioTimes). “It’s not quite as catchy as ‘Toss a Coin,’ but it’ll do.” ” ‘That’s good,’ we said. That, I believe, is the point,'” he said.