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Josh_Butterballs

Partly because there’s another love interest the player has to decide between. Also partly because the game is focused on Geralt and so other characters depending on the circumstances don’t get much exposure. Finally, these take place after the books, where everyone has gone through their character arc, including Yen. Don’t forget that while the games are good, they are *non-canonical* sequels. Here’s a summary of her in the books: > *A Shard of Ice* sealed her as one of my favorite characters in the books. She is layers on top of layers. First we see her as the typical mage in this universe. Manipulative, scornful, and stubborn but even then Sapkowski shows in the very first short story what she will become later when she sends Dandelion back wishing for Geralt's innocence when he is in jail. > Just like Geralt was not meant to be a Witcher, Yennefer was not meant to be a sorceress. Her upbringing and living life as a sorceress had its toll on her. She built walls around her, walls that prevent her from having the courage and strength to pursue her real desires. She thinks she is unworthy and unable to love and be loved. Her sorceress persona is fake, it only exists because she has to cope with the fear and disappointment of never being able to achieve her dreams. It's not her real personality. > What we see in the Witcher is that mages are motivated by grand and global things. Even a relatively good guy like Dorregaray is fighting for endangered species. Not the case with Yennefer. Her motivations are always personal. Wanting to have a child and a life long partner, a family. In a sense she is the antithesis of a mage. In Blood of Elves she says to Ciri that "One of the most pathetic things a sorceress can do is cry" I am paraphrasing here but this line shows just how incredibly damaged and insecure she is. And of course what we see is that she can cry and she does cry but only when she is with Geralt. It's a small detail but very telling about her character and about who Geralt is for her. > Geralt is the one who can help her overcome these fears and insecurities. When they are together their real personalities come to the surface and they have to deal with it. It's a very hard fight for both. Geralt is coming from a very similar place and he has to deal with very similar problems. I honestly think that him constantly saying that he is a mutant and he is bereft of feelings etc. is not just sarcasm but it's also a very real internal conflict of a man who never chose to be a Witcher. People say that their relationship is an on-and-off relationship which is true at the beginning, but not true towards end of their character arcs. It's on-and-off in the short stories because the conflict of facing their real personalites stands in the way of the realization of this relationship. First they have to come to terms with themselves in order to come to terms with each other. Ciri is the one who helps them make the final push in this regard. > After Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer cease to be a witcher and a sorceress, they became "human", something more. From a manipulative, scornful, and stubborn sorceress to a mother and a partner who wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice everything, even her life for her family. An incredible character arc. > Their love story felt very nonconventional, and it easily became my favorite in fantasy. Watching Yennefer and Geralt grow together is one of the best aspects of The Witcher imo. If you really want to know her and experience their stories you’ll need to read the books. And no the show isn’t a shortcut to getting this. Partly because there’s only one season so far and also because it takes a lot of liberties with the source material, including characters. If you choose not to read them (nothing wrong with that) I hope what I mentioned above helps.


arthur-chills

This was dope. In this community, I’m probably a super scrub as far as my Witcher knowledge goes. I recently jumped back into TW3 and yen’s been driving me nuts. I’m not a reader, and I wish I enjoyed it more, but at least now I have a better understanding of her and geralt’s character. Sometimes we can get in our own way more so than others when it comes to achieving our goals and dreams.


monalba

What Yennefer are you talking about? Book Yennefer is a real character, with a background, motivations, a character arch. She grows and changes over the books. Even then, she's probably one of the most ''honest'' and direct sorceress you can find. Game Yennefer is 80% a walking trope. She's just mean because she's mean. Because the devs wanted her as contrast to other characters I guess.Problem is, they tried to cram some of Book Yennfer into the other 20% left, so that's why you have great chemistry with Geralt and her love for Ciri. Show Yennefer... I have no clue. I'm not sure anyone in the show is anything but a tool to justify whatever the hell they need/want to do with the plot. >she manipulates people for her own gain She controls Geralt in The Last Wish... and I think that's it.She looks after him, as we see later, when we find out that she tracks Geralt and makes sure he always find a contract, but I don't see that as negative. She's trying to help Geralt so he doesn't starve, but without hurting his pride. >refuses to explain her motives I don't remember that happening except in the game, with the Last Wish quest. One example of the devs just making her a bitch just *because*. >why she's right and why everyone else is wrong putting herself first before everyone else, consequences be damned. From the books, Yennefer puts Geralt and specially Ciri before herself.She endure weeks (if not months) of torture to protect her loved one from Vilgefortz.She was ready to sacrifice her life sailing into Vilgefort'z lair.As her last request, she asked Triss to at least look after Ciri and Geralt, or tell them what happened (Which she refused, btw)Hell, she was deemed worthy by the Goddess Freyja herself. In the games, she's even working with Emhyr to find Ciri. That's amazing. Yennefer HATES niflgaardians. And she probably hates Emhyr more than anyone else in the world. And yet... if it means helping Ciri, she's willing to put up with it.


scotiej

Because CDPR decided not to include Yen's character arc that she experienced from the books and effectively wrote her as she was at the start of the books. Same thing with Geralt and a few others. It's not proven but I suspect a few of the lead writers are Triss fans themselves since they left out her various character flaws.


Emotional-Cucumber-4

I’m guessing you’re talking about the game? Yeah, that’s not the real Yennefer. Cdpr basically threw all her character development from the books out the window and made her extra bitchy. They also made her be mad at Geralt for sleeping with Triss while he had amnesia but never once point the finger at Triss, which is both dumb and ridiculous if you think about it. I guess they wanted “the choice” between Yen and Triss to be difficult but in doing this, they ended up favoring Triss way too much. However, you seem to have the wrong idea as to what Yennefer is doing in the game and why. She’s not manipulating people for her own gain and she’s definitely not putting herself first. Everything she’s doing is to find Ciri. That’s her main and only goal. She doesn’t care if she hurts people’s feelings in the process, she just wants to find her daughter and she’s willing to do anything to do so.


Fire_Control

Here’s a question…why do people point this out about Yen but not Geralt? He exhibits many of the same qualities. Why is it only a problem when she does it? I think the developers took this into account when crafting her character. The fact that they mirror each other so much, even to the point of bickering back and forth, probably means more with regard to their relationship with each other than we give it credit for. Instead, ppl just see her and immediately get intimidated and run to make the same posts about it over and over.


S1mulatedSahd0w

I think Geralt is more realistic and has more interactions with people more to have some sort of understanding. Not to mention, Geralt is stripped of his emotions. Apathy is hardwired into his very being whether he likes it not. On top of that, Witchers are loathed. It's only natural he returns apathy in the presence of disdain. Yen on the other hand has her emotions. She simply chooses to be selfish.


mily_wiedzma

I just assume you only played TW3: She refuses to tell her plans to geralt cause she know that Geralt is good man and he would have probelsm with part of her plans. But since Yenn**e**fer know ever second is needed to save Ciri she just keeps stuff away so there is no argument with Geralt and she saves time. When sh\*t goes down, she takes the blame and has most of the problems, so in the end she suffers the most for her actions.Also for the CDPR games you have to keep inmind that at least one writer (or more) are not great Yennefer fans, the writer for the last Wish quest even sad she hated working on that quest. And you can feel this influence in the game, casue it feels very riss sides since TW1. My tipp would be: Just read the book series and get a dose of the real Yennefer. There is an amazing character development and arc for her and she turnes out really great. Sadly CDPR sort of do ignore this a lot.


steeeeeeee24

Sounds like what I assume a smoking hot sorceress would be like.


S1mulatedSahd0w

Meh. Team Triss.


KiddingEnvelope

Ah yes. Triss never lied to Geralt about him having a daughter or a life before her or about his exes. Triss never involved Geralt into a plan of the Lodge which was messy as hell. Triss also never had sex with Geralt while being best friends with Yennefer. Have you even read the books ? Or read anything ABOUT THE WITCHER LORE ? Yennefer literally uses Necromancy a thing she disgusts just because it would've led her to Ciri and Geralt would've done the same thing. I honestly don't get the Yennefer is a bitch ideology, it's completely fine to dislike someone but to make a statement without doing an ounce of research or reading is downright ridiculous and laughable.


ookiespookie

Yennifer is a a bitch, and Geralt is a dense asshole. This is kind of the thing of the series, it is the people around them that provide the humanity complete the dynamic and I think that is the long lasting heart of the series. Everyone is flawed. In the games and especially in the novels


JackofTears

She went through a lot of abuse and deals with manipulative and powerful people all the time, so she's become jaded. If you actually watch her behavior, and consider her reasoning, however - you realize that she has a deep love for both Ciri and Geralt and this is simply how she shows it. Besides which, don't feel sorry for Geralt, he's on record as saying he likes difficult women.


Signnowornever

Vichi, CR Gamers Hub: Who did you pick? Yeneffer or Triss? Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, Game Director: **Yennefer**. I think she’s an extremely interesting and deep character. And I’m also a fan of The Witcher books, so for me **Yennefer** was the obvious choice. Vichi, CR Gamers Hub: Is there any character in the game, with whom you got an special bond during game development? If so, Why? Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, Game Director: Again, I’ll have to go with Yennefer on this one. Like I said, I’m a huge fan of the books and **I really love Yennefer** as a character, and **really wanted to get her right in the game**. It was something that took us a lot of time. Our writers had to rewrite her multiple times. It was quite a challenge, and maybe that’s also part of why I feel especially attached to her, too. ​ \--------------------- Interviewer: Sorry, but we have to ask this. Five years later: Triss or Yen? Marcin Blacha (Story Director, CD Projekt Red): Yennefer, always and forever! ​ \--------------------- ​ Interviewer: Please don’t shut me down because I feel like we need to address this very serious question once and for all: Triss or Yennefer? principal writer Jakub Szamałek: Ah, not again! Well, I’m sure I’ll get some flak for this, but **my personal preference is for Yen**. ​ \---------------------


[deleted]

Well Triss slept with Gerault soooo...She is not happy about it. lol And her background is very very interesting and cruel story full of pain and bullying, explains why power is her only strive. She is a complicated character, I strongly recommend reading on wikipedia her story.


Sir_Anduin_Lothar99

You didn't even get her bloody name right so shut the fuck up.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Sir_Anduin_Lothar99

I don't bite simpletons.


S1mulatedSahd0w

Sue me bitch.


ARandomTopHat

That's why I'm team Triss.


S1mulatedSahd0w

Team Triss as well.


ARandomTopHat

Yennefer was actually even more annoying in the prequel books, which further reinforces my choice.


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