Discover the 7 important Witcher 2 characters missing from The Witcher 3 and why their absence left several storylines and political arcs feeling incomplete.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is often praised for rewarding longtime fans with the return of beloved characters from the books such as Yennefer, Regis and Anna Henrietta. Yet, despite tying together many storylines from previous games, several important Witcher 2 characters never made the jump to the trilogy’s final chapter. Some were major political players, while others had the potential to shape the future of the Northern Kingdoms. Here are seven important Witcher 2 characters who were surprisingly missing from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.Â
7. Aryan La Valette
Aryan La Valette is introduced during the siege of Castle La Valette at the beginning of The Witcher 2. As the eldest son of Marie Louisa La Valette, he belongs to one of Temeria’s most important and influential noble families. If Geralt chooses to spare him, Aryan survives the events of the prologue and lives beyond the game. Despite his importance and noble status, he never appears in The Witcher 3, making him one of the overlooked important Witcher 2 characters.
6. Cynthia
Cynthia is a Nilfgaardian sorceress who secretly serves Emperor Emhyr while infiltrating Philippa Eilhart’s inner circle. Calm, intelligent, and highly skilled in magic, she spends much of The Witcher 2 gathering valuable intelligence for the Empire. Considering The Witcher 3 revolves around Nilfgaard’s invasion of the Northern Kingdoms, Cynthia could have naturally returned as part of the Empire’s operations. Instead, one of the intriguing important Witcher 2 characters disappears entirely.
5. Prince Stennis
Prince Stennis is the son of King Demavend III and one of the rightful claimants to Aedirn’s throne. Throughout The Witcher 2, he becomes the center of political intrigue after being accused of murdering his father, and Geralt’s choices determine whether he survives. If spared, Stennis remains one of the few legitimate rulers left in the North. Despite that, he never appears in The Witcher 3, leaving one of the important Witcher 2 characters without any meaningful conclusion.
4. King Henselt
King Henselt is the ambitious ruler of Kaedwen and one of the most powerful monarchs featured in The Witcher 2. His military campaigns and political ambitions play a major role in the conflict between the Northern Kingdoms. Depending on Geralt’s decisions, Henselt can survive the events of the second game. Even so, he is completely absent from The Witcher 3, which is quite surprising considering Witcher 3 focuses on the political consequences of the Nilfgaardian war.
3. Anais La Valette
Anais La Valette is the daughter of Marie Louisa La Valette and a legitimate heir to Temeria’s royal bloodline. She is implied to be Foltest’s biological daughter thought it is never confirmed. Depending on Geralt’s choices, she can be rescued and entrusted to influential allies, giving hope for Temeria’s future after years of conflict. Since The Witcher 3 spends considerable time exploring Temeria’s occupation and resistance movement, many players expected Anais to play a meaningful role. Instead, another of the most politically important Witcher 2 characters is completely absent from the game.
2. Saskia
Known as the Virgin of Aedirn, Saskia inspires humans, elves, and dwarves to unite in the free city of Vergen. She is eventually revealed to be Saesenthessis, a rare golden dragon capable of taking human form, making her one of the most extraordinary characters in the entire Witcher universe. Her leadership and ideals made her central to one of The Witcher 2‘s two main story paths. Despite being among the most important Witcher 2 characters, if you spare her in the game, she never again appears in Witcher 3 in person.
1. Iorveth
No character is more noticeably missing from The Witcher 3 than Iorveth. The charismatic Scoia’tael commander is one of the two central companions in The Witcher 2, with an entire story path dedicated to his struggle for freedom of non-humans.
Fiercely loyal, morally complex, and immensely popular among fans, Iorveth played an important role as well as helped define the second game’s narrative. This is why CD Projekt Red did plan to include him in The Witcher 3, but his questline was ultimately cut during development, making him the most frustrating omission among all important Witcher 2 characters.
Will we see him in the upcoming DLC expansion or in Witcher 4? Let us hope!
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