The Witcher 4 is going to allow Geralt of Rivia to enjoy his retirement while his adopted daughter Ciri takes center stage. While Ciri is different from her father in many ways, the pair share a number of similarities – one being the fact that both had extensive adventures prior to the games in the original Witcher novels written by Andrzej Sapkowski. The previous Witcher games did a great job of introducing and referencing characters Geralt encountered during his literary adventures. The Witcher 4 should do the same for The Rats, a bandit gang Ciri was a member of while separated from Geralt.
Related
Every Major Witcher Character’s Status Ahead Of The Witcher 4
With The Witcher 4 on the horizon, here’s what Geralt, Yennefer, Triss and the rest were up to at the end of Wild Hunt.
Who Are The Rats In The Witcher?
Introduced in the novel The Time of Contempt, the Rats were a criminal gang who looked down on the rich and loved stealing luxurious such as fancy clothing and fine horses from those wealthier than them. The Rats were led by Giselher, a deserter from the Nilfgaard army, and initially included the temperamental elven woman Iskra, the revenge-minded Asse, the lecherous Kayleigh, Reef, another former soldier, and the ex-noblewoman Mistle. They were planned to receive a Netflix spinoff, but the show has been cancelled – although the Rats may show up in Season 4 of Netflix’s The Witcher.
Ciri’s Time As A Rat Is Important To Her Character
After becoming separated from Geralt, Ciri joins up with the Rats under the false name “Falka,” an ancient word meaning “Falcon.” She is recruited when she helps Kayleigh escape from slavers and impresses the group with her sword skills. Shortly after joining the group, Ciri enters a relationship with Mistle; the relationship starts as solely physical, but the women ultimately fall for each other. Despite this, Ciri eventually leaves the Rats, wanting more out of her life than banditry.
After Ciri’s departure, the Rats confront Leo Bonhart, a bounty hunter who is pursuing them. They lose the battle and are all killed. Ciri encounters Bonhart many times, as he is hired to hunt her down. When she ultimately kills him, Ciri does so for the Rats’ sake as well as her own. She continues to think of them, particularly Mistle, throughout the remaining books.
Ciri’s Time With The Rats Could Be Fleshed Out Via Flashbacks
While the Rats are long dead by the time of The Witcher 4, there could potentially be flashback sequences featuring them, or at least Ciri remembering and discussing her time in the gang. There is a lot of space for CD Projekt RED to expand on Ciri’s life as a Rat – this period of time was covered only briefly in the books, with minimal detail, as the primary focus was on Geralt’s adventures with Dandelion and his other companions.
Another area where the Rats could see a mention is in a potential romantic subplot. CD Projekt RED has confirmed that, similar to the previous games, The Witcher 4 will feature romance in some capacity. It would make sense for Ciri to think back on her time in the Rats while pursuing a potential love interest. Mistle was Ciri’s first real relationship, as well as the person who helped Ciri realize that she was attracted to women. In the books, Ciri is clearly quite affected by the loss of Mistle and thinks about her often. She would very likely reminisce about her late partner when starting a new romance in The Witcher 4.
In the previous Witcher games, CD Projekt RED did an excellent job of weaving in Geralt’s book adventures, from his meeting up with former flames like Shani and Fringilla Vigo to the surprising but fan-beloved reappearance of his vampiric companion Regis in Wild Hunt’s Blood and Wine DLC. Referencing Ciri’s time in the Rats through flashback sequences or other methods in The Witcher 4 would be an excellent way of continuing this tradition.
