The Witcher is set to conclude its run on Netflix with season 5, and while season 4 has yet to premiere, fans are getting some key details and casting news regarding the show’s final season. Thanks to set photos and other castings, we’ve learned a few things regarding that final season, and the latest development adds another important member to the cast that could play an important part in how things shake out. Even better is that this newest addition is also a major Hearts of Stone favorite from The Witcher 3, and we’re breaking down why everyone is so excited.
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Redanian Intelligence is reporting that Emily-Jo Young is joining the cast of The Witcher season 5, and she will be playing the role of Shani when she debuts. The Witcher is currently shooting the second half of season 5, and the report states that Shani will be joining the show either in episode 3 or 4, in keeping with the second block of the season.
Who Is Shani?
For those unfamiliar with Shani, she makes her debut in the novels during Blood of Elves, helping Geralt, Jasper, and Philippa. She returns later in the story as well, as she is a medic during the Battle of Brenna. That said, Shani is most famous for her role in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt DLC Hearts of Stone, which reunites you with Shani and even presents the option of a romance between her and Geralt.
Shani met Dandelion (Jaskier) before meeting Geralt, though she would meet the White Wolf after Dandelion asked her to take him a message. A fling would be interrupted by an unexpected mission with Philipa, and all three would track down Rience for a vicious battle that left Geralt in pretty rough shape. She would help patch up Geralt, which was a foreshadowing of her role in the Battle of Brenna, as she was a field medic in the midst of brutal chaos.
Shani would then be reunited with Geralt after a chance meeting in the sewers, as Shani had been drafted by the Redanian Army in the time since their last meeting and was hunting a creature down there alongside a unit of soldiers. This would lead to Shani and Geralt working together to get to the bottom of the mystery, and throughout this part of the story, players will also get to know more about their previous adventures and their on-and-off-again relationship.
Why This Is Unexpected (But Great)
It’s actually a little surprising that Shani will end up being introduced in the show’s story, primarily because the majority of her story in the books takes place during Blood of Elves. That was largely the basis for The Witcher season 2, so when that came and went, some assumed the character wasn’t going to be included in the show.
With Shani being in the mix for season 5 now, it gives us a better idea of what we might see. Season 5 is primarily adapting Lady of the Lake, and since Shani’s role in the novels is intertwined with the Battle of Brenna, one can’t help but wonder if that epic and tide-turning battle will finally get its time to shine on the show. According to the report, there haven’t been any outdoor battles being filmed with a host of extras, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be included in some form by the end of the season.
The Witcher season 4 is expected to hit later this year. Season 5 will be the final season, but there’s currently no release date for it.
What do you think of The Witcher’s season 5 plans, and what do you hope to see before the show ends its run? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things Witcher and TV with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
