5 Years Later... Triss vs Yennefer Romance Debate in the Witcher 3. Based on the Books and Games. 

I would appreciate if you watch the full video before commenting :)

- Always there for Geralt - The most Loyal character - Will Travel the world when he calls - An absolute beauty Its obviously Roach😂

A moment silence for those who tried getting both.

Triss is a lot less mature but Yen is a lot more distant and abrasive those are pretty much my cons for them I like both but lean towards Triss a little more just because her personality is a lot more warm and calm.

The amnesia plot for not telling Geralt about Yen and Ciri is nothing compared to the fact that Geralt's witcher buddies sent an amnesiac Geralt to chase after a evil organization named after an amphibian.

As a book reader : Yen As a gamer : Triss As a show watcher : Roach

Gwent is Geralt’s true love as everyone knows.

When it comes to love interests for Gerald, I think it's a shame that Shani isn't more of an option and just a onetime throwaway section in the DLC. I would have liked her being a third main romantic interest like she was in the first game, where the player could choose between her and Triss.

"I don't like them in the books, as... not not like them as characters, but not like them as people I would want to have a relationship with" That sentence, which I did not transcribe correctly, I am sure (around the 28th minute mark), perfectly summarizes my point of view when analyzing characters. A character can be mightily well-written, yet still be the sort of which you would kick in the backside if you had them in your own life. Very good video, true that. :)

xLetalis: Triss or Yennefer? Intellectuals: Roach.

xLetalis: Yen or Triss 5 years later Me: War, war never changes

Why is there no discussion about HOW the Last Wish affects Geralt and Yen's relationship. I think the whole push and pull thing of their relationship is intentionally vague about whether they truly love each other or if it is just the Djinn. There's an entire quest about breaking the Djinn's magic to see what remains and its even a line in Wolven Storm, a song ABOUT their relationship and I feel like that wasn't at all discussed here...

I go for Triss. I prefer a flirtatious, fun, and inteligent woman that stays loyal as much as possible and that genuinely seems to enjoy my company, rather than a bossy and holier-than-thou woman that bails as soon as she feels a bit bored or disagree with minimal things. I have the full book collection (from The Last Wish to Season of Storms), and the 3 main games. I admit i started by the games (got Witcher 2 for free trough Games with Gold back on the Xbox 360 era), and when i jumped to the books i got excited to learn about Yennefer. Her demeanour on their first meeting was a surprise, she had a rather rude demeanour. But i would think she would soften up and improve for her lover's sake. Did not happen. She got more controling, and would bail on him and avoid him often when either they got upset or he did things against her will. Honestly, i feel his third wish to the djinn (that their fates be tied together) was more of a curse than a blessing. He can't free himself of desiring her because of it, and she can't compromise when they are together (as short as it be). So they clash. Yet, they got tied by faith. So they are nearly forced to cross paths always. Triss is a teenager, compared to Yennefer, and Geralt treats her for some time as a lover in Kaer Morhen during the first months of Ciri's training. Yet as soon as Yen's presence or hints appear, Geralt moves his gaze to search Yen again, as if is under a spell. The fact the games make him suffer of amnesia, gives him a blank slate for many things. Of course, he feels the yank of the fate pulling him towards Yen, and do start to remember their relationship in time. Yet by the third game, and as he spends more time with Yen, it feels that is more like a pleasant memory to him than his true love. Ofc, that depends from the player choices. But, for some reason, by then a relationship with Triss feels more fun, more loving and honest. Triss grows and gets more interesting game-by-game, whereas Yennefer barely changes. Is just repeat the cycle again, and again.

I absolutely love how the decision to choose between two fictional women has more debate than anything else in The Witcher fandom

*Shows picture of Netflix Triss* "Unrelated image" What a savage.

This is easily my favorite Yen vs. Triss video. It feels like you touched on both characters nicely without being overly biased towards one side or the other. I always come back to this video just because I love the points you made here!

I like the damaged love between Gerald and Yennefer the most. They are both damaged people, Geralt's mommy issues that are alluded to and his difficulty feeling worthy of love and Yennefers similar feelings due to her ugliness from birth, suicide attempt etc. Triss seems too different from what Geralt wants, he wouldn't accept her love

5 years later - Player: Triss or Yen Me: Zoltan

Not making Triss a redhead in the Netflix series is a goddamn travesty.

I think, generally, Yennefer acts the way she does because she felt unwanted as a child. Definitely agree with the part of her wanting to be a mother for herself and to prove something, but even the cheating (and everything else lmao) can probably be linked to her childhood. It's difficult to explain, especially to someone who might not have experienced it themselves, but it's "easier" in a way to hurt people before they can hurt you. Instead of letting Geralt (or Istredd, honestly) figure her faults out for themselves, she just creates a bigger problem. Instead of "my parents didn't want me because I'm clingy and I'm scared Geralt will realize I AM clingy and leave" (or whatever), it's "Geralt will leave, I might as well do whatever I want". And hey, I might be wrong, but that's sort of what I got from her character. I might be projecting, though, lmao

Having only played W3 I liked triss a lot more than yen, the time with her in novi was a lot of fun and it gave me a good view of her, this video doesn’t change my mind when finding out what yen would do to Geralt while his memory was wiped and whatnot, but this video has also made me want to read the books even though I don’t like reading as I can’t focus properly. Great video in my opinion, loved it.

Geralt be like: When I'm to choose between one sorceress and another...I'd rather not choose at all

I am married for almost 5 years now. From my and my relatives experience I can say that wife's are like Triss in the beginning and slowly transform to Yennefer. So no matter who you choose youre fucked. Update after 1 year: holy shit over 3k likes!! My wife finally dyed her hair black. The transformation is complete.

Triss was just nicer to me in the games. Hence why I romanced her. Yennefer's only strength in the story is the "We have history" drama with Geralt. But at the end of the day, my Geralt lives now, and not in the past. Yen was being too difficult to interact with, especially when every conversation turns in to a mini argument. It gets tiring after a while. So when I met Triss, it's clear to me who I should choose.

Me in 2015: Yennefer 100% ! Me in 2023: well i need peace ... and love ..so Triss

What the fuck man!? I was trying to swallow coffee when that cutscene showing fucking UMA as Yen popped up. I damn near died choking with laughter.

Both are flawed lovers for the same reason: you can't challenge either to a game of gwent

Given the frequency at which the game prompts you to mount Roach as opposed to Triss and Yen, I think it's clear who Geralt's intended is.

I saw Triss's refusal to restore Geralt's memories in the first game as her not wanting Geralt to remember Yennifer so she could have him, which i thought was pretty manipulative. So i went with Yennifer. I liked the ending i got where Geralt and Yen just retire and decide to travel the world together as a boring old couple

"Well I don't have a favourite" yeah the famous neutrality of a witcher, Letalis

Why not both? Oh wait...

How is this so difficult for anyone to choose? This whole love affair is a lesson to every gamer, especially men. Yen loves Geralt, but she doesn't respect him. Love without respect is a recipe for misery. And when you choose Triss, Geralt mentions to Ciri how with Triss he feels harmony. A calm. Feeling like things are the way they're supposed to be. So no i don't think for a second that love in that world or in any world is destined to make you unhappy or miserable or negative in any way. That is not love, it's poison. Romance between Geralt and Yennefer is an example of what a toxic relationship can look like: Arguments, disrespect, more lust than love, and no growth or development of any kind. Just a bad cycle between two people who are not supposed to be together. Think what you will of Triss, but being with Yennefer is a horrible decision for any man to make. People who are "team Yen" are either masochist with a lot of issues, or they simply think she is more beautiful and therefore her beauty is enough reason for her to be with Geralt. F**k that. As damaged as Geralt is, and as damaged as any of us can be..... Being with the wrong person who is also damaged and has little to no respect for you, and is abusive and constantly condescending, that won't make things better.

I think Yennefer is better from a lore/book/story perspective, but Triss is far nicer than Yen, so I personally prefer her. Triss also came off as more emotionally connected which I liked, and it suits Geralt. The conversation he has with Ciri about love interests really solidified this for me, as he describes his relationship with Yennefer as, "fight after fight," vs if he actually chooses to be with Yen it's just, "Well yeah, obvious choice, we've always been together." (clearly not a real quote, but you get it). It kinda felt like the game was trying its hardest to push you towards her in various ways, and on my first playthrough this was really off putting (especially coming from the Witcher 2 where you get more Triss). On another note, Yennefer just felt distant in comparison to her. Despite the connection you can feel Yen has with Geralt, you're always left with the sense that she doesn't let herself be too romantic or too close to him. This could of course be attributed to her past, but it's an awfully sad thing to subject another person to. But I also think if you're, again going by the books, Yennefer is Geralt's lover no matter what. The "maybe" Letalis describes is still there. Could she be better than her initially colder impressions, and eventually find a warmer love with Geralt? Sure, but it doesn't make her less unlikeable to me. At the end of the day, both of them are such different people, so being on one team or the other doesn't necessarily mean anything. I don't absolutely hate Yennefer either. I actually really like her as a character, but as a love interest? It's more questionable.

The "Smart" choice would be: Shani The "Girl that has the biggest crush on you" choice would be: Triss The "Love / Hate relationship" choice would be: Yennefer The "Loyal forever" choice would be: Roach The "I only want to **** all the time" choice would be: Syanna

Short answer: Whomever you like in the game. After all it's a RPG.

Such an amazing video!! Also really nice to see your true opinion! I can't help but think that Geralt isn't the best person for a relationship either. And people can be better.

DAYUM WHAT IS THAT OUTRO SONG also good vid Letalis c:

Tbh based off the books and the games I'd choose to be alone and be the best dad ever to Ciri

How is this even an argument? Dandelion is obviously best girl.

Nice videos watched it all, great channel

Thank you for shining light about Cerys! In the small time I spent with Cerys in Skellige, I felt like she was immediately way more interesting to get to know as opposed to the two aforementioned ladies 😅 Strong, independent leader with a heart of gold and focused on family. 💪❤️

Me, who has never played The Witcher: Hmm, yes, interesting.

Who want any of those skinny, double-crossing dolls when you have a muscled, hairy and honest dwarf at your side? Zoltan ftw

Some of those clips playing behind the commentary. 😆. A lot of these mods out there are hilariously slapstick.

Just quickly checked fee things regarding Triss' age in my books - it's more reasonable to think she was around 50 in the saga, since she knew Yennefer for over 20 years. On wiki there's something about her studying in Aretuza 35 years before saga, but i couldn't find that one.

The true happy ending of the series is Geralt not choosing either and living on the path with Ciri. Geralt can always find another lover, but he only has the one daughter.

There should of been a Shani option if you get dumped by triss & yen or you reject both of them

Just a small comment: on Witcher 3 we also do a side quest wherein Yen asks the Djinn to remove the magic coupling her with Geralt. It is indicated that Djinns and genies are a bit treacherous in the way they grant wishes in the Witcher universe. So it is possible for the Djinn to remove the magic coupling, and the feelings Geralt has along with it due to its nature.

Another wonderful video. Bravo.

I'll choose Aela the huntress Everytime. No matter what.

I will never get over when Yen threw the mattress out the window because of Triss’s hair 💀💀

About your point on "reminding Geralt when he lost his memory. In my own opinion, when it comes to memory, there is a huge difference about forgetting a memory versus loss of memory, the latter being Geralt's case . If you "forgot" something, you can be reminded of, however, if you dont have any memory whatsoever, reminding you of your past won't do any good, you would just fail to understand it.

I chose Triss. I was torn for the first....lets says 30ish hours but something struck me. There are at least 3 separate occasions where people outside of their relationship refer to Yen's behavior as 'Ordering or treating Geralt like a dog' And even if you want to discount one of those because it's Keira and 'manipulative' etc, Cerys says something similar in Skellige and shes got no reason to be biased, she doesn't have a dog in the fight. That was what told me that, whatever the history they had, Geralt and Yen are no good together in the long run. When people who have no personal stake in a relationship can see those glaring issues, there something not quite right. Even still, I tried to give her a fair chance, because 'SHES HIS TRUE LOVE' people shrieked at me but my GOD she made it impossible. Every time you question her, which, goddamn right I called her out for using Necromancy and acting like she was doing nothing wrong, she acts affronted. Like 'How DARE you have issues with how I do things' Then she storms into Kaer Morhen, throws orders around, insults Vesimir to his face, and when Lambert calls you out for being rude you KNOW you've crossed a line. No way. I've never once romanced her, and I don't care to. Also, and I say this strictly based off third party hersay since I've not read them myself but uh...yeah. Yen doesn't get to claim moral high ground and act 'Holier than thou' when it comes to cheating. Pot calling the kettle black there, hon.

Simple answer: They're both flawed so pick your poison

The obvious answer is Roach, she is far more loyal than any sorceress and she doesn’t ask for much. Roach will also teleport (without portals might I add) across the world and over seas when Geralt calls for her. So clearly, Roach is the best option. Get yourself a friend like Roach!

Great video with great insight!

I think you made a very good case and a good summary. I read the books twice, but it is several years since the last time and I can't remember everything. That Triss did not tell Geralt anything is easily explained: Because it is a game and like you said the story of the game woulnd't fit otherwise. The same with all the other characters. That Vesemir doesn't ask about Ciri makes 0 sense after the way he feels to her in the books. But that doesn't matter, because it is just a game. (Like "healing" stuff - in the books there is no way Geralt is badly wounded, drinks one potion or rests one night and is back from the dead to perfectly fine in an instant. It's just a thing that needs to be in a game to make it playable.) You definitly can't hold this stuff against the characters. In THW 3 I liked Triss more than Yen, however I was never in doubt that I would choose Yen. Because the Geralt of the books would choose Yen. And the way that the game moved on (how Triss sailed away, how Yen and Geralt behaved in Blood and Wine) I did make the correct choice IMO. I was very happy with it :)

"Women are women, Stregobor. Yennefer, Triss, Shani; it's all the same. The attractiveness is a matter of agreement, and the morality is unclear. I'm not a faithful man, and haven't dedicated myself to one woman in my life. But if I am to choose between one woman or another, I'd rather not choose at all."

girl's locker room: OMG Brad is so hot Boy's locker room:

holy shit i had tears in my eyes then he said " fairwell gwynblade" such a powerful line.. i wish their would be more of this game, i played all 3 games multiple times dont even remember how often anymore..

me watching this when the next gen update is coming in 4 days I cannot wait to re-experience this masterpiece with gorgeous ray tracing and the graphical improvements!

Comment section will be fun and letalis wants to have fun 😆

Let's just agree that the best pairing is Triss and Yen and completely leave Geralt out of the equation, for everyone's sanity

Huh. I only ever played #3, so this information really helps me understand people on team Yenn. From my playthroughs, Triss was the nice one (who also looks nicer imo), and Yenn was a mega-c. Don't think Triss having a "terrible" past changes my choice, but at least now I kinda understand the other side.

@12:45: exactly. As Ryan George, the Pitch Meeting guy, says in.... probably THE MAJORITY of his videos (and he's got videos on the vast majority of popular movies and tv shows,) sometimes the only reason that something that doesn't really make a lot of sense in-universe was written that way, and/or something that doesn't make sense for a character(s) to do was written that way, is because otherwise there would be no story!

xLetalis: Triss or Yennifer? Geralt: Hmm. Fuck.

Best Female romance option in Witcher 3: Jutta an Dimun from Faroe in Skellige. Come at me 😂

Getting both will be possible on the current gen upgrade for sure! Oh and Shani visits too!!!

Lovely video. Gotta recommend to any friends who dare to approach minefield that is Witcher Universe ships😂 Caveman part of my brain still holds a silly yet titillating notion of harem with Yen and Triss if they choose to share, even though I fully understand it's not only impossible but... wrong. You're meant to choose, or stay single. That's the best, and the worst part of choosing between the two:) That being said, after Witcher games I find both sorceresses immensely beautiful, multidimensional and intriguing characters with pros and cons. Not reading books beforehand was a blessing in disguise so I went in blind, finished 1st playthrough in Corvo Bianco with Yen and witcher Ciri, was very happy with that outcome, then 2nd one with Triss and Empress Ciri, just as happy for my Geralt. Both endings were satisfying, and that's all that matters to me👌

You could say Yennefer’s “back”story was twisted

For all of you, make your own story. Chose the one u wanna have for your ending, because the books only giving u the author's mind of the story. CD Project Red giving you the chance to continue and make your own decisions. A story isn't something with a right or wrong ending, or a path u have to follow. A story is something that arises in your own head.

I jumped into the Witcher series with the Witcher 2, then went back and played 1 in time for 3 coming out. Because Triss is so prominent in 2 that I always felt more of a connection with her. I can't go back from that. I am still yet to read the books which I am sure will tarnish my view of her. I always looked at Geralt's view of Yen to be massively skewed by the Djinn connection. Again this view is massively influenced by the games not the books so it makes it may go the other way when I get around to reading them.

My dear xLetalis, as a DIE-HARD witcher fan, I rewatch many of these videos from time to time. My main reason to romance Triss, has to do with everything that happens after the books. Sure, Yen & Geralt form a mother/fother dynamic with Siri, and Siri takes them to the island and everything. But afterwards, Yenefer decides to go work for Emhyr... The guy who plunged the Northern Realms into chaos because he wanted to marry his daughter. Triss in W3 has grown up a LOT, is much more empathetic and deserves admiration and love.

I love triss but I always choose yen I don't know why

"why didnt you tell me triss?" "couldnt spoil the plot dude" "what?" "what?"

It was fascinating listening to content from the books and how it shaped the characters. I'd never gotten far into the first game, and only read the first book all the way through, though I've very much enjoyed the Netflix series. And as such you had some very interesting insight about these characters. I've long been a Triss fan. Your discussion of Triss from the books doesn't change my opinion much, though I will admit that I have *less* disdain for Yennefer now as a result. And that's because this shows me that the characters went through *character growth* over the years, and ended up maturing as a result. Unfortunately, Yennefer's abusive nature raises far too many red flags for me to want Geralt to end up with her. It doesn't matter if he "likes" it or not. There are plenty of women who return to their abusers out of a need for security or the like in the real world to encourage it in a fantasy world, even if the abused character is an otherwise kick-ass sorcerer-warrior who faces down ancient evils for breakfast. One thing I did find fascinating is what you said about Yennefer and Ciri's relationship and their lack of chemistry. It's fascinating, really, as while Yennefer proved not to be as bad a mother as her own mother was... she probably wasn't as good of a mother as she *could* have been. And that probably eats at her. Maybe after the events of Witcher 3, in learning that you don't go fucking around with wishes because sometimes the magic will die, she'll find a foundling in need of a mother... and choose to raise that child. Maybe she'll do it right this time. Hell, she's got time to burn. She could help a lot of children over the decades and longer, learning more and more how to be a good mother and giving these children an upbringing that they lost due to the cruelties of the world in which they live. I kind of hope she does that. It would be the happy ending she truly deserves. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and videos.

i only played the witcher 3 and chose triss because she seemed more down to earth and her relationship with geralt didnt feel as toxic as with yennefer. I havent read the books or played the previous titles but my choice reflected what i would choose in reality, someone that calms me down and doesnt argue with me all the time

My interpretation of why Yennifer is the way she is, is because she's always expecting people to not like her. She thinks, if people aren't going to like her anyway, she might as well get the upper hand. So she acts like a b*tch first so people have a reason to not like her instead of trying to play nice and they hate her anyway. And in that way, she's won the game. She's very self defeating. She acts tough and confident and powerful and sure of herself. But inside, she carries a lot of self doubt, maybe even loathing in some cases.

Damn you, Netflix. What did you do to my Triss!

I prefer Triss for the simple reason that i played witcher 1 and 2 first, so i had built a relationship with her before even playing the game.

Triss all the way. I played there second game blind, by the time the third had come around I’d spent basically an entire game chasing Triss. Yen’s character did nothing to win me (the player) over. But that’s what’s great about the series, everyone’s perspective is different.

The answer for me is obvious: Shani. Shani is smart, brave, and isn't motivated by anything other than a desire to use her skills as a medic to make a difference in people's lives. She never manipulates Geralt, never lies to him to get what she wants out of him, she isn't possessive, she doesn't belittle him constantly, she trusts Geralt enough to let him make his own decisions, and in general their relationship just seems far healthier and less toxic that his relationships with Yenn *or* Triss

You can’t do better than The Crones. All 3 of them!

I have played and played and played this game. Romancing both at the same time, choosing Triss, and choosing Yen. As a huge fan of the books, I feel that Triss doesn’t quite understand or get what drives Geralt. Yes, she cares deeply for him, and I feel her love is more pure than Yen’s. She’s a great compliment to Geralt’s personality. But… she doesn’t know him like Yen does. Also, a huge thing for me is the character growth of Triss. I feel she still hasn’t overcome her transgressions of the past. And they were gravely serious. She is still young in comparison to Yen and Geralt. She has not seen or experienced the world like Geralt and Yen have. She has a lot to learn still, about the world and herself. Yen.. sadistically sweet Yen. She’s a savage mage, takes what she wants, constantly questions authority for both selfish and selfless reasons, and has by far one of the greatest growths in character over the 17:22 series of the games and books. She’s always honest with Geralt. She really doesn’t sugar coat anything. She also cares as deeply for Ciri as Geralt does. It’s all a personal choice of course. Depends on where you get your love of the franchise. As a huge lover of the books, I’ll always choose Yen in the end. Their fates are intertwined. And no one knows more about each other than these two. No one has been through more with each other than these two. And yet, when it’s all said and done, Yen is always there for Geralt. Whether she wants to be or not. Yen ALWAYS fights for Geralt.. GAH… there’s so much to be said about Yen 😭lol

I read books but played Witcher 1 like 2 years ago. Then I had a break and played Witcher 2 few weeks ago and now I am playing WItcher 3. I was always surprised that someone even thought to choose Triss instead of Yennefer however now, when I know games I am not surprised at all. The player is building some relationship with Triss over 2 games and then Yennefer appears and at beggining she is, well, real Yennefer :) She pretends she dismiss Geralt to not force him to anything. Big bravo for people who has written that it is in line with a book in 100%. But there is no surprise that people decide to continue relationship with Triss which they know.

I love how RPG's that are important to the players produce these irreconcilable debates. Skyrim has "Stormcloaks vs Imperials". A debate about conflict, passion, treachery and where loyalties lie. Witcher has "Triss vs Yen". A debate about conflict, passion, treachery and where loyalties lie.

If the games didn't exist, the thought of Geralt and Yen being together would pretty much be 100% permanent in my mind, but with geralt's relationship shown with triss in all 3 games, I can definitely see a potential permanent duo. In the end of course, I will always choose yen as that is what my mind has become stuck to since I adore the books, but I commend you for making a detailed video about such a complicated topic!

Maybe its translation but Triss in Polish isn't evil she's not fully developed character in books what she reminds me is late teenager/sorority girl not cunning just not yet grown up, cheerful bright that is more playing with life than living it. As for "little sis" thing i think they should have translated it better becasue in Polish she calls her "siostrzyczko" it is diminutive form of sister but it shows affection she has towards her but in english it doesn't feel genuine. As for Geralt falling in love with Yennefer i think think the wish Geralt said in LAstWish had made it. I think it had to have something to do with having a child with her to protect them both from anger of Djini. Geralt is kinda clever but not super smart, knew he can't have kid she as witch can't have child so it must have looked as smart choice :D but Yennefer is great character for female character written by man. Another thing is a lot of Polish women have sharp tongues and fiery characters :)

If I hadn’t read the books I could totally see myself choosing Triss over Yen in The Witcher 3…but after reading the books I absolutely could not choose her….her choices in the books made her incredibly easy to dislike to me. Yen has done her fair share of shady things to Geralt as well but Triss just seemed to me like a lovesick puppy over Geralt and when he didn’t want her she used magic to “help” get him to sleep with her and it never happened again in the books except that one time so Geralt had no feelings for Triss smh and like you said she’s very easily manipulated by her superiors and made some really crappy decisions due to pressure from the Lodge so yeah….Team Yennefer ALL THE WAY! Lol Yen felt to me like the only one that truly cared only about Ciri and Geralt in the end and would do anything for them…Triss’ loyalties weren’t in the right place to me.

That "my oh my" got me going umamamamamamamaaaaa.

I choose Geralt. He needs to work on himself and really learn to live before committing to anyone. He is a single dad.

I really wish we got a game in The Witcher universe, focused on The Lodge and various relationships and intrigues between the Witches. Aside from Wild Hunt, The Lodge is easily the most important and influential group in the lore, having their hands in basically every major event in history, at least until their destruction. The Lodge in that way is similar to Bene Gesserit from Dune universe, they're both matriarchies with ulterior motives for every event, every major decision, The Lodge are just acting in their own ways, and to slightly lesser extent than Bene Gesserit.

In fact, there are fewer description about Triss in books. However i still choose her in the first time i played The Witcher 3. I just like the atmosphere with her.

Yen lost me when criticized the cloths i chose that she picked out for me

I think you’re not too far off with the motherhood complex with Yen, but I think it goes even deeper than that. My personal opinion is that Yennefer believes she is incapable of love, in any form. That’s why it takes her a while to get to grips with how to even relate to Ciri. It’s almost like she’s trying not to mother her and also trying to awkwardly figure out the best way to be the perfect mother. With Geralt, I think it’s also a combination of the fact that Geralt in the books isn’t a great person either. He’s a great Witcher, a master of his trade, for sure, but he has this horrible sense of self-loathing and his usually pragmatic world-view often sours into full on cynicism. He has his own baggage, which he brings to the table alongside Yennefer’s, which results in these two deeply flawed and hurt individuals clashing, because they’re also both STUBBORN AS FUCK. Yennefer, in the words of Sapkowski himself, was the answer to Geralt’s immaturity. She might be a bitch and carry her own baggage, but in her weird, emotionally taxing way, she challenges Geralt to be a better person. There are better ways to go about it, no doubt, and I am in no way suggesting Geralt’s relationship with Yennefer in the books is healthy (they’re both very toxic to each other) but I don’t think it was meant to be. I feel like (book) Triss would have enabled Geralt’s toxic behaviors, while (book) Yen actively challenged them. Game Triss learns to put herself first because she’s valuable as her own person and not as anyone’s lackey or second choice, and Game Yen learns to trust others and that she can love and be loved in an honest, unguarded way. Geralt learns to stop being a massive idiot. This is a gross oversimplification, but that’s the gist of how I see it. I like how both romances offered a sort of redemption for each sorceress and serves as the completion of Geralt’s character arc.

The game hits you on the head with how much they prefer Tris but than land you with the reality that Geralt, not you, would still prefer Yen.

@16:01 😂 You HAD to include that!

I think Yen and Geralt both lack relationship experience, despite being older, and this serves as the root of many of their struggles. Neither has had anything remotely steady with Geralt on the Path constantly and Yen refusing to allow herself to be ensnared by anyone for too long. It's not surprising that with their other baggage in addition to it being both their first true attempts at a lasting romance, that they run into issues and struggles. Geralt chafes at idleness while Yen battles her fear of commitment. As far as I can remember, Geralt never actively cheats on Yen as most of his relationships occur before he met her or when they had split up once more. The Fringilla chapters always read to me as if there was some sort of magical aphrodisiac in the air of Toussaint, especially since Fringilla had been tasked with delaying him as long as possible. I also can't remember if he knew Yen was alive or not at that point and whether he still thought her a traitor, not that that stopped him from moaning her name whilst banging Fringilla, so make of that what you will. In the end, they're two damaged and traumatized people who slowly but surely lower their barriers and open themselves up to the possibility of a true love. As a Witcher and Sorceress neither expected to find love, as they were outcasts, different, viewed as other than. But in the end, they have each other, someone who always comes back to them, who accepts them for who they are, flaws and mistakes included. It's not storybook because it isn't linear, it isn't pretty, but it is well earned. Edit: I had more thoughts as I played TW3 once more. I think it's interesting that Yennefer is written more like a male action lead than a female one. We all know the type; damaged, emotionally unavailable hardass who is soft for like two (2) other characters. Half the male main characters I can think of are like this and people love them but because she's a woman, people just say, "lol what a bitch." This misses the change she goes through over the whole series, books and games included. She's not the same person she was when she was first introduced and that's a good thing! Characters are supposed to evolve, otherwise stories are flat. She does soften over time, and yes it's totally fine that it's only for a very select group of people, that's still a big change for her. She doesn't need to be lovey-dovey on everyone because that would feel disjointed from the character we know. She is still Yennefer, after all, a ruthlessly pragmatic person who's lived a very long and cold life. As for their ending, I thought it was very believable and real. Both Geralt and Yen were ready to settle down before the coup at Thanedd threw them across the Continent. Then they were ready again at the end of TLotL before the riot that killed them both. I guess people skim over the fact that Yen was going to kill herself (did actually kill herself? it's a little unclear) trying to revive Geralt before Ciri took them away, but it's important and it happened. Yes, she doesn't play well with others. That's fine, it's called a character flaw and it makes her more interesting. It would be boring as hell if she was a super strong sorceress who loved Geralt unfailingly and fell all over herself to please him and everyone around her and was sunshine and rainbows all the time. Now, Geralt. I wish, just once during TW3, when a character trashed Yen and called him a bitch on a leash, essentially, that he responded with, "I trust her with my life and more importantly, with Ciri's. If she says something needs to be done or is imperative, than I believe her. She's not given to practical jokes or flights of fancy, and certainly wouldn't indulge now." Nearly every time she gives you an order, there is a dialogue option to question her if you wish, but after decades of interacting, I think Geralt knows when it's necessary to question her and when it isn't. He knows she loves him, at least once he got his memory back (*ahem* triss *ahem*), and so he isn't put off by her brusque manner, in fact, it seems to amuse him more than anything else. I wonder what Sapkowski was really trying to achieve with their relationship. Maybe, it's simply that sometimes loving someone isn't enough if circumstances don't match up, as we see them bounce off one another for decades before their lives finally align in a way that allows them to commit fully.

*shows the "Night to remember" Bruxa* "Let's talk about our dear darling Triss"

I didn't know any of this, ended up romancing Triss and man, when siting at the camp fire with Ciri and she asking why Triss, the answer Gerald gave to Ciri was everything for me. He was happy and calm, also I watched both happy endings, Triss and Yenefer and with Triss sounds way better. I'll say it again, not knowing anything about W1, W2 or the books. 100% Triss team