Why Is Radovid So Crazy? - Witcher Character Lore - Witcher lore - Witcher 3 Lore 

Philipa creating her own worst monster is on brand

I propose the theory that he somehow developed the power to see into alternative realities. He accidentally viewed the Witcher season 3 and went insane watching his alternate self and dandelion engage in “royal” affairs.

I think what made Radovid so ruthless is not madness, but paranoia. Scarred by Philipa, he protects himself by controlling those around him, and destroying those he can't control. As the saying goes, you can make a throne out of bayonets, but you can't sit on it. He chased himself into a corner: the only way he can survive is by being more ruthless, which means more people wanting him dead. He's certainly smart enough to realise this loop, but at this point there's no way back.

Radovid is remorseless and insane but also an effective strategist and manipulator.

In the Witcher 3 it is also stated that Radovid was raised at least partly by Dijkstra as well. As if being raised by one emotionless, power hungy manipulator wasn't enough ...

Crazy? Nilfgaardian lies. The man is the sanest person in the whole continent. A chess prodigy, master strategist, and pious ruler. - The Redanian Ministry of Public Information approves this message

I wouldn't say Radovid is crazy. He seems crazy at first, but there's more to it: 1. He was raised by both Philippa and Dijkstra, two power-hungry people who thought they can use him as their puppet, but Radovid was not a type of guy who just submits, as soon as he had the opportunity he wanted to take what was his and move aside those two. So after all this time he's been denied his father's legacy, its understandable he wants solidify his position. 2. Witch hunts have two main reasons: first one is the trauma philippa gave him, and the second one are the events from the witcher 2, mages conspiracies, lodge wanted the full control of the north, kept manipulating kings, so in the end after all those events the public opinion on mages became really really bad, therefore in order to have people of the north on his side, Radovid started the hunts. Besides, Radovid knew he couldn't take Novigrad by force, so he used similar politics to those in town and eternal fire church in order to appeal to them, make novigrad join redania, not by force. (Btw official gwent expanded lore gave us info that if Radovid wins the war, after few years all the witch hunts end so it was more of a circumstantial political move) 3. His famous chess speech that is considered a crazy talk, it's not. Radovid is testing geralt there. If players responses that he understands what Radovid means, he's furious that geralt is humoring him. And if geralt admits he doesn't get it, Radovid drops all the weird metaphors and explains his point. 4. He is a tactical genius (sadly the third game mostly talks about it and doesn't show it). In witcher 2 no matter the ending, he always gains something (either a pact with kaedwen, control over the lodge or becomes the king of temeria). In witcher 3 he's able to unify the entire north, which was in total chaos, against nilfgaard and actually can win this war. My second favorite king in the witcher universe, after Foltest :D

The craziest part is radovid is only like 18 or 19. Yet he looks like he’s in his 40s

Radovid is not crazy he's a maniac

CDPR ruined him in 3 They should have made him more nuanced

Another thing worth mentioning is when Triss interrogates the spy handling Menga. he tells her that Radovid is killing mages because he wishes to "clear the field" before entering Novigrad. He no doubt hated Phillipa and the Lodge but the burning of the mages was strategic. I doubt he believed all that eternal fire stuff, it was just a means to an end.

Playing too many games of chess on his own.

Is he tho? I mean, the guy is a certified c*nt, but he is definitely not being irrational on his persecution of sorceresses, every single one of his motives are true. Canonically he also stops the witch hunts after he kills Philippa anyway.

Keeping Radovid alive is the best choice, Witchers don't middle in politics. Long Live Radovid.

Radovid was favorite character in the 2nd gameand to the first to an extent. His characterization in 3 is my biggest problem with the game. Honestly, if his genocide just stopped at the mages i wouldn't really care that much. By in large they all had it coming.

But he’s smart as hell , i admit when i saw the state of the war in witcher 3 and the power of black ones , i thought they will win regardless of my choices , and was surprised when i learned he will win if you don’t kill him

Longtime viewer, good to see you back!

Radovid is such a smart ass. Even van Attre you meet in the beginning of the game was taken back by his brilliant politics. "Radovid is mad, but he's no fool." is a recurrent theme. Interesting character overall. But he had it coming. Pissing off the lodge of sorceress was a naive mistake. He underestimated how powerful, influential, cunning they are.

hey george, nice to see you uploading again.

Zoltan says the big four had let it be known that if Novigrad was invaded there would be riots and the wealth of the city, including that of the church would be looted and disapear. Emyhr and radovid both wanted that gold to finance their war. Which is obviously why Radovid used whoreson junior. There are other NPC's who mention variations on this including Triss near the canal before Geralt dives in to look for the alchemy ingredients.

Love to see more videos on the politics, wars and armies of the world of the Witcher.

He's not crazy, he's based.

Fun video, keep it up! 🤘🏼

Dude gets a bad wrap. All the Monarchs were just as ruthless as he was. He did every damn thing in his power to save his country from Nilf and was very good at what he did.

Yet another great video, mate. 🦘🦘🦘

Not all great rulers are great people. Much like how great people are not always great rulers. Radovid would be an ideal king for a non-magical kingdom but he kind of doesn't have the luxury of that despite his best efforts. Tactically speaking he was right to bash in the skulls of the MA but he went too far with the Witch Hunts. He could've done to the MA like what Salarians did in the Mass Effect series; minimalize their ability to grow into a force that can challenge him but still allow them to be in his kingdom. Course any ME fan will probably read that while tired and think I'm endorsing sterilization when I'm just meaning keep their numbers low but keep the few happy with him. Happy friends of yours can sometimes also rat out their other 'friends' they may not like as much which frankly leads to Radovid being able to deal with Philipa on his own and in a more controlled manner instead of Geralt.

I actually liked him he was bad but smart.

The Stern is crazy because he saw the mages conniving during the Battle of Brenna.

also according to radovid's and carduin spy, he only lets the witch hunters and their hierarch prolong the witch hunts so he can get novigrad and capture phillipa.

Fantastic video and it makes me want to play Witcher 2 again. When i first played it i was so overwhelmed by the politics and characters that the only kings I remembered were Foltest and Henselt. Had no idea Radovid was even in W2 when i encountered him in W3 despite having JUST PLAYED THAT GAME A MONTH PRIOR, hahaha! This gives me more reason to.go back and play W2 again

2:12 I'm not even entirely certain she did kill Wizimir. That would be very bad timing on her part. But i don't put it above her. 2:57 I find that incredibly funny and ironic that one of Radovid sisters is a mage XD 7:21 Also, even in the books, many monarchs resent the way mages keep getting involved in their affairs, making decision or contradicting them, as if they forgotten who was the real king. 7:46 Wizimir wasn't crazy and there's no mention of heredital madness in the Redania bloodline.

I believe its something to do wirh chemicals in the braim or some such 😂

Well is hy really crazy? Hy is cruel, but everything hy did makes sense, I don't think hy ls crazy because hy just does what benefits him most, although hy is very cruel for example the witch hunt granted him a new special fore ( the witch hunters ) and stability im the kingdom etc.

Radovid was a genius and great King, in a Genghis Khan way. I certainly wouldn’t want you to live under him. But, his quality was top notch as far as consolidating and using power.

I'm guessing this is the end game of Netflix Radovid. If the 'final state' of the character is someone strong, shrewd, and stern, then I can see the narrative logic in making Radovid the opposite of all of those things at the start of his character arc in the show. Fingers crossed they do a good transformation arc in Season 4.

I’m pretty sure someone in the game discusses Radovids unique advanced Calvary tactics as key to his success in the war. I can’t remember who said that.

Humans' edge is: adaptability.

In Witcher 2, I managed to get and ending with Radovid leaving peacefully with his army and avoiding a bloodshed. I considered him as a bro, I was disappointed to see that he became a paranoid cruel witch hunter. We know you're better than that, King Rad

I bet is because what Netflix did to him and dandelion 😅

I feel bad for him. I wish there was an option to kill both him and Phillipa. They both deserve the sword. Sorcerers in the Witcher series are always the worst. Triss is okay, but even she was guilty of gaslighting Geralt into forgetting Yennefer. Don’t even get me started on Yennefer.

He's not crazy, he's just going over being dumped by Jaskier.

@WitcherGeorge is there any reference about *Kaer Morhen* ? I'm really new to this game and curious why Kaer Morhen looks like an abandoned island, more like a wildlands and many destroy tower in the place. Is there some sort of war happen before *The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt* stories begin ? And there a dialog if i'm not forget, about there are many Witcher before *The Witcher 3* but mostly of them are dead, is it bcs monster or some war ravage in Kaer Morhen island ?

Hes blessed us wit another 1

i never noticed the tattoo on Whoreson Jrs left shoulder of Texas

Perhaps some videos on breaking down the books in comparison to the show and games. Forgotten media of the Witcher, wasn’t there a euro Witcher show in the 90s? Videos like that would definitely be appreciated.

Everytime i hear more Witcher lore i just get so mad at Netflix 🤦‍♂️

You have no idea how much a screwed-up childhood can fuck with a guy, especially when it comes to emotion regulation.

Can you please do a moded or not moded Skyrim play through I would love to see it I can even give you a mod list

5:20 I'd say for the same reason Dijkstra is running a bathhouse in Novigrad: It's the best way to gain influence in a political sphere that is more than wary of him.

I think Olgeard turned Iris's father into the caretaker. Her father was last seen when he dissolved their marriage. And he believed that Iris was way out of Olgeard's league. In revenge I could see Olgeard trapping her father's soul in that body to forever act as a servant and prove his power once and for all. That would explain the Caretaker's instinct to protect her and her not being able to bring herself to even look at him

Ciri vs unseen elder plz

In the Witcher books, Geralt telling Dijkstra that Eilhart killed Vizimir is a VERY important part of the end of the last book. It's not "confirmed" that she killed his father, she DID kill his father.

Vesemir seemed to like him.

I love Radovid

There is a method to his madness.

Title should be: Is Radovid Crazy?

Also I guess being King during a giant continent-spanning conflict must be stressful. If you think Emhyr is any less crazy you'd be joking. There's a kind of narrative symmetry between their characters that is kinda interesting.

Its so satisfying to kill Radovid in W3. Especially how coward he was in his last moments

I wouldt say he is insane or crazy. Just ruthless and power hungry, like emyr.

Seems trolls are able to be used with humans or for humans and not always violent, make a video on that?

I'm not a huge fan of how the politics of the games panned out. Foltest- one of the most reasonable and capable rulers in the books, aside from his relationship with his sister - is offed, and Emhyr, who is a ruthless monster willing to do anything, (and I mean worse than sister loving), for power and to be a part of prophecy, is depicted as stern, but fair. Saskia is completely a non-factor and all of the really heavy moral burdens fall on not choosing Emhyr, from having friends and allies killed to allowing mass murder to be committed.

He might be crazy but he's brilliant

Radovid wasn't all that crazy really. Especially since if he wins things turn out pretty okay for the Northern Realms. It seems to all just be from stress as when he defeats all of his enemies he goes back to normal. And of course the Witch Hunts started in Witcher 2 and was completely justified and some time before he started acting insane.

So how is he crazy?

He's crazy because CDPR fucked up the story.

Tired of people trying to justify murder these days. This story is about not choosing evil (lesser, middling,...whatever)

I would say Radovid very much Sane Mages screwed with the north for ages and after W2 people really dont like them so what does he do? Starts the witch hunts,removes chaotic elements and endears himself to the people attacked Kaewen? unidfied a battered kingdom into a united front and stoped Nilfgards offensive in its track Had some guys eyes removed and tjrown one overbord? boo hoo some idiots wanted to play a King for an idiot and he had non of it

Not crazy, just too smart. Glad i made him the ruler of the North.

As if I didn't already have enough reasons to despise Phillipa.

The King in the North

*Why not ?* 🤪

because the devs wanted him to be crazy. i think morvran voorhis will be a worse ruler in witcher 4 than radovid or any other emperor or king .

I am NOT crazy you hear?!

#radovidhateclub

cause the plot demanded it?

I think the story of the games is far more interesting than the books. The books seemed way more political, where as the games had a bit more supernatural in the story.

Radovid did nothing wrong. The mages (in particular Phillipa) deserve to cook on the pyre.

I was puzzled and disappointed that CDPR made Radovid crazy in the 3rd game; it came out of left-field in my opinion. The Lodge of Sorceresses were pretty much the main villains of Witcher 2- they were doing some deep state conspiracy to control all the kingdoms; I don't have a problem with Radovid popping off against them. But playing the "Radovid is a bigot/discriminatory against all magic users" card was a bit much. It gave Triss a storyline, but felt dumb and cliche (the magic users in Novigrad couldn't just teleport out of the city lol?) I think CDPR should have made Radovid a) NOT crazy and b) more nuanced. Same with the Witch Hunter faction and Church: I guess all religious folk are evil hypocrites huh?" c) WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KILL PHILLIPA. SHE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT. I feel like the Order of the Flaming Rose got shafted as well, but then again so did Henselt, Iorveth, etc. Practical limitations of somehow tying up loose ends between games.

He did nothing wrong.

I've never let Radovid live. Better a North under Nilfgard than under his insanity.

I actually liked radovid until he tried to kill me

When’s he look so old if he’s supposed to be 19 ahah

quite honestly, there is so many irl people who made their brand by spewing hatred and us versus them rhetoric i don't really think that part of his personality is very unique. he had an understandable hatred for the lodge for trying to grab his political power, but then just turned it into witchhunts and genocides against non-humans which rallied a lot of people behind him, a lot of dictators do it. just giving people anger outlet to blame someone for things like yk, war, famine or high taxes. what sets radovid apart from your regular everyday hateful bigot is that he seemed to be a very competent war commander esp at such a young age, considering that he wins the war with nilfgaard if he's left alive.

I always kill Radovic

Crazy? He is only ruler with common sense in whole wither 3.