From regicidal plots to operating bathhouses as information mills, to syndicating criminals and churchgoers for mutually assured evasion from the law, Sigismund Dijkstra - or Sigi Reuven, as he is sometimes known - is one of the most ruthless, efficient, and fascinating masterminds in the world of The Witcher. Although often considered an antagonist, both the books and games see Geralt of Rivia collaborating with Dijkstra on more than one occasion. This is because Sigi always has a price, but not one paid in gold - this is a man who is only interested in attaining sheer, unbridled power. At the same time, his most effective method of assuring this is to always keep the extent of his power ambiguous - sufficiently well-known for him to be feared and revered, but h👍idden enough for him to never forfeit the element of surprise.
While the Netflix series is based on the books, my guess is that most of the people reading this will have played the games (if you have read the books, ♊nice one - they’re good, eh?) But let’s focus on the games, specifically the fact that they’re not considered canon. I’m the biggest Witcher 3 fan in the world, but in Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski’s head, those events - which transpire several years after the last book - simply never happened. Dijkstra roping you, Roche, and Thaler into an unlikely plot to reclaim Redanian sovereignty from the nefarious King Radovid? Not in the books. And given that there are already several seasons’ worth of material to adapt after season two, it’s unknown whether it will be in the show either - if it is, it will be almost a decade down the line.
That’s not to say Dijkstra isn’t going to be great. Fortunately, his hulking near-seven-foot frame - yes, Dijkstra is basically The Witcher’s Big Show - looms large over major scenes pretty regularly in Sapkowski’s novels. After all, the head of Redanian Intelligence is an official spymaster for the country in which shit is bombardꦬing the fan. He’s infiltrated Nilfgaard’s ranks - or has he? - and serves as a necessary narrative device for some pretty huge plot points in the Witcher saga, bearing relation to plots independently concerning Geralt😼, Dandelion, Ciri, Yennefer, Vilgefortz, and loads more besides.
Now let me introduce you to : Graham McTavish. McTavish is a talented performer who has enjoyed a long career, although you’ll most likely recognize him for his roles as Dwalin in The Hobbit and Dracula i🌟n Castlevania. Both relatively serious characters, sure, but Dijkstra commands respect in a similar way. He’s a bit more quippish, often resorting to condescending sarcasm in conversation, but McTavish has also acted in Shakespeare, having played characters like Macbeth’s Banquo and Julius Caesar’s Brutus. The kind of dry but slightly animated wit necessary for bringing Dijkstra to life should come without much hassle.
McTavish’s filmography offers a combination of experience that is perfect for this role. Shakespearean actors are generally incredibly well-suited to fantasy - Peter Jackson basically cast out of RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) for half the roles in The Lord of the Rings, and look where that got them. Some of Game of Thrones’ strongest performances - Dame Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell or Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister - were similarly driven by Shakespearean experience. While a lot of characters are open to being changed quite liberally, Dijkstra already has such a presence in the books that it needs to be adapted perfectly. McTavish is ဣmore than well-equipped to both inhabit and exude that - something that is definitely helped by his smooth baritone reading of Vlad Dracula in Netflix’s Castlevania. Please use the exact same voice for Dijkstra. Please. O𒊎r your lovely Scottish accent, thanks.
I already have a fairly good idea about what elements of Sigi Dijkstra we’re going to see in The Witcher’s second season. Given that the inaugural season adapted a good chunk of both short story collections - The Last Wis🐬h and Sword of Destiny - it’s reasonable to assume that season two will be heavily informed by Blood of Elves, the first novel in the saga. In this part of the overarching story, Dijkstra has a large part to play in the arcs of Geralt, Dandelion, Yennefer, and a mage named Rience, who was also recently cast. Sigi is playing nice here - at least sort of - but it’s important to remember that Dijkstra’s allegiances switch with the wind, which is pa🔴rt of what makes him such a great character in the first place. He's so unpredictable, it's brilliant.
The exciting part about all of this is that this is where The Witcher gets really good. Geralt is still pulling blood and guts out of bruxae and basilisks left and right, but there’s also a whole lot of Cold War-esque information brokering designed to subsidize and inform the more ostensible action. It’s not just swords and sorcery anymore - The Witcher from here on out resembles that same slow burn that made Game of Thrones special at its peak. Season one ꦛmay have had a feature creature and some fancy combat pirouetting in basically every episode, but it’s important to remember that it was emphatically based on episodic content. Blood of Elves is a more traditional novel than the short story collections, where every chapter doesn’t necessarily call for a massive fight scene. Season two will be quieter when it’s supposed to be quiet, and much, much louder when it isn’t.
Dijkstra’s addition to the cast is very exciting, especially given how excellently suited Graham McTavish is to the character. This character confirmation also signifies that we’ll probably be seeing the first parts of a very important Ciri plot in season two✨, but hey, I won’t spoil it. Just keep your eyes peeled on what Sigi is up to, alright? I envy any of you who don’t know what’s going to happen next.
