As one of the most experienced monster hunters on the Continent, not to mention our own Geralt’s ultimate father figure, Vesemir is beloved across The Witcher fandom. The old-timer has a lot of admirable qualities — even besides his hilarious bedside manner and his heart-tugging affection and care for Ciri — but never mistake that calm exterior for anything other than calculated restraint; if you push Vesemir too far, or threaten the things he cares about, the old wolf will turn into a warrior as deadly as any of his renowned students.
Ever heard the saying, “Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young?” Nothing could be a more fitting description of Vesemir, who has never known defeat so final or fatal as to leave him out of a job, or worse, leave him dead. One would argue, then, that by virtue of reaching such an old age (consider the fact that Geralt is in his fifties when The Witcher begins, making Vesemir more than a hundred years old, at the very least) he should be the strongest Witcher out there, but the definitive answer isn’t so simple as that.
Who is the strongest Witcher?
Vesemir didn’t establish the School of the Wolf, but he did rise to head it by the time Geralt was born. The experienced Witcher was a very important figure in Kaer Morhen’s history, and probably the only reason that a sliver of the stronghold’s old glory still looms over the Blue Mountains of Kaedwin.
In terms of his exploits, we know that Vesemir went toe-to-toe with a higher vampire (fan-favorite character Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy) and lived to tell the tale so that alone puts him above your run-of-the-mill Witcher. He also trained formidable hunters in the forms of Geralt, Eskel, Lambert, and Coën, who have all gone on to rid the world of monstrosities in their own right.
But that doesn’t necessarily make him the strongest Witcher to ever live. Whether you’ve only read about Geralt’s adventures in Andrzej Sapkowski’s books — or played the video games and even watched the Netflix show — you know that any warrior or hero’s deeds would pale in comparison to our White Wolf. Geralt has not only faced his fair share of vampires and other deadly beasts but also powerful sorcerers, highly skilled assassins, and even otherworldly beings like the Wild Hunt’s spectral riders.
Placed side by side, the apprentice has indeed surpassed his master in terms of skill, and being much younger certainly gives him an edge in particular areas, but that doesn’t mean Vesemir isn’t a living legend himself.
And frankly, we can’t wait to see more of him in future seasons of The Witcher on Netflix.