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Why do Geralt’s eyes turn black in The Witcher?

The Witcher season 3 is here, and you probably have question about the color of Geralt's eyes. Here, we explain why his eyes turn black in the Netflix series.

Why do Geralt's eyes turn black in The Witcher? Henry Cavill as Geralt

Why do Geralt’s eyes change color when he’s fighting in The Witcher? You’ve got good questions, and we’ve got good answers.

The Witcher is back, which means one thing: Geralt’s fighting monsters once again. Of course, there’s much more to The Witcher season 3 than that; the latest adventure sees Geralt and Yennefer protecting and training Ciri as she’s chased across the Continent.

And, once again, we see Geralt’s eyes turn back during his battles in the Netflix show. This has happened before, but what causes Geralt’s eyes to change color?

Why do Geralt’s eyes turn black?

Geralt’s eyes turn black when he drinks a potion to help him fight. These are rare, special potions which only Witchers can drink because they’re toxic to humans who haven’t been through the Trial of the Grasses.

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The potions turn Geralt’s eyes black because they cause his pupils to dilate fully, which enhances his sight. This occurs along with other effects from the potion too, like general improvements to his speed, agility, reactions, and strength.

Geralt’s eyes don’t always turn black when he’s fighting because he only rarely consumes the potions. For example, in the butcher of Blavikan fight (and in fights against most humans) Geralt doesn’t take a potion and his eyes don’t change color. But, when he’s fighting dangerous monsters, like a Kikimore, he requires the help of a potion and his eyes turn jet black.

Read our The Witcher season 3 volume 1 review for more Witcher content, before heading to our guide on The Witcher cast, and finding out what we know about The Witcher season 4 release date. For a deep dive, read our interviews with Anya Chalotra, Joey Batey, and Freya Allan, as well as stunt coordinator Wolfgang Stegemann and armorer Nick Jeffries.

Or, take a look at our guide to everything new on Netflix, before seeing our picks for the best TV series of all time. If you prefer the games, you can also check out PCGamesN’s guide to The Witcher remake release date and Pocket Tactics’ breakdown of The Witcher 3 characters.