Siegfried vs Yaevinn: The Talk Down

[Chippings]

Siegfried vs Yaevinn: The Talk Down

Spoilers are present and welcome: I may have missed a few things and intend to play the game further though I have now completed The Witcher several times, at least once for each the Order, the Scoia'tael and neutrality.

I have been having a lot of firsts recently with the Witcher games, but the one I'd like to discuss here is the dichotomy present in the responses of Siegfried and Yaevinn after being talked out of conflict with Geralt during the neutral epilogue in the burning Temple Quarter. Apologies that I do not have the exact script. I found it interesting that Yaevinn apparently intends to reform and build instead of destroy, at Geralt's behest. Meanwhile, Siegfried, when told to "fight the real enemy" (anticipating the subject to be the corrupt head of his Order) marches off to redouble his elf-slaying efforts.

It seems that Siegfried is the objectively inferior party. Is it intended that Siegfried be the murderer with the most conviction? I suppose it makes sense given the religious nature of the Order. In Machiavellian terms, one could argue Siegfried's side is stronger for his confidence and Yaevinn's weaker for his fickle beliefs.

 

[vongraudenz]

Siegfried is a loyal soldier, and does not know that Jacques de Aldersberg is truely insane. He still believes the propaganda and thinks the Elves are the enemy.

 

[Chippings]

Perhaps it wouldn't be very neutral of him, but I wonder why Geralt didn't at least try to talk more sense into Siegfried. Would Geralt attempting to convince Siegfried of the truth of the matter be meddling, so to speak? Would it be that Geralt is pressing his ideas and ideologies upon Siegfried? Or could it potentially be a non-partisan, non-meddling discussion with the intention only of sharing factual information?

 

[vongraudenz]

I would say Geralt tried to tell Siegfried the truth and show him the error he was committing, especially seeing as how Siegfried now was leading mutants. If you remember Geralt was a bit surprised that Siegfried tried to recruit him after the bank robbery, seeing as how Geralt is a mutant, which the Order is not very fond of. He did try to point out the incongruity of it, but again Siegfried was a loyal soldier and he had his orders to obey. No Geneva Convention to fall back on.