32 Episodes Of Netflix's High Fantasy Series Deliver A Masterclass In Sword Fighting

Published Nov 14, 2026, 11:45 PM EST

Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies.
After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back.

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Even some of the greatest fantasy shows stumble with their action sequences. Unlike regular action thrillers, fantasy dramas have to rely on ancient weapons and fighting styles to make their actions scenes look believable. The problem with this is that a certain level of skill and precise choreography is essential to ensure every moment in a scene feels authentic.

This specifically applies to sword-fighting scenes in fantasy shows, which often seem gimmicky and lack the fluidity needed to make them seem believable. One fantasy show on Netflix, however, almost serves as a masterclass in sword fighting. The show in question, The Witcher, has had its share of narrative ups and downs in its four-season runtime so far.

When it comes to action scenes, however, The Witcher rarely leaves viewers disappointed. There are moments in the series' early arcs where it almost precisely translates every move from the original games and books' action sequences to the screen. While The Witcher's future on Netflix may not be as bright as it once seemed, the show's sword-fighting scenes are always worth rewatching.

The Witcher's Best Fight Scenes Reveal A Lot About Henry Cavill's Geralt Of Rivia

There is nothing random about the sword fights in Netflix's The Witcher. The show intentionally draws a clear contrast between the main character's fighting style and that of regular humans. Henry Cavill's Geralt of Rivia is supposed to have a gone a century of mutant evolution. This is very well reflected in his fighting style when he wastes no energy during combat and uses strategic redirects to deflect attacks.

The show's action scenes even pay close attention to things like Geralt's grip. He carefully switches to reverse grip during close combat to be able to use his arms for throwing and shoving his opponents. Similar to his book counterpart, the Henry Cavill character even uses spins and pirouettes. On paper, a spin during an intense showdown might seem forced and theatrical.

However, Netflix's The Witcher ensures that every spin is perfectly placed in a fight's forward momentum. Henry Cavill, too, does an incredible job of carrying the character during combat, riffing on his vast knowledge of the games and the books' action.

Apart from adopting lore-accurate moves, the show also relies less on shaky camera tricks and more on real-time long takes. This ensures that the action scenes feel authentic and more immersive. Each sword fight is also evenly paced to ensure viewers notice how Henry Cavill's Geralt finds gaps in his opponents' strategies and armor to gain the upper hand.

The Witcher Perfectly Integrates Magic With Combat Realism

Image via MovieStillsDB

Henry Cavill's Geralt seems to seamlessly merge magic with his high-level swordplay. Instead of merely being meant for spectacle, the Witcher Signs in the Netflix series are perfectly woven into the overarching choreography. They almost come off as jabs that pave the way for him to land brutal blows with his sword.

Since an action scene is only as convincing as its performer, Henry Cavill, too, deserves immense credit for executing every action scene with fluidity.

He trained relentlessly to ensure that everything from his character's stoic expressions to his transitions between parries, footwork, and Sign-casting looked absolutely perfect. This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons why his departure from the series has been so heartbreaking. His commitment to playing the character and his understanding of The Witcher's lore was truly commendable.

While Henry Cavill will likely never play Geralt again in the Netflix fantasy series, one can always revisit the first three seasons of the series and appreciate his slick swordplay and acting chops as the character.

The Witcher

6/10

The Witcher follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter navigating a turbulent world where humanity’s darker nature often eclipses the monstrous.