Discover the 7 Witcher 3 characters who deserved better endings. These tragic stories will change how you see the game.
The world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is not built on happy endings. It thrives on moral conflicts, painful consequences, and tragic stories that stay with you long after the credits roll. But even in a game known for its harsh realism, some fates feel unnecessarily cruel. Certain characters suffer far more than they deserve, leaving players with a lingering sense that things could have been different. This list explores the Witcher 3 characters who deserved better endings, not because they were all perfect, but because their stories ended in ways that felt deeply unfair, incomplete, or emotionally devastating.
7. Jacob (The Woodcutter from “A Knight’s Tales”)
Jacob is one of those side characters many players almost forget, yet his story quietly hits hard. A simple woodcutter who dreams of fairy tales, he finds himself caught in something far beyond his understanding which is why he asks Geralt for help. Unfortunately by the end of the quest, his fate turns tragic despite his innocence and good intentions. That is what makes his ending feel so wrong. He is not a warrior, not a schemer, just a man who wanted better for everyone. Among Witcher 3 characters who deserved better endings, Jacob stands out as a reminder that even the smallest lives can be crushed by the world’s cruelty.
Check out seven side quests in Witcher 3 that feel like a fairytale.
6. Niellen (The Hunter from “Wild at Heart”)
Nellen’s side quest is unique and his story is not easy to judge. As a werewolf, he commits horrific acts, including killing his own wife. But the tragedy lies in the lack of control and the manipulation surrounding his condition. By the time you realize that his sister-in-law manipulated him to kill his wife, you are forced into a moral dilemma with no clean resolution. Who is the real monster? Niellen undoubtedly loved his wife, and she would have been still alive, if her sister hadn’t intervened. That uncertainity is exactly why his ending feels tragic. He is not evil in the traditional sense, yet he cannot escape the consequences of what he has become. His story lingers because it refuses to give closure.
5. Sile de Tansarville
Sile’s fate is one of the most brutal and humiliating in the game. Once a powerful sorceress involved in major political events, she is reduced to a broken figure trapped in a dungeon and is not even able to escape. Whether you help her end her life or not, her end feels excessively harsh. She was flawed, manipulative, and far from innocent, but her punishment feels disproportionate. Among Witcher 3 characters who deserved better endings, Sile represents how even powerful individuals can fall in the most undignified ways.
4. Syanna
Syanna is one of the most misunderstood characters in the game. Shaped by rejection, trauma, and years of emotional isolation, her actions are undeniably extreme and somewhat evil. Yet, when you understand her past, it becomes difficult not to sympathize with her. Depending on your choices, her story can end in tragedy, reinforcing the idea that she never truly had a chance. She is not innocent, but she is also not beyond redemption, as the game gives us the chance to get a happy ending as well. However, very few players actually get that ending, and most of the time, Syanna gets killed either by Detlaff or by the Ducal guards.
Check out seven most tragic characters from Witcher 3..
3. Dettlaff van der Eretein
Dettlaff is dangerous, unpredictable, and capable of immense destruction. But he is also deeply emotional, and can be kind-hearted, though he gets easily manipulated. His actions in Toussaint are horrifying, yet they stem from betrayal and heartbreak rather than pure malice. Many players blame Syanna for manipulating him for her revenge mission, and see him as a victim of circumstance, someone who lost control after being pushed too far. While many also feel that he was always a ticking time bomb, and would show his reality one way or the other. No matter, whichever ending you get, you feel bad for what he had to go through. He is a perfect example of how The Witcher 3 blurs the line between monster and man.
Check out seven of the most difficult boss fights in The Witcher 3.
2. Iris von Everec
Iris’s story is pure emotional devastation. Trapped in a loveless existence, bound to a husband who traded his humanity due to his ego, she lives in a state of quiet suffering that few characters in the game match. Even when you try to help her, the resolution feels more like release than happiness. There is no true “good ending” for Iris, only an end to her pain. Her story resonates deeply because it feels too personal, and she was completely innocent. She became a victim of Olgierd’s and her parents’ ego. Among all Witcher 3 characters who deserved better endings, Iris stands as one of the most heartbreaking.
Check out ten of the most attractive women in Witcher 3.
1. Skjall
Skjall is, without question, stands top on our list of characaters who got one of the most undeserving deaths in the entire game. He was an innocent yet brave man, and risked everything to help Ciri, someone whom he barely knew. He ended up showing courage and loyalty that few others could match. Yet, in return, he was branded a coward, abandoned, and denied even basic respect after death. His story is not just tragic, it feels completley unjust. Players remember Skjall not just because of what happened to him, but because of how unfair it all feels. He is the clearest example of a character who truly deserved better. Thankfully, the game allows us to give Skjall the respect he deserves!
