The Witcher on Netflix has never left its original books behind. At times, it adapts the stories of Andrzej Sapkowski closely, and at other times, it develops new variations. This trend was carried over into The Witcher Season 4, with certain characters who survive in the books being killed in the show. Fans were surprised, bewildered, and full of theories.Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich later clarified that these deaths were not added merely to create drama. They occurred due to practical reasons, such as the schedules of actors. There were also creative reasons: to develop the plot in a different way and grant other characters additional emotional life and development.What The Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said about the character deaths that were not there in the booksTV shows are difficult to create: such a huge spreadsheet of emotions. According to showrunner Lauren Hissrich, the availability of actors is one of the greatest challenges. When an actor is occupied with another project, the writers are occasionally forced to cut their character out of the story rather than attempt to accommodate their absence.Lauren Hissrich explained on her Instagram saying,“Not every actor is available to us exclusively, so sometimes, they’re already committed to another project when we need them. Schedules in tv are the biggest Tetris game EVER — you’re looking at the schedules of all of your actors, your director, location availability, when sets can be ready, etc. It’s actually a wonder anything gets made! Sometimes, we end up killing (or writing off) a character simply because they’re tied up in something else.”It may be disappointing to The Witcher fans who prefer the original book plots, but it is a practical decision. Filming requires all things to be in place, such as locations, directors, and the schedules of actors. According to Hissrich, these choices are not about drama or shock appeal; they are about ensuring the continuity of the show.In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, Hissrich commented:"I don't think anyone is sitting around going, 'Let's just kill that person. Let's have that shock value.' One of the things that our characters have to deal with is the trauma of losing someone and how that changes who you are and how you view the world,”Nevertheless, when a character must die because of production reasons, the writers ensure that it does not go to waste. They take advantage of that death to influence the other characters, using it to serve the emotional flow of The Witcher Season 4, rather than as incidental or meaningless moments.Much of what Hissrich explains is concerned with storytelling, not merely changing the plot. Certain deaths in The Witcher were inserted to influence the development and response of other characters. She explains that the goal is not to shock the viewer but to demonstrate how the surviving characters cope with loss.As an example, the death of a person close to Yennefer or the Lodge emotionally transforms her and drives her in new directions. These scenes trigger a domino effect that goes on to influence the entire season.On her Instagram, Lauren stated:“If we killed characters that Yen has never directly interacted with, for instance, it doesn’t have the same value. It doesn’t push Yen forward in the same way. Killing Margarita is an epic loss for Yen and the Lodge — it changes how Yen behaves for the rest of the episode (and series), it changes the level of vitriol and anger she has. Just how badly she needs Vilgefortz to pay for his crimes — to die.”The showrunner says that these choices are meant to bring emotional layers to the story, making the decisions and struggles of the characters seem genuine and potent. Thus, though fans of the books may dislike seeing familiar faces die, the writers feel that this type of change increases the stakes and creates stronger, more dramatic relationships on-screen.New faces, new stakes View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe Witcher Season 4 occasionally replaces some of the book characters with others to better fit the TV narrative. The showrunner, Lauren Hissrich, confirmed that the Lodge of Sorceresses has been expanded with additional members who do not feature in the novels.These additions help make The Witcher’s magical world larger and provide Yennefer with new individuals to communicate with and learn from. The new faces also enable the show to explore other locations, powers, and relationship dynamics that were not central to the books.Although some fans might miss characters like Keira and Margarita, who had more presence in the novels, this is not done in vain. The Witcher Season 4 has decided to omit certain moments from the book to create new narratives, introduce new characters, and add a layer of drama better suited to the television version.For more such insights on The Witcher Season 4, keep following Soap Central.