Earlier in the year, it was announced that Graham McTavish would be joining the line-up for Season 2 of The Witcher. He plays a character called Sigismund Dijkstra.
Fans of both the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski and the subsequent video games will already have plenty of background regarding Dijkstra. But for fans of the TV series alone, he has not yet featured.
So, who is this person?
Dijkstra was once the head of Redanian Intelligence
A tall and imposing character, Dijkstra was once the head of Redanian Intelligence. No, not the fansite dedicated to all things Witcher-related, but an organization within the Witcher universe that is a famed intelligence-gathering agency, also known as the Redanian Secret Service.
He started from humble beginnings but quickly worked his way up the ranks as a spy before heading the organization. In Redania, this agency is feared and known for the many executions of traitors and spies.
As pointed out by Game Rant, Dijkstra is also known as a “master manipulator” and an antagonist in the books and games. However, he and Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) have had some interaction and even collaborated at times.
What to expect in Season 2 of The Witcher
Season 2 of The Witcher looks set to deal with King Vizimir, a man under whom Dijkstra works. Because of this, a particular book plot is sure to unfold.
In this storyline, Dijkstra employs Jaskier (Joey Batey), also known as Dandelion, to collect intelligence on Geralt. This comes about thanks to some leverage that Dijkstra holds over him.
While Jaskier tries to doge giving too much away with his clever wit, Dijkstra never falls for this and some information is eventually shared.
Most notably, the fact that Ciri (Freya Allan) survived the sacking of Cintra is valuable information that is obtained from Jaskier.
Here’s where you know Graham McTavish from
If you think you recognize the actor who portrays Dijkstra, it is very likely that you are a fan of Starz’s Outlander or Men in Kilts.
He played the character of Dougal MacKenzie in Seasons 1 and 2. In addition to this, he also portrayed another MacKenzie, this time as William Buccleigh.
On the small screen, McTavish has also recently starred in Preacher, Lucifer, Colony, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
According to the star’s IMDb page, the actor has had an illustrious career that has spanned some 130 credits spread across TV, film, and voice work. In fact, he has previously appeared in The Witcher franchise, voicing Deglan in the 2D animated movie, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
He will also star in the upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, as Ser Harrold Westerling.
Season 2 of The Witcher will premiere on Netflix on December 17, 2021.