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The Man Behind the Screen's avatar

Saying Geralt was "derived" from Elric is the polite way of putting it.

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David Perlmutter's avatar

Moorcock's influence on speculative fiction writing is immeasurable...

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David Vandervort's avatar

The tragedy of Elric's life also has to do with his magic sword. A thing of evil he doesn't want but needs.

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konshtok's avatar

this nitpick is so annoying and I blame that idiot razorfist

but it really grinds my ass

geralt is not in any way derived from elric

they have ONE thing in common the colour of their hair

and even that is different because geralt is not an albino

in ever other way

personality , origins , their world and the way their adventures are set up

they are different

if I'm wrong then name 3 other things except hair colour that they share

also elric is mirroring conan

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Donn Harper Jr.'s avatar

First, Geralt is dependent upon potions, and magic for his powers,

Exactly as is the Albino Elric.

Geralt is called, the White wolf,

Exactly as is Elric, in Sailor on the seas of fate and in The weird of the white wolf.

Third,

Geralt is a wanderer, as is Elric.

Fourth,

the brooding conflicted conscience of Geralt is directly a replay of the inner conflict depicted of Elric.

Fifth

Geralt, the witcher was a mercenary,

Just as was Elric in his journeys among the young kingdoms.

A note on Conan, Moorcock himself stated that Elric was an anti-Conan.

If any Howard character carries similarities, it would have to be Kull, there the comparison is superficial at best , Kull being a scion of Atlantis , while Elric is the last Emperor of the Bright empire , Melnibone'.

Unlike either Conan, or Kull, Elric actually never desired the throne or glory.

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konshtok's avatar

now we are cooking

Elric is dependant on potions for his health

geralt USES potions to gain extra powers

elric is a sorcerer with extremely wide and esoteric knowledge

witchers have a very limited number of 'signs' they learn by rote

and since the witcher world also has sorcerers like elric then the witcher signs are not an equivalent to elrics sorcery

Elric run away from his homeland and then INTENTIONALY destroyed it

geralt returns to kaer morhen whenever he wants and travels for his job

geralt is NOT a mercenary

he is a pest exterminator

you can not hire him to kill humans

but geralt will take any witcher job while

elric OTOH only takes jobs when he runs out of money or he finds something interesting

elric is enraged at the world for not being fair and just - !hence! his occasional brooding

geralt knows and ACCEPTS that there is no justice except the one you make and he does not brood - you've mistaken cavills portrayal of him as an exasperated veteran for brooding

and "white wolf" is hardly a very original name that most have been copied

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Donn Harper Jr.'s avatar

So, you admit the similarities,

Lol, which came first?

Actually, it's the comparison to Conan that irks.

Elric was meant to be an antihero.

An accidental, unintentional savior.

In truth, I am a fan of Kull, Conan, Elric and Geralt.

I believe the real question is, which fantasy trope is not based upon previous works , stretching back into mythic antiquity.

I could make a case for Star Wars, being based upon Irish Mythology.

(Lugh-Balor/Luke-Darth Vader, flaming magic swords, burning spears that never miss/ light sabers and missiles, Jedi/Druids…)

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konshtok's avatar

I pointed out that what you called similarities are actually differences

unless you are going to insist that any character that used potions (including ones who were written before elric) are similar and so on

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