# Geralts Hmm > Geralt's Hmm is a 2019 reaction image and catchphrase meme from Netflix's The Witcher, featuring Henry Cavill's Geralt of Rivia responding with a gruff 'Hmm. Geralt's "Hmm" is a reaction image and catchphrase meme taken from the Netflix adaptation of *The Witcher*, where Henry Cavill's portrayal of Geralt of Rivia features the character responding to conversations with a simple, gruff "Hmm." Originating in late December 2019 shortly after the show's premiere, the meme spread rapidly across Reddit, Imgur, and Facebook as a versatile reaction format for thought-provoking or begrudgingly acknowledged situations. ## Origin *The Witcher* premiered on Netflix on December 20, 2019, based on the fantasy book series by Andrzej Sapkowski[3]. Throughout the first season's eight episodes, Geralt repeatedly responds to other characters with nothing more than "Hmm," delivered in different tones depending on the context[4]. The specific scene most commonly used in the meme format comes from Season 1, Episode 6, titled "Rare Species." In it, Geralt sits by a fire in a tavern talking with the character Borch Three Jackdaws, with Jaskier the bard nearby. At one point, Geralt replies to the conversation with his signature "Hmm"[4]. This wasn't accidental. Showrunner Lauren Hissrich later revealed during a Reddit AMA that the show's team deliberately trimmed Geralt's dialogue. In the original cut of the first episode, Geralt spoke significantly more, but Hissrich and Cavill decided together to scale it back. "We ended up cutting a lot of his dialogue because once we had it on its feet, it didn't feel real," Hissrich explained[1]. She noted that while Geralt is "incredibly talkative in the books," the show aimed to portray him as someone "who doesn't always want to be a part of the conversation"[1]. - **Platform:** Netflix (source material), Reddit / Imgur (meme format) - **Creator:** ISeeBulge (earliest known meme post on Imgur), Henry Cavill (actor / portrayal) - **Date:** 2019 ## Overview The meme uses a still frame from Netflix's *The Witcher* showing Geralt of Rivia with the subtitle "Hmm" displayed on screen. Geralt, wearing his signature Witcher armor, sits beside a fireplace with a stoic, contemplative expression. The image works as a reaction to anything that provokes reluctant thought or grudging acknowledgment. Part of what makes the format click is how Cavill delivers the line with varying emotional weight across the series, from frustrated grunts to deeply pensive murmurs[2]. The catchphrase often appears alongside its companion meme, Geralt's "Fuck," as the two represent the character's famously minimal vocabulary[1]. ## How It Spread The meme took shape within days of the show's premiere. On December 24, 2019, an Imgur user named ISeeBulge uploaded the first known instance of the still image being used in a meme context[4]. By December 27, the format had reached Reddit. User u/CarbonatedInsidious posted a version to r/NetflixWitcher that picked up over 3,500 upvotes and 47 comments[4]. The following day, u/Al-Andalusia posted to r/Witcher with the title "Geralt of Hmmmvia," earning more than 20,000 upvotes, nearly 500 comments, and numerous Reddit awards[4]. Media outlets and fans quickly noticed how often Cavill's Geralt relied on the phrase and started producing supercut compilations. One popular supercut pulled nearly a minute of footage from across multiple episodes, showing the "wide vocal range" of Cavill's delivery, from pondering hums to frustrated grunts[2]. The meme also crossed into gaming territory. Several highly upvoted posts on r/Memes drew a connection between Geralt's "Hmm" and the similar sounds made by villagers in *Minecraft*. A post by u/SanGG96 combining the two concepts earned over 22,000 upvotes and an award, marking one of the first major uses of the format outside of Witcher-specific communities[4]. On January 20, 2020, the format hit a new peak when u/WeakWrecker posted a version featuring Geralt's face distorted to r/DankMemes. The post exploded, reaching over 100,000 upvotes and earning "Meme of the Week" status on the subreddit[4]. The meme spread to Facebook shortly after. On January 22, the page "Legends Got Depression" shared a version that pulled 5,200 likes, 3,200 comments, and 31,000 shares[4]. ## How to Use The Geralt "Hmm" format typically works as a reaction image. Users place the still of Geralt with the "Hmm" subtitle below a statement, image, or scenario that provokes quiet contemplation, skepticism, or reluctant agreement. Common approaches include: 1. Pairing it with an observation or fact that's hard to argue with but slightly annoying to accept 2. Using it as a deadpan response to something absurd or overthought 3. Combining it with other minimal-response memes for maximum stoicism 4. Posting just the catchphrase "Hmm" in comment sections to channel Geralt energy ## Cultural Impact The meme played into a broader wave of *Witcher* content that dominated the internet in early 2020. Netflix's adaptation was already one of the platform's most-watched debut seasons, and the meme ecosystem around Geralt, including both "Hmm" and "Fuck," helped keep the show in online conversations well beyond its premiere week[1]. The deliberate choice to make Geralt near-silent was itself a talking point. Hissrich's Reddit AMA answers about cutting dialogue were widely shared, giving fans insight into how the character's iconic minimalism was a collaborative creative decision between her and Cavill[1]. The show's version of Geralt leaned closer to the video game portrayal than the original novels, where the character is considerably more verbose[1]. Fans also created audio compilations and analysis videos breaking down the different emotional registers of Cavill's "Hmm" deliveries, treating what could have been a throwaway vocal tic as a genuine piece of acting craft[2]. ## Fun Facts - Cavill's Geralt originally had much more dialogue in the first episode, but the showrunner and actor decided together it didn't feel authentic and cut most of it[1]. - Hissrich joked that even the silent character Nenneke from the books might have wanted to tell Geralt to stop talking so much in the source material[1]. - The supercut of every "Hmm" from Season 1 runs nearly a full minute despite pulling from eight episodes[2]. - The *Witcher* series had already been renewed for a second season before the first season's meme culture fully took off[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Geralt's "Hmm"? Geralt's "Hmm" is a reaction image meme using a screenshot of Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's *The Witcher*, showing him with the subtitle "Hmm" on screen. It's used to react to thought-provoking or begrudgingly relatable content[4]. ### Where did Geralt's "Hmm" come from? The meme originates from Netflix's *The Witcher*, which premiered December 20, 2019. The most commonly used still comes from Season 1, Episode 6, "Rare Species"[4]. ### What does Geralt's "Hmm" mean? In the show, Geralt uses "Hmm" as a catch-all response when he doesn't want to fully engage in conversation. As a meme, it conveys quiet contemplation, skepticism, or reluctant acknowledgment of a point[1]. ### How do you use Geralt's "Hmm"? Place the image below any text, observation, or scenario that warrants a thoughtful but minimal response. It works for anything from deep philosophical questions to mildly annoying everyday truths[4]. ### Is Geralt's "Hmm" still popular? The meme saw its peak activity from late 2019 through early 2020. While it's no longer a dominant format, it still appears in Witcher fan communities and as a general-purpose reaction image[4]. ### Why does Geralt say "Hmm" so much? Showrunner Lauren Hissrich explained that Geralt's minimal speech was a deliberate creative choice. She and Henry Cavill worked together to cut dialogue from the scripts so the character would feel like someone who prefers silence over conversation[1]. ### What is the Geralt "Hmm" supercut? Fans compiled nearly a minute of footage from across Season 1 showing every instance of Geralt saying "Hmm" in different emotional registers, from frustrated to contemplative[2]. ### Is Geralt talkative in the books? Yes. Hissrich acknowledged that "Geralt is incredibly talkative in the books," making the show's quieter version a conscious departure from the source material[1]. ### What's the connection between Geralt's "Hmm" and Minecraft? Fans noticed that Geralt's "Hmm" sounds similar to the noises made by villagers in *Minecraft*, leading to popular crossover memes on r/Memes[4]. ### What was the most upvoted Geralt "Hmm" post? A distorted-face version posted by u/WeakWrecker to r/DankMemes on January 20, 2020 reached over 100,000 upvotes and was named "Meme of the Week"[4]. ## References 1. [Watch The Witcher | Netflix Official Site]() 2. [The Witcher Showrunner Explains Why They Cut Some of Geralt's Dialogue - ComicBook.com]() 3. [Netflix's The Witcher Fan Creates Hilarious Geralt "Hmm" Supercut - ComicBook.com]() 4. [Geralt's "Hmm" - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Watch The Witcher | Netflix Official Site]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/geralts-hmm Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library