The Witcherfollows Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) in his mission to protect his child surprise, Ciri (Freya Allan), after the fall of her kingdom, Cintra. With a devious organization of mages manipulating the world’s politics, the conflict between the humans and the Elves, and the monsters that Witchers exist to kill, the show is as dangerous and bloody as possible. Season 2 introduces many new players and reveals more about Ciri’s abilities. But it ends with several big reveals that left the audience anticipatingSeason 3, but after so long, the details may be hazy. With Season 3 fast approaching, it’s time to review what happened in preparation for new content.
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The Aftermath of the Battle of Sodden
Season 1ends with a battle between the Northern land Nilfgaard and the mages, during which Geralt finally finds Ciri. The fiery spectacle leaves many dead, and the mages must search the wreckage to find their missing. Geralt and Ciri pass through, looking for Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), with whom Geralt shares a tenuous romantic relationship. But Tissaia (MyAnna Buring), one of the mage leaders, believes Yennefer to be dead and tells the Witcher so. After Geralt takes Ciri away from the carnage, the mages attempt to regroup, declaring Nilfgaard sympathizer Fringilla (Mimi Ndiweni) a traitor and taking the Black Knight Cahir (Eamon Farren) captive.
Meanwhile, Yennefer is alive and a Nilfgaard prisoner, but she has lost her connection to chaosafter she practiced forbidden fire magic to win the battle. Elves attack Fringilla’s soldiers. This time both Yennefer and Fringilla are prisoners, but they overhear the elves' leader, Francesca (Mecia Simson), speaking of her dream, which the mages share. They all see a mysterious figure in robes but in different colors. Together they interpret the dreams, unveiling an old elvish goddess called the Deathless Mother. An incantation transports the three women to a cabin in the woods, where this Deathless Mother promises each something they want for the right price. Yennefer wants her powers back but has yet to hear the cost. Fringilla is offered power if she works with the Elves, and Francesca learns to bear a living child, she needs her Elves to live in peace with men. So Fringilla and Francesca make a deal with each other where Nilfgaard offers refuge and for Elves, who will help them against their common enemy, allowing for both women to obey the Deathless Mother. Yennefer refuses to join, but she is allowed to leave with her freedom.
Geralt and Ciri Are Finally Together
After their reunion, Geralt needs a safe place to take Ciri, so they join the ever-dwindling Witcher population in Kaer Morhen. The other Witchers don’t approve of Geralt’s guardianship of Ciri,especially father figure Vesemir (Kim Bodnia). But an attack from the Witcher Eskel (Basil Eidenbenz), whose wounds have turned him into a tree-like Leshy, distracts them. Geralt kills Eskel to save Vesemir, but he struggles with the guilt. Ciri’s anger and fear boil over, and she convinces Geralt to train her to protect herself. Angry with Geralt, the other Witchers push Ciri in her training, convincing her to try dangerous challenges, but Ciri’s daring determination soon wins them over.
Ciri confides in Geralt about her occasional glimpses of foresight, and they follow one such vision into the woods. The Leshy that turned Eskel appears but is quickly killed by an unknown scorpion-like monster. The new monster chases Ciri, cornering her before Geralt kills it. Puzzled by the new monsters, Vesemir and Geralt invite the mage Triss (Anna Shaffer). She confirms the transformation was not the work of a mage. Triss realizes they come from the monolith Ciri toppled with her scream during the fall of Cintra. Geralt goes to investigate the fallen monolith. Meanwhile, Vesemir discovers Feainnewedd flowers wherever Ciri’s blood touches the ground, suggestingshe is of Elder Blood, which is supposedly extinct and rumored to be integral to creating new Witchers.
Yennefer Hides Her Lack of Powers and Seeks Out Jaskier
Yennefer returns to the mages, trying to hide that she no longer has her magic. As part-elf, many mages mistrust Yennefer, especially after her display of power during the battle. She is forced to admit that she can no longer perform magic or execute the Cahir. Yennefer chooses to keep her secret, but rather than killing Cahir, she frees him, escaping with him in hopes that he can keep her enemies from capturing her. Now on the run, Yennefer and Cahir hear of themysterious Sandpiper, who helps Elves get to freedom. This turns out to be the bard, Jaskier (Joey Batey), who is still furious at Geralt. Despite Jaskier and Yennefer’s general dislike for each other, he helps them to Cintra, but as they prepare to leave, Jaskier is captured, and Yennefer abandons her plan to save him.
A fire mage, Rience (Chris Fulton), is freed from prison to chase Ciri for an anonymous employer. It’s Rience who captures and tortures Jaskier to learn more about Geralt. Yennefer finds them but is no match for Rience without her powers. She turns Rience’s fire back on him with alcohol, giving herself and Jaskier time to escape, but Yennefer is still wanted. When she’s caught, her only way out is to make her deal with the Deathless Mother, who wants Yennefer to deliver her Ciri in exchange for getting her magic back.
Uncovering the Many Mysteries Surrounding Ciri
Triss portals Geralt to Istredd (Royce Pierreson), a mage studying the monoliths. Geralt explains the story to a disbelieving Istredd, but the ruins of the monolith change his mind. Istredd develops a theory that the Monoliths are not points of impact from theConjunction of the Spheres, as everyone believes, but gateways to the other worlds. Ciri’s voice causes a disturbance, and a new monster appears. After defeating the creature, Geralt hurries home to Ciri.
At Kaer Morhen, Vesemir hopes to use Ciri’s blood to make more Witcher mutagen. Ciri agrees to help if she can become a Witcher herself. Vesemir refuses, citing the transformation’s dangers, but Ciri convinces him. With Triss’s help, they recreate the mutagen, but she tries to talk Ciri out of taking it. Triss uses magic to allow Ciri to search her deepest memories for the source of her powers, but the spell doesn’t work as intended. They see Ciri’s mother, an elf ancestor, andhear Ithlinne’s prophecy. Triss is left believing Ciri is destined to destroy the world, but Ciri’s desire to become a Witcher grows stronger. As Vesemir prepares to give Ciri the mutagen, Geralt returns and stops it.
Though Vesemir regrets his actions, Geralt takes Ciri on a journey. After they leave, Rience attacks Kaer Morhen in search of Ciri. Vesemir is injured, and Rience steals the mutagen with Ciri’s blood, hoping to earn a meeting with his mysterious benefactor. With the blood missing, Triss tells Tissaia what she discovered about Ciri. The mages plan to go after Ciri themselves. Meanwhile, Istredd looks into Ciri’s ancestry, discovering a secret gene in the royal line, which he manages to tie back to the elf warrior Lara Dorren, suggesting Ciri is a generational weapon that threatens destruction.
The Elves Take Back Xin’trea
Spymaster Dijkstra (Graham McTavish) sets the Redanian king’s sights on Cintra, placing Ciri’s friend, Dara (Wilson Radjou-Pujalte), among the elf refugees as a spy, but neither Fringilla nor Francesca realizes it. They are focused on other problems. When Cahir returns, Francesca fears Fringilla will turn her power over, but Cahir wants to resume his pursuit of Ciri. Francesca goes into labor early, and Fringilla helps to save the nearly stillborn baby elf. The elves celebrate the birth, no longer wishing to fight.
With the news that their leader, Emhyr (Bart Edwards), the White Flame, is coming, Fringilla and Cahir prepare for his arrival, but Cahir fears spies among the elves. The generals threaten mutiny over working with elves. Fringilla doubts herself but finds renewed purpose. Using magic, she kills all the generals, leaving Cahir alive to lie and say the killing was necessary. When Francesca’s baby is murdered, Dara confesses to being a spy, though he tried to quit. Francesca forgives him but seeks revenge by casting using magic to kill the Redanian babies. The elves' disappearance complicates Fringilla’s plans for Emhyr. But Cahir suggests she take credit for the baby’s murder, which set the elves against Nilfgaard’s enemies without their people having to fight.
Geralt Reunites With Old Friends
On their journey, Geralt and Ciri are attacked by a monster. This time, Geralt allows Ciri to help slay the beast, offering her as bait while Geralt makes the kill. They arrive at the Temple of Melitele, a school that taught a young Geralt science. In her search for Ciri, Yennefer finds Geralt instead, not knowing that he is Ciri’s protector. Alone, Ciri is surrounded by Rience and his companions. Geralt and Yennefer come to the rescue. Geralt holds off the attackers, and Yennefer gets Ciri to safety. Yennefer teaches Ciri to portal, and they escape. Geralt witnesses their departure, realizing that Yennefer is up to something. He goes after Ciri but first stops to rescue Jaskier. Geralt frees him from jail, and they make up. Once Jaskier fills in pieces of Yennefer’s story, Geralt figures out her involvement with the Deathless Mother, or Voleth Meir. Jaskier tries convincing Geralt to show Yennefer mercy, but Geralt isn’t interested.
Intending to deliver Ciri to the Deathless Mother, Yennefer tells her Geralt needs saving in Cintra. On the way, Yennefer teaches Ciri more magic, and Ciri’s determination endears her to Yennefer. As they near their destination, Yennefer has a change of heart, confessing that Geralt isn’t in Cintra. Nilfgaard catches Yennefer and Ciri, but Geralt shows up in time to save them. When Geralt sends Ciri with Jaskier, it seems like he may get revenge on Yennefer, but he instead makes Yennefer take him to the Deathless Mother. They find Voleth Meir breaking out of her prison set bythe first Witchers. With her new chance at life, Voleth Meir possesses Ciri.
Confronting the Deathless Mother
In a dreamlike vision, Ciri returns to her old life with those she lost, getting sucked in by the fantasy. Meanwhile, Voleth Meir uses Ciri’s body to kill the Witchers in Kaer Morhen. Geralt goes to Vesemir for help, catching Voleth Meir about to kill him. He realizes that Voleth Meir isn’t only free but in Ciri’s body. Vesemir suggests sacrificing Ciri to kill Voleth Meir, but Geralt looks for another way. The remaining Witchers prepare for battle. Though Yennefer wants to help, Geralt rejects it. Geralt confronts Voleth Meir, offering himself in Ciri’s place, but Voleth Meir refuses. Using Ciri’s powers, Voleth Meir creates a new Monolith, bringing monsters into Kaer Morhen. The monsters annihilate the Witchers as Geralt calls to Ciri. Geralt’s voice breaks through, and for a moment, she sees monsters rather than people, but the vision holds, adding her parents to entice her to stay.
Despite Geralt, Vesemir takes a killing shot, but Voleth Meir heals the wound. Geralt and the Witchers stop fighting, choosing their love for Ciri over the hate and chaos that strengthens Voleth Meir. Ciri hears Witchers, and her dream falls apart as she chooses the Witchers over the vision of her family. Ciri is freed, but Voleth Meir needs a vessel, and Yennefer offers herself. Geralt asks Ciri to use the new Monolith to get Voleth Meir back into her world. Though Ciri has little control, she opens a portal, and Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri go through. Voleth Meir leaves Yennefer’s body, but they aren’t alone in this new world.The Wild Huntappears, calling for Ciri to join them. Ciri manages to get the three of them home, and Yennefer’s magic returns. As Ciri is a target for so many, Geralt decides to keep her moving, and though he doesn’t forgive Yennefer for what she almost did, he does allow her to join them and teach Ciri.
Season 2 Wraps Up With Many Cliffhangers
The mages choose to go after Ciri. They place a bounty on Ciri and anyone who protects her, setting up another chase in Season 3. Istredd goes to the elves, telling them about Ciri’s Elder Blood and connection to Ithlinne’s prophecy, leading the elves to believe she is the answer to their problems. But Nilfguard has been after Ciri since the beginning, and Emhyr’s arrival explains why. After catching Fringilla and Cahir in their lie about killing the baby,Emhyr’s face finally appears, revealing him to be Ciri’s believed-dead father. With many people and monsters still after Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer have their work cut out for them in Season 3.
The Witcher’sthird season will premiere on Netflix in two installments: Volume 1 on June 29 and Volume 2 on July 27.
