In the first episode of The Witcher season 3, Geralt makes the difficult decision to separate from Yennefer and Ciri in his pursuit of Reince, vowing to get rid of him for good. However, Reince had not only been healed in Aretuza but also gained the support of the powerful Brotherhood of Mages. Meanwhile, Yennefer’s journey to bring Ciri to Aretuza held its own perils and challenges. As we delve into the second episode, the plot thickens, with various threads woven together to form an enthralling tapestry that needs to be unraveled.
Spoilers Ahead
How Did Ciri’s Visions Put Everyone In Danger?
In the opening of episode 2, Yennefer, accompanied by Ciri, arrives at a bustling tavern in order to send a letter to Tissia. Meanwhile, Ciri unexpectedly encountered a man from Redania named Aplegatt. Through her psychic vision, Ciri witnessed an arrow aimed at Aplegatt, foreseeing his imminent death. Concerned for his safety, she attempted to warn him, but Yennefer intervened, understanding the potential consequences of Ciri meddling with her visions. Ciri, however, was unaware that acting upon her visions could jeopardize her own existence and further endanger her safety.
Similarly, upon their arrival at Aretuza, Yennefer sought the assistance of a local mage to open a portal in order to reach Tissia. Meanwhile, Ciri experienced another psychic vision, prompting her to free a child who was enslaved. As the child escaped, their captor attempted to attack Ciri, only to be met with Yennefer’s powerful magic, resulting in his demise. The duo soon discovered that the man they had unwittingly killed was a henchman of Houvenghel, a formidable landowner. Realizing the potential consequences, they learned that Houvenghel’s bounty hunter friend would seek revenge by unleashing violence upon the entire neighborhood to find out who had killed the man.
By saving one life, Ciri unintentionally placed the entire neighborhood in peril, unaware of the consequences her actions would have. Disappointed, Yennefer tried to persuade Ciri that she needed to learn to exercise control over her visions, cautioning her against impulsive behavior. Yennefer shouldered the blame, acknowledging her failure to teach Ciri how to harness and direct her visions effectively. This led to a heated argument where Ciri, fueled by anger, questioned the purpose of her visions if she couldn’t prevent further chaos. In her frustration, she accused Yennefer of never understanding the true struggle, citing her innate power and beauty, which commanded the submission of men. Yennefer, who had endured a harrowing past, took Ciri’s words to heart, leading her to take Ciri to the place where she once lived as a woman afflicted with a hunchback and facial deformities. She exposed Ciri to the reality of her own struggles, highlighting how one fateful decision plunged the Northern Kingdoms into conflict and made the Brotherhood of Mages their adversaries. Yennefer also questioned whether she could ever find acceptance again at Aretuza due to the mistakes of her past. Through this experience, Ciri came to understand the importance of considering the consequences before acting impulsively.
What Happened To Codringher And Fenn?
Accompanied by Jaskier, Geralt engaged in hunting monsters and collected bounties to compensate Codringher and Fenn for the valuable information they had extracted. Despite the generous payment, Fenn withheld the name of Reince’s powerful employer, only revealing that the mage resided in an abandoned castle Geralt set off on his own, choosing not to bring Jaskier along. But Jaskier, who wanted to help Ciri, assisted the enemies by revealing Geralt’s encounter with Codringher and Fenn. Jaskier directly approached Radovid, sharing the knowledge obtained from Codringher and Fenn, hoping that Radovid would dispatch someone to gather more information about Reince. However, a budding romance between Jaskier and Radovid emerged, hinting at potential chemistry between them in the future. Radovid attended Vizimir’s dinner party and engaged in conversations with Djikstra, informing Philippa about Codringher and Fenn’s knowledge while discussing Vizimir’s suspected involvement with Nilfgaard with Djikstra, raising suspicions about Vizimir’s motives. Meanwhile, Reince located Codringher and Fenn and, in an attempt to silence them, set their house ablaze, although he was at least kind enough to spare their adorable cat. Furthermore, the owl that accompanied Reince when he returned through the portal after starting the fire could potentially be Philippa, either indicating her secret involvement with Reince or her vigilant observation of him.
Meanwhile, at Aretuza, Triss discovered that a student named Nissa had gone missing from the teaching sessions. Triss diligently searched Nissa’s room, only to come across blood splatter on the wall, intensifying the mystery surrounding the situation. It appeared as though someone had forcibly dragged Nissa out of her room, causing her harm in the process.
Where Was Fringilla? What Was Emreis Up To?
The episode provided insight into Emhyr’s true ambitions, revealing his desires for power and the future of his kingdom. While the exact reasons for his search for Ciri remained unclear, Emhyr confided in a dwarven smith, expressing his plans for an empire where all kinds of beings could coexist. Although he specifically emphasized the importance of having the queen by his side. The identity of this queen, whether it was Ciri or someone else, remained a mystery, leaving room for potential twists.
Meanwhile, Fringilla suffered as a wine taster in prison, enduring the punishment for her failure as a mage of Nilfgaard. She found herself trapped and forced to taste one wine after another, slowly deteriorating from within. Tragically, one of her fellow cellmates succumbed to an alcohol overdose. Assigned to wrap the deceased man’s body in a bag, Fringilla seized an opportunity for escape. Instead of wrapping the man, she cleverly concealed herself in the bag, managing to secure a way out of jail.
Cahir, having faced the consequences of his actions from the Nilfgaardian knights, received unexpected aid from Gallatin, the leader of the squirrels. Gallatin intervened, killing one of the knights and engaging Cahir in a conversation about the squirrels’ objective to reclaim their land by winning Emhyr’s favor, thus highlighting their determination and their reliance on the emperor’s support.
Who Was The ‘New Ciri’?
In the meantime, Geralt navigated through a tunnel in the desolated castle where the powerful mage, known to be Reince’s employer, resided. But the cave turned out to be an ominous and treacherous monster’s den. The den’s walls were adorned with the severed heads of humans pleading for release, creating a macabre sight. Within the den, Geralt discovered a woman with white hair and green eyes, bearing a striking resemblance to Ciri, held captive by the monster. As the monster attacked Geralt, a fierce battle started, but Geralt managed to triumph over the creature, putting an end to it. He freed the girl resembling Ciri, and safely escorted her to a nearby lake, assuring her of her safety. Curious about her identity, Geralt asked the question, only to be shaken to his core by her response. The girl confidently stated that she knew Geralt would come to rescue her because it was her destiny, leaving Geralt puzzled about her statement. Before he could gather his thoughts, the girl made the shocking claim to be Ciri.
Both Geralt and the viewers are now perplexed by this revelation, seeking answers and clarity. It remained uncertain whether the girl was a trap set for Geralt or if she was indeed the powerful mage he had been searching for. It seemed plausible that the mage was attempting to deceive Geralt through these illusions, potentially leading to his demise. The upcoming episode will hopefully shed light on the true nature of this “New Ciri” and provide some much-needed clarification.
