Spoiler alert: there’s a lot going on.
**WARNING: FULL SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE WITCHER SEASON 3 VOLUME 1.**
With a bounty on Ciri’s (Freya Allan) head by the end of season 2, the game is on to keep her safe throughout the first volume of The Witcher season 3.
Bound by destiny since before Ciri was born, it’s up to Geralt (Henry Cavill) himself to do the best he can for the runaway princess. Teaming back up with Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), he moves Ciri away from Kaer Morhen as the second season draws to a close.
Season 3 presents plenty of new problems, along with a host of new faces along the way. Will Ciri be able to stay safe? What is Yennefer and Geralt’s big plan? And who is telling Rience (Chris Fulton) what to do?
Read on for everything you need to know about the mid-season finale of The Witcher season 3.
The Witcher season 3 ending explained: Does Yennefer and Geralt’s plot go to plan?
Yes and no. As season 3 continues, Yennefer is given more responsibility for Ciri’s training and welfare. Bringing her back to Aretuza, the two butt heads over Yennefer’s change in behaviour, leading to Yennefer questioning what more can be done to create togetherness – and avoid an impending war. Her answer is to host a Conclave of Mages ahead of impending battle, which takes up the majority of episode 5.
In terms of Yennefer’s goal of togetherness, the attendees seem receptive to the idea on the surface. However, as this is The Witcher, nothing is actually what it seems.
The Conclave becomes a hunting ground for Yennefer and Geralt to call out Stregobor (Lars Mikkelson), who they believe to be Rience’s master. The pair are so convinced in their belief that they manage to persuade the Brotherhood of Stregobor’s guilt, finding the Book of Monoliths along with his possessions.
Read more: The Witcher exec producer compares Geralt re-casting to Doctor Who
It’s only later that they both realise they’ve got the wrong man, though Stregobor is already doomed to punishment.
Though Ciri’s safety takes a backseat during episode 5, there are plenty of smaller details for fans to pick up on. The ball reveals those who are willing to work in alliance with Yennefer and Geralt, which includes Dijkstra (Graham McTavish) and Philippa (Cassie Clare) – after some convincing.
While peace among the Mages of the North is officially declared at the ball, each of the main characters has their own secret to hide, meaning all-out war is certainly on the cards for the second half of season 3.
!["Henry]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/EE306Unit00491RT2-1-4002f16.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Henry")
What happened to Ciri?
Though she’s the person of the most importance throughout The Witcher’s third season, Ciri isn’t seen during the final episode of the first half. Instead, we last see her in episode 4, where she is left in Jaskier’s care while Geralt and Yennefer attend the Conclave of Mages.
Holing up in a cabin outside of Aretuza’s grounds, Jaskier (Joey Batey) cares for Ciri until his attention is distracted by his new love interest, Prince Radovid (Hugh Skinner). As the pair seek a romantic moment away from the cabin, danger heads Ciri’s way in the form of an ambush by the elves.
Elsewhere, Cahir (Eamon Farren) makes an offer of provisions and weapons in exchange for being backed by the White Flame. The elves fail to believe Cahir’s story of Gallatin (Robbie Amell) attempting a coup, yet the two sides reluctantly agree to cooperate with each other in order to locate the missing Ciri.
Throughout the drama, Ciri is still soundly sleeping in her cabin bed while Jaskier is nowhere to be seen — but how much longer will that last?
!["Freya]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/EE303Unit01547RT2-52e98f9.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Freya")
Who is Rience’s master and what happened with Vilgefortz?
For the majority of episode 5, Yennefer and Geralt make Stregobor the target of their suspicions. The two plan to expose him to the rest of the Conclave the day after the ball, leading him to be put on trial for his wrongs.
However, as the episode continues, Geralt and Yennefer realise they have been misguided in their thinking. When Yennefer finds Tissaia’s (MyAnna Buring) dropped scarlet ammonite bracelet after the group confronts Stregobor, she doubts if Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) is telling the complete truth.
Rumoured to protect loved ones, the pair work out that Vilgefortz has been giving the ammonite to those he believes to be valuable property, with the substance itself found in the same place where Geralt discovered the locked-up girls in episode 2.
Thanks to Geralt’s earlier discussion with Vilgefortz during the ball, Yennefer realises the Aretuza’s First Landing painting has been a big clue. Yennefer had been taken there through a corrupted portal in episode 4, leading to the realisation that Lydia (Aisha Fabienne Ross) must also be in love with him after receiving the same ammonite.
As the pair are on their way to prove that Vilgefortz is in charge of Rience, Geralt is stopped in his tracks by Dijkstra (Graham McTavish), who holds a knife to his throat.
!["Henry]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/EE301Unit01006RT2-db6eb47.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"Henry")
Are Geralt and Yennefer finally together?
It definitely looks like it. Over the three seasons of The Witcher, Yennefer and Geralt have been stuck in a will-they-won’t-they dynamic. By the end of season 2, it seemed as though the pair would be keeping their distance, only for Geralt to later call on Yennefer’s talents to help in the opening of season 3.
As the two grow closer through protecting Ciri, episode 4 finally sees them kiss and make up — only to be ridiculed by a hidden Jaskier and Ciri nearby.
Episode 5 once again changes the game for them, uniting Yennefer and Geralt in the discovery of Vilgefortz as Rience’s master. Putting on the front as a loved-up couple during the ball itself, their romance is all part of the distraction needed in order to call out Stregobor.
However, an aphrodisiac has been slipped into the drinks of all who attend the ball, leaving Geralt and Yennefer to plenty of steamy alone time.
!["Anya]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/TheWitchernS3E400080211-Cropped-6593245.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Anya")
What will happen in season 3 volume 2 of The Witcher?
At the end of episode 5, Geralt has a knife held to his neck by an unknown attacker. Episode 6 is extremely likely to show us who that is, alongside whether the truth about Vilgefortz will make itself known.
The next biggest issue is what happened to Ciri. Left alone at the cabin while an attack is heading towards her, it seems unlikely that her safety is guaranteed. Now that she has some faith in her own abilities, new episodes in season 3 could show Ciri to hold her own just as much as Geralt stepping back in to help out.
The budding romance between Jaskier and Prince Radovid certainly looks to be hitting new heights, while Tissaia’s love for Vilgefortz is surely set to crumble.
On the other side of the coin, Cahir also looks to be a potentially huge threat. Knocking his enemies off and drawing those useful to him closer, he’s truly marching to the beat of his own drum — even if that does ultimately mean going against the White Flame.
With all sides now battling it out, who will get to Ciri first?
The Witcher season 3 volume 1 is available to stream on Netflix now. You can sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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