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It’s another event-filled episode, with Ciri’s powers being put to the test yet again. Istredd visits some interesting information brokers to find more about Ciri’s heritage, Cahir butts heads with his new elven pals at Cintra, and Yennefer and Geralt are reunited at last, though as usual, it doesn’t end well.
This episode starts with Ciri and Geralt in the woods, with Geralt once again lamenting that Ciri wanted to undergo the Trial of the Grasses. She thinks he doesn’t care what she wants, which we know not to be true, but it’s tough reasoning with teenagers. A new stellacite Chernobog monster attacks them, and Geralt finally puts Ciri to the test, using her as bait. He slays the beast, and Ciri admits that she could feel that it didn’t want to attack her, which draws the most intrigued “Hmm!” from Geralt of the season.
It’s here that I must make the saddest announcement of the season: Roach dies in the Chernobog attack, and I will miss her. Yes, Roach is a girl, move on with your life.
Episode details
Episode 1
“Dear friend”
Written by: Matthew D’Ambrosio
Directed by: Louise Hooper
★★★★★
He takes her to see Nenneke at the Temple of Melitele, where Witchers learn to use signs. The priestess is all too aware that she’s a Child of Destiny and believes she can assist Ciri in mastering the Chaos magic inside her. Ciri encounters the Orbuculum, a strange orb that she must figure out how to use. She’ll spend the rest of the episode carrying it around until its purpose becomes clear later on. The relationship between Geralt and Ciri gets better at the temple, with both appearing more relaxed and at ease. They each crack a few jokes, and it’s all quite jolly.
Meanwhile in Cintra, Cahir is back and believes he’s in charge, and he’s not very pleased with the elf situation. He tries to put Fringilla in her place, and he and another guard fight Filavandrel as “training” for joining the Nilfgaardian army, but they face an interruption—Francesca has gone into labour. It’s touch-and-go for a few moments, but after a nice cuddle from Fringilla, the baby cries, and a new elf is born. “Warmth, just warmth” Fringilla tells Filavandrel when he asks how he revived the baby, and that’s the perfect word to describe the majority of this episode. It has many happy and funny moments, but of course, this is the Witcher we’re talking about, and you’re only ever a few seconds away from it going tits up.
Fringilla is strong in this episode, with her character and heart softening, and you can see she truly believes in the humanitarian aims of the Nilfgaardian Empire, such as feeding and housing. She cares for Francesca and the elves, though Cahir questions her loyalty. I hope she throws some magic in his face, because I want to see Fringilla continue to grow. However, the Emperor is on his way to Cintra, and Fringilla is visibly shaken by the news. How will he react to the elves or her defeat at Sodden? The answer lies in another episode, sadly.
At Kaer Morhen, Rience has arrived in search of Ciri. He fights Vesemir and Triss, eventually leaving with the potion created from her blood. Vesemir is severely wounded but survives—thank goodness, because I don’t think I could have handled another death—but Triss leaves his side to inform Tissaia about Ciri and her potentially world-ending powers. Triss, don’t be such a grass!
Yen is still searching for Ciri and arrives at the temple, and shortly after Geralt and Yen meet. They’re about to share a passionate kiss when Ciri interrupts them, and the three sit down as a family for the first time. Well, I’m calling them a family, but we know Yen is here with her own agenda. She finds little opportunity to snatch Ciri away until Rience and his band of mercenaries appear at the temple, and we get to see Henry Cavill’s fighting prowess in action once again. There are wonderful slow-mo shots of him stabbing guys in the face, twirling through the air with precision and grace, among some truly brutal and gory shots. Magnificent swordwork all around. I was cheering with glee at how he absolutely bodied these idiots.
Ciri and Yen barricade themselves in a room, and the Orbuculum finally springs to life. Yen explains that it activates when it senses magic—obviously, Ciri is very powerful here because she’s scared, but she hasn’t figured out that she can also use her magic when she’s not scared. Yen teaches Ciri her first spell: portals. Geralt catches a glimpse of the two escaping and begs Yen to stay, but they both jump into the portal and land in an unknown location. What comes next is anyone’s guess.
The comic relief in this episode comes from Codringher and Fenn, two quirky individuals who seem to know a lot about everything. Istredd employs them to learn more about Ciri, and the three discover that Lara Dorren didn’t create a weapon to take back what’s theirs; they created a warrior. That warrior is now Ciri, who must learn to control her power lest she destroys the world. No big deal, then.
Geralt of Trivia
- The ginger cat in Codringher and Fenn’s office is called Esmeralda, and I love her.
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