The Witcher Season 3: Five Potential Plotlines

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Whether you’ve read the books or are just a fan of the show, you can expect The Witcher season 3 to be epic. When season 2 ended, Ciri (Freya Allen) realized a bounty was on her head, Geralt (Henry Cavill) decided to leave his childhood behind at Kaer Morhen, Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) found her magic again, and Cahir and Fringilla were arrested by Ciri’s long lost dad, Duny (or Emhyr, the White Flame).

Netflix draws far more from Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels than from the games. The first two seasons adapted The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, and Blood of Elves. Next in line is Time of Contempt. However, given the new casting announcements, it looks like The Witcher season 3 will tackle at least part of Baptism of Fire, which is one of the highest-rated books in the series.

Season 2 also took several original detours from the plot of the books. Those detours will have to be incorporated into the show somehow. With all this in mind, let’s look at some of the most likely plot lines in season 3 of The Witcher.

Before moving on, keep in mind that we will be spoiling the books for those who might wish to read them. You’ve been warned!

 

Yennefer & Ciri Bond In Season 3

Yennefer’s arc in season 2 of The Witcher was pretty different than her arc in the books. Geralt does indeed think she died at the Battle of Sodden, but Yen never loses her magic. Yennefer also never meets Cahir (Eamon Farren) in the books, and she definitely doesn’t help him escape.

Meanwhile, Yen’s time without magic, along with her adventures with Cahir, set her up perfectly for her likely arc in The Witcher season 3.

How? Well, Ciri doesn’t trust Yennefer straightaway in Blood of Elves.

In fact, Ciri doesn’t even like Yennefer. Given the events of last season, Ciri will have an even better reason to distrust Yen in season 3. After all, Yennefer betrayed Geralt and Ciri by working with the demon Voleth Meir to get her magic back. However, in the end, Yennefer reversed course and chose to do the right thing, saving Ciri.

This should be a great example for Ciri to remember, as she has her own demons lurking ahead.

In season 2, Yennefer had her own issues with her mother figure in Tissaia de Vries (MyAnna Buring).  In Episode 3 of Season 2, Tissaia urged Yennefer to push aside her compassion and prioritize saving herself by executing Cahir. Yennefer would have none of it and escaped with Cahir, setting up a similar choice for both Ciri and Tissaia in The Witcher season 3.

Yennefer encourages Ciri to be herself rather than obey, whether that means prioritizing compassion or her own life. With everyone trying to hunt down Ciri for her magic, Yen can remind Ciri that the magic comes from Ciri herself. Ciri is the only one who can choose how to use it.

As for Tissaia, she’s about to lose something precious to her just as Yennefer did in Season 2.

 

War Comes To Aretuza

Yennefer brings Ciri to Aretuza for more magic training. In Time of Contempt, during a gathering of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, Emhyr (Bart Edwards) decides to punish the mages for defeating him at Sodden. Tissaia insists everyone treat the elf sorceress Francesca (Mecia Simson) kindly, despite suspicion.

By the time Tissaia realizes Francesca betrayed them and helped Nilfgaard infiltrate the school, it’s too late to save Aretuza.

In the books, the infiltration comes as a surprise.

However, given that the show has already revealed just who Emhyr is, they might choose to show the planning leading up to the attack. Gallatin (Robbie Amell), an original character set to debut this season, seems likely to be working with Francesca and Emhyr for the Aretuza assault. Yet, another key character might play a role: Fringilla (Mimi Ndiweni).

Last we saw her, the sorceress and devout follower of the White Flame was under arrest for displeasing the Emperor. Fringilla struggled throughout season 2 with her devout faith in Emhyr, which often conflicted with her humanity. Moments of compassion for Francesca, for the elven baby, for Cahir, seeped through.

In The Witcher season 3, the show should lean into this. What better way to do that than to have her struggle to choose between Emhyr and slaughtering many of her friends?

However, in the books, Fringilla has nothing to do with the attack. The question then is simply: how could she be involved?

Well, keep in mind that Fringilla befriended Francesca in the show. Emhyr might also want to test her loyalty by offering Fringilla a second chance to prove herself. He actually does exactly that with a different character in the books. This character just so happens to be the one arrested alongside Fringilla in the season 2 finale.

 

Ciri’s Rematch With The Black Knight

In the books, Emhyr does throw Cahir in jail for failing him. He gives the terrified teenager a second chance only after a year of begging from Cahir’s parents. His second chance also depends on him fixing his mistake. Cahir either captures Ciri this time or loses his head.

However, as any fan knows, Ciri is the lion cub of Cintra. Good luck capturing a lion.

Ciri and Cahir’s rematch is a legendary scene in Time of Contempt‘s fourth chapter, and a turning point for both their characters. This time, Ciri isn’t a confused child. Instead, she’s a witcheress facing her worst nightmare. For Cahir’s part, he can’t bring himself to harm the girl of his (literal) dreams. Ciri soundly defeats him.

Yet when the moment to end him arrives, she chooses to spare him instead.

In the books, a key part of Ciri’s decision to save Cahir is truly his age. He’s around sixteen years old at this point and visibly terrified. In the eyes of a frightened child, Ciri sees herself and refuses to become another child’s nightmare. Since Cahir is much older in the show, it’s anyone’s guess how Netflix will frame this.

However, it’s still likely they will emphasize the parallels between Ciri and Cahir’s first meeting at the fall of Cintra with their second one at the Fall of Thanedd. Maybe the scenery will be similar, or there will be another classic Witcher flashback.

 

Ciri Embraces Her Dark Side

When Voleth Meir possesses Ciri in Episode 8 of Season 2, she murders several witchers under the demon’s command. Geralt, Yen, and the others exorcised Voleth Meir from Ciri. In spite of this, Ciri’s own darkness is still a part of her.

Let’s face it: Ciri’s been through a lot.

First, she lost her grandmother and her kingdom. She’s been stalked by the Black Knight, and now her safe haven where she was supposed to grow strong and become a witcheress only resulted in her hands being forcibly stained with blood. Now everyone wants to capture her. The list of enemies mount, all with their own reasons for capturing her.

Vizimir for some untold magical purposes, Francesca to save the elves, and her own father for… presumably unkind reasons, considering everyone thinks he’s dead and he sacked Cintra. It’s enough to make anyone feel a little on edge.

Of course, Ciri’s shown us her tenacity and resilience. She also doesn’t always know when to step back for her own good (see: the obstacle course at Kaer Morhen). Without Geralt there to pull her back from the darkness, what could Ciri become?

Ciri is a teenager, and growing up means, at some point, stepping out on your own. Time of Contempt and Baptism of Fire both explore Ciri’s journey to her darkest self. Netflix announced they cast Christelle Elwin as Mistle, a character who plays a key role in Ciri’s development starting from chapter 7 of Time of Contempt.

If the story reaches this plotline, we’re likely to see at least a glimpse of “Dark Ciri” emerging of her own free will in The Witcher season 3.

 

The Witcher Season 3: The Hansa Emerges

After Aretuza falls, Ciri, Geralt, and Yennefer are all separated. However, Geralt never forgets his vow to protect Ciri. Like a true dad, he searches the entire continent for her. Yet our favorite Witcher is certainly not alone.

One of the best dynamics in the entire book series is the chaotic found family called the Hansa. While Geralt first starts out with only Jaskier (Joey Batey) at his side, they soon meet a handle of others looking for redemption, hope, and purpose.

The first to join the group is an archer raised by elves. Maria Barring, who goes by the name Milva, will be played by Meng’er Zhang. With Milva added to the cast, fans can look forward to The Witcher season 4 introducing other beloved members of the Hansa, like vampire dad Regis and teenage drama queen Angoulême.

Of course, Cahir has his own “hello, Cahir here” moment in Baptism of Fire.