Biggest Unanswered Questions In The Witcher Season 3
Contains spoilers for "The Witcher" Season 3
The highly anticipated second part of "The Witcher" Season 3 hit Netflix on July 27, 2023. Fans were eager to see how the last few episodes would play out for heroes Geralt (Henry Cavill), Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan). The series left off with an evening of intrigue at the Tower of Aretuza during a commencement ball, with a Conclave of mages to follow the next day. The sorceress and the witcher carefully maneuver through the treacherous machinations of political powers on all sides, all while attempting to uncover the traitor in their midst.
After some clever planning, Stregobor (Lars Mikkelsen) is taken into custody when evidence points to him being responsible for the disappearances of young women with elven blood. Only later do Geralt and Yennefer realize that it's actually Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) who has been playing them all along, but by that time it's too late and Aretuza appears to be under attack. While the final three episodes of Season 3 answer some of the questions that fans have been asking, there are still a bunch left unanswered. Here are the biggest ones that we have.
What does Emhyr want with Ciri?
In "The Witcher," the Northern kingdoms of the Continent are in upheaval due to an invasion by Nilfgaard. After the successful taking of Cintra with the help of the sorceress Fringilla Vigo (Mimi Ndiweni) and Francesca Findabair (Mecia Simson) of the elves, Emperor Emhyr (Bart Edwards) himself arrives to stake his claim. Much to the surprise of fans, Emhyr turns out to be none other than Duny, Ciri's father.
Emhyr is a ruthless ruler who will stop at nothing to take over the North and have Ciri returned to him. Now, there are many people in power who want to capture Ciri for their own reasons. Mainly, their motives are for political gain, but some want to use her for her power as a child of the Elder Blood. Emhyr's motives, however, aren't entirely clear at the moment. In Season 3, he continues his machinations in his conquest of the North, as well as using any means at his disposal to bring Ciri back to him. However, it's hard to tell what Emhyr's intentions are for Ciri. In the first episode of Season 3, we see him burning old portraits of his wife, Pavetta, but he holds onto a picture of Ciri as a child, seeming to have an emotional attachment to it.
Emhyr could very well just want to get his daughter back so he can be a father once again. However, given what we've seen of Emhyr's ambitious nature so far, he may want to use Ciri as a political pawn to cement his hold on the Northern realms. Or it could be that he, too, has plans to use Ciri's innate magical abilities for his own gain. Whatever his plans are for Ciri, or his motivations, they're probably not good.
What exactly is the Wild Hunt and what do they want?
Season 2 of "The Witcher" introduced the phantom riders known as the Wild Hunt. These corpse-like creatures are clad in skeletal armor, astride similarly adorned galloping black horses, and shrouded in a mystical fog. The people of the Continent believe that the Wild Hunt is an omen of death, based mainly on superstition rather than fact. However, in Season 3, Ciri discovers that the Wild Hunt is actually very real, and the riders seem to have caught her scent.
To banish Voleth Meir in Season 2, Ciri used her magic to teleport Geralt, Yennefer, and herself to another plane. This is where the trio first laid eyes on the Wild Hunt, and Ciri heard their whispered voices calling to her to join them. Luckily, they escaped through a portal just in time. However, in Season 3, Ciri learns that the riders came from their world through the portal that she made, and they are now loose on the Continent. After she leaves Yennefer and goes looking for Geralt, the Hunt catches up to Ciri once more in an intense chase. Their leader, Eredin, tells Ciri that she is "death itself," and once again invites her to join them, but luckily Geralt comes to the rescue.
While we know that the Wild Hunt comes from another plane of existence, we still don't know much about them. In "The Witcher" books by Andrzej Sapkowski, the members of the Hunt are actually a group of Aen Elle elves who are searching for a way to travel between worlds. This makes Ciri incredibly valuable to them, with her magical ability to do just that. While it's likely that "The Witcher" Netflix series will stick to this lore from the novels, the series has been known to deviate from the source material before. Fans will just have to wait for future seasons to see what happens.
What happened to Istredd?
He is a very minor character in Andrzej Sapkowski's books, but the sorcerer Istredd (Royce Pierreson) plays a much bigger role in the Netflix series. The mystery of the stellacite monoliths has been the driving force behind Istredd's actions in the series. He teamed up with Geralt in Season 2, and together they learned about the connection between the monoliths and the Conjunction. Istredd then joined the elves and told Francesca about Ciri, leading the elf queen to believe that Ciri is the chosen one of the elves.
In Season 3, Istredd learns that the Book of Monoliths was taken by a mage and brought to Aretuza. Istredd tells Triss (Anna Shaffer) that the book is a "key to traveling between spheres," and he believes that whoever has it could also be responsible for the disappearances of the young girls at the tower. They find the book in a secret safe in Stregobor's room, but it's later revealed that Stregobor was framed by Vilgefortz. The sorcerer, as it turns out, has been playing the Brotherhood the entire time, betraying them to side with Emperor Emhyr and Nilfgaard.
During the attack on Aretuza by the Redanians and the Scoia'tael, Istredd rushes to find the Book of Monoliths. Unfortunately, he is caught by Vilgefortz, who then sends Istredd through a corrupted portal and takes back the book. In an earlier episode, Yennefer was also the victim of one of Vilgefortz's corrupted portals when she nearly fell from a high cliff to her death. She then had to fend off an illusion of Geralt, but escaped just in time. The last we see of Istredd in Season 3 is when he is shoved into one of Vilgefortz's dark portals. But where Vilgefortz sent him, and whether or not he survived, remains a big unanswered question.
What does losing her magic mean for Ciri's future?
In Episode 7 of Season 3, Ciri throws herself out of the frying pan and into the fire when she teleports from Tor Lara to the Korath desert. Braving the scorching heat and endless sands, Ciri attempts to traverse the barren landscape only to find herself suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and severe burns on her skin. Miraculously, Ciri is found by a unicorn wandering through the desert and the two briefly become travel companions.
While she sleeps, Ciri dreams of a mysterious hooded woman who speaks in riddles. The woman tells Ciri that the two of them are the same — both princesses with abilities that cause people to fear them. The woman later reveals herself as Falka, the leader of one of the bloodiest rebellions in the history of the Continent. However, whether she is truly the spirit of Falka or just part of Ciri's subconscious is not made clear. Falka encourages Ciri to use her rage to tap into her full power, but Ciri refuses, fearful of what the magic will do to her and the ones she loves.
During their travels, the unicorn becomes gravely injured. Although she knows it is dangerous and difficult to control, Ciri gives in and uses fire magic to heal it. Sure enough, the fire begins to consume Ciri and nearly overtakes her. At the last moment, Ciri saves herself by loudly proclaiming that she will renounce all magic. The decision to cast off magic is a huge development for Ciri's character. Just when she's beginning to get control of her powers, she chooses to abandon them completely. So what does that mean for her future, and will it have positive or negative effects?
What will happen to the false Ciri?
While investigating Rience's whereabouts, Geralt follows the fire mage's trail to a strange castle. There he finds a horrifying experiment-gone-wrong in which young girls with elven blood were morphed into a monstrous abomination. The only survivor is a girl named Teryn (Frances Pooley), who looks remarkably like Ciri and has been enchanted to have her memories. Geralt takes Teryn to the home of some old friends for safekeeping, however, the magic placed on Teryn yields few answers, and the lost girl attacks her rescuers while seemingly possessed by a dark entity. They manage to sedate her, but Geralt is no closer to finding the truth.
As Geralt is healing after a near-fatal battle with Vilgefortz, Jaskier (Joey Batey) brings news that Ciri has been captured by Nilfgaardians and is being taken to Cintra. However, in a scene where the young princess is welcomed at the palace, it's revealed that Teryn is the one they've captured, not Ciri. Emhyr doesn't seem to notice, or at least doesn't react, as he takes the girl's hand and raises it victoriously in front of a cheering crowd.
The scene raises a lot of questions. Does Emhyr know she's not the real Ciri? Was he aware that Vilgefortz was experimenting with making a Ciri clone, or was the sorcerer conducting these experiments in secret? What will happen when Teryn's true identity is revealed? "The Witcher" is very good at leaving its audience in suspense, and this Season 3 plot point is no different.
What is next for Radovid and Redania?
Season 3 of "The Witcher" introduces Prince Radovid (Hugh Skinner), the brother of King Vizimir (Ed Birch) of Redania. Radovid feels out of place in his role as the King's brother and doesn't truly know where he fits in. This makes him the perfect target for spymaster Dijkstra (Graham McTavish) and sorceress Philippa (Cassie Clare), who find ways to use him for their own means. Part of Radovid's job is to convince Jaskier to bring Ciri to Redania, claiming that they can keep her safe from Nilfgaard while hoping to marry her off to Vizimir and secure an alliance. Things backfire for the young prince when he develops feelings for the handsome bard, but Jaskier discovers Radovid's betrayal and sends him packing.
After Redania's failed attempt to take Aretuza, King Vizimir tells Dijkstra that an example must be made and that Philippa is to take the blame. Fortunately, Philippa gets back into Vizimir's good graces when she returns Prince Radovid to the castle safe and sound. Yet as soon as he gets back, Radovid asks the king to let him go, as he plans to reunite with Jaskier. Just as Radovid is making preparations for his departure, Vizimir is swiftly assassinated by Eva (Cal Watson), Philippa's spy on the inside. Radovid has no choice but to stay in Redania and assume the throne, all thanks to Philippa's machinations.
With Radovid now king, Philippa plans to use him as her puppet. However, it's clear that Radovid doesn't have the stomach for the job. Where will Philippa take him and Redania now that she's the country's ruler in all but name? How will Radovid cope with this newfound responsibility? This new setup will certainly make things interesting for "The Witcher" moving forward.
What will happen to the mages of Aretuza?
The conclave at the Tower of Aretuza was meant to bring the Brotherhood of mages together, but things take a terrible turn when Redanian soldiers crash the party. Headed by Philippa and a number of mages loyal to Redania, they attempt a coup to weed out the traitorous Vilgefortz and his followers. However, Vilgefortz has his own trick up his sleeve. He fools Tissaia (MyAnna Buring) into lowering the magical barrier around the tower, which allows the Scoia'tael to attack. He then gloats to the head sorceress about how easy it was to fool her, revealing that his feelings were only ever a manipulative tactic to further his plans.
What follows is an intense and bloody battle between those loyal to Nilfgaard and those trying to defend the tower, with heavy losses on both sides. The mages barely manage to fight off Emhyr's forces, who eventually flee from the tower. Unfortunately, Vilgefortz escapes and nearly all the members of the Brotherhood are dead. Things take an even worse turn when a traumatized Tissaia takes her own life.
The last of the sorceresses, including Yennefer, Triss, Sabrina (Therica Wilson-Read), Keira (Safiyya Ingar), and Margarita (Rochelle Rose), gather together to discuss what to do next now that Aretuza has fallen and the Brotherhood is gone. Yennefer takes the lead, insisting that Vilgefortz must be stopped and Ciri must be rescued. But are the few remaining sorceresses enough to take down one of the most powerful and evil mages in the world, let alone an empire? Only time will tell.
The fate of Francesca and the elves
After the battle of Aretuza, Francesca returns to Emhyr with Fringilla by her side. The queen of the elves expects the emperor to hold up his end of their bargain — to allow the elves to take back their kingdom and live peacefully. Emhyr, however, has other ideas. He tells Francesca that the Scoia'tael will continue fighting in the war for him, or else the alliance will end and the elves will be forced out as refugees once more.
Meanwhile, Fringilla has a plan to capture Ciri and use her powers to allow herself, Francesca, and the elves to leave the Continent and find a home in a new realm. Francesca has second thoughts as she considers staying under Emperor Emhyr's protection. Desperate to keep the elf queen on her side, Fringilla reveals that Emhyr was the one who had Francesca's baby killed and forced Fringilla to cover it up. This revelation causes a rift between the two women, as Francesca angrily walks out.
Now that she knows the truth about Emhyr's deception, on what path will Francesca lead her people? The elves have made enemies of almost everyone since siding with Nilfgaard, and they have no more friends among the humans. Francesca has an impossible task in front of her, and the journey before the elves is uncertain.
Who are The Rats?
In the final episode of "The Witcher" Season 3, Ciri is kidnapped by bounty hunters after being found unconscious at the edge of the desert. She is taken to a tavern where she is tied up along with a young man named Kayleigh (Fabian McCallum). Kayleigh and Ciri egg on the bounty hunters to incite a fight among them, which causes just enough of a distraction for Ciri to steal a knife from one of them. They manage to cut themselves free just as a group of bandits attack the hunters.
The name of this group is The Rats. Kayleigh is a member, and so is a familiar face — a girl named Mistle (Christelle Elwin) is among them, the same girl who encountered Ciri in the market and stole her money. The Rats give Ciri the opportunity to exact her revenge, and Ciri commits murder for the first time. When asked for her name, Ciri replies, "Call me Falka."
The Rats arrive just in time to rescue Ciri, but we can't help but wonder just who these mysterious rescuers are. The group is made up of skilled fighters, all young people both of human and elven descent. Despite their youth, they are clearly vicious and capable killers. Now that Ciri has joined their ranks, it's clear that her journey is about to take a very different turn.
What happens to Cahir?
Cahir (Eamon Farren) has undergone quite the character arc since Season 1 of "The Witcher." Driven by his loyalty to Emperor Emhyr, the Nilfgaardian soldier has been purely focused on finding Princess Cirilla and returning her to her father. His fanaticism knows no bounds, as he has demonstrated throughout the series with his brutality and his hero worship of the Emperor. Even after he fell out of Emhyr's favor, Cahir managed to worm his way back into the Emperor's good graces by murdering the Scoia'tael elf Gale.
In Season 3, Cahir fights with the Scoia'tael in the battle at Aretuza and eventually catches up to Ciri and Geralt. Enraged, Ciri attacks Cahir, but is shocked when Cahir refuses to fight back. While held at the point of her sword, Cahir confesses that he's been questioning his actions and realizes that he was wrong. He encourages Ciri to kill him as he begs for her forgiveness. Just then, the Scoia'tael arrives, and Cahir tells Ciri to escape while he holds them at bay. The last time we see him, Cahir stands at the ready with sword in hand as the Scoia'tael riders come upon him.
Cahir's willingness to sacrifice himself for Ciri is a huge turnaround from what we've seen so far of the character. This cliffhanger moment leaves the audience wondering whether or not he survives the encounter with the Scoia'tael. Will he live to fight another day? We'll have to wait and see.