The Water Monster From The Witcher Season 2 Explained
"The Witcher" Season 2 provides fans with a trip to the legendary training ground of the Witchers, Kaer Morhen, where we learn a bit more about who the Witchers are and what their purpose is. A Witcher is someone who has undergone extensive physical and magical training (as well as a ritualistic mutation that enhances their abilities) so that they may become a monster hunter for hire. The series' protagonist, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), is one of the most renowned Witchers, and he is known across the land for his prowess at slaying monsters of all shapes and sizes.
As a result, it should come as no surprise that the Netflix series focuses heavily on Geralt hunting and fighting all kinds of deadly beasts and creatures. "The Witcher" Season 1, for instance, introduces viewers to monsters like the Kikimora and the Stryzga, and Geralt even goes toe-to-toe with a dragon in one memorable episode. Even when Geralt isn't around to save the day, the series always emphasizes the fact that its characters are never far from one of the dangerous beasts that roam the Continent.
In fact, there's one specific instance in "The Witcher" Season 2 where Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) and Cahir (Eamon Farren) are attacked by a water monster known as a Zeugl.
The Zeugl is a truly terrifying creature
In the original "Witcher" books, the only time readers are introduced to a Zeugl is in "Sword of Destiny," in which Geralt is hired to slay one that is living in the sewers beneath Aedd Gynvael. However, the beast features prominently in the first "Witcher" video game as part of a boss battle set in the Vizima sewers (via Witcher Wiki). In both instances, the Zeugl attacks primarily with its tentacles, hiding the rest of its body under the water, which is nearly identical to the way it behaves in Season 2 of Netflix's "The Witcher."
The "Witcher" Season 2 scene in question sees Yennefer and Cahir attempt to escape the city of Oxenfurt through the sewers, which leads them right into the path of a Zeugl. In the scene, viewers are only ever shown the Zeugl's tentacles as they splash around and pull Yennefer beneath the water. If the creature had reared its ugly head above the surface, viewers likely would have seen that it has an enormous, grotesque maw with multiple rows of teeth and beady eyes like a fish. That's assuming, of course, it looks in the show like it does in the "Witcher" games and novels.
In "The Witcher" Season 2, the beast devours one of Yennefer's companions and attempts to do the same to her, but a well-placed torch sends the Zeugl swimming off into the darkness once more. It's a brief, intense attack that presents dire consequences for Yennefer and her party. More importantly, it reminds viewers of just how many foul monsters lurk in the world of "The Witcher."