The Most Paused Moments In The Witcher Season 2
This article contains spoilers for "The Witcher" show, books, and video games.
Dazzling displays of magic, monsters, steel, and bloodshed are aplenty in "The Witcher" Season 2. The series never fails to disappoint, always satiating our appetite for fantasy action and drama. Ever since Henry Cavill traded in his Superman cape for a pair of swords, fans have been over the moon with his stoic yet badass portrayal of the White Wolf. Season 2 of the Netflix show promises higher stakes, and it absolutely delivers. Geralt and Ciri have come together in the name of destiny and are a winning father-daughter pair as they navigate their new paths together in an often-dangerous world — especially for the young Cintran princess.
Ciri's mysterious powers often challenge Geralt and Yennefer as she inadvertently draws monsters into the world from black monoliths that are connected to other spheres. It's no matter for the White Wolf, though. The Witcher is always on his feet, and the series offers plenty of crowd-pleasing clashes with otherworldly beasts. Season 2 also takes us to brand new locales in "The Witcher" universe and allows viewers to see the legendary stronghold of Kaer Morhen realized in all of its decrepit glory. We also get to see a bit of the countryside in areas surrounding Redania and the Northern Kingdoms. Indeed, the 2nd season of this high-fantasy action drama spares no expense, leaving viewers gawking at their TV screens. Let's delve into some of the craziest moments that had us hitting that pause button to get a longer look.
The Wild Hunt
In the final moments of the season, Ciri is under Voleth Meir's control. The demonic witch is attempting to kill as many Witchers as possible as retribution for her imprisonment in the hut, all while opening a portal back to her homeworld. Once that occurs, Yennefer and Geralt are also pulled into her world, and the Deathless Mother releases her hold on Ciri and flees. It's at this moment that the trio takes in the scenery. It's hard not to notice that this world has at least three suns, and even more impressive is the formation of the ghastly black riders on the horizon known as the Wild Hunt.
Fans of the video game series are all too familiar with the Wild Hunt and their aggressive pursuit of Ciri, and this iteration of the wraiths is no less imposing than the version realized in CD Projekt Red's game. The riders and their horses are adorned in skeletal-like armor, and we can't exactly see any faces among the crowd. However, realizing the black riders in live-action and seeing their death-like visage is nothing short of astounding and is sure to have viewers chomping at the bit for the 3rd season.
Eskel transformed into a Leshy
One of the more tragic moments for Geralt in Season 2 was confronting a brother-in-arms who was rampaging as a twisted monster. Eskel, also a Witcher, attempted to bring down a Leshy — a forest-like beast with vines and branches for limbs. However, he returned to Kaer Morhen injured after failing to do so. But his injury was far worse than a simple flesh wound. It turns out that the Leshy infected the Witcher, and Eskel eventually began transforming into a Leshy himself.
Once the Witchers in Kaer Morhen are alerted to a monster within their keep thanks to those trusty medallions, they begin the hunt, stalking the halls of Kaer Morhen in an attempt to root out whatever creature has invaded their home. Geralt is the lucky one to actually stumble upon the creature, and the monstrous Eskel attacks him with his vines and branches. While Geralt is able to hack away many of his foe's limbs, it's not enough, and Eskel subdues him. Vesemir arrives in time, however, and the duo realizes that the monster is Eskel and hope to find a way to cure him. Tragically, even Eskel recognizes Geralt and Vesemir, but he can't stop his monstrous nature and continues attacking them. Geralt ultimately ends Eskel in one swift stroke to the heart of a heated blade. The creature design behind Eskel's transformation is wild, and the entire scene is certainly one to soak in.
The hut
Voleth Meir, also known as the Deathless Mother, shows us all just how menacing she can be as she manipulates Yennefer, Fringilla, and Francesca in moves that ultimately impact the narrative of Season 2 in major ways. Voleth Meir is considered a demon from another sphere that was imprisoned in a hut by the first Witchers — and rightfully so. She sustains her life force and power by feeding on the pain and suffering of others. In fact, it's Francesca's pain over the loss of her child that ultimately gives the demonic witch enough power to break free of her hut.
While Voleth Meir might be imposing, the visual of her bipedal prison is a sight to be seen. When Fringilla, Francesca, and Yennefer come upon the hut in the woods, Francesca says the words of legend to gain the witch's attention. The hut stands up on its bird-like feet and turns around to face them, with light from its windows piercing the black night around it. The hut itself is the stuff of nightmares, and knowing that it harbors a demonic witch inside makes it all the more frightening.
Seeing Kaer Morhen for the first time
Fans of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels and CD Projekt Red's video games are well-acquainted with the Witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen. It's the very place where Geralt was transformed into a Witcher as a young boy when he underwent the Trial of the Grasses. It's also where he and many other Witchers trained and learned how to hone their new abilities and heighten their reflexes. For all intents and purposes, it's Geralt's home. While there were mentions of the stronghold throughout the 1st season, we never were able to see the legendary Witcher home.
Season 2 changes all of that. Seeing the stronghold for the first time from the outside might cause viewers to pause in an effort to compare its design to CD Projekt Red's version. The inside of the stronghold is also carefully crafted despite its appearance as a dilapidated structure. There's no doubt that "Witcher" fans were thrilled to finally see the place in person. Not only that, but some of the season's most pivotal moments take place at Kaer Morhen.
The Chernobog
Geralt is a walking monster encyclopedia. He can often identify a monster before it even approaches just from the trail it left behind. The novels, games, and TV series are chock full of creatures from a variety of backgrounds and mythologies, but in Season 2, Geralt encounters a monster neither he nor the viewers have — the Chernobog. This beast doesn't appear in the novels or games. And when it does make its grand entrance in Season 2, even Geralt doesn't recognize it. That's because the Chernobog is from a different world entirely — it was pulled through a portal in the monolith by Ciri's untamed power.
In Slavic mythology, Chernobog is actually a god that represents pure evil. It roughly translates to "Black God," and many historians often think that Chernobog inspired Christian imagery of Satan. In Season 2 of "The Witcher," it's presented as a black flying demonic-like creature. Though, if it were a god, Geralt certainly tests its immortality. It's a wild-looking creature design, and many viewers might want to take a quick pause to appreciate its uniqueness.
The medallion tree
As many know, the Witchers all wear silver medallions that react with vibrations when monsters are near. They are also sensitive to magic or magical beings. Some monsters cannot be detected by the medallion, including higher vampires, as we witnessed with the Bruxa in the first episode of the season. Each medallion is personal to a Witcher, as the medallion often represents the school the Witcher was trained in. When a Witcher is killed, their emblem is hung on the medallion tree in the center of the stronghold.
There are a few different shots of the tree throughout the season that give viewers an opportunity to pause and take in the details of the medallions hanging on it. In fact, the showrunners included a fun surprise for the avid "Witcher" fan with a keen eye. In one scene, the exact design of Geralt's medallion in CD Projekt Red's video games can be seen hanging among the other medallions. In the show, Geralt's actual medallion design is much different, but fans will likely enjoy the easter egg.
The fight with Rience and his goons
When thinking of the 1st season of the show, it's hard not to instantly recall the moment Geralt eviscerates Renfri's men in the moment that earned him the title of the "Butcher of Blaviken." It instantly established Geralt as a master combatant and swordsman who is capable of administering death rather swiftly. The choreography was also a masterclass, presenting the Witcher as not only a highly capable fighter but also one who executes each movement with raw style.
Of course, watching Geralt deal with monsters is a high point of every "Witcher" story. But every now and again, it's nice to be reminded why he is so imposing and deadly when stacked up against a crowd of average humans. Rience, a fire mage, was tasked by the sorceress Lydia to find Ciri. He eventually tracks her down, but Geralt is thankfully present. While Rience attempts to chase down Ciri and Yennefer, Geralt absolutely destroys all of Rience's men in another flashy display of bloodshed and butchery, as the good folks of Blaviken would no doubt agree. There's nothing quite like witnessing Geralt do what Geralt does best.
The Bruxa
Everything about the Bruxa is delightfully creepy and captivating. When Geralt and Ciri stumble upon the estate of an old associate of Geralt's — Nivellen — they quickly find out that the beastly man is harboring a vicious killer. Vereena is her name, and chomping on villagers is her game. Nivellen fell in love with her simply because she never cared about his heinous past sins. Therefore, he was willing to overlook her sins committed as a bloodthirsty monster.
Geralt eventually finds out what she is when he does a simple investigation of the corpses left by the Bruxa in the local village. For us viewers, it is all too apparent that something is amiss when she is seen creepily climbing on a ceiling toward Ciri in her room. When Vereena reveals her true vampiric face, it's the stuff of nightmares. She eventually transforms into a flying bat monster in an attempt to bring down the Witcher, and Nivellen impales her with a spear, which doesn't actually kill her. In fact, we hear the cracking and twisting of bones as she turns her arms and head around while impaled on the spear in order to pull herself closer to Nivellen. Before she can attack him, Geralt beheads her and puts an end to her reign of terror. Needless to say, the entire on-screen realization of the Bruxa is nightmarish.
Witchers fighting the basilisks
In a climactic finale, Voleth Meir has taken control of Ciri and begun a bloody rampage of executing Witchers throughout Kaer Morhen while they slumber. Eventually, she is discovered, and Geralt, Yennefer, Vesemir, and the rest of the Witchers confront the Deathless Mother while in Ciri's body. Voleth Meir, however, uses Ciri's power to conjure some back-up in the form of basilisks. These beasts are terrifying bipedal snakes with arms — they almost look like large velociraptors with snake heads.
The basilisks prove to be formidable creatures as they kill a few of the witchers throughout the battle at the center of Kaer Morhen. All the while, Geralt and Yennefer are attempting to reach out to Ciri, who is being suppressed by the Deathless Mother. The Witchers of Kaer Morhen probably get the most action they've seen all season in this tense moment. Indeed, there's plenty of visceral carnage on display between the Witchers falling in battle and the basilisks being hacked to pieces.
Ciri training on the Witcher obstacle course
The Cintran princess has a fire that burns deep within her after witnessing the destruction of her home and the deaths of her friends and family. While she is no longer alone thanks to Geralt's guardianship, she still feels the sting of what the Nilfgaardians took from her. And ultimately, she dreams of the day when she can wreak vengeance upon the Black Knight she witnessed outside of the walls of Cintra. Her focus drives her to become a capable fighter like Geralt. She even seeks to become a Witcher before Geralt puts a stop to it, as the results could be fatal.
However, Ciri tests her mettle on the obstacle course used to train Witchers. The course is a rather brutal one with wooden logs and stakes that will slice or bludgeon the unprepared. Unsurprisingly, Ciri spills quite a bit of blood on the course as she makes several attempts to conquer it. (The intricacies of the course may cause us all to pause before taking that next leap of faith.) At the end of the day, Ciri proves that she has the might and will to become one of the best as she only lets each failure on the course bolster her drive to succeed.
The myriapod
Perhaps the most disgusting looking creature to ever rear its ugly head on "The Witcher" is none other than the myriapod. This centipede-like creature is impressive as it instantly eviscerates a leshy before Geralt's very own eyes. However, the creature, like all of the other monsters that have emerged from the monoliths, is targeting Ciri. With giant scythe-like arms and the ugliest head to ever sit on the body of a living being, the myriapod pursues Ciri with great ferocity and speed.
The myriapod is capable of scaling walls and ceilings rather quickly, and it even knocks Geralt off his feet. Luckily for the Witcher, it wants Ciri. This gives Geralt the opportunity to get the drop on the creature as it lunges for the princess. While the moment is a frightening one, it also causes us to pause and ogle the hideous creature in all of its horrific detail.