Warning! This article contains major spoilers for The Witcher Season 2.

The Witcher Season 2 ends on a striking note. Ciri realizes her true potential while finding an unusual family within Geralt and Yennefer. Netflix’s most popular fantasy drama series, The Witcher, is its first English adaptation of books and short stories written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The Witcher is set in a world full of magic, myth, and monsters. The story also addresses some of the legendary tales of prior times. For instance, The Witcher Season 1 Episode one depicts an iteration of Beauty and the Beast. Thus making the series’ start an exciting and welcoming one.   

While season 1 focused on setting the basis for the story by introducing the characters and their backstories, The Witcher Season 2 chalks out the Continent’s history. The show shows how the Continent came into existence by revealing more about Witcher’s mysterious Conjunction of the Spheres.

The Conjunction is a cataclysmic event that occurred thousands of years ago. It caused multiple dimensions to collide with one another. Earlier, it was believed that the Conjunction led to one world out of multiple worlds. But in Season 2, Geralt realizes that the event was more of a collision. And during the Conjunction, these worlds aligned, but only fleetingly. And because it happened once, chances are it would happen again. The mysterious structures called the monoliths are spread all across the Continent. And they act as portals to communicate and travel between the Spheres. They are also conduits for new monsters to enter the Continent, which is why they also possess the ability to go back into their dimensions.     

Also Read: The Witcher’s Conjunction Of Spheres And Origin Of Elves Explained

The Witcher Season 2 differs slightly from Sapkowski’s original novels and short stories. This is because it introduces some new powerful figures in the show. However, like the books, the series’ main focus lies on Ciri. She is the true soul of the story. She has the potential to travel between Spheres and turn the world into something else.

The Witcher Season 2 reveals Ciri’s reality and her true powers.

Cirilla is the crown princess of the kingdom of Cintra. But The Witcher Season 2 reveals that she was kept in the dark about her true identity. Her family never told her that one of the most dominating elven bloodlines interlaced with that of the Cintran royal family a long time ago. Which ultimately led to Ciri owning the legendary “Hen Ikeir” or “Elder Blood.” Ciri is a descendant of an ancient elven sorceress Lara Dorren. And through her, Ciri inherits unfathomable magical powers of her bloodline. And not only this, but Ciri is also the heir of a prophecy. It says that a descendant of Lara Dorren will appear when the world is about to end, and a new ice age will begin to fall upon the Continent. As the astrologist and oracle Ithlinne foretold:

“The Wolf’s Blizzard approaches, the time of the sword and axe. The Time of the White Frost and White Light, the Time of Madness and Disdain, Tedd Deireadh, the Final Age. The world will perish amidst ice and be reborn with the new sun. Reborn of the Elder Blood, of Hen Ichaer, of a planted seed. A seed that will not sprout but burst into flames!'”

Emhyr, the ruler of Nilfgaard, is actually Ciri’s father.

For years, Ciri believed that both her parents died in a shipwreck. But in The Witcher Season 2 finale, we see that her father is still alive. Not only that, he is actually the ruler of Nilfgaard and the person behind the attack on the North, which started all the mayhem in the first place. In the original books, Emhyr var Emreis was the son of Nilfgaard’s king. When his father’s rule was overthrown, Emhyr fled the kingdom and was struck by a curse that turned him into a beast-like creature.

After this, Emhyr posed as Duny, and under this new identity, he courted the Cintran Princess, daughter of Calanthe, Pavetta. He would probably continue to live in Cintra as Duny if he never knew that his daughter was the heir to Ithlinne’s prophecy. On learning the terrifying fate, he suggests that the three of them return to Nilfgaard. But Pavetta refuses to flee and instead swears to keep Ciri safe. This disagreement causes the couple to brawl, and in the chaotic scuffle, Pavetta falls off balance and drowns. Duny fakes his own death and returns to Nilfgaard to fight for the throne. After which, he returns to Cintra for his daughter Ciri. 

Netflix’s The Witcher is a careful adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, which is why it is likely that the show’s narrative will follow the same angles. Nilfgaard attacked Cintra because they wanted to claim the Cintran princess. But when she managed to get away, all of Emhyr’s plans went to waste. And now, he is assembling his armies to search the Continent for his daughter. And once he does, Emhyr will turn Ciri into a deathly weapon. 

The Deathless Mother’s real intentions The Witcher Season 2

With Ciri’s overpowering abilities, there are a lot of beings who are after her. And not all of them are humans. An ancient entity called Voleth Meir, or the “Deathless Mother,” was stirred into a wake when Ciri released a powerful scream after running away from Cintra. Until now, she was stuck in imprisonment by Witchers hundreds of years ago. The Deathless Mother draws strength from other people’s sufferings. She manipulates the faye of the elves to such an extent that it creates strife between the humans and the Elves. The pain that births from this are big enough to break free from her confinement. 

Also Read: The Witcher’s Voleth Meir Explained: Is The Deathless Mother A Major Threat

Towards the finale of The Witcher Season 2, we find out that the true motive of Voleth Meir behind capturing Ciri is so that she can go back home. Voleth Meir realizes that Ciri can open gateways to other worlds. However, the Deathless Mother is named so because of her unforgiving power-hungry nature. And the only way she can attain her goals is by causing pain and shedding plenty of blood. 

There is absolutely no mention of the Deathless Mother in Sapkowski’s books and short stories or even the games, which means that the entity is a new demon created by the show’s team. However, the character sees some traces in The Witcher by the legend of the Baba Yaga. This ancient demon is seen residing in a dark-toned hut. This resembles the one that the witchers confined Voleth Meir to.

The difference between the two is that Baba Yaga can shift into various faces and forms. But the Deathless Mother cannot contain a physical form on this Sphere, which is why she takes control of the minds of different people to act as hosts. In the same way, Voleth Meir picks Ciri to use her power to go back home. Interestingly, several tales depict Baba Yaga sustaining on infants for food. And in The Witcher, too, Voleth Meir is responsible for the deaths of several children. 

How Yennefer restores her lost magic in The Witcher Season 2

As the new season progresses, we see the Deathless Mother manipulating Yennefer for her own needs. In The Witcher Season 1 finale, Yennefer uses Fire Magic and exhausts herself of the Chaos inside her. And now she wants to get it back. Voleth Meir is known for sensing her hosts’ deepest desperations. So she uses Yennefer as a pawn to get Ciri delivered to her.

However, there is one thing that Voleth Meir fails to pay attention to. And it is Yennefer’s long-standing desire to be a parent. One that surpasses even her want for power. Yennefer grows fond of Ciri and loves her as her own. The Witcher Season 2 draws Yennefer towards the selfless act of summoning the Deathless Mother out of Ciri and into her own. While this control is a momentary act, Yennefer’s unselfish gesture is what helps her regain her magic. 

Who is The Wild Hunt seen in The Witcher Season 2 finale

Voleth Meir gets her wish of returning home when she transports herself, Geralt, and Yennefer to another Sphere with the help of Ciri. After that, she relieves herself from Yennefer’s body. That’s when the three sneak a peek at The Wither’s Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt is a group of spectral riders approaching them. But fortunately, Ciri spirits them away before they reach them. The Witcher Season 2 mentions the Wild Hunt several times. But it is only in the season finale that the characters get a brief appearance from them. But it was enough to scare them for a long while. 

In the original books created by Sapkowski, the Wild Hunt are a tribe of Elves called the Aen Elle. Aen Elle is a superior being who can cross the Spheres to find slaves to serve them. But their way of living was obstructed by the Conjunction of the Spheres, which is how they turned into their current, ghostly form. The Wild Hunt holds a prominent place in The Witcher 3. In addition to this, the books and the games both see the Wild Hunt trying to capture Ciri for her Elder Blood. Now that The Witcher Season 2 finale introduces them simultaneously as Ciri manifests her power, the chances are that Netflix’s Witcher Universe will show them as a major threat in the next installment. 

Also Read: The Witcher Showrunner Compares The Wild Hunt To MCU’s Thanos

There is little information revealed for The Witcher’s upcoming prequel series, The Witcher: Blood Origin. But we know that Jacob Collins-Levy has been cast as Eredin. He is also seen in the trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin that plays after the end of The Witcher Season 2. From this, we can assume that the prequel will disclose some facts about the Aen Elle before The Witcher Season 3 makes it into flesh. Netflix is already building an intricate world for spin-offs within the Witcher universe. And Blood Origin may make it easy since the show will familiarize the audiences with the Wild Hunt and what lies ahead.  

Ciri ends up belonging to a found family The Witcher Season 2

Throughout the second season, ciri comes off as a strong and unshakeable character. However, the Deathless Mother manipulated her mind by showing her glimpses of her original family. Geralt’s voice reaches her within these visions. And as the show advances, Ciri finds a new family in The Witcher Season 2. This small relationship consists of Geralt as her father and Yennefer as her mother.

It is difficult for Geralt to forgive Yennefer for her actions. She captured Ciri and risked her life. However, Yennefer’s self-sacrificial act speaks for her worth. And Geralt ends up giving Yen a second chance. Geralt was bound to lose Yennefer. It was destiny. Not even love could bring them together. Perhaps what they were missing was Ciri. In essence, unlike its first season, The Witcher Season 2’s end is somewhat satisfying, as we see Yennefer and Ciri getting ready to train. 

The Witcher season one and season two are now available to stream exclusively on Netflix.