As Netflix’s The Witcher continues to interest fans with its brand new second season, the creators reveal more and more details about the forthcoming seasons. Only recently, The Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich talked about the show’s briefly featured Wild Hunt riders. As well as how each of those characters will have a specific backstory. Netflix’s The Witcher is an adaptation of the popular works of Andrzej Sapkowski. The show also takes heavy references from CD Projekt’s video games. Ever since its release in 2019, The Witcher became the streaming giant’s most viewed fantasy drama series.
Season one of the show was based on stories from The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. The season perfectly familiarized the audiences with its lead characters, Geralt (Henry Cavill), Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan). Whereas Season 2, which premiered on Netflix on December 17th, 2021, is roughly based on Blood of Elves.
Revelations Made In The Witcher Season 2
As an exception, however, Season 2, Episode 1, “A Grain of Truth,” adapts the story of the same name from The Last Wish. But the following episode, “Kaer Morhen,” shows Geralt and Ciri journeying to the legendary keep of Witchers from Blood of Elves. Their time at Kaer Morhen discloses Ciri’s true nature. Ciri has Elder Blood running in her veins, which links her to an Elven prophecy which predicts the end of the world.
In addition to this, Netflix’s Season 2 altered the content of the original books in several instances. This included Eskel’s death, Yennefer’s narrative, the big revelation of the White Flame, as well as the introduction of Voleth Meir. However, the most interesting arc was that of the Wild Hunt, a.k.a. Wraiths of Mörhogg. The Wild Hunt are an ancient group of specters galloping in the sky. The riders are formidable, and believed to be an omen of war.
To be particular, the Wild Hunt is seen twice in The Witcher Season 2. Firstly, in a vision. And secondly, in the season finale when the group advances towards Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri, and tells Ciri that she “belongs to them.”
Also Read : Here Are 10 Interesting Questions Raised By The Witcher Season 2 Finale
The Witcher Showrunner On The Wild Hunt’s Backstory
Only recently The Witcher Netflix shared a video on YouTube. In the video, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich opened up about the brief glimpses of the Wild Hunt. Hissrich also revealed how each of those riders is an individual character. She said that all the members of the Wild Hunt will get equal exposure. And that each of them will have a backstory which will be focused on in the upcoming season and beyond. Read the showrunner’s full comment below:
“We will actually start to delve into them as real characters, and they will get the same backstories as all of the rest of our characters do. Why we thought this season was right for the Wild Hunt, is that we’re starting to delve into Ciri’s powers a little bit more. In fact, that’s Geralt’s main thrust in this season is not just does he want to protect Ciri and train her, but he needs to understand what he’s protecting her from, what he’s training her for, and part of that investigation for him is into her powers—what are they, what do they access, and sort of what are the ripples that they’re going to cause through the Continent.”
The First Appearances Of The Wild Hunt
Because Ciri’s legacy is closely linked to Lara Dorren, she has the ability to use monoliths as conduits with her power. Through these monoliths situated all around the Continent, Ciri can open portals between worlds. In the Season 2 finale, we see Voleth Meir, or the Deathless Mother, possess Ciri in order to get vengeance from the Witchers because they confined her all those years ago.
The reason behind Voleth Meir picking Ciri as a host was to use her powers so she could return to her home. Thus Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri are transported to another Sphere. There, they see the Voleth Meir releasing herself to take the form of a rider of the Wild Hunt. This only means that the Deathless Mother belonged to the group of the Wraiths of Mörhogg. We know that Voleth Meir is an original character in the Netflix series. And now, with the addition of her to the Wild Hunt, the group’s backstory sees a massive shift when compared to the books and video games.
Also Read : The Witcher Showrunner Compares The Wild Hunt To MCU’s Thanos
The Wild Hunt’s Future In The Netflix Show vs. The Source Material
Following this shocking revelation, Ciri successfully transports her family and herself to the Continent again. Ciri’s terrifying visions of the Wild Hunt paired with the new-found knowledge of their ultimate agenda of seeking her only prove more perils in her journey ahead. Not only that, there are a number of other sources after Ciri. The Brotherhood of Sorcerers, Nilfgaard, and the Elves, are to name a few. Whichever way the story turns out, one thing is for certain. The Wild Hunt will pose a danger in The Witcher. And they will be more formidable than in the books. Mainly because in the source material, the Wild Hunt makes its appearance in the last novel Lady of the Lake.
Sapkowski’s books did not give the Wild Hunt much importance. But CDPR portrayed them as a prominently present threat. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt describes the antagonists more deeply. Hence, it makes sense for viewers to hope to see the same in the Netflix series.
However, before The Witcher Season 3 picks up Time of Contempt to explore the Wild Hunt, they will appear somewhere else. The upcoming prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin will shed more light on the back stories of each member of the Wild Hunt. After which, the main series will follow suit with the antagonists.
