The Witcher Season 2 Review (Part 2)
Episodes seven and eight deliver some bombshells. Read further at your own peril, as this review has several major spoilers. If you want to read a spoiler-free review of episodes one-six, then read this one.
The last two episodes are an action-packed conclusion to the season. Last viewers saw Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), she escaped with Ciri (Freya Allan) in a portal because the Deathless Mother (Ania Marson), also known as Voleth Meir, told her Ciri was the key to getting her magic back. Yennefer soon learns she might have been a bit too hasty in stealing Ciri away from Geralt (Henry Cavill), but they’re beset by Nilgaardian soldiers. When Geralt comes to their aid with a team of dwarfs the audience met in season one, he doesn’t even let Yennefer near Ciri again.
Geralt and Ciri have been cultivating their relationship so when he claims her as his daughter at the end of the penultimate episode, it’s a well-earned moment. Geralt is more vocal this season and it’s a much-needed addition to better understand and empathize with this grumpy old guy. He’s working his butt off to be a good father to a teenager in the throes of an existential crisis. To be fair to Ciri, she has some valid reasons for an existential crisis.
It feels like everybody wants a piece of Ciri, and this season, that includes the Deathless Mother. I haven’t read the books or played the games, so I’ve been wondering what the Deathless Mother’s intentions are. It ends up being a very simple reason; she wants to go home. And Ciri is going to be her vehicle of transportation. The Deathless Mother escapes her hut by using Ciri’s pain to possess her. The finale unfolds with the most fighting audiences have seen all season, a lot of Witcher deaths, and some shocking revelations.
After Ciri is possessed and murders a bunch of Witchers, she cracks the Medallion Tree in Kaer Morhen in the middle to reveal a huge piece of stalactite. With a bit of screaming, she creates a portal and the Deathless Mother as Ciri calls forth a few basilisks to occupy and murder the rest of the Witchers. The basilisks must have cost Netflix a fortune on the CGI budget alone and shows how much money they’re willing to pour into The Witcher. Jaskier (Joey Batey) is there with a few jokes and Geralt is just trying to get through to Ciri with words of love, but it’s Yennefer who saves Ciri. Yennefer sacrifices herself to become a vessel for Voleth Meir, and Ciri portals them, along with Geralt, to her home on a different sphere and lets the Deathless Mother loose.
In addition to everything happening at Kaer Morhen, Francesca (Mecia Simson) is busy enacting revenge on the babies of Redania after her baby is murdered. There is a lot more baby killing in these last two episodes than I thought there would be. Dijkstra (Graham McTavish) is traveling around the Continent spying and sowing discord, and the mages at Aretuza are still arguing and fighting amongst themselves. Finally, the season ends with a major character reveal.
Ciri has been running from Nilfgaard for two whole seasons. Why? The audience and characters both know she’s special. Her screams crack monoliths but Nilfgaard was specifically seeking her before anybody knew she could do that. What did Nilfgaard know about Ciri and why do they want her? In the final moments of the finale, we learn that Emhyr, the White Flame, a savior to some and a ruthless conqueror to many, is Duny (Bart Edwards), Ciri’s father. It’s unclear if he wants his daughter out of a paternalistic urge or for nefarious reasons, but with that villain energy, I’m leaning towards the latter. It’s an exciting end to a brilliant season that should leave viewers eager for season three to hit the small screen asap.
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