the Witcher Episode 7 Review
by Chelsea House, GGR Contributor
I don’t want to waste any time with this review because there is a lot to go over. Let’s just jump right into this one.
YENNEFER
When we left off with Yennefer, she was leaving and breaking hers and our poor Geralt’s heart. What do we do when we are broken hearted? Rebound! (Assuming that there is no time passed, who knows anymore?) Who better to do it with than our original lover, Istredd? So here we see Yennefer walking into a Nilfgaardian archeological dig site where she finds him. They go to a table to talk at the local pop up pub where she tells him that she wants them to be a team. Him collecting “his rocks” and her working as a mage. They share a kiss after which Istredd tells her that he waited years for her to become aware that they were meant to be together, and that he was aware of the fact that she turned down every request he put in to study in Aidirn to reconnect with her. He states that Stregobor helped snap him out of his misery and as he began to work again he remembered what he loved about it. The purity, the lack of distraction. “You went after what you loved. I’m sorry you chose power.” At this Yennefer is aware this conversation is not going in her favor. He finishes with a “At least you kept your eyes.” and then gets up and walks away leaving Yennefer to realize that the one person who knew her and loved her before her transformation is not impressed with what she has become.
I feel like this rejection is something she needed. She’s not used to it, and Istredd is really the only person who accepted her as an object of desire (in many different ways, not just sex) before she thought herself as an one. He sees her to her core when he states that he’s sorry that she chose power. It made me reflect back for a moment and realize how emotionally detached Yennefer does really seem to be from everyone except herself. I’m hoping this realization will give her a little bit of a moment of reflection. This also made me appreciate that this show doesn’t really have heroes, everyone is all so very human. Strengths, mistakes, good choices, bad choices, good intentions, bad intentions… none are off limits to any character. Anywho, back to the story!
She doesn’t have a lot of time to contemplate this new word “no” or Istredd’s stinging words, because another man approaches her saying, “His loss.” She tells him to piss off and eventually he explains to her that he is Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu, Marco Polo) and that the Nilfgaardians are taking mages like them so before they get caught they need to go. Yennefer asks where, “Aretuza” is the answer, and she seems rather amused and not interested. Vilgefortz assures her the feeling is mutual. The Brotherhood and Academies think Yennefer is “rash, unpredictable, and dangerous”, but that is just what he and Tissaia need right now. “Tissaia asked for me?” She asks. “She said you’re the best student she ever taught.” He says. And with that, our words of affirmation Yennefer finds herself in Aretuza.
While she is here she discovers that the new recruits are unable to do magic, and as she tries to give Tissaia a lecture on this fact, she is whisked away to a meeting where all of the mages are trying to decide whether it’s worth their time to try and defend a Cintra that has thus far wanted nothing to do with them. Nilfgaard is on its way, and some mages understand that they won’t stop at Cintra, but others (the majority) feel that it’s Cintra’s problem and not theirs. Fringilla dramatically bursts into the room and states that Nilfgaard only has eyes for Cintra and they need to stay out of their way. Tissaia, Triss, and another mage throw some shade about Fringilla being a dark mage, and Fringilla gives a typical “it’s only bad because they tell you it is” statement (umm… I think gutting a person and reading their entrails like tea leaves is pretty gross across the board.) Anyways, there’s a vote, the ones who want to help Cintra lose the vote, and so like the responsible and law abiding person Tissaia is, she decides to gather together a small band of mages to go defend Cintra and shut down Nilfgaard. She asks Yennefer to come and help, if not for Aretuza, then for her, and she adds a desperate “please” which is inevitably the sugar on top for our angsty Yenn.
CIRI
We see Ciri entering the village of Skellige where a woman warns her that this town is dangerous if your alone. An embittered Ciri quips back “then it’s the same as every other place.” Ciri sells her mother’s ring for a pair of gloves and runs into said woman again who asks her why she’s there. Ciri offers her no information and the woman asks Ciri to come back with her as the roads are dangerous and “we are safer when we’re together.” Ciri nods and then steals the woman’s horse (in broad daylight might I add) and gallops off to… somewhere. She sets up camp in the middle of an overgrown field where she airs her frustration about not trading the ring for food followed by “Gods, what kind of a crazy person talks to a horse?” (#Geraltandroachforeva)
She hears some snapping twigs, grabs a stick, and only relaxes when she recognizes her ol’ peasant pals with whom she used to play knuckle bones with. They ignore her joy and push passed her to loot her saddle bags. When she protests, she is pushed down a few times and reminded that she is not the one who gives the orders anymore. They also tell her that they know Nilfgaard is looking for her and willing to pay a lot of money. When they surround her, Ciri goes into some weird trance where she starts chanting with her voice and an older womans “Verily I say unto you, the era of the sword and the axe is nigh. The era of the Wolf’s Blizzard. The time of the White Chill and the White Light is nigh… the Time of Madness and the Time of Contempt.” Everything goes black and then you hear a shrill scream. Uh oh. We know what happens when Ciri screams. Except we have to wait until the next episode…
GERALT
When we last left Geralt, the dragon was making him feel pretty bad about not checking in on his “Child Surprise”, or “Child of Surprise”, or his “Surprise”, whichever. Here we see Geralt staring over a rocky ridge where he sees a “sea of black and gold” as he later puts it. He gives us the kind of look only Geralt can give us and we know he’s about to do something he’d rather not. This brings us to Cintra in some underground caverns meeting where a confused Mousesack states/asks, “You’ve come for your child of Surprise, haven’t you?”
“Quite the opposite” Geralt replies, and continues that he just wants Mousesack to tell him that the boy is safe and well. Mousesack chuckles and informs Geralt that the boy is a girl which gets a look of surprise from our Witcher. Mousesack explains that she has been raised by Calanthe and her parents died in a ship wreck and that Geralt has been super out of the loop. He asks why now, why does Geralt think she’s not safe. Geralt reveals that he saw Nilfgaard’s army heading their way. “A sea of black and gold.”
Mousesack states that after the banquet the Queen has been doing everything she can to ensure her family’s safety. Shadows flit on the wall, Geralt annoyed, “Sent assassins.” Mousesack insists he didn’t know, and we watch as Geralt follows the noises to an open circular room. He uses Mousesack as a shield when several assassins appear, and as Mousesack complains that they both will die, Geralt gruffly responds “blame destiny.” It’s at this that Mousesack teleports them away.
Queen Calanthe is busily preparing for war and making small talk with some guards. The King is away securing ships from Skellige to help fortify their defenses. She stops mid sentence when she sees a very unwelcome Geralt walking with Mousesack. “I warned you about coming back.” She says. “I’ve been away 12 years and planned on staying that way… until you sent eight men to kill me.” He snaps. Geralt says he wants to keep the child safe from the oncoming battle. She says “Why would I give my only heir to someone who never cared enough to come back for her.” (Fair point.) When she says she’ll pay whatever he wants, both he and Mousesack remind her that you can’t buy out The Law of Surprise. Geralt assures her he only wants to keep her safe from the war and then will bring her back. Calanthe quietly states that Ciri is all she has left of her daughter. “If Ciri survives then Pavetta lives on too.” Calanthe proclaims, “The Law of Surprise has been called.” (as if the small group of people couldn’t already hear.) she will tell Cirilla herself and call Geralt when she’s ready.
We now see Calanthe telling a young girl (we can only see her back) that they must make sacrifices to fulfill destiny. As Geralt walks into the room, Mousesack is looking a little guilty in the corner and Calanthe is looking a little sketch. Calanthe says a few touching remarks and the girl stands to greet our Witcher. Clever Calanthe! The girl is not Ciri. The girl asks if she can go say goodbye to her friends and the Queen nods. “I’ll summon you when she’s ready.” She states to Geralt, and Geralt walks out of the doors just moments after the girl.
Geralt and Mousesack lock eyes, and as Geralt’s getting ready to walk away, a door magically opens. Curious, our Sherlock Witcher follows. The pathways lead him to the streets where he sees Not Ciri say goodbye to her friends and then bow and say “Your Highness” to Real Ciri who is dressed in the peasant garb playing knuckle bones with her friends, the same scene we saw when we were introduced to her.
We now have come almost full circle!
Our now Angry Witcher stomps right up to Queen Calanthe and calls her a liar. He says he’s only trying to keep Cirilla safe. They have a rather catty conversation about the power of Cintra (if only she could see into the future), the power of family, and how Geralt knows nothing about family. “Your own mother cared so little she discarded you.” Me-Ow.
“You lecture me on a mother’s love yet offer up someone else’s daughter.” Geralt reciprocates. Methinks Calanthe hit a nerve.
After a few more remarks, Eist walks in and Calanthe tells him to get Geralt out of her site. This leads us to Eist saying having a grandaughter changed his views on The Law of Surprise. He also states that losing Pavetta almost broke Calanthe and he asks Geralt to promise he will never come back. Geralt says he can’t do that, is suddenly locked in a cage, and Eist says, “I know.”
We see Geralt sitting in a cell while a battle rages above head. We see the guards breaking down the protective spell and storming the castle. We see Ciri asking Mousesack, “Now what, what do we do?” We see Geralt break out of the prison and fight his way through the streets. We see the Queen telling Danuk it’s time, and telling Mousesack that she couldn’t let the Witcher free. They decide it’s time to get him, that fate may still side with them yet. We see the scene of Calanthe letting go of Ciri, we see her fall out of her window. We see Geralt seeing Calanthe’s dead body, we see Ciri riding off with her body guard.
This brings us to Geralt trying to convince a Nilfgaardian to tell him where Ciri is. The guard says “No one is left. Watch for the signs.” And this ends our time with Geralt.
Thus ends Episode 7.
My thoughts?
1: I am BEYOND relieved that we are finally on the same time line. Things can finally make sense for the final episode.
2: Mousesack stated that when the Child of Surprise was born, that Geralt and the child would immediately have a strong bond. I guess he has felt that longer than we even thought because I don’t feel that his sudden care for the child is so random. It’s almost like these are thoughts he’s had for a while and suppressed until it was no longer possible. He seems more relieved than anything to be finally fulfilling this destiny.
3: I can’t wait to give a final opinion in the next review!