Netflix’s The Witcher series continues the story of the witcher Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), and Princess Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon (Freya Allan). The trio are like a family: father, mother, and daughter. However, powerful forces, kingdoms, and factions hunt the trio because of Cirilla’s status as the child of the ancient Elder bloodline, which holds the power to shape the world’s fate and travel to other worlds across The Witcher multiverse. The episode begins with Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri going on the run by traveling from one location to another to avoid being hunted down by bounty hunters hired to capture Ciri. Sometimes they would kill the bounty hunters, but more kept coming after them. During the long journey, Geralt and Yennefer train Ciri to protect herself in the art of fighting via Geralt and sorcery via Yennefer. 

Six months later, Yarpen Zigrin (Jeremy Crawford), a dwarf and a friend of Geralt, gave the trio a home where they could hide. However, much to the frustration of Ciri, their new home was compromised when the renegade mage Rience sent an armadillo-like Jackapace Monster to capture Ciri. Geralt kills the monster, and the trio later returns home. Tired of being hunted by Rience, the three plan with Yarpen to bait Rience out and kill him. 

In an unknown forest, Queen Francesca Findabair (Mecia Simson) of the Scoia’tael Elves, her husband Filavandrel (Tom Canton), and her brother Gage (Kaine Zajaz) work to hunt Cirilla. The reason for the hunt is because of the Prophesy of Ithlinne. The prophecy states that a child of Elder Blood, most likely Cirilla, will save the elves from the elves’ persecution by humanity. However, Francesa faces opposition in her leadership from Gallatin (Robbie Amell), a Scoia’tael commander, who disagrees with Francesca’s hunt for Ciri. Also, Gallatin is a strong advocate for the elves to work with the Nilfgaardian Empire to conquer the entire continent, hoping all the elves would gain their freedom under Nilfgaard’s rule. Francesca is working with Nilfgaard but is not entirely trusting of the Empire and its promise to help the elves. 

In the Northern Kingdom of Redania, King Vizimir of Redania (Ed Birch) is displeased with Redanian Spymaster Sigismund Dijkstra (Graham McTavish) and court mage Phillippa Eilhart (Cassie Clare) for their failure to capture Cirilla. Vizimir desires to marry Cirilla to expand his kingdom across the North. The reason is that Cirilla is the true heir to the throne of Cintra, a powerful state in the North. Due to the failure, Vizimir entrusts the task of Cirilla’s capture to his brother, Prince Radovid (Hugh Skinner). In private, Dijkstra and Phillippa are concerned with Radovid’s involvement in their hunt for Cirilla. Philippa makes a deal with Djikstra that he will “babysit” Radovid while he hunts for Cirilla if she gets to be the one giving orders when she returns. In other words, Phillippa will be in charge of ordering Dijkstra if she finishes helping Radovid hunt Cirilla. 

Sometime later, Phillipa and Radovid confront Jaskier (Joey Batey), a friend of Geralt, Yennefer, and Cirilla. Phillipa wants Jaskier to repay Redania for funding Jaskier’s operations of smuggling innocent people to safety by giving them Cirilla. Later, Radovid comes in and manipulates Jaskier by acting kind and gentle when he promises Jaskier that Cirilla will be safe in Redania. Philippa ends the confrontation by threatening Jaskier with five days to bring Cirilla to Redania or die. Soon, Yarpen takes Jaskier to meet with Geralt, Yennefer, and Cirilla. 

At Shaerrawedd’s elven ruins, Geralt’s group set their trap for Rience and other bounty hunters. Geralt’s group almost managed to kill Rience. However, an ambush set up by the Scoia’tael Elves forced the group to abandon the mission to kill Rience with protecting Cirilla from being captured by the Scoia’tael. The battle ends with Scoia’tael’s retreat and Geralt killing Gage. In the aftermath, at night, Yennefer states that Rience has a powerful sorcerer controlling him, so they should head to Aretuza, a magical academy for young ladies, to train Cirilla in the ways of magic. Geralt disagrees and says it is too risky to send Cirilla there, considering how the mages of Aretuza work for and influence the kingdoms of the North. Unknown to the three, Jaskier negotiates with Phillippa and Radovid. Jaskier will bring Cirilla to Redania only if they kill Rience to receive Geralt and Cirilla’s trust. The episode ends with Nilgardian Emperor Emhyr Van Emeris burning portraits of his wife Pavetta but keeping a baby Cirilla portrait for himself. 

Emhyr Van Emeris with a baby Cirilla’s portrait

The Witcher Season 3 Episode 1 introduced the major factions hunting Cirilla: the Nilfgardian Empire, the Kingdom of Redania, the Scoia’tael Elves, and Rience’s sorcerer master. Each scene subtly explains why they need Cirilla. Emhyr and Vizimir want Cirilla because she is the rightful heir to the powerful state of Cintra. Unknown to many, in The Witcher novels, Emhyr also wants Cirilla because he wants to marry her to solidify his claim over Cintra and spawn a new royal bloodline of Nilfgardian rulers with Elder Blood. The Scoia’tael Elves and Rience’s sorcerer master also want Cirilla for her Elder Blood powers. The Elves desire salvation with Cirilla’s help, while Rience’s sorcerer masters desire to make Cirilla’s powers his own. Although the episode begins with slow pace story and a complete deviation from the novels, the episode somewhat decently sets up the overall conflict well: the hunt for Cirilla.

Rating: 6/10