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 is 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 being taken prisoner by Djikstra (Graham McTavish). The Redanian forces instigated the Thanedd Coup, an event in which Redanian and Northern loyalists arrest those suspected to be agents, spies, and allies of Nilfgaard such as Vilgefortz of Roggeveen (Mahesh Jadu).
During the coup, Yennefer alerts Cirilla which causes her to leave Jaskier (Joey Batey) behind with Radovid (Hugh Skinner). Yennefer attempts to leave Aretuza but was ambushed by Vilgefortz’s servant Lydia (Aisha Fabienne Ross) but was saved by her friend Triss Merigold (Anna Shaffer) and Lydia was killed during the encounter. Back in Aretuza, Geralt enters a room where neutral mages and Vilgefortz and his cronies are held captive by the Redanian and Northern loyalists. The Redanian and Northern loyalists are led by Dijkstra and Philippa Eilhart (Cassie Clare) with support from Northern loyalist mages such as Sabrina Glevissig (Therica Wilson-Read) and Radcliffe (Harvey Quinn). Djikstra informs Geralt that the Northern loyalists have ample evidence of Vilgefortz aligning with Nilfgaard and wanted to force the neutral mages to hear their case. It is not a trial, it is a purge. A purge against those allied with Nilfgaard and its Emperor, Emhyr Van Emeries.
Tissaia de Vries (MyAnna Buring) intervenes and demands to know what is happening. Djikstra and Radcliffe tell her there is evidence that Vilgefortz is Rience’s master and his portals are linked to Nilfgaard. Geralt agrees with the Northern Loyalists’ accusations but subtly tells the cuffed Vilgefortz that he somehow knew the coup would happen last night during the traditional ball. The witcher notices outside the window an invading force arriving at Aretuza which is revealed to be the Scoia’tael Elves led by Queen Francesca Findabair (Mecia Simson) and Nilfgaardian soldiers led by Cahir (Eamon Farren). Having enough, Tissaia frees everyone from their chains, including Vilgefortz and his allies, which would reveal to be a terrible mistake in the aftermath of the Thanedd Coup.
The freed mages subdue the Northern and Redanian loyalists while Geralt breaks Djikstra’s arm and leg. Vilgefortz rushes down and opens a secret passage with Francesa to allow the invading Scoia’tael and Nilfgaardian forces to invade and destroy Aretuza. Tissaia was shocked by Vilgefortz’s betrayal. So shocked that she did not stop Vilgefortz from escaping. Nevertheless, Tissaia regains her attention by leading the Aretuzan mages to fight the Scoia’tael Elves and the Nilfgaardian forces.
The early battle led to many casualties on both sides with Tissaia killing Filavandrel (Tom Canton) and Fringilla Vigo (Mimî M. Khayisa) killing her uncle, Artorius Vigo (Terence Maynard). The fight escalates with Francesca burning Aretuza in flames and Cahir slaughtering many Northern mages in his path. Depressed by her naive decision to free Vilgefortz during the Thanedd Coup, Tissaia summons Alzur’s Thunder and fires lightning at the Scoia’tael Elves and the Nilfgaardian forces. The lightning decimates the enemies of Aretuza but Francesca and Fringilla block the lightning with their shield spells.
During the conflict, Geralt kills Rience (Sam Woolf) and reunites with Yennefer and Cirilla outside of Aretuza. Yennefer notices the summoning of Alzur’s Thunder in Aretuza by Tissaia and desires to save her mentor as the thunder spell drains the life of its user. Geralt and Cirilla don’t want Yennefer to go because they don’t want to be split apart anymore by conflict but allow her to anyways.
Istredd (Royce Pierreson) takes the Book of the Monoliths during the chaos but was intercepted by Vilgefortz who teleported Istredd, who held the book, out of Aretuza. Philippa saves Dijkstra and the two leave Aretuza. Cahir confronts Cirilla and Geralt outside of Aretuza and duels the Elder Blood princess. Cahir purposefully loses due to guilt for making Cirilla’s life a living hell following Nilgaard’s takeover of Cintra. Cahir lets Geralt and Cirilla escape into the beach where the two can find a hidden boat. However, Vilgefortz tracks them down, duels and beats Geralt, and chases Cirilla who runs away to the tower of Tor Lara.
Alzur’s Thunder drained most of Tissaia’s life and turned the powerful mage’s hair white. Tissaia does not die but is merely tired from the use of the thunder magic. Yennefer joins the fight against the Scoia’tael and Nilfgaardian forces. Stregobor (Lars Mikkelson) intervenes and allows Yennefer and the other mages to retreat and save Tissaia. Stregobor conjures powerful fire magic but dies when fighting Aretuza’s enemies.
At the tower of Tor Lara, Vilgefortz attempts to bring Cirilla to his side but he fails when Cirilla uses the towering monolith in the tower to teleport herself out of Aretuza to an unknown location which is later revealed to be Korath Desert, a location far east of the Continent. The teleportation creates a powerful blast that burns and injures Vilgefortz’s face and destroys the tower, revealing the towering monolith to Tissaia, Yennefer, and the surviving mages. Both sides lost the fight but Nilfgaard and the Scoia’tael Elves still were victorious enough because their attack on Aretuza deprived the Northern kingdoms of many mages they could use as their protectors, enforcers, and advisors.
Geralt vs. Vilgefortz
The Witcher Season 3 Episode 6 was a stunning episode with many battles in almost every corner of Aretuza. The episode is a culmination of the Continents’ factions’ hunt for Cirilla and the Empire of Nilfgaard’s goal to conquer the North. Vilgefortz proved to be a powerful and cunning adversary who outsmarted the intelligent Djikstra and Philippa Eilhart and defeated Geralt, a powerful witcher, in combat. However, the episode did not thoroughly follow the events of the Thanedd Coup in The Witcher novels because there were so many differences that occurred during that event.
Rating: 6/10