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 Jaskier (Joey Batey) in Aretuza, with much of the academy in ruins. He later encounters Radovid (Hugh Skinner), who informs Jaskier how Emhyr and Vilgefortz outsmarted the North by launching a surprise invasion on Aretuza, killing many mages. The Thanedd Coup and the battle at Aretuza launched the Second Northern War between the Northern Kingdoms and the Empire of Nilfgaard. Jaskier later meets with Yennefer, who informs him that Triss (Anna Shaffer) took a heavily injured Geralt to Brokilon to heal.
At Brokilon, Eithne (Josette Simon), the Queen of the Dryads of Brokilon Forest, works to heal Geralt of the wounds Vilgefortz gave him during their duel. Sometime later, Jaskier arrives at the Brokilon Forest and reunites with Geralt with the help of the dryads. In the forest, Jaskier sees human and elvish refugees hiding from the incoming Second Northern War between the Northern Kingdoms and the Empire of Nilfgaard. Jaskier informs Geralt of the news that Cirilla is heading to Nilfgaard. Unknown to everyone, Cirilla is in the Korath Desert. The information about Cirilla going to Nilfgaard could indicate that Teryn, Fake Ciri, is heading to Nilfgaard under Vilgefortz’s influence.
In the Korath Desert, a confused Cirilla tries to survive in the desert. The unicorn Ihuarraquax, nicknamed “Little Horse,” helps Cirilla but is initially scared of the girl until the two begin to trust and befriend each other. While wandering the Korath Desert, Cirilla encounters frightening visions of Falka (Hiftu Quasem), a half-elven princess burned for her crimes, and Queen Calanthe (Jodhi May), Cirilla’s grandmother. Falka continues to haunt Cirilla, escalating after a desert monster attacks and fatally injures Ihuarraquax. To save Ihuarraquax, the visions of Falka guide Cirilla to use her Elder Blood power to use dangerous fire magic to heal the unicorn. Cirilla heals Ihuarraquax, but the unicorn flees and leaves Cirilla alone with the vision of Falka for unknown reasons. The cost of using fire magic to heal Ihuarraquax causes a fiery vision to nearly consume Cirilla. It stops when Cirilla relinquishes her power and falls unconscious. She later wakes up and finds a group of bounty hunters surrounding her.
Falka tempts Cirilla
The Witcher Season 3 Episode 7 introduces Cirilla alone and at her lowest point. She lost her friends, family, and allies to the Continent’s hunt for her. She is now alone in the Korath Desert, far east and far from Geralt and Yennefer. In the Korath Desert, Cirilla encounters the vision of Falka, a half-elven princess and the former daughter of Redania’s past king, King Vridank. Falka rebelled against her father and committed kinslaying by murdering her father and siblings to secure her claim to the Redanian throne. However, Falka would soon be captured and executed by burning at the stake for the many crimes she committed during her rebellion. The vision of Falka attempts to tempt Cirilla by making her power-hungry due to Cirilla’s Elder Blood powers. However, Cirilla manages to resist Falka and regain control over herself. The episode sets up Cirilla’s painful, lonely journey before she reunites with Geralt and Yennefer during the waning years of the Second Northern War.
Rating: 6/10