After an epic opening season the stakes rise even higher for Ciri of Cintra (Freya Allan) in The Witcher Season 2. Ciri’s rare, powerful Elder blood makes her a hot commodity, and while the princess has proven more than capable of dodging danger on her own, she now has Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) at her side. Convinced that Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) died at the Battle of Sodden Hill, Geralt is focused on keeping Ciri safe from the Continent’s abundant threats, including humans, monsters and demons.

A lot happens in Season 2, so let’s conjure up memories of all the crucial details you’ll want fresh in your mind ahead of Season 3, picking up right where we left off: Geralt and Ciri finally meeting in the flesh and Ciri asking him, “Who’s Yennefer?”

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Does Yennefer die at the end of Season 1? 

No, but some characters don’t know that. We last saw Yennefer in the thick of battle at Sodden Hill, fending off the invading Nilfgaardian empire. After summoning a massive blast that wiped out Nilfgaardian attackers, Yennefer is nowhere to be found. Now, walking through the aftermath, Geralt and Ciri encounter the sorceress Tissaia (MyAnna Buring), who essentially tells them that Yennefer is dead. We the viewers don’t even find out for certain that Yennefer is alive until we see that she’s been captured by the Nilfgaardian mage Fringilla (Mimi Ndiweni) and has lost her magic powers after generating the big boom.

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What does Geralt do when he thinks Yennefer’s dead?

Despite his grief, Geralt carries on to ensure Ciri’s safety. The two travel to Kaer Morhen, a home for Witchers, on the way encountering, and slaying, a Bruxa (Agnes Born) — a vampire-like creature who feasts on human blood while taking on the form of a young woman. After the clash with the Bruxa, during which Ciri is very much in harm's way, Geralt assures her “I won’t let anything happen to you,” a statement that remains a  focal point all season long: the Witcher is deeply focused on protecting the princess.

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What does Tissaia do when she thinks Yennefer’s dead?

Remember Cahir (Eamon Farren), the Nilfgaardian knight who was chasing Ciri throughout Season 1? Well, after the Battle of Sodden, he winds up imprisoned by Tissaia, who (excruciatingly) questions him about what Nilfgaard wants and says she will take the knowledge and memories straight from his mind. “The White Flame will cleanse us all,” Cahir says amidst all the painful questioning. The enhanced interrogation doesn’t yield useful information. When Yennefer shows up at a Brotherhood meeting, Tissaia learns that she’s alive and advises her to “lay low.” 

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So, what happens to Yennefer?

Yennefer tries following Tissaia’s advice, staying inconspicuous until an encounter with the mage Stregobor (Lars Mikkelsen) leads him to believe that she’s a Nilfgaardian spy. To prove she's not, Yennefer is told to kill Cahir in front of a crowd of northern kings. Suspecting a trap, Yennefer frees Cahir and the two of them escape together, though she makes it clear to him that she’s doing it for herself, not for him.

While on the run, Yennefer encounters Season 1’s beloved bard, Jaskier (Joey Batey), who we can safely assume is a smidge salty at Geralt leaving him behind — his new tune is called “Burn, Butcher, Burn.” Reconnected, Jaskier and Yennefer plan to help elves escape from the kingdom of Redania — but are apprehended. Moments away from execution, Yennefer recites a magic incantation she recalls from a vision, in which she also dreamed of a hut with no door. The incantation transports her to that very hut, where she meets Voleth Meir (Ania Marson), a demon in the form of an elderly woman who tells her that she can get her magic back if she captures Ciri and delivers her to Cintra. Remember, Yennefer has never met Ciri and doesn’t realize she’s with Geralt.

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Where’s Ciri when Yennefer goes looking for her?

There’s a lot going on with Ciri, so let’s start with the fact that she’s  training to become an improved swordfighter at Kaer Morhen. When she’s cut during training, purple flowers sprout from the places her blood spills, drawing speculation that her powerful blood could be used to create more witchers.

Ciri’s also having strange visions; someone — or something — is beckoning her to the forest. She and Geralt find themselves beset by monsters, including a myriapod, a vicious creature with a mangled head, several legs and large teeth. Seeking an explanation for these monstrous incursions, Geralt meets with the sorcerer Istredd (Royce Pierreson), and the two conclude that the Conjunction of the Spheres may be the cause.

What’s the Conjunction of the Spheres?

The Conjunction of the Spheres is a big bang–type event that occurred thousands of years before the events of The Witcher. The blast allowed magic and monsters to venture into our world.

Now, the characters wonder, are the Spheres being called once again? Is that what’s allowing new monsters to enter? While Geralt and Istredd consider this, it comes up that they both know Yennefer in a romantic capacity (awkward) and more importantly, Istredd tells Geralt that Yennefer is still alive! He doesn’t have much time to process this information, though, because not far from him, Ciri is being pursued in a dream state by the Wild Hunt! Ciri calls out for Geralt in panic; her voice carries all the way to him and Istredd in Cintra. Her screams also summon a Chernobog (a big, scary creature from another realm) that immediately sets off to find her. This all happens right before Yennefer is told to deliver Ciri, so now she’s got multiple threats seeking her out.

Geralt fends off the Chernobog, but his beloved horse, Roach, is killed during the clash. Geralt and Ciri make their way to Nenneke (Adjoa Andoh), a temple priestess who tells Geralt that Ciri is an extra special princess, with Elder blood, an ancient and powerful lineage, running through her veins.

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When are Geralt and Yennefer reunited?

Yennefer and Geralt have an emotional reunion when Yennefer arrives at the temple, looking for Ciri (she doesn’t mention this part to Geralt). Yennefer rushes off with Ciri while Geralt fends off an attack from Rience (Chris Fulton), a mage who is hunting the princess; watching her disappear through a portal, Geralt knows Yennefer's up to something, but isn't sure what. It's only once he's reunited with Jaskier that Geralt comes to realize that she is leading Ciri to Voleth Meir, aka the Deathless Mother, a demon who feasts on pain. Ciri discovers that Yennefer is leading her to danger just before Geralt and Jaskier track them down. Geralt forces Yennefer to recite the incantation that transports them to Voleth Meir, where the demon has grown so powerful feeding off people’s agony that she immediately frees herself, and takes over Ciri’s body.

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What does Voleth Meir do in Ciri’s body?

Voleth Meir returns to Kaer Morhen in Ciri’s body, where she kills multiple witchers. While using her body, the demon traps Ciri in her own mind, distracting her with happy memories. Geralt quickly recognizes that Ciri isn’t Ciri, she’s possessed, and Yennefer opens up the veins on her wrists, offering her body as a vessel to draw Voleth Meir. Together, they free Ciri from Voleth Meir’s hostile takeover and, generating a powerful scream, Ciri opens a portal that leads her, Geralt and Yennefer to safety and staves off the demon. Yennefer is able to heal an injured witcher, her magic abilities unexpectedly returning, thanks to her willingness to sacrifice herself for Ciri. 

While things are somewhat resolved, there will be plenty of new threats looming now that Tissaia has informed several kings and queens that Princess Ciri is alive, and hinted that her powerful blood makes her a danger to the entire world. She even puts a bounty on the head of Ciri, and anyone else who protects her.

So, who’s the White Flame?

In the final moments of Season 2, we’re back in Cintra, where the Nilgaardian ruler Emhyr (Bart Edwards) imprisons Fringilla and Cahir for deceit, and reveals his motivation for Nilfgaard’s season-long pursuit of Ciri: She’s his daughter. That’s right, the White Flame is Emhyr, and he’s also Ciri’s father. You might recall seeing him in Season 1, going by the name Duny, also known as Urcheon — the hedgehog-knight who was in love with Ciri’s mother, Pavetta (Gaia Mondadori).

That, folks, is the shocking note we end on. There’s plenty to process ahead of Season 3, but the wait is nearly over.

‘The Witcher’ Seasons 1 and 2 Recap