The Witcher season 1 ending, explained again before season 2

The Witcher season 2 is out on Netflix, and it’s been approximately a lifetime since we last saw Geralt in season 1. Between now and the end of season 1, it’s been two years. The Witcher Season 1 of Netflix’s animated series has brought us an animated origin story. Lot of other TV, and a global pandemic, so we’ll forgive you if it feels like the timelines got a little mixed up.

Season 2 sees viewers return to The Continent after a season of great social turmoil. It is clear that not everybody has the time or ability to watch all eight of Season 1. The Witcher, we’ve put together this refresher — what happened to Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, Roach, Fringilla, and the other characters by the end of season 1, and what you’ll need to keep up with season 2.

[Ed. note: As you might have surmised, this post contains full spoilers for season 1 of The Witcher.]

The Witcher Season 1: What happens to Geralt?

Photo: Katalin Vermes/Netflix

Geralt was hired to assist in magical events on the Continent for the majority of his first season. This took place over a little more than 100 years. Through his work he met Jaskier (who adopted Geralt’s story into a certified banger, both in and outside the show) and Yennefer, a powerful mage whom he fell in love with. Inadvertently, he signed up to be a child surprise Cirilla.

By the end of the season, Geralt isn’t interested in his growing legend so much as he is in trying to help Ciri escape Cintra. He is thrown into jail and the city attacked. He is unable to find Ciri and escapes on his own with Roach.

Geralt, when he is injured by the stray monster in season finale, has his vague delusions giving us the broad strokes his backstory. His mother was Vissena, a sorceress. She abandoned Geralt at the door of Vesemir who made him a Witcher. He survived, along with three other boys (10).

What we did last season at Yennefer

Photo: Katalin Vermes/Netflix

Yennefer’s season 1 arc revolved around power — namely the acquisition, the control, and rewards of it. Yennefer, who was born with a hunchback and an inability to control her body, wasn’t taken seriously by anyone around. She quickly rose in the ranks at the Aretuza school of sorceresses when she discovered her magic powers. In Nilfgaard she was initially assigned to the King, but is later reassigned as Aedrin. She then sets out to her own. She wants a baby above all else, something that’s virtually impossible for sorceresses.

Geralt eventually meets her, and it begins a long-lasting relationship. Yennefer ends her relationship with Geralt when she discovers that Geralt may have made a wish on a djinn to cause their attraction.

She returns to the mages, who have gathered to figure out how to deal with Nilfgaard’s growing military presence, having already attacked Cintra. This leads to the Battle of Sodden Hill, the narrowest part of the Yaruga River and the area that stands between Nilfgaard’s army and the north.

On Tissaia’s advice, Yen saves her chaos until things look most dire, before letting every ounce of her power pour out in fire magic. Conjuring fire can be very dangerous for any mage that uses it. After the earth has been scorched, Nilfgaard retreats, Tissaia and Geralt can’t find Yen.

Geralt is how Ciri gets to Geralt

While Geralt can’t find Yennefer, his call does manage to reach Cirilla, who’s been wielding some strange powers throughout the first season. While her grandmother seems to allude to some secret, it’s not until the fall of Cintra that Ciri sees the powers in action: When being attacked during her escape, her panicked screams cause glasses to move and a monolith to crumble.

Ciri enters a trance after another attack in this season. After delivering a speech praising the end of all things, power bursts from her and knocks her attackers off their feet, flattening the ground beneath them. Not too long later she finally meets up with Geralt; the two instinctively hug before Ciri asks: “Who is Yennefer?”

Fringilla The Nilfgaardian Forces fit right in

Photo: Katalin Vermes/Netflix

Fringilla could’ve used a bit more arc to her story in season 1, but here’s the highlights: She was initially the most talented student at the Aretuza academy, before being surpassed by Yennefer. Yen ends up stealing Fringilla’s posting as the mage for Aedirn, which means Fringilla ships off to Nilfgaard.

Which ends up being what she prefers, spending most of season 1 devotedly following the will of Nilfgaard’s leader “The White Flame.” Together with Cahir, the Black Knight, she searches for Ciri and hopes to spread the White Flame’s supremacy throughout the Continent. Unfortunately for both of them, season 1 leaves them at the Battle of Sodden Hill, separating Cahir and Fringilla thanks to Yen’s fire power.

The WitcherNetflix premieres season 2 on December 17.