The devastated landscape of Cintra opens the grand finale of The Witcher's Season 1. As the chaos unfolds, Geralt emerges, riding through the ruins. He encounters a man solemnly honoring the fallen, gathering their bodies, until a terrifying creature lunges at the old man, intent on knocking him down. Just then, Geralt swoops in, rescuing the helpless soul.
The scene transitions into a breathtaking action sequence, where Geralt faces off against skeletal horrors that emerge from the shadows. He struggles, panting heavily, as he manages to subdue the threat but is left bitten and weakened. His legs buckle, and he collapses to his knees.
Meanwhile, Ciri awakens in the morning, safely escorted by a wandering traveler amidst the open sea. Elsewhere, Yennefer, Triss, and their companions journey northward, determined to save Cintra and counter the looming threat of Nilfgaard. Upon landing, they establish a camp and Yennefer, along with the other mages, aligns with the remaining rebels, preparing for the inevitable confrontation.
In the dead of night, Nilfgaard unleashes their magical assault. As the first fireball is hurled from a trebuchet, Yennefer intercepts it, rallying the troops in defiance. Fringilla conjures her own magic, transforming the night into day, and the battle takes shape on the horizon. A dense white mist envelopes the battlefield, and Tissaia warns Yennefer to maintain control over the chaos as enemy mages obscure the advancing soldiers.
Yennefer ascends to the pinnacle of a tower, commanding the flow of the battle. Each mage decimates hordes of soldiers until Fringilla and her allies witness the chaos and shift their focus. The conflict intensifies, momentum shifts. As Nilfgaard breaches the defenses, Fringilla unleashes a horde of strange creatures, effectively tipping the scales of battle. These creatures invade the ears of Sabrina and her comrades, who promptly drop vials of explosives onto the ground.
Amidst the carnage, Yennefer, clutching her wounded stomach, stabbed by Sabrina in a previous skirmish, pleads with the soldiers to advance and attack Nilfgaard. She turns to Vilgefortz, pleading for his assistance, while Tissaia telepathically reaches out for help. Yennefer begs Tissaia not to give up, acknowledging that she saved her from a dire fate by imparting her with the knowledge of magic.
In the midst of turmoil, Geralt is found bitten and delirious, yet miraculously alive. He dabs some liquid onto his wound, urgently instructing the elderly man to lead him towards the Blue Mountains. His thoughts turn to Visenna, who materializes before him in a dreamlike state. The battle intensifies as Yennefer unleashes her might, decimating waves of Nilfgaardian soldiers. As the land scorches beneath the flames, Ciri jolts awake and rushes out, with Geralt and Tissaia desperately searching for the seemingly vanished Yennefer. As the episode draws to a close, Geralt and Ciri finally lock eyes for the first time. She stares up at him, curiosity sparkling in her gaze, asking who Yennefer is.
With an entire episode devoted to the epic clash and action-packed scenes to savor, The Witcher concludes its first season with a truly breathtaking showdown. With a second season already in the works, I eagerly await the next chapter in this captivating tale. While the show has yet to fully immerse us in its vast world, it's important to remember that it's not striving for the grandeur of Game of Thrones. It's a familiar challenge faced by many mystery shows in the early 2000s after the phenomenal Lost came to an end, and it seems the fantasy genre is now facing a similar fate. Nonetheless, The Witcher remains an enticing high fantasy offering. If you're in the mood for monsters, magic, and war, this show is the perfect blend. It's a thoroughly enjoyable and solid fantasy experience that seamlessly fits into the genre's illustrious lineage. What secrets await us in the second season remains to be seen, but one can only hope that we'll get to know Ciri even better this time around.
