Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Witcher Season 3, Episode 7.
After the explosive battle in Aretuza, Season 3, Episode 7 of The Witcher slows down to let Ciri (Freya Allan) reflect on who she wants to become. Since the beginning of the show, Ciri has been confronted with the harsh reality that her Elder Blood turns her into a target for all the people trying to rule the Continent, as her innate magical powers make her a living weapon. It’s not easy for Ciri to know she holds the fate of the world in her hands. Nevertheless, she’s been following the guidance of Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) while trying to hone her skills. But what happens when Ciri is left alone with her thoughts?
Episode 7, “Out of the Fire, Into the Frying Pan,” takes Ciri on a dangerous solo journey through the desert of Korath. It’s the first time the girl has to spend so long by herself, leading one of the most interesting The Witcher episodes to date. And while Episode 7 is mainly concerned with Ciri’s character growth, there are also some massive developments to the plot.
Ciri, a Unicorn, and Visions in the Desert
At the end of Episode 6, Ciri uses the tower of Tor Lara to hide from Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu). Vigelfortz has helped Nilfgaard to raze Aretuza so that he could get his hands on the girl, but Ciri doesn’t want to become the pupil of the murderous mage. Instead, Ciri channels her power on the crystal at the center of Tor Lara, inadvertently blowing up the tower. The magic explosion creates a portal that sends Ciri to Korath, a barren desert popularly known as “The Frying Pan.” While Episode 6 doesn’t confirm it, it’s most likely Vilgefortz also survived the explosion and is regaining his strength somewhere else.
In the desert of Korath, Ciri uses her geography lessons to set a course to the West, hoping to escape the red sand sea. She does everything possible to survive along the way, eating bugs and poisonous lizards. Ciri’s first fateful encounter in the desert is with a unicorn, who warns the girl about a trap laid by a sand creature. Desperate to find water, Ciri is lured to a puddle of goo that a giant worm with sharp teeth uses to catch its prey. Thanks to the sudden appearance of the unicorn, Ciri avoids becoming a snack. Later, the unicorn guides Ciri to palm trees, where Ciri can use her Chaos to sense a water vein under the sand. So, as days pass, Ciri and the unicorn grow closer, working together to cross the desert.
The loneliness and the fear of death also make Ciri have visions of people from her past, externalizing the emotional turmoil she has been keeping locked inside her. First, she sees her mother, Pavetta (Gaia Mondadori), who died when Ciri was a child. Pavetta represents Ciri’s fear of abandonment, since part of her expects Geralt and Yennefer to leave her someday. After that, Ciri has visions of a mysterious cloaked figure who tells her she is also a princess who shares Ciri’s enormous powers. The cloaked figure also says she is Ciri’s possible future, should the girl embrace her powers.
Ciri’s third vision is about her grandmother, Calanthe (Jodhi May), who used her position as Queen of Cintra to slay Elves. Calanthe represents Ciri’s fear that she’s not doing everything she can to unite the Continent and might also become a bloodthirsty tyrant like her grandmother. The cloaked figure returns soon after, revealing herself as Falka, who also carried Elder Blood in her veins. Like Ciri, Falka was hunted for her powers by people who feared her or wanted to use her. However, Falka embraced her rage and began a rebellion that drenched the Continent with blood. Falka would eventually burn at the stake for her crimes. So, by saying she’s Ciri’s future, Falka wants to set an example of what the girl can achieve once she accepts her powers.
Ciri Makes a Choice That’ll Change ‘The Witcher’ Forever
After many days frying in the desert of Korath, Ciri and her unicorn pal face a giant insect-like monster. The creature perforates the unicorn with one of its claws, leaving Ciri to slay the beast alone. While Ciri manages to win the duel against the beast, the unicorn is poisoned. The unicorn’s wound slowly infects, threatening to claim his life. Falka appears for a third time when all hope is lost, pushing Ciri to use fire magic to heal her friend. Ciri gives in to the temptation, curing the unicorn. However, the majestic beast becomes afraid of Ciri’s fire and runs away.
Falka keeps whispering in Ciri’s year, telling the girl how even the people she loves the most will eventually fear her power. As such, Ciri should let herself be engulfed by flames, unleashing her wrath in the world. Ciri toys with the idea, thinking about how she could punish the people who harmed her, such as Vilgefortz and Cahir (Eamon Farren). While the concept is somewhat pleasing for Ciri, she quickly realizes that letting the fire burn her soul would eventually lead to the demise of Geralt, Yennefer, and Jaskier (Joey Batey). So, in a moment of despair, Ciri relinquishes her power. Ciri wakes up in the sand, surrounded by strangers. The people around her discuss how the girl is the one “he” has been looking for. Fortunately, it doesn’t take long for us to find out who exactly they are referring to.
Jaskier Tries to Put the Party Back Together
After his battle with Vilgefortz, Geralt is on the brink of death. With Aretuza destroyed and the mages of the Continent decimated, Triss (Anna Shaffer) takes the White Wolf to the dryads of Brokilon. Yennefer stays behind in Aretuza, searching for Ciri in the rubble of Tor Lara.
Jaskier arrives at Aretuza after the battle, and all he can see is destruction. Our favorite bard also crosses paths with Prince Radovid (Hugh Skinner), who mourns the deaths of Redania’s soldiers. While Radovid betrayed Jaskier’s trust, the bard still cares for the prince. So, Jaskier offers Radovid information about secret routes that can guide him to safety beyond Aretuza. Radovid wants to stay by Jaskier’s side, to make amends for his treason and prove he’s more than a mask. Jaskier says they might do that sometime, but his priority is finding Ciri.
At the end of Episode 6, Jaskier goes to see Geralt in Brokilon. When Jaskier arrives in the woods, he discovers that Geralt is dying, and the dryads think he can’t be healed. That would be distressing enough, but Jaskier brings terrible news to his friend. Nilfgaard’s Emperor (Bart Edwards) has laid many Northern cities to waste searching for Ciri and offered a massive reward for information on the girl. The strangers in the desert have apparently found Ciri and traded her for gold, which means the girl is on her way to Nilfgaard. Geralt is in no shape to fight, but the White Wolf must beat death if he hopes to rescue his daughter.
The Witcher Season 3 is currently available on Netflix.
