With fans and critics alike raving over The Witcher once again, we’ve already got a lot on our hands. From Ciri’s powers to dark elven threats and the looming presence of Emperor Emhyr, several eager fans have been combing through the season, picking up hints on what’s to come next.
That said, Netflix seems to be going in a different direction, at least chronologically.
For the second time in the entire Witcher franchise, we’re going to be treated to a prequel – one that takes us back 1,200 years before the events of Geralt’s life.
Here’s the brand new trailer:
According to Netflix, the show will cover the mystery behind the origin of the series’ titular Witchers. It will also follow the ‘Conjunction of the Spheres’ – the cataclysmic magical event that fused the worlds of monsters, men, and elves.
What’s in Store for Fans?
The trailer certainly doesn’t give much away, but with several hints and background information, we can piece together a fair idea of what to expect.
Speaking to Variety, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich shared, “there’s so many things in Season 2 that begin to set up ‘Blood Origin’ — you won’t know it when you watch it because you don’t know how those things will play out. There are little Easter eggs — and not just in dialogue but visual Easter eggs — you’ll see again in ‘Blood Origin.’”
The show seems to be centered around three elves named Scían, Fjall, and Éile – played by Michelle Yeoh, Laurence O’Fuarain, and Sophia Brown respectively.
The three elves have fairly contrasting stories, and it’s curious to see how they work together. While Scian is a ‘sword-elf’ on a quest to recover her tribe’s stolen blade, Fjall is on a quest for revenge, and Éile is a Queen’s guardswoman who quit her post to become a traveling musician.
With diverse motivations and major lore implications for the series’ future, this all seems super-promising.
How Does Blood Origin Tie Into the Mainline Series?
An interesting theme explored in The Witcher is that of racial discrimination – in particular, that of humans against elves. According to the novels, humans and elves were once allies – before the former turned rogue.
Much of this elven-human war is tied to the story of Lara Dorren – an elven sorceress who fell in love with a human mage called Cregennan of Lod. While their union sparked hope for many, it was short-lived. Cregennan was assassinated by unknown forces, resulting in a brutal and bloody conflict between the two races.
Lara Dorren – who was pregnant at the time, gave birth to a half-elf girl named Riannon – a direct ancestor of, you guessed it, Ciri.
Another key element of this conflict is The Wild Hunt. As the main antagonists of The Witcher 3 videogame, they made a return at the season finale. As power-hungry elven warriors hoping to seize the magic of Ciri’s ‘Elder Blood’, we’re hopeful that Blood Origin will add in several more juicy details for us – building up Geralt’s soon-to-be nemeses.
“In some ways,” continued Hissrich, “the lore will start connecting from ‘Blood Origin’ into this, so we’ll understand how people came to be trapped between spheres and how Eredin and the Wild Hunt came to be.”
The Witcher: Blood Origin is set to premiere sometime in 2022, and will release in a six-episode miniseries format.
(Image Sources: Netflix)
