The Witcher Sequel Series Is Coming, Here's A Quick Recap Of Season 1

The Witcher is returning for a season 2, and here's a chronological overview of the first season, as well as the most crucial events to recall. The Witcher is a book series and short tales written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski that became popular after being turned into video games, a film, and a TV series in Poland in 2001 and 2002. The Witcher received its first English version in 2019, appearing on Netflix to widespread acclaim and being ordered for a season 2 even before the first was completed.
The series took a new approach to Sapkowski's stories, opting for a non-linear storyline that followed three protagonists in separate locations and times, with their journeys intersecting near the end of season 1. Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), the renowned monster hunter; Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), a fearsome witch; and Ciri (Freya Allan), the crown princess of Cintra, who is beginning to find her own abilities, are among these characters. All of them will reappear in The Witcher Season 2, and at the ending of Season 1, they were on very different routes and in totally different circumstances.
Geralt and Ciri are bonded by the Law of Surprise and ultimately meet one other in the season 1 finale, while Yennefer is engaged in the Battle of Sodden Hill and her fate remains unknown. Of course, each of them went through a series of events that led them to that moment, and these experiences will have an influence on their storylines in The Witcher season 2. In chronological sequence, here's a summary of The Witcher season 1.

#1 Yennefer’s Backstory & Transformation

Yennefer was already a mighty mage at the ending of The Witcher season 1 who harnessed all her "chaos" to defend the Continent from the Nilfgaardian troops, but she had gone through a lot of horrific events to get there. In The Witcher, Yennefer was described as a poor woman with a bent spine and severe facial paralysis who lived with her mother and stepfather, that did not treat her well. After being beaten by a pair for returning a flower to them, Yennefer accidentally relocated herself to Aretuza, where she encountered wizard Istredd (Royce Pierreson). This tagged Yennefer, motivating Tissaia de Vries (MyAnna Buring) to visit her family's property and acquire Yennefer (for less than half the price of a pig). Yennefer was then forcibly brought to Aretuza, where she attempted suicide during her first day there.
Yennefer survived because of Tissaia's interference and continued her studies, but she was quickly let down when she failed every exam and lesson. In her stay at Aretuza, Yennefer discovered she is a quarter elf, hence why she was cursed with defects, but it also means she may be a mighty mage. Yennefer ultimately proved to Tissaia that she could manage her impulses, and after seeing the transformation of several of her sister sorceresses into eels, she was ready for her initiation. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned when she discovered that she wasn't traveling to her homeland anymore and was instead being transferred to Nilfgaard when Istredd revealed her elven heritage to Stregobor (Lars Mikkelsen), thus she determined not to attend the big night. Eventually, Yennefer discovered the enchanter and begged that he remake her attractive, but the cost was too high: in order to be recreated, she could no longer carry children, so he destroyed her reproductive system. Yennefer, now completely changed, joined the rest of the party at the ball and gained her place in Aedirn's back, thus Fringilla was sent to Nilfgaard.

#2 Renfri & “The Girl In The Woods”

Renfri (Emma Appleton), a tormented princess who met paths with Geralt in Blaviken, was revealed in the first episode of The Witcher. Renfri attempted to persuade Geralt to assist her in killing Stregobor, while the magician attempted to get Geralt to slay Renfri. Renfri's presence in Netflix's The Witcher was short and noteworthy for only two reasons. Firstly, as she died in Geralt's embrace, she informed him that "the girl in the woods," was his destiny but Geralt had no clue what that meant at the moment. Secondly, Geralt grabbed her cloak broach and pinned it on the hilt of his blade as a message not to become embroiled in human disputes.

#3 Geralt Meets Jaskier

Jaskier (Joey Batey) has become an instant fan favorite due to his charisma, despite not being Geralt's favorite guy during The Witcher season 1. The singer and the witcher encountered in a tavern where Jaskier's performance was booed, and he confronted Geralt to request for an evaluation of his work, with the witcher informing him that the monsters in his song do not really exist. Geralt received a new work after admitting to the pub that he is a witcher, and Jaskier wanted to go along, much to Geralt's displeasureJaskier helped popularize Geralt's job with his classic song "Toss A Coin To Your Witcher," and accompanied him on various missions and risky explorations, including when he was attacked by a djinn and on a mission to kill a dragon, after which Geralt let him know he didn't want Jaskier around any longer, and the bard simply left. Jaskier was also on Geralt's side at an important moment in his life: a royal betrothal in Cintra.

#4 The Law Of Surprise

Jaskier and Geralt went to the betrothal celebration for Princess Pavetta's marriage proposal, but the occasion was turned upside down when Lord Urcheon of Erlenwald/Duny (Bart Edwards) appeared. Queen Calanthe (Jodhi May) commanded his execution after witnessing his humanoid porcupine appearance, but Geralt protected him. Duny came by the Law of Surprise to claim Pavetta, and it turned out that they've been in a hidden affair over a year. Calanthe was about to kill him when Pavetta shouted out, activating her abilities. Seeing the link between her and Duny, Calanthe eventually admitted it, and the Law of Surprise was fulfilled. Duny wanted to thank Geralt for standing his ground, and after first rejecting, the witcher selected the Law of Surprise – and to his and everyone's surprise, Pavetta suddenly vomited up, signaling she was pregnant, and her child, Ciri, is now bonded to Geralt.

#5 Geralt Meets Yennefer

Returning to Geralt and Jaskier, one day they discovered a jar with a magician's seal etched on it in a lake, and it housed a djinn. Jaskier inadvertently unleashed it and spent two of the three available wishes, but he has been suddenly "possessed" by the djinn, forcing Geralt to seek aid. This took him to Rinde, where he found Yennefer, who was hypnotizing the mayor and many other residents in the mayor's residence. Yennefer rescued Jaskier but fooled Geralt into becoming the djinn's host and gaining greater power, but keeping the djinn is just too much for her, and Geralt saved her with a wish, establishing an unbreakable connection between them. Geralt and Yennefer rejoined after the dragon hunt discussed above, but a conflict about Geralt's final wish caused them to split up.

#6 The Fall of Cintra & The Hunt For Ciri

Ciri's journey in The Witcher season 1 started with the Nilfgaarddian army's raid on Cintra, which resulted in her step-murder grandfather's and her grandmother's death, but not before sending Ciri out from Cintra because the Nilfgaardians were also seeking for her. In her dying breath, Calanthe knew Geralt was correct and Ciri would be protected only with him, so she urged the young Princess to seek Geralt of Rivia as he is her destiny. The true reason Nilfgaard is looking for Ciri was not disclosed in season 1, but if the Netflix series follows the reference material, fans are in for a huge surprise.

#7 Ciri’s Powers

Ciri accidentally activated her powers before being taken away and during her final minutes with her grandmother when she refused to give up Calanthe and screamed, unleashing a wave that shattered surrounding glasses, comparable to the tremendous scream her mother sent out while Geralt, Calanthe, and Duny fought. Ciri's powers manifested irregularly while on the run, primarily at moments of stress and terror, and at one point, she entered into a trance and gave a prophecy before blacking out. Ciri's abilities will be addressed more in The Witcher Season 2, especially since Geralt is taking her to Kaer Morhen.

#8 The Battle of Sodden Hill

As Nilfgaard proceeded to invade the remains of the Northern Kingdoms, Yennefer, Tissaia, and other magicians assembled to fortify Sodden Hill's fortress and halt the Nilfgaarddian army. Both sides used sorcery and inflicted massive fatalities on each other during the Battle of Sodden Hill. Triss Merigold (Anna Shaffer) was violently attacked but lived, while Sabrina (Therica Wilson-Read) became possessed with a parasite from the Nilfgaarddian side and attempted to murder Yennefer. Upon discovering a wounded Tissaia, Yennefer was urged to let all her chaos erupt in order to protect the Continent, thus she released inferno on the Nilfgaardian army, which resulted in her disappearance. Ciri and Geralt ultimately found one other in the woods after the battle and embraced, with the princess wondering Geralt who Yennefer is.