The first season of The Witcher was spread across multiple timelines, with the adventures of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri spanning different decades. Fans of the books and games know that this trio’s relationship is at the core of the story, with them going on to form an unlikely but enduring family unit. The first batch of episodes explained how they came together, with the final moments showing Geralt and Ciri finally meeting one another and her asking who Yennefer is.
The second season will see the trio growing closer and learning from each other. Much of this will take place in School of the Wolf at Kaer Morhen, where Geralt (and fellow witcher Vesimir) will begin training Ciri in combat while Yennefer helps her control her innate magical abilities. But it seems we’re also going to get a big reveal out of the way in the upcoming episodes.
Potential spoilers for those who haven’t read the books ahead.
Episode Four — “Of Banquets, Bastards, and Burials” — introduced us to the knight Duny, who became prince of Cintra after proclaiming the law of surprise and claiming Princess Pavetta. He was soon revealed to have been cursed with a porcupine-like form, though this was cured by the end of the episode.
Season Two will introduce us to Emhyr Var Emreis, the Emperor of Nilfgaard. But, in a twist lifted straight from the books, the new show will confirm that he and Duny are one and the same, meaning the Emperor is Ciri’s father. According to Redanian Intelligence, the character is referred to as Duny/Emhyr during production, meaning at this point, it’s an open secret.
Ciri’s parentage goes on to play a huge role in her, Geralt, and Yennefer’s stories going forward, tying the characters to the Nilfgaardian Empire. It’s likely they’ll want to groom her for leadership, though if the Netflix show’s take is anything like the books Ciri’s independent spirit will make her crave the solitary life of a monster-hunting Witcher.
We’ll find out more soon. The Witcher‘s second season hits Netflix on December 17 and a more revealing trailer can’t be far off.