5 The Witcher Season 3 Theories

The good thing about Netflix’s biggest hits is that new seasons are greenlit ahead of time, unlike most of the streamer’s regular fare. The Crown still has Seasons 5 and 6 to go; Bridgerton Season 2 is still months away, yet Seasons 3 and 4 are guaranteed. Similarly, The Witcher Season 3 was announced ages ago, but it’s only now that Season 2 has arrived that fans have any idea of what might happen. These The Witcher Season 3 theories posit some of the outcomes from Season 2’s wild finish.

Warning: Spoilers for The Witcher Season 2 follow. The Witcher’s final episode was a complex mixture of consequences stemming from terrible life choices made by several of the characters. Both Francesca and Fringilla’s deals with the Voleth Meir came due. The former lost her baby and murdered all the infants in Redania in retaliation. The latter saw her hard-won diplomatic gains erased in a Red Wedding-style bloodbath. As for Yennefer, after initially refusing to take the deal, she broke down and delivered Ciri to the Voleth Meir, forever ruining Geralt’s trust in her and allowing the poor girl to be possessed. Under the Voleth Meir’s influence, Ciri murdered most of the remaining Witchers before Geralt freed her. However, in the chaos, she also caught the attention of the Wild Hunt, adding another faction hunting her down.

There are a lot of people who want Ciri. Not only does her biological father, Emperor Emhyr var Emreis, want to find her to help legitimize his conquest of Cintra, but all the Northern Kingdoms now want her dead to prevent that. Francesca also wants Ciri dead as part of her Elven clash with humans. And Lydia and Rience are also chasing her on behalf of a mysterious boss fans haven’t met.

So, what will go down in Season 3? Let’s run down some of the most prominent theories.

1. Jaskier Will Be Asked To Betray Geralt

One good thing happened to Ciri in the finale: She found a family. Geralt is her surrogate father and Yennefer became a new mother figure; Jaskier is like that fun uncle from Full House, complete with a rocker attitude. But how long could this last? Sigismund Dijkstra believes it’s time to call in the favor a certain bard owes him.

But will Jaskier betray Geralt? A better question is, will he have a choice? Likely not. One can only hope the resulting guilt-laden ballad will be Jaskier’s next big hit.

2. Vesemir Will Create A Witcher

Season 2 revealed Vesemir’s desire to create a new generation of Witchers; he just needs some Elder Blood to do it. With enough elves running around (not to mention Ciri’s willingness to give blood to charity), chances are, the old Witcher will get his wish. But whether any of his new crop of Witcher children survives remains to be seen.

3. Tissaia Is Being Impersonated

One of the big questions at the end of Season 2 was what Tissaia was thinking when she agreed, nay, pushed the Northern rulers to put a bounty on the heads of not only Ciri, but also Geralt and Yennefer. It didn’t make any sense. Tissaia loves Yennefer like a daughter, she has no beef with Geralt, and having Ciri assassinated doesn’t fit her worldview. She is a woman all about balance, not power.

The only explanation: It’s not Tissaia. But this is not like the desperate “doppler” theory that book readers and video gamers are clinging to in hopes of an Eskel revival. Instead, this theory suggests another sorcerer is impersonating Tissaia — like Triss, who, having been rejected for Yennefer by both Tissaia and Geralt, has a motive to have them offed — along with Ciri, who she genuinely fears.

4. Dara Is The Key To Peace With The Elves

When viewers met Dara for an episode or so in Season 1, Ciri’s little elf friend seemed less of an important character and more of an episodic adventure. But Season 2 has kept the elf hanging out around the margins of the action, suggesting his presence may become more important as the series goes on, and his connection to Ciri could be an invaluable asset.

One guess as to how he’ll become a crucial player: Francesca’s fight with humanity. The elven mage is wild with grief over losing her child and wants to make the rest of the world pay. So, how will Ciri find a way to make peace with the elves? Running back into Dara seems like a wise guess.

5. The Monoliths Are A Major Factor

You don’t have to have seen Spider-Man to know the multiverse is a hot trope in fantasy right now. The Witcher has its version, featuring the monoliths from the video game version of the story. With the first monolith destroyed, there are nine more across the Continent that can open portals to other worlds and let monsters and magic in. Whether or not The Witcher Season 3 focuses on taking those monoliths out or triggering them to open remains to be seen. But either way, they’re not going to fade into the countryside to be forgotten.

The Witcher Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Netflix.