By After a COVID-induced break, Netflix picked up filming the second season of The Witcher, starring Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan. Much of what we know about season two comes from productions leaks of the first episode that was filmed before the hiatus, and our own investigations at the beginning of the year.
Today, we may have learned some interesting new details. Thanks to a tip-off from our reader Lorenzo, we have come across some early concept art and lots of inspirations for episode three of the new season.
To be transparent about this type of source, we can confirm that the art and information is from a member of the production. However, we need to stress that all of it was likely compiled at a very early stage and thus may or may not end up making it to the screen next year. Nevertheless, there could be some light spoilers for season two after the cut!
More monsters…
With that out of the way, let’s dive into it. From what we have gathered, it appears that episode three will feature a monster we haven’t seen in the show so far. There is no concept art we can show you, but the person in question has been busy collecting various fanart inspirations for a Myriapod, a creature similar to the giant centipedes game fans may remember from CDPR’s The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine.
Curiously, a myriapod appeared in one of Andrzej Sapkowski’s most notable short stories, in the very scene that introduces Ciri. In the short story, Geralt and a dryad called Braenn encounter Ciri in Brokilon Forest, while a centipede-like creature, also known as a myriapod attacks her. It’s possible, that the scene in season two will be a callback to a moment from the books that did not make it into season one.
There isn’t much else we know about this, but if this monster will appear in episode three, we will likely see it during Ciri’s stay at Kaer Morhen. Previously, we speculated that the witchers there could face a leshy in a big action sequence and perhaps there is more coming their way.
Monsters have been a popular component of season one and as the show is now crossing over from the heavily monster-infested short stories to the more politics-centered books of the saga, the writers may have felt the need to add a few more creatures for Geralt and his colleagues to fight.
Don’t catch fear!
Also among the material sighted by us are two sketches of the training course the witchers have set up at Kaer Morhen. They are hastily drawn, but include descriptions of the various obstacles readers know from the books.
Description: “Versions of three Witcher training obstacles mentioned in books: The Windmill, the Pendulum, and the Comb. The Comb would be a kind of spiked compactor that the trainee would have to hang above — fall, and get pierced or battered. The Pendulum would actually be multiple — swinging, barbed pendulums of wood that pack a punch if the trainee isn’t swift enough to dodge them all. The Windmill would be a rotating obstacle all about timing, and jumping between fast-moving “blades” to pass.”
Description: “Side view and Aerial view of a version of “the Windmill”. Standing wooden columns with blades/wooden points sticking out, that spin, creating obstacles to dodge between.”
In Blood of Elves, the windmill, the pendulum, and the comb form an important part of Ciri’s training lessons. They are designed to simulate combat against multiple opponents and are largely responsible for the various bruises and swellings the girl suffers during her stay at Kaer Morhen. If they will be included in the show, we certainly hope to hear this iconic conversation between Ciri and Triss Merigold:
“How can a comb thump you when it’s buried in the ground? It can’t! I just fell. I was practising a jumping pirouette and it didn’t work. That’s where the bruise came from. Because I hit a post.”
“And you lay there for two days? In pain? Finding it hard to breathe?”
“Not at all. Coën rubbed it and put me straight back on the comb. You have to, you know? Otherwise you catch fear.
Blood of Elves, Chapter Two
More Eels…
With additional fanart inspirations for Ciri’s training, the witcher lab and Kaer Morhen itself, episode three could shape up to be heavily witcher-centric, with one exception. Remember how in the first season, Tissaia de Vries (MyAnna Buring) transformed some of the acolytes who failed to show enough magical aptitude into eels? If what we have seen is anything to go by, the show will return to the Eel grotto in Aretuza.
So far, the grotto has only been shown in Yennefer’s arc, which is why we presume that she must be in Aretuza by episode three. With cast members Royce Pierreson (Istredd) and Therica Wilson-Read (Sabrina) back at the set, the show may even film some of the Aretuza scenes soon.
As mentioned above, the revelations in this article should be taken with a grain of salt. What we know for sure is that the writers have considered to include the myriapod, the obstacles, and the eels at some point. Scripts change and there is no guarantee that all of this will make it to the screen in the end. However, this gives us a better feeling of what episode three of the new season will be about. Redanian Intelligence will keep investigating.
Some things here pleases me (Geralt and Ciri at Kaer Morhen, the witchers’ stuff, more monsters) and some things worry me (the Aretuza stuff, the eels?). Overall, I’m scared but I want to be positive. The books are fantastic and I hope they won’t diverge too much from them. At least in the characters’ relationships and the overall story and meaning behind it.
Bring the monsters, ditch the eels. Love the witcher. Can’t wait to see Geralt in season 2 training Ciri. Plus give us a proper Geralt/Yen love afair like in the books. Yen needs to realize she’s head over heals for the Witcher, not douding her feelings and she needs to be a mother to Ciri!!! Make it happen Lauren. Give us that amazing family of three!!!!