"What Is Lost" is the third episode of season 2 of Netflix's The Witcher series.
Characters[]
- Geralt of Rivia
- Yennefer of Vengerberg
- Ciri
- Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach
- Tissaia de Vries
- Fringilla Vigo
- Triss Merigold
- Vilgefortz
- Istredd
- Filavandrel aén Fidháil
- Francesca Findabair
- Vesemir
- Stregobor
- Artorius Vigo
- King Foltest of Temeria
- Eskel (flashback)
- Lambert
- Coen
- Everard
- Gwain
- Merek
- Sabrina Glevissig
- Murta
- Voleth Meir
- General Hake
- Gage
- King Vizimir of Redania
- Queen Meve of Lyria
- King Ethain of Cidaris
- King Demavend of Aedirn
- King Henselt of Kaedwen
- Falka (fire projection)
Description[]
- Impatient with Geralt's methods, Ciri braves major obstacles to prove her mettle. Scheming and suspicion among the Brotherhood make Yennefer a target.
Summary[]
Ciri trains with a wooden sword on a sack filled with straw whilst Geralt repairs his armor, but she struggles with her technique, and Geralt calls it for the day, telling Ciri that she needs food and rest. Ciri then has another one of her visions, but this time around, it wasn't about the Black Knight.
There's a bit of tension between Geralt and his brethren; Lambert blames Geralt for killing Eskel, but Geralt reminds him that what he killed was no longer their brother, and bitterness won't help find the leshy that did actually kill him, and Coen urges Lambert to leave it alone.
Geralt recalls the time he spent with Eskel at Kaer Morhen. Eskel was ready to give up after three hours of training, but Geralt told him that none of them would get any peace until there were no monsters left in the world and their life's mission was complete.
Vesemir performs an autopsy on Eskel to determine exactly how he was turned and what mutated the leshy that attacked him. However, Geralt believes that it's time to let Eskel rest.
Istredd is brought before the council and asked if he absorbed any insight into their followers while at the Nilfgaard dig sight. But he absorbed nothing. Artorius tries to use Istredd's lack of knowledge on Nilfgaard's plan as justification for them not acting sooner, but Tissaia reminds him that she warned them beforehand, but they ignored Vilgefortz' hunch. With the Northern Kings coming for the memorial, they'll need answers, and their prisoner hasn't spoken a word. There's evidence of a magical barrier in his head, so they need to search elsewhere. With the elves flocking to Cintra, Stregobor fears that another attack could be brewing after they aligned themselves with Nilfgaard. Yennefer interrupts, revealing to all those in attendance that she is in fact alive.
Tissaia waited a month before finally carving out the names on a list of those lost at the Battle of Sodden Hill. She's glad that it no longer includes Yennefer's. Artorius can feel his hold on the council slipping and Stregobor is desperate, making him dangerous. Yennefer's actions turned the tide at the battle, and she's a hero to Tissaia and many others, but they need to allow Vilgefortz to carry the mantle of victory for now because he and Tissaia are making a play for their council seats.
Through her alliance with Fringilla, Francesca has turned Nilfgaard into a place of refuge for elves. However, Filavandrel warns her that their immigration to Xin'trea has inflamed tensions. While there's a cost for partnering with Nilfgaard, it is a cost Francesca is willing to pay.
Coen, but mostly Lambert, antagonizes Ciri and pushes her into trying her hand on the witcher training course. Ciri's first attempt on the pendulum goes awry and she is knocked to the ground.
Geralt and Vesemir carry Eskel to a cave, where they lay his body to rest. Vesemir is still trying to make sense of Eskel's death. Geralt feels like the Continent is evolving underneath their feet. Vesemir is determined to figure what happened and what he could have possibly missed in his tests. As the wolves arrive to consume Eskel's flesh, Geralt and Vesemir make their way out of the cave.
Yennefer attempts to warm up the water at Aretuza but fails miserably. She is joined by Triss and Sabrina, who heats the pool and goes for a swim, but Triss isn't comfortable showing her burn wounds and simply watches them from the edge.
Stregobor teaches a class and tells the tale of Falka, who was allegedly a power-hungry mutt of a girl who cried, "Death to all kings!" when Vridank spurned her elven mother. Bent on revenge, she slaughtered nobility, preyed on foolish followers, and incited rebellion to burn cities into the ground. All in the effort to reclaim power, though Istredd claims this is false and that Falka was a girl forgotten by her family. She was trying to rightly recover her throne, but Stregobor points out that she was quarter elven just like Yennefer, and history has a way of repeating itself. Stregobor also claims that he was there when Falka destroyed Mirthe and all the mages in it. Her violence etched in the stumps of his hands. Stregobor simply wants to protect their institution from the likes of Tissaia, Vilgefortz, and Yennefer, but Istredd insists that she would never do something like that.
Triss recalls the Battle at Sodden. After she'd been burned by a soldier, she was on the ground screaming, and Yennefer walked by her. They were all there to play a part, and she remembers thinking that if only one of them gets to live, she's glad it's Yennefer, who offers to find a cure for Triss's scars, but she doesn't appear too concerned, telling Yennefer, "What's lost is lost." She's simply glad not to be on Tissaia's plaque.
Ciri continues on the witcher course, but she is knocked off the pendulum time after time. In her final attempt, she clears it, but is immediately knocked down by the following obstacle and bleeds on the ground. Lambert isn't impressed and tells Ciri that she belongs in a castle.
General Hake disgruntledly reveals that they are harboring 4,000 elves, with more on the way. He fears they will interfere with Nilfgaard's mission, but Fringilla, who has taken control of Nilfgaard, says that the White Flame always finds a way.
Fringilla arranges a meeting with Francesca to discuss the terms of their alliance. The elves are comfortable, but Francesca wants to know what it will cost her, realizing that Nilfgaard needs a new army. Fringilla explains that they have no intentions of destroying the world, rather simply feed, house, and liberate those in need, and the elves know the Continent better than any man. Francesca wants a place for her people's future to begin and needs Fringilla to promise her that.
Yennefer crosses paths with Vilgefortz and tells him that per Tissaia's request, she's staying out from underfoot. He wishes it was different, but politics requires calculative measures. Yennefer then discovers Cahir in his cell. She tells him that he won't meet his end by their hands, as death must serve a purpose, and his would serve none. Fringilla told Cahir about Yennefer, that how she envied her during their days as schoolmates.
Yennefer is placed in a cell and bound to a chair by Stregobor, who doesn't trust her considering she has elven blood and mysteriously went missing for a month after the battle. When she admits to being a prisoner of war and having been taken by Nilfgaard, he decides to dig further through her mind for answers, but Tissaia intervenes and warns Stregobor that he will answer for this.
Coen calls Geralt and Vesemir to see Ciri on the training course. Lambert tries to convince her to get down, but she proceeds, and the witchers watch intensively as she makes her way through the course, but she takes a hard fall at the end, nearly completing the course.
Tissaia brings Stregobor before the council and accuses him of committing treason against Yennefer. However, with Yennefer having survived fire magic, imprisonment by Nilfgaard, and capture by elves, he doesn't see it as unreasonable to suspect that she may have been turned.
Tissaia reports to Yennefer that in order to prove her innocence, she has to kill Cahir. It will prove that Yennefer is not a spy, but she believes it'll only prove she's a killer, which is just another way for Stregobor to vilify her. If she won't kill him, Tissaia instructs Yennefer to tell them the truth — that she's not a threat because she lost her magic. For a month, Yennefer searched the Continent, trying every herb, potion, and spell to get back what she deserves. She looks to Tissaia for help, but all she can say is that "What is lost, is lost." But Yennefer refuses to just give up.
Ciri is frustrated with herself for failing to complete the course. Geralt says that she can do anything, but it doesn't mean that she has to. When a witcher cracks his skull, with a bit of rest and herbs, he'll heal, but Ciri isn't afforded that luxury. Ciri recalls Geralt telling her that they have to face their fears, which he admits is true, but Ciri has to train first. She wants to be a great fighter, and not just against sacks of straw. Geralt has known many who wanted to be great fighters, but they're all dead now. After Ciri storms out, he notices her blue sash tucked away in the wall.
Yennefer plans to flee Aretuza, but Istredd catches her and says that she can trust him if she has an ulterior motive. He lied to the council earlier; he spent time amongst Nilfgaard's followers and heard how they felt protected and welcomed under the emperor, which he hasn't told anyone else. Istredd is leaving for Cintra tomorrow to help the elves who are migrating, but Yennefer isn't moved. Still, Istredd warns her that Stregobor has spies stationed on the tower, and she will be caught if she tries to slip out.
Coen guides Ciri through her training and advises her how to better her technique. Geralt joins them and asks about the feeling she gets when someone's coming after her. The first word that comes to mind is that she's being pulled, but she doesn't know what towards. If she were to follow that feeling, however, it would take her to the woods.
Geralt and Ciri walk the woods, following Ciri's pull. Geralt reveals that he was at her parents' wedding feast and saw her mother exhibit uncontrolled magical power, destroying an entire throne room. It would seem Ciri inherited that power. He didn't say something sooner because he didn't want to scare her if he was wrong. They follow the pull to the leshy that infected Eskel. However, before Geralt can attack, it is killed by a much bigger, deadlier, and unfamiliar creature. Geralt tells Ciri to run whilst he fends the creature off, but he is overpowered. Meanwhile, Ciri is on the run and seeks cover under a rock before being discovered and forced into a corner by the monster. Fortunately, Geralt comes to the rescue, beheading the beast with his sword.
Yennefer and Cahir walk side by side to his execution. She explains that his death will serve as her absolution.
Artorius thanks the Northern Kingdoms for their generous contribution, honoring their fallen. In Sodden, Vilgefortz explains that they fought together for the future of magic as well as the future of the Continent. Tragically, it came at a great cost, and Tissaia reads the names of those that fell. King Foltest and King Vizimir are amongst the kingdoms and have taken a particular interest in Yennefer. However, it's all the mages that King Foltest doesn't trust. Cahir is leaned over a stump as Vilgefortz hands Yennefer the ax. However, instead of cutting off his head, she cuts him free of his chains and they escape together on horseback.