WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for The Witcher season 3, part 1, as well as for Andrzej Sapkowski’s Time of Contempt.
The Witcher season 3, part 1 ends on a massive Geralt cliffhanger that sets up the events of part 2. The Witcher season 3 was split into two parts, similar to what Netflix had done with Stranger Things season 4 and You season 4. This is why The Witcher season 3, part 1 only has five episodes. What happens to Geralt, as well as how the battle at Thanedd will play out, was kept for The Witcher season 3, part 2.
The Witcher season 3, which is Henry Cavill’s final season as Geralt of Rivia, is covering the events of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Time of Contempt. Now living as a family, Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri tried to run away from the many conflicts surrounding them. However, The Witcher season 3, part 1’s ending reveals that one of the biggest threats to Ciri was closer than they could have anticipated. Here is a breakdown of The Witcher season 3, episode 5, “The Art of Illusion," and how it sets up The Witcher season 3, Volume 2.
The Witcher Season 3, Episode 5 Timeline Explained
The Witcher season 3, episode 5’s timeline was non-linear. More precisely, “The Art of Illusion” begins with Geralt and Yennefer at the end of their evening, with the two characters recalling how the ball at Aretuza had gone. The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale quickly established that Geralt and Yennefer had been successful in whatever their plan was. As such, most scenes audiences saw in “The Art of Illusion” were technically flashbacks from the party told from the perspective of Geralt and Yennefer. Any scenes from The Witcher season 3, episode 5 with Geralt and Yennefer in their room happened after Stregobor was arrested.
The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale wanted audiences to believe that Geralt and Yennefer had won, which is why it begins with the duo recalling their plan and how it all worked out in the end. At the same time, “The Art of Illusion” played with the idea of unreliable narrators, showing different versions of the same interactions in different flashbacks. For example, “The Art of Illusion” first showed Geralt and Istridd fighting during the party. This same scene was revisited a few minutes later, revealing that Geralt and Istredd were faking their fight to cause a distraction.
Every move Geralt and Yennefer did in The Witcher season 3, episode 5 was part of a plan to expose and arrest Stregobor. The suspicions Geralt and Yennefer had were seemly confirmed by Istredd and Triss, who discovered someone had stolen the Book of the Monoliths from the Aretuza’s library. However, as interesting as it was seeing Geralt and Yennefer’s plan to expose Stregobor unfold, the episode also hinted that something was off. The Witcher season 3, episode 5 ends with Geralt and Yennefer realizing that Stregobor was not the traitor, and that they had missed some important clues during that evening.
What Happened To Geralt In The Witcher Season 3, Part 1’s Finale
The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale ends with Dijkstra putting a knife in front of Geralt’s throat right after Geralt and Yennefer realized that Vilgefortz was the real traitor. Yennefer and Geralt finally put together all the clues and concluded that Stregobor was not the one behind the kidnappings, the missing book, Rience, and the corrupted portal – Vilgefortz was. However, Geralt was captured by Dijkstra before he could even begin to search for Vilgefortz. It was possible to hear screams coming from the halls of Aretuza, revealing that a fight had begun. Dijkstra capturing Geralt is The Witcher season 3, part 1’s cliffhanger ahead of part 2.
One of Geralt’s final interactions at the ball in The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale was his conversation with Vilgefortz. Initially, The Witcher season 3, episode 5 made it seem like Geralt and Vilgefortz only had a brief exchange before the former went back downstairs. However, The Witcher season 3, part 1’s ending later revealed that Geralt and Vilgefortz had a long conversation about their pasts and the origins of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers. This conversation was key for Geralt and Yennefer to realize that Vilgefortz was the traitor. However, Geralt and Yennefer were not the only ones investigating Vilgefortz – Dijkstra and Philippa were too.
What Dijkstra & Philippa Were Really Doing At The Ball
Dijkstra and Philippa, who are part of King Vizimir II’s court and lead the Redanian Intelligence, were at the Thanedd ball to investigate who was the traitor among the Brotherhood of Sorcerers. Dijkstra and Philippa learned throughout The Witcher season 3, part 1 that there was a highly powerful mage working for Nilfgaard, and that this mage was part of the Brotherhood. During the ball, Dijkstra and Philippa had to confirm who the traitor was, as well as who else in Thanedd was secretly supporting Emperor Emhyr of Nilfgaard. Whereas Geralt and Yennefer thought Stregobor was guilty, Dijkstra and Philippa knew that it all pointed to Vilgefortz.
Dijkstra & His Allies Are Arresting Nilfgaard Loyalists
The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale ends with Geralt hearing screams coming from downstairs, which included a call to “secure the hall” and to bring the “dimeritium handcuffs.” Dijkstra, Philippa, and their allies are arresting Nilfgaard loyalists at the Thanedd ball, and the dimeritium handcuffs serve to prevent a mage from using their magic. Before Geralt and Yennefer could even lay out a plan to capture Vilgefortz and save Tissaia, Dijkstra and Philippa made their move. Therefore, as Geralt leaves his room in The Witcher season 3, episode 5’s ending, a battle begins in the halls of Aretuza.
Geralt’s Neutrality Is Being Tested By Dijkstra
Why Dijkstra put a knife in front of Geralt’s throat has to do with Geralt’s arc in The Witcher season 3. Geralt spent the first part of the season claiming that neutrality was the best approach to all the conflicts that were yet to happen, including the war between Nilfgaard and the North. Geralt even advised Ciri to remain neutral in the conflict between humans and elves, even though Cirila of Cintra is of Elder Blood and could perhaps bridge these two factions. At the beginning of the ball in The Witcher season 3, episode 5, Dijkstra invited Geralt to fight for Redania.
Geralt declined to align himself with Redania in the war that is coming against Emhyr var Emreis and the forces of Nilfgaard. Geralt was not saying that he was on Nilfgaard’s side, quite the contrary. However, from Dikstra’s perspective, either Geralt would fight for Redania, or he would become an enemy of the North. Geralt’s neutrality is being tested, especially at a time when no one can be trusted. The fight at Aretuza is putting Nilfgaard loyalists against those who support the Northern Kingdoms. Unless Geralt picks a clear side and joins the fight, Dijkstra will not trust him.
What Happens To Geralt Now (Based On The Books)
While it may seem like Geralt could easily escape from Dijkstra, this is not what initially happens to the White Wolf after the Thanedd Coup begins in Time of Contempt. In the book, a mage on Dijkstra’s side blinded Geralt using a spell, making it a lot easier for Dijkstra and Philippa to hold Geralt as a prisoner. Geralt’s eyesight is later restored, but he continued to be seen as a potential threat by the forces of the North and remained a prisoner. Geralt would then learn that Dijkstra planned to kidnap Ciri, bring her to King Vizimir II’s court, and make her into a political asset.
Geralt eventually escapes from the guards, only to learn that Ciri had disappeared. Time of Contempt then follows Geralt as the Thanedd Coup unfolds, with the witcher looking for Ciri as the mages battle among themselves. Geralt also encounters Cahir and, finally, Vilgefortz. Therefore, going by what happens to Geralt in Time of Contempt, it is possible to predict what comes next in The Witcher season 3. The second part of The Witcher season 3 will likely cover the mages’ civil war, while Geralt tries to escape from Dijkstra’s allies to find Ciri.
The Witcher Season 3’s Vilgefortz Twist Explained
The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale leads audiences to believe that Stregobor was the traitor. However, The Witcher season 3, episode 5’s ending reveals that Stregobor was not guilty – at least not in this particular situation. The mage secretly working for Nilfgaard, the one responsible for kidnapping and conducting experiments on Aretuza students of elven blood, was Vilgefortz. Vilgefortz has been in Netflix’s The Witcher since season 1. In fact, The Witcher season 1’s finale saw Vilgefortz killing another mage in cold blood during the Battle of Sodden, setting up his betrayal now revealed in The Witcher season 3.
Vilgefortz has been manipulating the Brotherhood of Sorcerers since the beginning of The Witcher. In The Witcher season 2, with the help of Tissaia, Vilgefortz essentially became one of the Brotherhood's leaders, slowly consolidating his power and influence. However, Vilgefortz was secretly working for Nilfgaard all along. Yennefer and Geralt only realized this close to the end of The Witcher season 3, episode 5, when Stregobor had already been arrested.
Geralt & Yennefer Were Wrong About Stregobor
Stregobor is far from being a good guy. However, this time, Geralt and Yennefer were wrong about him. Considering Stregobor’s story in The Witcher season 1, his hatred for those partially elven, his interest in conducting experiments, and the way he treats others, Geralt had all the reasons to believe that Stregobor was the traitor. The fact the Book of Monoliths went missing from the library of Aretuza, which only a mage from the Brotherhood of Sorceress would have access to, only seemed to confirm Geralt and Yennefer’s theories. Still, Stregobor was not working for Nilfgaard and did not betray the North.
Vilgefortz Is The Witcher Season 3’s Real Villain
Vilgefortz, who only had a couple of scenes in The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale, managed to fool the Brotherhood of Sorceress as well as Geralt and Yennefer. Istredd and Triss, who were investigating the missing girls and the missing Book of Monoliths, were also fooled by Vilgefortz. The Witcher season 3’s villain was Vilgefortz all along, and he was the one who hired Rience to capture Ciri. Vilgefortz was also the person who healed Rience’s hand after Geralt broke them in The Witcher season 3, episode 1. The missing girls, the corrupted power that almost killed Yennefer, and the false Ciri were all part of Vilgefortz’s plan.
How Geralt & Yennefer Realized Vilgerfortz Was The Traitor
The first indication that Vilgefortz was the traitor in The Witcher season 3 came from Philippa, who sort of implied to Yennefer that those behind the Battle of Sodden wanted the mages to suffer major losses. Vilgefortz led the Brotherhood into the Battle of Sodden, which caused several deaths and weakened the Brotherhood. The second hint that Vilgerfortz was working for Nilfgaard came when the mage was showing Geralt his favorite painting, “The First Landing.” This painting portrayed the arrival of humans, one of which would create the Brotherhood of Sorceress. in the land that would become the Northern Kingdoms.
The landscape portrayed in “The First Landing” looked exactly like the mountain hill Yennefer was transported to when she entered the corrupted portal and almost died. As such, it was easy to conclude that Vilgefortz had made that portal with the intent of killing Yennefer. Finally, Geralt realized that the bracelet given to Tissaia by Vilgefortz was made of the same material as a piece of jewelry used by Lydia, who Geralt knew was somehow involved with Rience. In addition, scarlet ammonite is only found in the west of Redania, which is where Geralt found the fake Ciri.
What Vilgefortz Is Doing To Tissaia & Lydia
Vilgefortz has been manipulating Tissaia and Lydia for a while through what was described as a “poison that kills you slowly.” It is unclear whether The Witcher season 3 is going with the idea that Vilgefortz cast some sort of spell through scarlet ammonite to slowly control Tissaia and Lydia, or if the “poison that kills you slowly” is not meant to be taken literally. Either way, Vilgefortz had been using both Tissaia and Lydia to move his plan forward. Tissaia helped Vilgefortz establish his power in the Brotherhood, while Lydia has been the middle agent between Vilgefortz and Rience.
Vilgefortz's Experiments & What He Really Wants With Ciri
Vilgefortz is always looking to become more powerful. Ciri is of Elder Blood and extremely powerful. Therefore, she is the key for Vilgefortz to achieve what he wants. Vilgefortz wants to take Ciri's power to himself, but while this does not happen, he is conducting experiments with other girls who have the blood of elves. Vilgefortz’s experiments with the missing Aretuza students are sort of a preparation for what he wants to do with Ciri – make her power his own. Vilgefortz aligned himself with Nilfgaard, although he has ambitions beyond what Emhyr wants. Presumably, Vilgefortz would use fake Ciri to trick Emhyr and keep the real one for himself.
What Stregobor's Book Of Monoliths Is & Why It Is So Important
Istredd mentions in The Witcher season 3, episode 5 that he was looking for the “Book of Monoliths,” yet that this particular book was now missing from the Aretuza’s liberty. In Netflix’s The Witcher, monoliths are mysterious, tall structures made of stellacite that possess magic properties. As revealed in The Witcher season 2, the monoliths serve as gateways to other spheres, which means that they can work as portals to other worlds. In The Witcher season 2, audiences learned that Ciri’s powers could activate a monolith and use it to create an entrance for another dimension.
Anyone who could access a monolith would be able to, for example, banish elves from the Continent into another world, reverting what happened during the Conjunction of the Spheres. Istredd and Triss even believed that this was Stregobor’s goal – to use the monoliths to banish those that have the blood of elves to another dimension. The monoliths also tie into The Witcher’s Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt presumably wants to access the Continent in physical forms, which is why they need Ciri’s powers.
What's Happening With Ciri In The Witcher Season 3, Part 1's Ending?
Interestingly, Ciri does not appear in The Witcher season 3, part 1’s ending. Ciri was last seen at the cabin with Jaskier, who joked about not being invited to the ball at the Conclave of Mages. Ciri was technically safe, especially after Geralt and Yennefer exposed who they believed to be the bad guy. The final shot of Ciri in The Witcher season 3, part 1 was in episode 4, with Ciri going to sleep after playing cards with Jaskier. However, with Geralt and Yennefer now involved in the Thanedd Coup and the reveal that Stregobor is not the one behind it all, Ciri is not exactly safe.
Why Ciri Doesn't Appear In The Witcher Season 3, Part 1 Finale
While Ciri doesn't appear in The Witcher season 3, episode 5, a lot of what happened in that episode was essentially about her. Vilgerfortz’s biggest goal at the moment is to capture Ciri and take her power, plus Dijkstra wants to bring Ciri to Redania. Having Ciri not appear in The Witcher season 3, part 1 highlights that Cirila of Cintra still lacks agency. The main forces of the Continent are fighting over Ciri, yet Ciri herself cannot make the decisions that will shape her future. Ciri’s absence in The Witcher season 3, part 1’s finale also builds up anticipation for The Witcher season 3, part 2 to revisit her.
What Happens Next To Ciri In The Witcher Season 3
Assuming that The Witcher season 3, part 2 follows what happens in Time of Contempt, Ciril will now have to face a couple of different enemies amidst the chaos of the Thanedd Coup. In Time of Contempt, Ciri wakes up when the fight among the mages starts. With the help of Yennefer, Ciri tries to escape and eventually runs into Rience. Ciri also gets captured by one of the mages working for Nilfgaard, but Geralt and Philippa come to her rescue. Regardless of how The Witcher season 3, part 2 adapts that portion of the book, Ciri is set to have some important fighting scenes when the show returns.
The Witcher Season 3, Part 1 Ends With The Thanedd Coup
The Witcher season 3, part 1’s ending saw the beginning of the Thanedd Coup, which refers to the clash between mages loyal to the North and mages that were conspiring with Nilfgaard. In The Witcher season 3, episode 5, what set the Thanedd Coup in motion was Dijkstra’s attempt of exposing and arresting those loyal to Nilfgaard. The screams Geralt hears when he exits the room come from Dijkstra’s allies, who are using special handcuffs to capture mages who have betrayed the Northen Kingdoms. The Thanedd Coup is the main event of Time of Contempt and will continue to be covered in The Witcher season 3, part 2.
The Thanedd Coup Is The Witcher’s Mage Civil War
The Thanedd Coup is essentially The Witcher’s mage civil war. One side is loyal to the Northern Kingdoms, as the mages have been since the inception of the Brotherhood. The other side, led by Vilgefortz, has betrayed the North and is conspiring with Nilfgaard. Some members of the Brotherhood had grown unhappy with how the Northern Kingdoms were slowly alienating the mages to reduce their political powers. This is why those mages chose to follow Vilgerfortz. The Thanedd Coup was a bloody battle in the books, leading to deaths on both sides and the weakening of the Brotherhood, very much like Emhyr wanted.
Who Is On Whose Side During The Thanedd Coup
Lydia van Bredevoort and Tissaia de Vries remained on Vilgerfortz’s side, although Tissaia later regretted her decision, sort of. Dijkstra and Philippa, who were at Thanedd representing Redania, led those who were fighting for the North. While Geralt presented himself as neutral in the conflict, the witcher had no choice but to join the fight, mainly to protect Ciri. Likewise, Yennefer was focused on protecting Ciri, no matter who she had to face.
How The Thanedd Coup Sets Up The Witcher Season 3, Part 2
The Witcher season 3, part 1 builds up toward the Thanedd Coup and the Vilgerfortz reveal. However, The Witcher season 3, episode 5 was limited to the Aretuza ball, with the episode ending right as the fight was about to start. The Witcher season 3, part 2 is shaping up to be more action-packed than part 1, especially if the next The Witcher episode picks up right where Volume 1 ended. Ciri is away from everyone, Yennefer is looking for Tissaia, Geralt has been captured by Dijkstra, and the Thanedd Coup has begun. All of those elements set up an exciting The Witcher season 3, part 2.