Top 10 Best Moments From The Witcher Season 2

"Kaer Morhen"
Geralt is solitary by nature, mostly alone while on the Trail (except of course for Roach). But even witchers have peers, friends, and mentors. When Geralt arrives with Ciri in Kaer Morhen, he’s given a warm welcome. Unfortunately, an encounter with a leshy has left Eskel … somewhat worse for wear. Transformed, Eskel attacks Geralt, who loses ground until Vesemir arrives. Vesemir wants to save his former pupil … but Geralt realizes that it’s too late. Casting igni on his sword, he plunges the red hot blade into Eskel’s heart - killing the monster, but at the same time, his friend.

"Turn Your Back"
This season saw Yennefer, now without her magic, forced to team up with a few unlikely allies - including Fringilla and Cahir. But her time with Jaskier is the most fun to watch. Given their mutual hostility, their reunion is surprisingly touching; both have changed a lot since their last encounter. When Jaskier is captured and interrogated by the fire mage Rience, Yennefer decides to go back for him, improvising a rescue. In doing so, she leaves Rience with a very nasty scar. It’s a moment that shows how resourceful Yennefer is, even without Chaos on her side.

"Dear Friend…"
Rience is left horribly scarred by Yennefer’s attack. But it doesn’t slow him down for long. In search of Ciri, he shows up in the Temple of Melitele. Fortunately, Geralt and Yennefer arrive just in time. While Yennefer whisks Ciri away, Geralt faces off against Rience and his murderers for hire, the Michelet brothers. The slick sequence that follows shows that, even without his signature swords, Geralt is far from unarmed. It might not match up to season one’s “Butcher of Blaviken” fight scene, but it’s always a thrill to see Geralt bust out his best moves.

“Voleth Meir”
Fringilla faces scepticism and doubt everywhere she turns. According to Stregobor, she’s “only capable of doing what she’s told”; and her uncle Artorius seems to share that patronizing view. So she decides to take drastic measures to secure her position in Nilfgaard. Paralyzing her disloyal generals with nightshade-laced mead, she eliminates them one by one as Cahir looks on. It’s impossible not to wince as that knife slowly sinks into one general’s eye. It was a shocking, visceral scene that had our palms sweating. By the way, watch the dog closely and it seems to freeze for a bit after licking the table. Maybe it licked up some mead!

"Kaer Morhen"
At the witcher stronghold, Geralt decides to train Ciri to defend herself. It’s an important milestone, not only because it cements their bond, but also because it begins a transition from royal runaway to bona fide badass. Our favorite training scene is when Geralt first shows Ciri how to use a sword. Seeing this first step is a special moment. But subsequent episodes do also show her working hard on her swordsmanship, endurance, and agility. Her grit and determination on the obstacle course had us cheering from our couches ... [“So close.”] So, so close! Come on, that doesn’t count?

"A Grain of Truth"
In fitting fashion, this episode opened the second season with a bloody - and heart-wrenching - battle. Geralt and Ciri take refuge in the manor of a cursed man, Nivellen. However, he’s hiding a dark secret - a bruxa who’s become his lover. As they fight in the snow, Geralt defends as best he can with signs and sword. The bruxa takes to the skies, but Geralt anticipates her approach … In the end though, it’s Nivellen who lands the fatal blow. Tragically, the bruxa really had loved him. And she had tried, at least, to control her monstress instincts. It’s a bittersweet victory, full of evils lesser, greater, and middling.

"Family"
The Wild Hunt plays a key role in CD Projekt Red’s game “The Witcher 3”, which introduced many fans to the franchise for the first time. The first season did slip in a brief reference. But we had to wait for the second season to see the spectral riders on screen. We get our first glimpse when Triss goes digging through Ciri’s memories. But in the season finale, Ciri transports herself, Yennefer, and Geralt to another sphere - where the Wild Hunt charges towards them. Like basically everyone, the Wraiths of Mörhogg have the Child of the Elder Blood in their sights. While brief, their appearance was a boon for longtime fans, as well as a chilling portent of things to come.

"Redanian Intelligence"
“The Witcher’s” first season gave us one heck of an earworm with “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher”, Jaskier’s ode to Geralt and his profession. But despite Jaskier doing wonders for Geralt’s reputation, the witcher turned his back on the bard in episode six, "Rare Species". Happily, the second season sees the return of the Continent’s favorite minstrel as he sings out his heart in a tavern in Oxenfurt. And this time, it’s with a diss track! His new song, “Burn Butcher Burn”, is an angry account of his former friendship with Geralt. And boy is it a banger! We hope we get to see Geralt’s reaction to this song one day.

“Family”
This climatic battle is so packed with great moments we struggled to choose just one. When Voleth Meir possesses Ciri, we get to see all of Kaer Morhen’s witchers in action. As the witchers fend off her basilisks, Geralt tries to save her. This leads to a brief clash of blades between Geralt and Ciri! Geralt also fells a particularly nasty white basilisk, defeating it atop the castle ramparts. But one of our favorite moments is actually when, despite the danger Ciri poses, the witchers band together to call her back to them. Although they gave her a hard time when she arrived, they’ve come to accept her as one of their own. Ultimately though, it’s actually Yennefer’s sacrifice that provides the key for Ciri’s salvation.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Geralt & Yarpen’s Band to the Rescue, “Voleth Meir”
Just in the Nick of Time!

Geralt Faces Two Monsters from the Monolith, "What Is Lost"
A Leshy & Myriapod Bite the Dust

Geralt Kills the Chernobog, "Dear Friend…"
Rest in Peace, Roach

Yennefer Frees Cahir, "What Is Lost"
Even When Cornered, the Sorceress Plays by Her Own Rules

Ciri Meets Elven Sorceress Lara Dorren, “Turn Your Back”
The Princess Learns of Her Dark Destiny

“Family”
For two seasons, we’ve been hearing about ‘the White Flame’ of Nilfgaard. The last scene of the second season finally revealed what all the fuss was about. When Emperor Emhyr arrives in Cintra, Fringilla and Cahir take credit for a nefarious scheme … that turns out to have been their leader’s! But there’s a much bigger reveal involved: the fact that Emhyr is actually Ciri’s father Duny, aka Lord Urcheon of Erlenwald - who didn’t die after all. (This guy has a lot of names and titles). Fans of the books and games already knew this. But for everyone else, it was a jaw-dropper! Either way, it was a masterful dramatic moment that capped off the season and left us eager to know what’s next!