For fans of Netflix’s fantasy drama, the paths of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri were left dangerously scattered at the end of The Witcher Season 3. With Season 4 arriving on October 30, 2025, and Liam Hemsworth taking over the role of Geralt, here is a straightforward guide to remember where the story left off.
The Fall of the Family Unit
Season 3 began with a fragile sense of hope. Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri were finally together and working as a unit, hiding from the many powers hunting for the young princess. Their goal was simple: keep Ciri safe and train her to control her formidable powers. This temporary peace was soon shattered.
The sorcerer Rience, hired by an unknown patron, relentlessly tracked them. After a battle at an elven ruin, the trio made a difficult decision. Yennefer would take Ciri to the mage school of Aretuza for protection, while Geralt would stay behind to hunt down Rience and his mysterious master. This separation set the stage for a season of betrayal and chaos.
A Coup and a Betrayal at Aretuza
The central event of the season was the coup on the island of Thanedd during a mage gathering. Yennefer’s plan to present Ciri to the Brotherhood of Sorcerers backfired spectacularly. The powerful mage Vilgefortz revealed himself as a traitor, having secretly allied with Nilfgaard.
The ensuing battle was devastating. Vilgefortz proved his immense power by brutally defeating Geralt, leaving the Witcher gravely injured and forced to retreat. The aftermath also led to a profound tragedy for Yennefer. Her mentor and mother figure, Tissaia, consumed by guilt over her trust in Vilgefortz, took her own life. In the wake of this loss, Yennefer stepped up to lead Aretuza and rally the mages against Vilgefortz and Nilfgaard.
“We can live if we build an army of our own,” Yennefer says in the Season 4 trailer, outlining her new mission.
Ciri’s Dangerous Journey and New Identity
During the coup, Ciri escaped through a magical portal but found herself stranded in the harsh Korath Desert. There, she faced starvation, thirst, and terrifying visions narrated by a figure named Falka. Traumatized and believing her powers would only bring death to those she loved, Ciri made a conscious choice to relinquish her magic.
After being captured by bounty hunters, she was freed by a gang of young bandits known as the Rats. To hide her true identity and embrace a new life, she cut her hair and began calling herself Falka, fully joining the misfit group on their lawless adventures across the Continent.
Geralt’s New Path and the False Ciri
After his defeat, a recovering Geralt learned that Emperor Emhyr of Nilfgaard—who is also Ciri’s father—had found his daughter. Vowing to rescue her, Geralt set out for Nilfgaard with Jaskier and the archer Milva. This decision marked a major turning point for the Witcher, who had long tried to remain neutral in the Continent’s conflicts. He finally abandoned this principle, symbolized by him giving up Renfri’s brooch, a token he had carried since the tragedy in Blaviken.
However, Geralt was chasing a decoy. Vilgefortz had kidnapped an elven novice named Teryn and used magic to make her believe she was Ciri. Emperor Emhyr, deceived by the ruse, accepted the false Ciri as his own.
Setting the Stage for Season 4
The season ended with the main trio separated across a Continent on the brink of all-out war. Their individual journeys set clear starting points for the next chapter.
Geralt’s mission is now clear: find the real Ciri. He is traveling with Jaskier and Milva, the beginning of a larger group the books call the “Hanza.” Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich confirmed this, stating, “This is the beginning of what fans will know as the Hanza. It’s the group traveling with Geralt for the rest of the books”.
Yennefer is no longer just a sorceress; she is a military leader. Stationed at Aretuza, her goal is to build an army to fight Vilgefortz and Nilfgaard while grieving the loss of Tissaia.
Ciri is in a completely new world. She has shed her identity as a princess and sorceress, instead living as an outlaw with the Rats under the name Falka. The big question for Season 4 is whether she can truly escape her past and destiny.
The upcoming season will also introduce key new characters, including Laurence Fishburne as the wise barber-surgeon Regis, who will become a crucial ally to Geralt.
Also Read: Liam Hemsworth Was Hesitant to Become The Witcher’s New Geralt
Credits: Netflix Tudum, ScreenRant
