#i really really love tissaia

[nellieofthevalley]

There are two deaths that I wish the showrunners had written out of the show. Mainly because they were either totally pointless or they hurt me to my soul, the only reason Im making this is because they killed characters that never died in the books, they could PLEASE STOP KILLING MY FAVES.

Renfri and Tissaia. Renfri made me angry, Everything that ever happened to her could have been avoided, her death was meaningless and only happened to give trauma to geralt, who knew her maybe a day and then acted like he was the most affected by it. I wish she had survived, or at least had a more impactful role in the story

Tissaias made me uncontrollably sob. That death scene hit me so close to home that it scares me, The woman who until this point has been a boulder in the way of everything falling apart watching her friends and family be killed around her, and loosing herself completely when there was nothing she could do.

I miss her so much.

#the witcher #tissaia de vries #renfri vellga #i really really love tissaia #the witcher tissaia #renfri is my favorite character #renfri deserved better #renfri of creyden #renfri

[ghostinthelibrarywrites]

A kiss like they're trying to convince the other to love them and/or a kiss in front of someone they hold captive

Yennskier

Here's a little bit of both, set in an alternate timeline where they managed to capture Rience during season 3, episode 1:

“We should probably talk about what happened in Kaer Morhen,” Jaskier says in what he hopes is a casual way.

Yennefer looks at him incredulously. “Does now seem like a good time for this conversation, bardling?”

“Why not?” Jaskier shrugs. “He’s not going anywhere.”

They both turn to look at Rience, who scowls back at them from the chair they’ve bound him to in dimeritium chains. Jaskier can’t help but feel a thrill of vindication at seeing the fire fucker as trussed up and helpless as he was a year ago in Oxenfurt, even as he keeps catching himself rubbing his fingers together anxiously. It helps that Yennefer is standing next to him and Geralt and Ciri are just in the other room with Yarpen.

Rience sneers at Yennefer. “What’s one of Tissaia’s girls doing, working for a witcher?”

Jaskier snorts. Even if they hadn’t already figured out that Rience isn’t the mastermind trying to capture Ciri, that would have given it away. No one with any sense would think Yennefer a lackey. Leaning closer to Yennefer, he says, “We really should talk about this.”

“About what?” She sighs, clearly realizing she’s not going to be able to evade this. “A lot happened in Kaer Morhen. Do you want to talk about Voleth Meir? All the money you still owe Ciri after all the times she trounced you at cards?”

“She did not…” Jaskier draws himself up, realizes he’s being distracted, and lets out a huff. “About our last night there.”

Yennefer doesn’t visibly react, but there’s a pointedness in the way she turns back to Rience. “Who’s your puppetmaster?”

Rience bares his teeth at her. “I’m no one’s—”

“I don’t believe for a second that you’re the one calling the shots. You’re a one trick pony, aren’t you? You can harness fire, but not much else. That portal wasn’t yours.”

“I just can’t help but notice that you’re acting a bit… off,” Jaskier says carefully, because he and Yennefer may be friends now, but he still doesn’t put it past her to curse his bollocks off.

Yennefer closes her eyes. “Did you learn this interrogation technique from Phillipa?”

“Gods, no.” Jaskier barks out a laugh. “Phillipa wouldn’t let me anywhere near an interrogation.”

“I suppose that’s why Redania is still standing.”

“See? That was almost mean. That was the first mean thing you’ve said to me in three days, and it wasn’t even in your top ten best jabs! Something is clearly amiss. Are you a doppler? Are you dying? Did you hit your head in the skirmish yesterday? Melitele, are you actually plotting my demise? Is this your way of trying to lure me into a false sense of security? Because it isn’t working, Yennefer.”

“If you want him dead, you can just let me out of these chains.” Rience snaps his fingers menacingly and Jaskier can’t help but step back, even though no flames appear.

Yennefer throws out a hand and Rience’s chair flies backward, slamming against the wall and capsizing. He yelps as his head bounces off the ground and lies there, groaning.

“Yenn?” Geralt calls from the next room. “Jaskier?”

“We’re fine!” Lowering her voice, Yennefer hisses, “This isn’t the time.”

“Well, it has to be the time, because you keep avoiding me. Is this about what happened between us? Because you didn’t seem to have any regrets the next morning? In fact, you asked…” He trails off, pieces starting to slide into place.

“I asked you to come with me, Geralt, and Ciri,” she says through gritted teeth. “And you said no. Years of you popping up at the most inconvenient times, bardling, and the one time I want you to stay, you left.”

“But…” Jaskier opens and closes his mouth, at a loss for words. When he recovers his wits, all he can squeak is, “I told you I was needed at Oxenfurt.”

“Bullshit. You told me yourself that the Sandpiper organization would run just fine without you. The only thing you did going back to Oxenfurt was put yourself in Phillipa and Dijkstra’s sights.”

“Well, I’m sorry I didn’t want to come with you just to watch you and Geralt play house while I was just there so you could keep me out of trouble.”

It’s her turn to look taken aback. “What?”

“You said so yourself, you wanted me to come with you so I wouldn’t get myself killed in Oxenfurt. You, Geralt, and Ciri are a family, bound by destiny. I’m not—” He’s getting too close to all the things he doesn’t want to say to her, so he looks away. “I’m happy to play the fun Uncle Jaskier whenever you need me to. But the thing about fun uncles is they show up, let you win at cards a few times, and then they leave before the joke gets old.”

Yennefer doesn’t look exasperated anymore; she just looks sad. That’s somehow worse. “It took Geralt months before he would talk to me about anything but the weather, Ciri’s training, or telling me to duck because someone was trying to stab me. I have never once slept under the same roof as him and Ciri, even when we barely had the coin to afford one lodging, never mind two. It took until the winter before he let me inside to break bread with them. The shadow of what I did hung over us every day. We weren’t playing house, we were on the run, and you should have fucking been there.”

“Yenn—”

She talks over him. “You were the only person who could look at me when we were at Kaer Morhen. I asked you to come with us because I didn’t want to be alone.”

“Why didn’t you just say that?” he whispers.

Her jaw clenches stubbornly, but she doesn’t answer.

Carefully, he reaches out to take her by the wrist, tugging her closer. “Watching the three of you leave Kaer Morhen was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. If I had known you really wanted me there, I would have followed you in a heartbeat.”

Her lips twitch into a half-smile. “Did you really think I was asking you to come just to be nice?”

“Foolish, I know.” He lets out a shaky breath. “I’ll stay this time.”

“What about the Sandpiper?”

“Vespula does most of the Sandpipering these days. I’m being watched too closely by the RSS.” Jaskier brings her hand to his lips. “I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

Yennefer looks like she wants to deny it, because gods forbid she or Geralt admit to being people with feelings, but she nods. “I’m sorry if I’ve been too kind to you. It won’t happen again.”

“Thank the gods. It made my skin crawl.” He leans down to rest their foreheads together. “Let me stay, Yenn.”

She doesn’t answer, but lifts her face so that he can close the gap between them and kiss her. It’s a tentative thing, not like the desperate, hungry kisses they exchanged on their last night in Kaer Morhen, as weeks of longing—well, probably years of longing, if Jaskier is being honest with himself—bubbled to the surface. There will be time for those later, once they’ve figured out who Rience is working for and ensured that Ciri is safe.

Across the room, there’s a noise of disgust. “If you’re going to make me watch this, I’d rather you just gouge my—”

Yennefer throws her hand out, not pulling her lips away from Jaskier’s. There’s a thud, a yelp, then silence.

“Don’t kill him yet,” Jaskier says, breaking the kiss to press his lips against her throat. “We haven’t gotten any answers out of him.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Geralt’s, the easily distractible fucker. He’s off chattering away with Yarpen while we do all the hard work.”

Yennefer rolls her eyes and mutters something that’s undoubtedly insulting under her breath, but she kisses Jaskier again, so that’s alright.

***

Kiss prompts

Tag list: @kueble @mollymawkwrites @feral-jaskier @geraltrogerericduhautebellegarde @dawnofbards @thisislisa @tsukiwolf42 @mosaicscale @rockysstupidity @fontegagrilledcheese @kuripon @help-i-need-a-cool-username @julek @flowercrown-bard @eveljerome @ladykardasi (sorry, it wouldn't let me tag your Witcher blog)

#the witcher #twn #yennskier #jaskier x yennefer #ghost's writing #ghost's fic

[readingtheentrails]

10 characters/10 fandoms/10 tags

Tagged by @missmacfire, thank you!

Okay, let's go!

1. Larissa Weems - Wednesday (2022)

Look, I'm obviously gonna pick Larissa first because I have made some genuine friends through the Larissa/Gwendoline fandom and that means she is my #1 baby girl/Menace Principal.

2. Moiraine Damodred - The Wheel of Time (2021)

It was hard to decide between Moiraine and Siuan, honestly, but Moiraine won out just because we get so much more screen time with her. She was the reason I came back to tumblr in the first place and I have such a lovely and supportive discord community thanks to her/the show. Her dedication to the mission about all else just gets me so 🫠

3. Aloy - Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)/Horizon Forbidden West (2022)

Aloy best girl 😍😍😍 I think the Horizon series might be my favourite games of all time. They are so much fun to play, the story is so interesting and Aloy is a great protagonist. She is strong, independent and doesn't bother trying to fit in. She does her own thing and I really respect that.

4. Xena - Xena Warrior Princess (1995)

Xena was so special to me as a little baby gay. The thirst I experienced was unbelievable but because her relationship with Gabrielle was (barely) subtext, it was safe for me to watch in a conservative rural environment.

5. Utena Tenjou - Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)

This prince saves herself! Utena is iconic and this anime is one of the first shows that ever got me thinking about gender roles and patriarchy. Utena doesn't always get it right but she does try her best to help her friends.

6. Astarion - Baldur's Gate 3 (2023)

Look, I just love him. I would let him devour me with no regrets. I'm still in Act 1 of the game and he has absolutely seduced me with his charm.

7. Nadja of Antipaxos - What We Do In The Shadows (2019)

I cannot get enough of Nadja. The perfect all-powerful absolute idiot. Her own worst enemy. My beloved girlfail queen 👑.

8. The Captain - Ghosts (2019)

I love the Captain so very much. He's from an era when he literally would have been imprisoned for being open about his sexuality so he's so repressed and uptight but we see these little glimpses that are just wonderful and he's played with such care.

9. Kassandra - Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018)

I still can't believe there are people out there who choose to play as Alexios when Kassandra is right there! She's amazing, such a badass and I never want to play another AC game because no other protagonist will ever be as good as her (also Ubisoft is evil).

10. Tissaia de Vries - The Witcher (2019)

Look, I just obviously have a thing for teachers who are a bit mean. Sorry not sorry to be a stereotype!

No pressure tagging @dianneking @weemssapphic @h-doodles @beaujes and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it

#tag game #larissa weems #moiraine damodred #aloy #xena #utena tenjou #astarion #nadja of antipaxos #the captain bbc ghosts #kassandra ac odyssey #tissaia de vries

[cybernecromancer365]

Yennaia Ficlet

A.N. Quick bare bones scene I wrote to get used to the characters. I’d love some feedback about how they sound because I’m not sure if I’m getting it right. Also this is supposed to be post season 3, in a world where Tissaia lived. I'll probably use this for my story later.

---

There were two knocks at her door.

“Come in.” Tissaia said, knowing only one person dared to visit her this late. Outside her window a black, starry sky hung over Aretuza.

The door opened and Yennefer stepped in. Tissaia softly smiled, glancing up then back to her book. “You’re back late.”

Yennefer crossed the room with a quiet sigh and stopped at her bedside. “We…may have to do some damage control.”

Tissaia quickly looked up, a jolt rushed through her and a shiver down her spine at the sight of blood running from the right side of Yennefer’s neck down the front of her black shirt.

Tissaia shut the book, threw back the bedcovers, and got up, her hands reaching for Yennefer’s waist—

She pulled them away with a start at the cold wetness soaked to the right side of Yennefer’s shirt.

“That too.” Yennefer said coolly and Tissaia’s eyes widened at the red on her palm.

“What on earth happened?”

“A…misunderstanding…of sorts.” Yennefer smirked a little. “Jaskier called it a bar-gument. Get it?”

Tissaia didn’t share her chuckle, only eyed her with a furrowing brow.

“You don’t find that funny…” Yennefer averted her gaze and cleared her throat. “It really wasn’t that bad—”

“You’re covered in blood.”

Yennefer stepped away with a grin. “But I’m fine. You know I can’t die.” Yennefer uncapped the decanter on Tissaia’s desk and poured the wine left from their early dinner into an empty glass nearby.

“And now do they?”

“…” Yennefer took a swig and shrugged. “I don’t think they’ll care. They’ll probably forget what they saw by morning.”

“And what exactly did they see?”

Yennefer took another swig, deeper, and Tissaia hurried over, grabbing her wrist, taking the cup from Yennefer's hand. “What’s wrong with you?” She set the empty cup to the desk quick and grabbed Yennefer’s chin. “Let me see your eyes.” Yennefer’s dilated pupils answered her concerns. “What did you take?”

Yennefer searched for a refute.

“Don’t lie to me. You know I can pull the truth out of you if I want.”

“I do.” Yennefer smirked and went to grab Tissaia’s waist but the Rectoress pushed her hands away.

“What did you take?”

“Have you ever heard of Fisstech?”

Tissaia’s eyes widened.

“Harmless, really. It was Jasi’s idea.”

“Jasi?”

“He told me I should loosen up.” Yennefer softly smiled at the end and poured another glass. “It doesn’t have much effect on me.” She downed her second cup of wine.

Tissaia pulled apart the fastenings on Yennefer’s shirt, opening the collar more. A few were already undone, and a part of the shirt flap hung open. She tip-toed to inspect the cut to Yennefer’s jugular, noting the younger woman’s twitch at her touch.

“So, the story…we wanted a bit of fun, danger—”

“Danger?”

“So we end up at this Nilfgaardian bar—”

“What?” Tissaia had Yennefer’s shirt in her fists. “Are you insane?”

Yennefer quieted.

“They kill Aretuzans.”

“They didn’t know I was one…until the fight—”

“In which you what?” Tissaia raised her voice slightly above normal.

“Jaskier got into it with an off duty member of Emhyr’s guard. One petty argument led to the next, and that led to a brawl. I stepped in to help, blew the guy across the room. And then half the bar came for me. One guy surprised me, tried to cut my throat. Of course blood went everywhere, but when I didn’t die…”

With a small huff, Tissaia finished undoing the last fastening on Yennefer’s shirt. She took the mage’s glass and pulled the shirt off, arm by arm. “Go sit by the fire.” She nudged her in the direction of the fireplace and Yennefer obeyed the order, sitting then stretching out to lay—

“Not when you’re covered in blood.”

Begrudgingly, Yennefer sat up. She longed to stretch out on the warm bear pelt rug in front of the fireplace. In the background, Tissaia whispered a spell over a bowl in her hand.

“I’ll regenerate. You know I’ll be fine.”

Tissaia brought over two bowls and a couple of towels. She knelt at Yennefer’s side, dipping the corner of the cloth into water that rippled iridescent colors. Carefully she pressed along Yennefer’s skin, wiping the dried blood from the wound on Yennefer’s neck. The gaping gash had already healed some. By morning it would likely be gone.

Yennefer leaned back with a small blissful smile touching her lips at Tissaia’s soft strokes across her skin. The solution stung when it seeped into the open wound but she barely flinched. Yennefer tested her luck and laid on her good side, resting her head in the Rectoress’s lap.

“Why do you take care of me?”

“Keep coming back like this and you’ll be cleaning these yourself.”

Tissaia didn’t mean that, Yennefer knew.

“There’s something I’ve always wanted to know…”

“Hm.”

 Yennefer closed her eyes. “Why did you stop calling me piglet?”

Tissaia was quiet for a moment. “We both know you’re much more than that.”

Yennefer took Tissaia’s hand from her neck, kissed it, and let go.

Tissaia moved down, pulling out a sizeable glass shard from Yennefer’s side and Yennefer stiffened with a grimace.

“Ow!”

“There’s more…” Tissaia said and dropped the glass into the empty bowl. Yennefer's brow furrowed and her jaw clenched as Tissaia pulled out the broken bottle shards. She buried half her face into Tissaia’s lap. She could feel the glass between her skin more now than she could before. Her high was fading and she hadn’t drank enough wine to numb the pain.

The glass shards clinked against one another as Tissaia dropped the remaining pieces into the bowl.

The sharp throb in Yennefer’s side subsided and the cool cloth pressed to the wound with a soft touch. Tissaia was a better nurturer than she probably thought. Yennefer smiled knowing she was likely one of few to ever see Aretuza’s great Rectoress sitting on the floor.

“You’ve changed since we met.” Yennefer said soft.

“Oh?” Tissaia said with a bit of feigned surprise.

“When I first came here I was sure you’d have my head, or that I’d end up in a dungeon somewhere.”

Tissaia stopped her strokes on Yennefer’s side, her expression falling grim.

“I hated you for a moment, and I didn’t know why.” Yennefer softly chuckled and Tissaia picked up the dry towel.

“I think I gave you a few reasons.”

“In my eyes you were a Queen. Powerful…and beautiful beyond measure.” Yennefer sat up and touched Tissaia’s cheek. “You still are.”

Tissaia allowed a small kiss but didn’t put much into her return before she pulled away. “Let me finish.”

Yennefer laid back down and Tissaia moved Yennefer’s arm up, away from the wound she cleaned. “…All I wanted was to be perfect enough to make you proud.”

Tissaia stopped again, biting back her emotion and blinking away her watering gaze.

“And then you remade me into something I never could’ve fathomed.”

At Tissaia’s silence, Yennefer looked to the woman watching the fire with a tear rolling down her cheek. She sat up but Tissaia wiped her own tears before Yennefer could.

Tissaia pressed a hand to Yennefer’s shoulder and Yennefer laid back down, her hand wrapped around Tissaia’s thigh. The cloth pressed gently to the angry punctures at Yennefer’s side. “I didn’t choose you for no reason.”

“Why did you?”

“Your chaos called to me.” Tissaia let silence linger between her phrases. “Of course I didn’t know it was you at the time. I was simply following a trail.”  She cleaned the last bit of blood and dried the spot. "There."

Yennefer looked at the cuts in her side, which were starting to shrink. “Already getting better.” She rolled onto her knees and wrapped an arm around Tissaia. She kissed her. “Thank you.”

Tissaia touched her cheek. “You have made me proud. More than you know.”

Yennefer looked down. She didn’t know what to say, so she kissed her again, inching forward. Her hand knocked into a bowl and Tissaia pulled away.

“Careful.” She smiled into the kiss and Yennefer stopped.

She didn’t feel like being bothered with cleaning or making space. So she scooped Tissaia into her arms, stood, and walked to the bed, thankful her new form allowed her a level of strength she hadn’t had before her death.

“Yennefer.”

She heard the surprise in Tissaia’s voice and smiled. She lay Tissaia down and climbed over her.

“Since when are you able to do that?”

She ignored Tissaia's question, responding with kisses pressed to the Rectoress's neck. The tip of her tongue brushing against Tissaia’s skin. She wanted to taste her even more. She wanted to feel the rile of Tissaia’s chaos and the Rectoress’s fingers squeezing into her back like talons gripping a kill.

#yennaia #yennefer of vengerberg #tissaia de vries #the witcher #yennefer x tissaia #this was fun to write #excuse any mistakes #my writing #ficlet

[fangirleaconmigo]

Ohhhh TWN I don’t know how I’ll deal with the loss next season. The best actor on the show gone. What will I doooo.

I hope they keep Tissaia in flashbacks.

Seriously, Myanna Buring is so fucking underrated. Her vulnerability and brittleness and the way she keeps things so close to the chest but then BOOM all of her emotions are on her face in just the right moments.

The way she is anchor/antagonist/foil/deep connection/home for Yen is so important to Yen’s character. She gives Yen a past, an anchor, somewhere to belong AND something to resist or struggle against (the ideas of power etc) THE LAYERS

They made Tissaia a much more cold and callous person in the show vs the books. Book Tissaia would kill anyone who tried hurt her girls, much less would she turn them to eels. She was strict, traditional, and reserved, yes, but she loved them. She wouldn’t forget to look for them like in S3. She would never ever KILL them ffs.

But TWN Tissaia is her own thing. I think they wanted to give Yen an antagonist S1 and so they made Tissaia Like That. Yet it is the way Myanna and Anya play the characters and their chemistry that gives the credibility to the idea that they do actually love each other.

In my view their chemistry and layered relationship was bar none the most compelling relationship of S1. Her grief over Yen carries so much of the emotional weight of season 2. And the way they balance each other in S3 is just phenomenal.

Part of that is she is a great actor but also they seem to really really love each other irl and that carries over.

I’ll be curious to see what they do S4. It looks like from the trailer that Yen is leading the lodge, which is such a diversion from the books that I have no idea what they’re doing. In the books, the tension comes from Yen leaving behind all that power in favor of protecting Ciri and racing against time and Philippa to save her girl. So it’ll have to be something entirely different.

I’ll be there to find out but I think Myanna will leave a huge void.

#the witcher #TWN #tissaia de vries #myanna buring #yennefer of vengerberg #anya chalotra

[yennefer-x-tissaia]

How close Anya and Myanna must have become over the years if that was Anya's real reaction to that scene 😭😭

MyAnna's spoken about loving working with Anya a few times over the years:

“I get my time with Anya, which is wonderful. One, because she’s so much fun to work with, and also because I love the relationship, like you said, between Tissaia and Yennefer, I think it’s really, really special and it’s a huge part of why I love this show so very much.” (x)

And Anya's just a dream. As soon as I look at her I'm filled with love and just...I just adore her. (x)

But this year we got to hear Anya's thoughts on working with MyAnna:

Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer, told Insider in a joint interview with Freya Allan that her "greatest experiences on the show" were working with Buring. "She's a force," Chalotra said. "I wouldn't be the person I am today without her, quite honestly. So, yeah, it was hard. And I hope people this season are as in awe of her and what she's done for the show as I am, as we all are." Allan, who plays Ciri, said that she was "really emotional" watching Buring's final scenes because she knew how close Chalotra and Buring became on set. "I know how much she's meant to you in this whole journey," she said, turning to Chalotra. "Especially season one being so hard, and her being there with you through that." (x)

Another one:

MyAnna means so much to me. She was there day one. I’d spend time with her family in Budapest. She looked after me in season one, and has through the seasons — not only me, but everyone on set. She gives so much. That loss is huge for the show and huge for Yennefer. (x)

And lastly:

Were there any moments, good or bad, that really sat with you? Made you laugh, made you cry? That you really felt through season three? Yeah. Losing Tissaia. Losing MyAnna. Watching it. That would be my biggest moment (x)

I wish we'd had some behind the scenes content with them both together, analysing a scene or something. That would've been a nice way to mark the end of their journey together.

#Anonymous #anya chalotra #myanna buring #ask #season 3 spoilers #the witcher spoilers #interview

[mercisnm]

Didn’t think I had one but mebbe I do: 3b/c, Ciri (young or older) and post-S3 Tissaia. Because lbr, Tissaia loves Yennefer loves Ciri, and in a world Tissaia had had the chance to become part of Ciri’s life, it would have been full of affection

Oh dear I really cannot count on one hand the times I've wished for what you have just described, either the coup never happened and Ciri could learn to harness her source under the tutelage of the best mage there is (also her mother's beloved) and warming up to Tissaia in the process, despite Tissaia trying her best to put on the icy rectoress facade (underneath all that she's Soft soft for Ciri) - or Tissaia simply hadn't choosen to atone herself like *that*.

Just... lots of feelings. But anyhoot. Have a retired rectoress and witcher Ciri coming by to visit and not forgetting to give her the warmest tightest of hugs. It's soft. It's happy. Needless to say I've enjoyed drawing this one a lot.

And that's the last request this round. My ask box is open if anybody want to chat, but I'll close the requests for now. I honestly did not expect so many asks, one or two yes, not nine (??!) plus some I didn't do?? Gosh my hands hate me right now. Feel free to buy me a drink on my ko-fi, and until next time.

#sometimes i draw things #doodle requests #asks #tissaia de vries #cirilla fiona elen riannon #at first the girl is so scared of this. well. honestly very scary lady #but tissaia gives her timid smiles of encouragements from time to time and always acknowledges her progress #she catches glimpes of tissaia and yennefer smiling at each other #the girl cannot help herself but warming up to the rectoress #oh and the girl crush on rita #damn it netflix what have you taken from us!!!

[farahtissaiamyloves]

I love you

Tissaia De Vries x fem!reader

You paced around the room, too anxious to lay on your bed for sleep.

Tissaia was sitting on the armchair by the fireplace; her eyes focused on the flames roaring.

Your movements came to a halt as you turned and sat on the other armchair facing the fireplace.

You looked at her. You looked at your wonderful wife.

Tissaia turned her head to look at you. " Y/N, please don't start again. I really can't- "

" But I want to come with you ! Fight by your side ! Protect you ! " You cut her off feeling more and more exasperated.

Tissaia shook her head. " Darling, no. Please, don't. "

You stood up angrily. " Why them and not me ? " You asked.

Why did she prefer other sorcerers to her own wife ?

Tissaia sighed. " Because... " Her voice trailed off standing up too. 

She closed the gap between the two of you with one step taking your hands in hers and locking eye contact with you. " I love you. I love you more than anything in this world. "

You teared up wrapping your hands around her neck and pulling her into a hug. 

Tissaia embraced you back, pressing you against her, enjoying the feel of her body against yours and the smell of your unique perfume. 

" I don't want you to die, my love. If you follow me, the only thing you would achieve would be to put your life in risk. I don't want that. " Tissaia added leaving a gentle kiss on your neck.

Silence enveloped you afterward.

You didn't dare to break it, loving the way Tissaia's words repeated in your mind.

The rectoress moved to kiss your forehead. " Darling, please, stay here. "

You looked at her for a good moment before shaking your head. A tear rolled down your cheek. 

" I prefer risking my life alongside you than sitting here doing nothing but pretend to be a good housewife. " You declared.

Tissaia sighed in defeat and then nodded t you. " As you wish. But I tried to warn you; remember that. "

" Yes, yes, yes, of course. " You agreed without even thinking. You kissed her cheek as a thank you before preparing for  bed.

Tissaia smiled sadly at you when you finally joined her on bed.

You reciprocated the smile closing the gap between the two of you again.

Your wife kissed you back with an unmatched passion.

It was your last day at Aretuza; she was going to make the best of it.

꧁☾︎❥︎☽︎꧂

It was done.

The fight was over.

Poor Tissaia could find neither you nor Yennefer.

" Y/N !!!! " She shouted.

Tissaia looked down at the bodies lying on the soil.

Her eyes examining every and each of them.

She chose a soldier who somehow had lost his right hand and with the use of her powers saw his last moments.

Still no sight of you.

Neither any news from Yennefer.

The sorceress sighed and continued her way through the battlefield.

You couldn't have disappeared.

You must have been somewhere.

Alive or dead.

A tear rolled down her cheek at the image of your motionless body laying in her hands.

No.

She wiped it away checking on an other soldier.

You were one of the most powerful sorcerers alive; you must have survived.

You NEEDED to survive.

She walked down the hill and continued wasting her chaos in a despair attempt to find not only the love of her life, but her favorite student as well.

Minutes became hours.

A witcher came asking about Yennefer.

She felt a tiny bit sad telling him that she was dead; but what else could she do ?

The search for any survivors came to an end a couple of hours later and Tissaia didn't know how to feel.

Yennefer was probably killed by her extreme use of magic.

But you. What had happened to you ?

No body was found, meaning that you were still alive... right ?

The recroress walked through the bodies until she reached the forest.

A sound full of pain left her lips remembering how much you loved wandering around forests.

She continues walking until her feet hurt.

The famous sorcerer sat down.

Her hand hesitantly trailed beneath her dress, on her shoulder, caressing the hickey you left there the previous night.

Tissaia cried over the fact that she was to never see you again.

She would never take you hand in hers. Touch you. Kiss you. Tell you how much she loved you.

She cried.

And cried.

Mourning over you.

꧁☾︎❥︎☽︎꧂

A rush of pain woke you up.

You gasped opening your eyes and looking around you.

You were in the woods.

Your eyes focused on the soil where the dead bodies of your enemies were laying.

You took a shaky breath.

You remembered killing them but you had no idea how you ended up unconscious on the floor with a rather big cut on your right shoulder.

You grimaced in pain trying to get up.

You were exhausted.

" Ah. Ah. " You sat down with your back resting against a tree.

You couldn't walk.

Great.

You hissed as you accidentally moved your right hand. 

You paled at the realization that it wasn't only cut but probably broken as well.

You swallowed hard focusing as much magic as you could muster.

" Tissaia. " You whispered before drifting off.

꧁☾︎❥︎☽︎꧂

And then she heard it.

Like a whisper.

Or should she say like a gentle kiss on the cheek.

She heard your voice.

Weak but not dead.

Tissaia got up in an instant.

She didn't walk but run toward the source of the magic.

She followed it like a thirsty mosquito in a dessert which finally smelt a living being with blood.

And then she came up with the bodies.

Scars of lightning could be visible in most of the bodies. 

Tissaia continued her way carefully, refraining from having any kind of contact with them.

She scanned the place with her eyes until they landed on you.

Your eyes were closed and your right hand was swollen and bloody.

Tissaia took you in her arms.

You were breathing.

A sigh of relief left her mouth as another tear rolled down her cheek.

She used her remaining magic to stop the bleeding and alleviate the pain.

When Tissaia was finished treating you, she was panting. 

She called to the other mages to come and help her transfer you to Aretuza because she was unable to open a portal.

The rectoress let out a breath and rested her forehead against yours.

She whispered the three so unique and magical words.

" I love you. "

#tissaia de vries x reader #tissaia de vries #tissaia #the witcher #the witcher books #myanna buring

[lodgeofeilhart]

Is it just me, or does Tissaia from season 1 and 2 just has the kindest eyes? And then in season 3, she just looks mean, uncaring at times even. It's nothing against MyAnna, she is the only one I would have seen as Tissaia and I just love her so much, but I hate how her makeup makes her look like the villain.

I really and truly hope I'm wrong, but that's the first thing I saw when I saw her new look. And her hair is also darker. She doesn’t seem to care for the missing girls, is totally and obnoxiously infatuated with Vilgefortz. Hate that aspect because it wasn't even in the books. Anyways I won't go on that rant.

She looks and feels different, I just hope they don't end up ruining her character.

My thoughts, either Vilgefortz or Lydia will kill her, she'll commit suicine in the worse possible way or they turn her into the villain and gets either killed by Geralt or another mage. I hate all these ideas and in my book, she would live on, still be the rectoress at Aretuza and have Yennefer being at teacher at her side as lovers.

#tissaia x yennefer #the witcher tissaia #yennefer x tissaia #tissaia de vries #tissaia #rectoress of aretuza #my thoughts on Tissaia in season 3 #tissaia my love #archmistress of magic #the witcher season 1 #the witcher season two #the witcher season 3

[supercitycarnival]

I just am really so afraid that all the Yennaia interaction - calling Aretuza Yennefer's home, Vilgefortz himself observing Yennaia love each other, both of them trying to protect one another, Yennefer writing three drafts of a letter, alllll the touching when they reunited, Tissaia once again showing Yennefer that the knows her like no one else - I'm so afraid it is all leading to Tissaia's death.

I get that she died in the books, but come on, we've had so much canon divergence, let's just keep it going. Let Tissaia live! I don't even want her to go out in a blaze of glory, I want her alive!

#the witcher netflix #yennaia #yennefer x tissaia #witcher season 3 #please let my love live

[yennaia1313]

If Tissaia really is the villain She's probably the villain I love the most and can't hate.

#tissaia de vries #tissaiaedit #myanna buring #mburingedit #the witcher #the witcher spoilers #the witcher 3 #the witcher netflix

[nellieofthevalley]

Okay I just finished another chapter in Time of Contempt, and I have a couple thoughts.

First of all, I appreciate the small bouts of Humor that Andrzej Has speckled throughout the serious scenes, it gives me a break from the overall drastic nature of it

Secondly, tissaia.

I cant choose wether I like show tissaia or Book Tissaia more. They are both VERY similar, And I appreciate both of them but oh my god the spell of Last resort scene in the book was just, Haunting.

The moment where Triss was screaming at her to stop, and Tissaia only pausing to help triss get away gets to me. She tells Triss that even though she made a mistake she still loves her, and that makes me unbelievably emotional. Her interactions with phillipa as well? Im obsessed.

“I was proud of you phillipa, but now I am filled with nothing but contempt for you.” Chills. Literal chills.

I definitely like that We got to see more of Tissaia and Phil in the books than the show. In the show they just kind of trade a couple snarky remarks and glare at eachother but in the books there is genuine Regret and hatred from Tissaia and Anger and defiance from Phillipa thats just- so interesting to read about.

Im also almost glad that Tissaia ends up dying because I know if she survived Geralt probably would have screwed her at some point.

#tissaia de vries #the witcher #the witcher is so cool #the witcher show #the witcher books #phillipa eilhart #geralt of rivia #triss merigold #books #book #bookblr #i really really love tissaia

[limerental]

there are so many twn only ships/dynamics that went way harder than they needed to like

cahir/emhyr - i'd commit atrocities for you, I worship you like a God because you saved me and saw my worth when no one else did but it took me years to notice when you said "we" you were using the royal we

fringilla/francesca - I've never had a partner before, I may never have had a friend at all before you, you gave me hope for the future, but I failed to realize that you never saw me in that future with you

cahir/gallatin - we could have loved one another as children. but in this world, your blood is on my hands.

yennefer/fringilla - you never even saw me and never thought of me for a moment when your dreams came true at my expense. we hate one another but the sides we ended up on were never really our choice at all.

also, philippa/tissaia... triss/istredd... yennefer/sabrina... ciri&dara... fringilla&cahir....

#twn

[beltrixuniverse]

I am angry about Tissaia

I am angry about creators of the show making a point about Tissaia knowing her students, but still not noticing them getting missing. It would be just so easy to show that Rita now runs the show, so Tissaia does not know every one of them, therefore she is not concerned about them... But she knows their names, their troubles (homesickness) and waves away Triss’s worry. (Even though I still have mixed opinions on this versus the eel thing. Like Sabrina, Triss, Rita... seemed very upset about it, but like do they not know that about a third of their classmates ended as eels?) 

I am angry that after being led into the “purge-room” Vilgefortz still needed to tell her to free them. 

I am angry that Vilgefortz basically spoon-fed her what is going to happen, but she did not do anything. Like she was battle-ready, she had a sort of plan against presumed Redanian soldiers, so even though she was shocked about the revelation of his true nature, she could at least throw him or something. Or better - we could have seen a little bit of fight. But her weak “Please” (absolutely understandable) was all we’ve got, no continuation (absolutely needed). I am really probably the only one, but I enjoyed their relationship. So why not go all the way with their break-up? Show us Tissaia’s anger. Obviously Vilgy would have to run away, because of the big reveal of his power with the fight with Geralt, but at least start it. 

I am angry that the lightning scene was almost for nothing. Like, it looked cool, and Francesca and Fringilla screamed and people run (and few of them died), but ultimately, we have not been shown any real damage. Later, we’ve seen quite a lot of Francesca’s people alive. So, what was the point? Do not have Dijkstra TELLING us that she is the strongest mage, SHOW US! In comparison with the damage done by Yennefer in season 1, this seemed very weak.   

I am angry that even after the “pep-talk” from Yennefer she still did it. We could have seen Yenn talking to someone else and Tissaia maybe realizing, that Yenn is someone who can replace her as a leader of mages. But Yenn was talking TO her. Telling her how important she was. How loved she was. 

I am angry that without Tissaia I have very little reason (except for Mahesh Jadu) to continue watching this show. She was really the heart not only of Aretuza, but of the show. Because all the rest of the relationships feels pretty flat to me. (Maybe except for Jaskier; who is by the way surprisingly less and less annoying.)

#the witcher #Tissaia de Vries #show not tell

[serenfire]

attention, anyone who cares about the witcher s3's character's motivations with regards to the books but who hasn't then read time of contempt, here is a post for you!

here's some interesting differences between the book and show characters, especially in ep 5 (spoilers for the witcher s3 so far and the books):

since yennefer does not have her s2 beef w aretuza subplot, none of the mages are her direct enemies, and she is a member of the lower circle of leadership within the brotherhood, called the council, with philippa and 3 others who are not in the show. she is also not the one who calls the conclave; she finds out about it while bringing ciri to aretuza, and attends with geralt so that they can draw out the mage who is backing rience. in the book, they're trying to convinced everyone that ciri died at cintra, and haven't been together since then to keep up the illusion, so going to aretuza together will draw out the mage who knows ciri exists and is trying to kill her

vilgefortz is, firstly, the hero of sodden in the books. he's the war hero against nilfgaard, and one of the leaders of the brotherhood. he's also (spoilers for probably the second half of s3) working for nilfgaard now, and not in the way that s1 portrays where he kills his comrade on the battlefield after the battle's over, but in an "even the hero of sodden who singlehandedly saved the north from nilfgaard wants power enough to ally with his enemy" way.

he is the leader of the chapter, which is the highest circle of leadership of the brotherhood. tissaia and francesca findabair are also members, as well as artaud terranova (guy who falls over the champagne glass table in ep 5). in ep 5 he recounts his backstory to geralt, some of it word-for-word, except for an important part: as part of his backstory, he fell in love with an unnamed mage before becoming a sorcerer, and after breaking up with her, decided he should pursue magic. he and tissaia are not together! i cannot stress this enough, in the books the mages are powered by their individual searches for power, and love does not tie them together! it's what sets yen apart: she's one of the only ones willing to sacrifice for another.

FRANCESCA FINDABAIR. member of the chapter/high ranked aretuza member, in the book shows up to the conclave party early, stirring up the northern vs nilfgaardian sentiments by being there. wild that she hasn't appeared there in the show yet. her motives in the show are WHACK. in the books she did not have a baby and did not say she wants to genocide the humans (although that is propaganda against her): she leads the scoia'tael to fight for nonhuman freedom and allies herself with nilfgaard to continue to fight the north, and she will receive a free land for the elves (dol blathanna) in return for the scoia'tael being branded as war criminals and outlawed. in the books she is the catch-22 of stuck between a rock and a hard place: allying with imperialism will save her people but gut her guerilla soldiers who fought for it.

philippa eilhart is so far the best-written character this season (to me) because she is one of the only characters who everyone knows is seeking for power (in the book she's referred to as the one who's really on the redanian throne, backed by dijkstra) and she, directly, says that she's looking to keep power in the north. in the books, most if not every mage's motivations are for power, whether in a king's court or by allying with nilfgaard, and the imperial machinations are what the politics in the books are about, so having a character not be preoccupied with interpersonal reasons and instead directly embody this is refreshing!

however! in the books philippa's position is anti-nilfgaardian invasion, not anti-brotherhood. she's pitted against vilgefortz, who's allied with nilfgaard, instead of against him because he's a leader of the brotherhood. the brotherhood as an institution isn't interrogated as a state (unlike the northern kingdoms and nilfgaard), and her specific grievances against other court mages have to do with the fact that almost every kingdom is goading nilfgaard to attack so they can attack back and vie for power. she's also got redania on a lockdown by killing vizimir right before the conclave party and i don't know how this will play out in the show considering radovid exists as well

also in the books radovid is vizimir's son who ascends to the throne after philippa and dijkstra kill vizimir, and (in the games) he makes it his life mission to kill philippa. he does not physically show up in time of contempt and adding him into the show as vizimir's brother 1) crunches the timeline down to a period of time that makes a bit more sense than the books and 2) allows the show to make up the funniest fucking subplot with jaskier. oh my god none of that happened in the books but wouldn't it have been hilarious. jaskier hooking up with the sweet and sensitive younger prince who's a fan of his music and then smash cut to twelve hours later and he's the fucking king of redania. the comedy potential is unmatched

#i am not including cahir because i fogor. he doesn't show up in TOC but it makes sense for his s3 content to happen in his backstory #that was a lot of words i hope y'all enjoy the parallels. i don't think the show portrays politics as a result of relationships well but #the show does politics as a result of power well. and there's a bit of both this season #but in the books it is exclusively politics as a result of power #the witcher spoilers #the witcher #the witcher netflix #time of contempt #the witcher meta

[my-jokes-are-my-armour]

The witcher review - part 2

So here we are… this is the hardest post for me to write. Because I have to fight my inner rage to think straight and keep as much of cool as I can while I write. This is rare.

As always since the announcement, the general consensus is to hate no matter what, and I won't lie, it's driving me crazy. I had even a breaking point not long ago, stumbling on an "article" mourning Hector the horse that won't come back for S4, and turning a not returning actress as she left the boat for implicite bad scripts whereas her character is simply not returning story wise (in the books also).

Do I have to mention the constant rain of bad comments on every video or official posts ? Or the vast majority of the articles and reviews are over focused on one thing only, erasing from the existence of every other good work done ?

Because yes ! Curiously there is good work in there too. Sheer stupefaction ! The series is not that bad. And do you believe it ? Quite book accurate in the global storyline also !

Am I a tad sarcastic there ? Yes. Not in my points though. But I am really REALLY pissed off. And this is my last stand. I understand that I am a drop in the ocean. A little shit screaming into the void. A stupid arse loving the series for the stories it offers.

So… if you are still here, that's because you surely are in the same state of mental exhaustion than I am. Maybe angry too, or sad. Maybe you liked the series also and want something else to read other than "burn it down !".

[Pretty accurate representation of myself]

So... Here is the short version for those who don't care about the development of my review :

I loved it. Yes !

A lot of emotions.

Geraskier. I rolled down the hill again so hard and so fast that you can see burning traces on the grass on my path lol.

Buckled some storylines from the first season for the main characters and secondary characters too.

Perfect ? Certainly not. There are problems and I will address them.

Book accurate ? Mostly yes but no at the same time. The story is there, not told the same way. There are twists and changes but the checkpoints are validated and cohesive (believe it or not), catching up books threads and the divergent series' too. Some almost straight out of the pages in this second part too.

Proper send off to Henry ? If you aim for fulfillment, then no. But his ending matches with the beginning of the Hansa, so I am personally happy with it. Also it had more depth than what it seems.

So now behind this break, I will spoil the series in great lengths, as much as the books. I will probably go further than Time of Contempt because they included pieces from Baptism of Fire. Again I will say what works and what doesn't in my opinion. I am not on a solo thread of thinking.

But you know I guess even some gray is giving light in this infamous soup darkness. So let's go !

Warning : it contains mature subjects.

[Important note : I have read the RI article about Tomek giving explanations about plot simplification. I will address this in the flow in my review. Well kinda].

My detailed general point of view :

Even with a lot of twists and turns, I did like the series part 2 (and the series overall !). The second volume had me having emotional roller-coasters. If you care for any characters, they have their moments of raw emotions. Secondary characters included. That moment between Fringilla and Francesca for example or Tissaia's farewell… 😢.

Everything emotional with Jaskier had just me on my knees… 😭

It goes pretty much by the books in terms of events and uses pieces of them as framing devices. For the twists. Some are good, some less. What we have the most is one character doing something another would normally do. But most of the time this is fluid and it doesn't bother me much. Mostly I liked, loved even, the stories that were told behind.

In the middle ground. I don't see it as bad but more as an irritating thing.

There is a big change of plot with Yennefer (again) but this is more a problem of how to tell the story afterwards more than a big wrong like in S2, and I am just curious how they will handle some storylines from there. The irritating part though is that they have a tendency to use her too much for everything, so she runs everywhere. This is quite frantic in episode 6 but then it slows down fortunately.

Also the series doesn't fully go on the darkest side of the books. The rating 16+ is a bit overlooked in my opinion. There is blood and some monsters but this is a soft 16+. There is real gore in the books and the subjects are far more disturbing. The flesh monster tries to compensate for what is not told about Vilgefortz's experiments for example. But the mage is a f.cking lunatic. And if you felt bad for Geralt after his fight with him, go get some brutal internal pov of Geralt while he is literally destroyed. Also a part of Geralt's arc with the parallel with Ciri is more disturbing in its core. But they didn't go as far as with the Rats (yet ?) so they crafted another motivation, which is not a bad one, by the way.

This is middle ground to me because, for sure it would have challenged the viewer more, but some subjects may not be easily validated to show on screen to fill the rating.

On the wrong side (yes because I am not in a tunnel - I see goods and bads), for me there are some strong editing problems that put an uneven rhythm that can bore or frustrate, depending on the part. I was not bored but a bit frustrated sometimes so I can understand why some were annoyed, let's put it that way.

They seem to rush for the plot, cutting some breathing moments or dragging on some other parts. With a recurrent issue to make us feel the passage of time

For me this is what severes the series the most, especially in the second volume.

Also, on the visual effects, there are some issues too. Something is sadly unfinished there. It feels like the deadline was an immovable obstacle and they tried to rush everything they could in it.

So, here we are. Now I will detail everything ! Compare with the books when I can etc. Because I can't bear anymore reading all this dry "they did not respect the source material" thing, to say it politely. Maybe I will be annoying as hell. But this is how I work. I have feelings, I have opinions, like everyone else I can be passionate, but I can justify my position and I will do it.

SO !

Book accuracy ?

First, because I have to play dumb, these are the large blocks of the Time of Contempt only, just to have a visual idea of the proportions of the stories.

So now please tell me there is too much of Ciri, too much mages, too much politics… ** cough cough **

OK let's go. As I said in the short version, accuracy is a yes and a no for me. Let's begin with the no.

Things happen pretty much in the same chronological order but like in an alternate version of the books. In some events, this is not always with the good character carrying the moment. But this is the case from the beginning of the show. And although I found this strange sometimes I never felt confused by it. Some of them are necessary compression of narratives, some are holding arcs to fulfill and become relevant at the end. And the arcs, the stories told, are what appealed to me the most.

A large part of those switches comes from the invented parts for secondary characters. Because they had written things in advance. Why did they choose to set up a lot of them from S1, you say ? Because otherwise we would have to deal with a massive drop names with everyone having their agenda, popping out of nowhere, and trying to have the big part of the cake this season (2 to 4 in my picture). What would happen then ? Confused audience for those who haven't read the books or play the games. And if you tell me, but we are the audience ! Then why I read so many : "Why the politics ? Why Ciri desert thing ? Why the sorceresses ? This is boring and long, why no monster hunts ?" Well… 👆.

At least, I can understand the last statement from the gamers because the story is rhythmed by the hunts, but for the rest, lads, this is the book for Time of Contempt and a part of Baptism of Fire.

And this where my "yes this is accurate" lands.

Time of Contempt particularly contains a f.cking loads of politics, of mages and a lot of Ciri. Sure Geralt is the main POV in a good amount but in the politics part for the most of it. This is basically him in rooms with people, discussing. He doesn't do much other than that. To be fair, there are always good fights, he has always good fights, and this books provides, but the monster fights are not that over present and overall, Geralt is reluctant to kill in general except when he has to protect. He fights people… The real monsters of the stories.

What did I find book accurate in this second volume ? The Thanedd coup setup (the battle is almost pure entertainment). Ciri in the desert, definitely. Some parts of Brokilon. Tissaia's death is delayed in time but accurate. Dijkstra and Philippa general plot in Redania even if simplified. The false Ciri at Nilfgaard. Geralt on the road with Jaskier and Milva at the end.

The issues

As I said, for me the problem is really the choice of pacing that makes some parts feeling dragged and others rushed. Particularly in episode 7. This is the most book accurate part with Ciri, but the pacing of what is before and after makes it odd. She is the only one we feel the passing of time for. The Brokilon part almost not. But technically days had passed too.

I understand what they did there, trying to make us feel her isolation, but putting two parts with different rhythms together that way was what makes it crumble. Making a parallel between Ciri's struggle and Geralt's would have maybe corrected the pacing, and just having scenes with places, travel from afar, something that links the time and space with the characters (they did that a bit with the first episode and that was great !). But distance and time is an ongoing problem on this show.

Speaking of time, note that in the books Geralt stays a long time in Brokilon healing. A month like. And he was in a very bad shape for a long time during this period. This is for those who are unhappy to have him stuck in a bed moaning for too long.

Then the last episode has the major shift from the book with Yennefer. The birth of the Lodge of the sorceresses has one of the best ending arcs and the most twisted storyline with dragged moments. I am not against Yennefer being in the heart of the Lodge with Philippa doing her things on the side, because I understand that having that part told without main character to connect with would be hard for a lot of people but the fact that Yennefer is used has a plot insert too many times irritates me.

The scene where she heals Geralt for example is one that I don't like. In terms of emotions, this is great. But for Geralt this is wrong. I hope the healing is not complete, for S4, like in the books. Because the fact that he is experiencing phantom pain is a part that makes his journey psychologically interesting.

Now, that said !

And this is where I'll develop the good parts for me. And I am sorry if I become (even) more sarcastic but you know… I do what I can with my bleeding heart in front of so much hatred.

The arcs

This is where a lot of people sadly give reason to Tomek about the need for simplification, in my opinion.

They did simplify the plots, true that, but as soon as there are some under layers to dig, this is the big farewell of the crowd. Because I read things like : volume 2 is empty. Geralt is barely in it or without depth. They did wrong to him.

Know that if they really had stopped where Time of Contempt ends, then you would have just Ciri in the desert and the Rats. Final dot (cf my picture).

And if this is empty to you, maybe this is because you've erased the plotlines from your memory, or defining a character the way it is done in the book is not for you.

The series plays with circular references and mirroring characterisation but I guess this is unimportant. Lazy. Irrespectful. Uncaring. Or whatever. Because this is not forefront.

Maybe you wanted more than a rampage at a post frontier and the walk into the mist. I can understand that this is not satisfying in terms of fulfillment for his presence, I really can, but there is closure for his arc too in there.

But maybe you missed the full circle in this part of the journey for him too. And if you didn't. Maybe you don't care. I don't know...

I am not above anybody else. I watch things with my own perspective. Maybe you think I am stupid or currently arrogant or overlooking things. So be it. I am the stupid one then. I don't mind. But I'll do it anyway. I'll do my shitty analysis. So many scream. I have the right to stand my ground for what I appreciate. Who would read this anyway…

So let's get into the thematics and dig everyone's plotlines, shall we. I will divide this into parts and develop many characters through those aspects.

Blood family vs found family

Vulnerabilities

Loyalty and betrayal

Clinging onto the past and repeating history

Blood family vs found family

In the last part of S3, several characters have a defining moment about family. And they are mirroring each other within their relationships. They have been setup early in the previous seasons.

The accent is put on the found families and how strong their links are. For some more than blood. And then how sometimes, blood heritage goes against that.

We have obviously THE found family. Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt, extended to Jaskier (thank god!). They have all left their blood family behind. Book Jaskier not totally but the series one seems to.

The trio of Destiny as I like to call them, are three orphans linked by destiny but fighting it in the first place. This is only when they accept it that the family emerges. And this is a strong one. Their issues with their blood family define a part of their actions and how they grow.

Geralt was abandoned. In response to that trauma he printed in himself the will of never to do that to Ciri ever ! (vol 1). Even in the letter he wrote to Yennefer, he tells her that this is the first time he experiences real fear. And this fear is to lose Ciri and her… Losing against Vilgefortz made this fear a reality. So now in Brokilon when he is trying to walk back to Ciri even when he can't is the display of his desperation. He has to accept that despair first so he can heal enough to actually have a chance to succeed. This desperation transforms into rage that can burst at any time. He is calm on the surface, but a boiling volcano inside.

White Knight complex and neutrality (side note). In S1, in Blaviken we established that Geralt has a white knight complex and he tells the story to Renfri of how he chose neutrality, telling her a story that illustrates that. He saved a young girl from a rapist. And while he thought he did the right thing he ended up being the one treated like a monster. That is why he chooses not to get involved again. Renfri's story showed him that not taking a side was impossible but he sticked with it anyway. Neutrality became his mojo and tried to live with that, even teaching it to Ciri. Renfri's broach was a reminder of that silent promise he made to himself. And the Thanedd coup is the pinnacle of that resolution and desire to protect. Till the end he won't pick a side. But when he failed against Vilgefortz everything crumbled.

The last scene we have with him, that rampage doesn't come from nowhere as a lot likes to think. The soldier suggests he would rape the girl. And that's what triggered his rage. Yeah the same story that made him who he was… I guess this stupid and empty…

The broach he leaves behind is the symbol of the neutrality he abandons. He is a man with a huge scar inside and the only thing that can soothe him is finding his daughter.

Jaskier says it out loud beforehand in case you would miss what to come : the war outside is nothing in front of what Geralt would unleash on this Continent to find his daughter.

The arc of neutrality is closed. Time for a new one. A hurt dad, a warrior, roaming the Continent to find the child he promised never to abandon. No depth at all in the writing of this arc… yep yep.

But this is not the only layer of Geralt. We will see that in another point.

Now Yennefer. She has the easiest arc to get. Her blood family sold her and in her struggle to get control over her own life she hurt the two found families she had. First Tissaia whose mother side became apparent when she had to take the same responsibilities with Ciri. Then Geralt and Ciri when she succumbs to Voleith Meir. But her redemption arc fulfills her need to be a mother. Even if she fails finding Ciri and leaves that task to Geralt (which is a plot hole in a way*), she comes full closure with her motherhood duties.

And she has a beautiful and powerful new goal and it is turned toward the found family. She will make sure to make the world a better place for her to return to. Isn't that some of the strongest push parents can experience ? The need to make the world better for their children ?

(*) In the books, Yennefer is incapacitated so it is logical that she is unable to find her. Here they will need to find a good explanation.

The arc of Yennefer circles and mirrors the one with Tissaia in a very emotional way. For a part, this is one the lesson she gave to Ciri and the one she took so long to understand. Without control, power is nothing. When you have control you can move mountains.

The first day in Aretusa, Yennefer tries to commit suicide because she feels that taking her own life is the only thing she can control. Tissaia tells her that doing so, she didn't have control, she was losing it. And the rectoress did the exact same thing at the end… (she lets go for other reasons though)

Ciri is at the core of the found family and she lost every one of her blood family. Emhyr is the last one and you can't say this is a nice perspective. Yet she doesn't know. Then she grew being afraid of her own heritage. Her bloodline is terrifying to her and makes her feel like a monster. And she is trying to make the best of it, expressing idealistic thoughts and wishes.

The found family is her last grip on feeling safe and having a life. She clings onto them with everything she has. She is so afraid to lose them too. And… it happens. Her mojo is to find them.

Hallucinating, in the desert she confronts her blood ancestors who push every button of her insecurities. When she relinquishes her powers, this is her last stand to protect her found family from herself. She doesn't want to be Falka and burn the world down and them with it.

But then when she kills for the first time, she loses herself. The importance of a life was one of the last of Geralt's lessons, but she succumbs to a penchant to like killing (see her face when she killed the echnea) buried deep inside, exactly like Falka. That's why she chooses to call herself after her.

For those who find this too easy, that she should be used to visions and not break. OK then, get in the same state of desperation, get lost in a desert for days, hallucinate and try to stay strong. Too long ? I thought she broke easily…

One of the things that was so touching, on the first part of that desert wandering, was how much she tapped into her found family teachings. Geralt and her witcher brothers for survival skills. Yennefer for magic. And Jaskier… for comfort.

So now Jaskier. He is a different kind of protector. We don't know much of his past in the series to know about his siblings and past traumas but the found family is everything to him. This season proves it even more blatantly. He chose Geralt as his family very early on but the real turn into a proper family member dynamic appears with Ciri. The fun uncle or even big brother.

From S2, we saw him develop a strong protector side to his personality. He is willing to help those in need. The elves. Yennefer… Also he kind of protects Geralt, even under torture. S3, within the found family he isn't the strongest member. The weakest we could say. But we see that protector side to him, in the fights for example. Helping the wounded to get to safety. Or pushing people out of the way (Valdo or the last fight with Geralt). Or even helping Radovid returning home after a heartbreak...

Ciri has the strongest protectors possible. Geralt and Yennefer. And they are teaching her their skills. She has enormous latent power. What can a simple bard do ?

Answer : he protects the last drop of childhood she has. He is the one she can be a normal child with. Playing games, even having fun of the parents (lessons of smiling, imitating them in the wood,...). He is a confort person that grounds her in her normality.

Being a comfort. This is what he does in the found family. For each member. But this is particularly moving to witness for that lost child. And hearing her sing the song he sings to her to help her sleep, trying to stay strong in the desert, tells how much he was important to her too.

The trio of Destiny isn't the only one that struggles between blood family and found family. We have other characters that are much defined by this dichotomy. Like Milva, Dara, Fringilla and Francesca.

For Milva, we just understand that her found family is the dryads, whatever happened to her and wants to forget. Dara has lost all his blood family because of one of Calanthe's army's raids. His found family is the elves led by Francesca, with whom he has a feeling of being with his kind again, until he understands the path she is taking will just send him in a very bad place. He is tired and tries to rebuild himself with the dryades.

Both of them highlight what is nursing inside of Geralt, for us to understand his last fight. Dara speaks about the hatred he carries and is going to destroy him if he doesn't stop. Milva makes him speak about Renfri and his neutrality paradox.

This is not a sign of erasing a character to make others speak in his presence and having some kind of defining moment. That character then reflects on the other, defining him by a mirroring effect. Sometimes in the same way, sometimes in the opposite direction. Heroes don't have to always say things out loud for that to exist in them. Maybe some thought that Dara and Milva were taking the spot. I did not.

Now for Fringilla and Francesca this is a bit more complex. And for them, they go down the other way around for a long time. Blood family first.

It begins with Fringilla whose uncle is a member of the Brotherhood. The magic school isn't much of a found family to her as she has an anchor there. After Yennefer switches kings with her, she ends up in Nilfgaard having a totally different life. She built strong links there and in a way she found guidance and purpose. While she tries to serve her emperor she meets the elves and makes a very strong friendship with Francesca. She begins to move forward and that alliance blossoms into something inspiring. Especially when she saves the elven bady.

But as soon as this baby is born, the loyalty of the elves shakes and what I believe was her kind of found family begins to drift away. Francesca says to her that she values their friendship but blood is more important. Fringilla will try to find the support of her uncle at some point but he refuses to help her.

This is when Fringilla becomes independent.

The rupture is particularly strongly displayed in S3 when she watches her uncle die without any feeling for him.

On the contrary, Francesca sticks by blood first at all coast, and she loses everyone brutally. Not that she is wrong or anything else to be that attached to her kind. This is just the way it turns out for her. And by the end of it, learning that Fringilla hid the real murderer of her baby, she ends up pushing her from her life, severing the last link of possible family outside her kind. She is alone with her vengeance burning inside of her. Pretty much like Dara described it. Pretty much like an old part elf woman who let the rage consume her… Mirrors again.

Vulnerabilities

Maybe the biggest character who shows vulnerabilities and is able to demonstrate love is Jaskier. This is the obvious one. And I will probably make a separate post analyzing him and Radovid this season, because the games of masks plays a big role in Jaskier defense mechanism. Let's just say for the sake of this f.cking review that this so empty relationship for the majority is there to help us understand how and when he hides his feelings, how he speaks of real love…

He is probably the most open character to emotions and shows us a lot, but, even he, tries to hide his wounds to the others. For others.

So emotional shock after another, we can assess the damages and how strong he is for those he loves.

His main weakness, if I can call it that way, is his biggest strength too. Empathy. Makes him feel too much. And his love for others (especially Geralt) plunges him in deep vulnerable emotional states. This season, this is still the case, and to a great extent too. Don't get fooled by his levity, jokes and smiles.

But let's take a look at our trio of Destiny.

Ciri is vulnerable and afraid at first but she learns to hide it more and more, until everything is unveiled during Thanedd and the desert. She is so damaged by her abandon issues and she is living her worst nightmare. When she hallucinates, all of her ancestors push her buttons, poking at this particular pain she holds.

Yennefer has many issues and she is a insecure person empowered with strong chaos. We saw her struggle to free herself from everyone wanting to control her in S1, and on top of that to have her powers back in S2. That internal urge to be the one deciding about her own destiny, to be able to have a choice.

She goes to great lengths for that. Too far. Yennefer gives Ciri two valuable lessons based on her experiences. One about control and power. The other about making choices and their consequences.

And one thing I appreciate and shows growth in her character is that she lets the one she loves see when she is vulnerable and talk about it. Ciri, Geralt, Tissaia. Even Jaskier in her own ways, since S2.

But one of the biggest growth in that field is Geralt. If I wished they included more of the book's vulnerabilities early on for him (about the fact that he believes that his mutant condition excludes him to be worth his own emotions), they didn't cut it all and he had other vulnerabilities and insecurities worth the growth.

He is emotionally constipated and has problems expressing his feelings. Not the hiding part, when he is like, I am a rock, I don't feel, but more when he has to communicate his feelings.

In S1, he tries and fails with Yennefer at the mountain. But he shows a great deal of emotions, at the expense of Jaskier though. In S2, to help Ciri he has to open up. And we find him having deep introspective moments with Vesemir. Likewise, he is a bit more open to Jaskier with whom he shares his fears.

But in S3, for the first time, he expresses his feelings and exposes his vulnerabilities to Yennefer and they connect deeply then. Also when he is wounded and healing, he is open raw for a moment.

After that he brings back his kind of neutral face, but the last fight is one of the moments he bleeds what's inside.

Also like in the books, they show that even a character that strong can be broken.

This failure brings a lot out of Geralt for the future. He wants to die because of it ! He refuses healing because he wanted to die ! The only thing that kept him alive was to have news of Ciri and Yennefer. When Jaskier finally arrives (days after) this is what he asks only. He just wants to go knowing that they are well. He clutches Jaskier's wrist because he is his last hope to have this news. He empathises with him as he struggles to deliver the informations (that subtle stroke) but he needs to know. This is a silent "please tell me Jaskier".

Then he chooses to accept the healing when he knows Ciri is still in danger. He won't rest until she is safe.

But I get that the consensus is right. Moaning in a bed. Boring as fuck. No depth in it either.

Loyalty and betrayal

Here again I could speak for days about Jaskier. His portrait should be in the dictionary next to the definition of loyalty. Even in his faux pas, he doesn't betray because his heart is in the right place. When Geralt confronts him trying to push him to Redania, they simply have an honest discussion about it.

I could speak about Yennefer's betrayal also, trying to sacrifice Ciri in S2. But I wanna highlight some secondary characters that have arcs around this.

The first one is Cahir. At the beginning of the series, he is the definition of loyalty to his leader. He has almost a religious faith (S2). But the mission given to him leads him on a path to lose that faith. In S3, he is trying to get back to a position where Emhyr valued him, and he goes to the point of killing a friend to get there. The broken mirror symbolizes that moment of shift.

(This part I could have put in vulnerabilities but I won't come back on the character sonI put it all there)

He is mirroring Ciri in his fears. She had nightmares about him. He has nightmares about her. When they face, they face their own fears. When Ciri cannot kill him he kind of pledged her allegiance, setting up his obsession to join de Hansa to save her (they may drop the weird attraction thankfully).

For him to work fully, we needed maybe one more scene between the Thanedd coup and fighting with Ciri. This is Emhyr's lie about Fringilla's death and her last little push, telling him to think by himself, that cut the last string attaching him to his emperor. But Cahir cannot live that way. What he has done is too much, he needs to be free from his guilt. Hence he asks Ciri to take his life as a price to pay for the sufferings he caused her.

But this is not how she thinks (yet) and vengeance is not her solution. Winning the fight was enough for her to overcome her fear about him. She won a silent battle.

Cahir needs redemption so he goes by the only way he knows. He devotes himself to her. This can seem blurry because he has very little screen time this season. But here we are.

Francesca is loyal to her blood kind, but trying to find a way for her species to survive she betrays some of them, losing progressively the faith people have in her. The last one to have an undefective trust in her is Filavendrel because they share the same pain, I guess.

The dramatic turn for her is that she has to sacrifice the squirrels in order to save the others. So she kind of betrays them all at that point.

Though one of her last biggest sad moments is when Fringilla tells her the truth about Emhyr. The last scene they have together is hard. All is not black and white though we can understand Francesca's deep emotion and feeling of betrayal. This is not fair for Fringilla and this settles the down path for the queen of elves.

In the secondary characters we could play all day with Dijkstra and Philippa in terms of loyalty and betrayal. The frontiers are so blurred between them two. Dijkstra is loyal to Redania to a sick extent. Philippa plays by her own rules to the point that it is unclear who she is loyal to.

But the last but not least big loyalty betrayal moment goes to Vilgefortz and Tissaia.

Technically Vilgefortz is loyal to no-one. But he played for so long with Tissaia… Their story is the evil side of what could have been Geralt and Yennefer's if Yennefer had been truly malevolent. Tissaia is echoing the deepest hurt in Geralt's heart and rewinding everything why Geralt took so long to forgive Yennefer.

(Tissaia was way more developed in the series than in the books to help building the emotions for what is lost and internal struggles for other characters)

Clinging onto the past and repeating history

That you liked it or not, despite being not lore accurate, BO has a lot of circleling and mirroring meta. Elves being the oppressors of dwarves, and humain becoming the oppressor of everyone less. Or the funny parallels between the couple Eile/Fall and Jaskier/Geralt.

The simple story of Merwyn is an example that repeats itself in history. Francesca being her mirror through the length of another elven legend.

The elven queen is one character that is very changed from the books and has a strange setup for later parts with the lodge. But she echoes some other characters, and stories. There was a symbol in S2 with the white rose that was a foreshadowing of what would happen to her as it echoed Sherraewedd of whom we learn the legend of in S3. The same way that elven warrior did, she is the one that may lead her kind of a new path of extinction, sacrificing the squirrels to Emhyr for a land for the rest of them… Cintra in place of Dol Blathanna.

And in the same way if Merwyn who had the well being of her people in mind she clings too long onto legends of the past. Willing to find a new home for them.

Btw, she is set up as a vengeresse willing to burn the world down as everything she loved was taken from her. Does she not remind you of someone who could now do the same for his found family ?

She is the circling history for a part of elven history.

For the human part, still connected to the elves though we have Falka whose story is set up in S2 and nourishes Stregobor hatred. That burning hatred is seen in many characters with the effect it has on them. Ciri relinquishing her powers in order to prevent falling in that pit too is a first step to break the cycle but what is waiting for her is a pit of darkness.

Also we have Istredd the historian that digs to unveil the mystery around the monolithes. Very quickly said in S3 but he knows about the book of Monoliths. Vilgefortz knows already about it and he is yet to unlock their power. That's why he made Istredd prisoner during the coup. That mystery is one of the key component to BO story and the Wild Hunt that is now leaking in our dimension.

And those monoliths were there before the elves came. Dwarves and gnomes venerated them.

I know people are mad about this but I think this is an easy visual anchor for the gates between realities. And if you read the books you know who can travel through dimensions… So yeah. We are circling again there with this.

And now the Thanedd coup is the shock that finally destroys the old system but nothing emerges except chaos and favors Emhyr's. The wipe of the Brotherhood is also a not too subtle nudge to women getting free from patriarchy. In this battle we see the oldest and the male fall one after another. And in this mayhem I have to admit I loved Stregobor last stand. Delightfully twisted and satisfying.

Now there is one final point because one member of the old system has survived a little bit longer…

Tissaia has a bunch of lost children under her care. Every one of them rejects the model she is trying to preserve. She believes in the fragile peace they have created and maintained with the Brotherhood.

Fringilla sees another way with Emhyr and believes in his goal for quite some time, until she has the chance to evolve by herself and she discovers the true face of the emperor.

Working with Dijkstra, Philippa sees the crack in the old system. And she sees the opportunity to take a new turn as it crumbles.

Yennefer doesn't care about the system. She wants to regain control over her life. And she opposes Tissaia on a personal level. But doing so she adds cracks into the walls. She reconnects with her mentor when she becomes a mother to Ciri, seeing finally the mother in her she always has been. Yennefer doesn't protect the old system, fighting by Tissaia's side, she is fighting for her.

The final push that lead Tissaia to commit suicide is Yennefer saying that she is their mother and that they need her. Her children don't need her anymore. She is just a relic of the past. Because they love her, they cling onto her. But they have to fly. We see her abandoning her severe mask and going soft, accepting to lose control. She cuts herself the last string that holds them to the old system. And the Lodge of the Sorceresses is that : a new power emerging from the ashes of the old one.

And there so many other little parallels that I wish I would speak about. Little pieces for us to dig and get the layers under those characters. I didn't even get into the political part. But I have to stop somewhere because I am too long...

OK but why pointing out that repeating history, the past parasitizing the present, all the time. We are going nowhere. Do you think ?

Nenneke said to Ciri that she could be the key to ending the circle of hatred and the young woman idealized it. She doesn't know how. But she wants to put an end to all this. Does she succeed ?

Well I guess that no-one cares now.

The circle of hatred had won on this side of the spheres so...

Empty, without soul, unnecessary, diversity garbage, unfaithful, no actor good enough except one… you are so many so it means you must be right. But still I love this show. I can't help it.

I hope someone would appreciate the effort of the underlying structure of my garbage. Circle and parallels...

#tws3 #i am sometimes passive agressive in there so be warn #critical #both good and bad #spoiler i love the show #if someone has the courage to read all this.... #(i wish it was not limited to 10 pictures) #my potato gifs #long post #review