Yennefer’s story in The Witcher season 3 is an improvement from her story in season 2, but she’s still suffering from those controversial changes.
Yennefer of Vengerberg has her powers back in The Witcher season 3, and while she has a much better story this season, she’s still suffering from the controversial changes she went through in season 2. After a couple of controversies in its second season, Netflix’s The Witcher is back with a third season, which will be a turning point for the series. The Witcher season 3 is Henry Cavill’s last as Geralt of Rivia, with Liam Hemsworth taking over in season 4, but in terms of narrative, season 3 is also changing the course of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer’s stories.
The Witcher season 3 sees Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer finally together and doing their best to stay together and safe as half the Continent wants to capture Ciri. However, it wasn’t easy for Geralt to trust Yennefer again, but the sorceress eventually regained his trust and love. Yennefer’s relationship with Geralt and Ciri isn’t the only connection she had to fix in The Witcher season 3, and while this season gave her a better story than season 2 did, she’s still suffering from the controversial book changes of the previous season.
How The Witcher Season 2 Changed Yennefer (& Why It Was Controversial)
Yennefer’s story in The Witcher season 1 ended on a cliffhanger as after using the forbidden practice of fire magic, she disappeared at the end of the Battle of Sodden Hill. Season 2 revealed Yennefer was found by Fringilla and the Nilfgaardian army and taken as their prisoner, and to Yennefer’s surprise, she no longer had her powers. Yennefer and Fringilla were later captured by the elves, and along with Francesca Findabair, she was taken to the Voleth Meir. Each women made a different deal with the Deathless Mother according to their personal needs and goals, and what Yennefer wanted was to get her chaos back.
After freeing Cahir just as he was about to be executed, reuniting with Jaskier, and rescuing the bard from Rience, Yennefer was captured by Redanian guards. While restrained, Yennefer communicated with the Voleith Meir, who offered her a deal: in order to get her chaos back, she had to deliver Ciri to her. Yennefer found Ciri and Geralt and tricked the Princess into going to Cintra to supposedly rescue Geralt, but she was actually going to hand Ciri to the Voleth Meir. Yennefer eventually redeemed herself by sacrificing herself at the end of The Witcher season 2 so the Voleth Meir would leave Ciri’s body.
Yennefer’s changes in The Witcher season 2 were controversial for different reasons. First, the series left Yennefer powerless through the majority of season 2, and second (and most important), she betrayed Geralt and put Ciri in great danger for her personal benefit. In the books, Yennefer and Ciri have a mother/daughter-like bond, far from the predatory behavior she showed throughout season 2. The changes to Yennefer’s story in The Witcher season 2 also made her sacrifice hard to believe, and though season 3 tried to fix season 2’s Yennefer mess, the character suffered from those controversial decisions.
Yennefer’s Story In The Witcher Season 3 Is Hurt By Season 2
The Witcher season 3 finally gave the audience the Yennefer/Ciri bond that was expected to happen in season 2, but even though Yennefer’s story was better, it was hurt by the mistakes of season 2. At the beginning of The Witcher season 3, Geralt couldn’t even be in the same room as Yennefer and understandably so, but Ciri had no problem in spending time with Yennefer. The sorceress started training Ciri so she can control and channel her magic, and while Ciri made a cheeky reference to Yennefer being close to giving Ciri to the Voleth Meir, they brushed it off as if none of that had ever happened.
Yennefer and Geralt’s reconciliation was a long-awaited moment, but it happened too easily. Yennefer put both Ciri and Geralt in great danger in The Witcher season 2, and while their shared interest in keeping Ciri brought them together, they got back together too quickly. Yennefer’s story in The Witcher season 3 was a lot better than the one she was given in season 2, but those controversial season 2 changes made her actions in season 3 hard to believe, also creating a disconnection between both seasons.
Will The Witcher Ever Properly Fix Its Yennefer Problems?
The changes made to Yennefer’s story in The Witcher season 2 might have repercussions beyond season 3. No matter how much Yennefer does for Ciri and Geralt, it will be hard to unsee and forget that she would put others in danger for her own benefit if she’s desperate. The Witcher’s Yennefer problems could be fixed if the creative team behind the series remains loyal to the source material from now on, thus giving Yennefer much more interesting and compelling stories that allow the audience to connect with her. Yennefer still has a lot to do to repair the damage she left in The Witcher season 2, and while it’s not impossible for the series to fix its Yennefer problems, it won’t be an easy task.
