The Witcher Season 3 Part 1: What happened at the Mage Ball at the end

Here’s a hoax setup: Geralt and Yen enter a party.

As far-fetched as that may seem—perhaps especially considering Geralt (Henry Cavill), who after three seasons has had very little interest in social events—it is actually the premise of one of the world’s most risqué adventures The Witcher still.

The magician’s ball, which opens the peace conclave prepared by Yen (Anya Chalotra), is at first glance just a fancy dance. But as you may have heard (often) while watching the fifth episode of the third season: All is not as it seems. As Geralt and Yen find out, the party was more of a nest of deviousness, politics, and performative magic.

Suffice it to say that the continent will not be the same after the Conclave, for reasons that the end of Season 3 Part 1 only hints at. If all Rashomon-ing got your head spinning a bit, here’s what you need to know about all the political power that has entered this space – and what it has brought with it:

[Ed. note: Spoilers for all five episodes of The Witcher season 3 part 1.]

Image: Netflix

Nilfgaard is suspicious

All we can say about Nilfgaard’s machinations in episode 5 is: They intend to something! Lydia van Bredevoort (Aisha Fabienne Ross), the link between Rience (Chris Fulton) and whoever she works for, scurries mysteriously and in her best illusion face. Although Geralt and Yen hear a lot about traitors possibly working with Nilfgaard, they mostly ignore it for the main event of the evening.

Stregobor, the Mages, and the Wizards’ Brotherhood all fight (sometimes against each other).

Image: Netflix

Image: Netflix

Geralt and Yen enter the ball with a clear goal: to find evidence against Stregobor (Lars Mikkelsen). They suspect him of supporting Rience the fire mage based on the compelling evidence that he uses illusions, hates yen, and has a history of conducting experiments on young women. “If Stregobor is behind this, he’s a traitor to the Brotherhood,” Yen notes in Episode 4, setting the table for their trap at the Conclave.

Luckily, Triss (Anna Shaffer) and Istredd (Royce Pierreson) have their suspicions too, having observed a number of strange things happening in Aretuza, including the disappearance of girls of Elven descent and… Book of Monoliths. This book (also presented in The Witcher spin off blood lineage) allows the user to travel through time and space, so they emphasize that Stregobor must be stopped tonight.

Geralt and Yen hatch a plan to create enough distraction for Yen to get into Stregobor’s office and find the damning evidence – namely the book, a list of the elf students in Aretuza, and some jewelry belonging to the kidnapped girls. Tissaia (MyAnna Buring) and Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) arrest Stregobor until the end of the conclave.

Tissaia takes over Book of Monoliths and tells Yen and Geralt that they “saved the night”. Their success gives them plenty of good vibes and the opportunity to say “I love you” and retire to their room for a long night of relaxation other strange moments of the night (among others).

Dijkstra, Philippa and the Redanians also have plans

Photo: Susie Allnutt/Netflix

The Redanians have spent most of the season capitalizing on their vast network of whispers. Dijkstra (Graham McTavish) and Philippa (Cassie Clare) have attempted to take control of Redania by manipulating the king and using Radovid (Hugh Skinner) to win over Jaskier (Joey Batey).

They come to the conclave under duress – the king mourns the loss of his wife (who had killed Dijkstra and Philippa without his knowledge) and orders her presence – but still spent much of the episode working on their plan. Dijkstra takes Geralt aside and speaks of “traitors who will soon turn their allegiance to Nilfgaard and not to the North” and that unrest is brewing in Aretuza. “One would be wise to give up neutrality and choose sides,” he continues, telling Geralt that Redania is the “only hope” to keep Ciri (Freya Allan) safe.

Meanwhile, Philippa takes Yen aside to talk somewhat vaguely about Lydia van Bredevoort, Phillipa’s friendship with Tissaia, and the Battle of Sodden. She says she believes Tissaia and the Brotherhood of Wizards are doomed, but that she and Yen are built differently. “We break rules, we are not afraid of power. There’s still hope for you,” insists Philippa, speaking of traitors “who are already working with Nilfgaard.” She continues, “But if Tissaia and you stick to this plan, none of you will be better off than poor Lydia: in love with a poison that’s slowly killing you.” And though Yen walks away and doesn’t hear it, Philippa murmurs: “Tonight means everything.” to us

Ultimately, Yen and Geralt piece together their warnings just enough to understand some of their other interactions and realize—perhaps too late—that Vilgefortz is the poison slowly killing Lydia and the one conducting the experiments on the girls who found Geralt in Episode 2.

The end of Geralt and Yen season 3 brings it all together

Photo: Susan Allnutt/Netflix

So where is our intrepid main couple? Well, they’re a little behind the times. In the final moments of the episode, they put this Stregobor together was not behind the experiments, the kidnapping and the powerful book reading; Vilgefortz was. Stregobor is just an elfin racist who’s been tricked.

But Vilgefortz’ web of lies seems to go even further. As Geralt and Yen find out in the cold daylight (after talking all night), Vilgefortz is also the one who corrupted Yen’s portal and nearly killed her, matched Tissaia twice with Lydia, and sent Rience off on Ciri.

What’s worse, he doesn’t seem very confident that the Conclave will actually bring peace, talking to Geralt about “the battle ahead” and wishing him the best of luck (although his well-wishes are dripping with foreboding and seem well-tuned). there will be a showdown in the second part of the season). And sure enough, Geralt ends Volume 1 of Season 3 with a knife to his throat and Dijkstra tells him, “You should have chosen a side, witcher.”

Ultimately, the game is set for the event that will turn everything upside down and reveal the darkness that really reigns on the continent. Unfortunately for Geralt and Yen, this threat is no joke either. We’ll learn more when Volume 2 of The Witcher Season 3 will be released on Netflix on July 27 with three episodes.