The Witcher has a wide variety of villains, all of them compelling. But none quite exuded the same menacing feeling as The Wild Hunt. Here's The Wild Hunt explained and why they are targeting Ciri.
The Witcher Season 3 is entering its second half and if you haven't played the games, you might be wondering, who or what is The Wild Hunt and why are they pursuing Ciri? We've got the answer to that question.
Oh, and spoiler alert, as we get into the endgame content of the franchise, so beware!
The Enigmatic Wild Hunt in The Witcher
The Wild Hunt, or the Wraiths of Mörhogg as they are sometimes called, are an enigmatic group in the universe of The Witcher.
They are perceived by most as harbingers of misfortune and death, creating a sense of dread and fear wherever they appear. They're pretty much the Nazgul of the The Witcher universe and pose a major threat to the main cast and especially Ciri.
These spectral riders are actually elves that hail from the world of Aen Elle. They are able to cross the barriers between worlds and stem from a dimension where the elves didn't get subjugated by humans and are instead invading the world of Geralt & friends to enslave humans.
Wild Hunt: Riders of Aen Elle
The Wild Hunt is led by Eredin Bréacc Glas, the King of the Aen Elle elves. They are known to traverse across dimensions, manifesting in different worlds. In their home world, they are corporeal beings, but in others, they appear as spectral apparitions. Their presence in any world is often followed by a wave of cold and frost.
While this all sounds pretty badass, they play a pretty minor role in the books, but really got their time in the spotlight with CD Projekt Red's The Witcher: Wild Hunt. In that game, they were the main antagonist and biggest threat to Ciri and Geralt.
The Wild Hunt’s Pursuit of Ciri
Now, one may wonder why the Wild Hunt is relentlessly trying to get their bony hands on Ciri. The answer lies in her lineage and her inherited powers. Ciri, a Child of the Elder Blood, possesses the power to travel across space and time.
It's this power that the Wild Hunt wants to exploit to conquer all the worlds. They believe by using Ciri they will gain unbridled control over space and time, enabling them to rule over all dimensions.
Ciri's lineage traces back to Lara Dorren, an elven sorceress, and her human lover, Cregennan of Lod. This mixed lineage grants Ciri her unique abilities.
We don't know which direction the Netflix series will take, as they even claim that their switch to Liam Hemsworth will be “book accurate”: