What fun is a TV show with no Easter eggs? Attentive viewers may be able to spot some interesting details in the first season of The Witcher, including some that give away bits of plot. Some things may be more for those who have already read the books or played the games, but there are still some cool details for those who are strictly viewers of the show.
Not all of them are visual details, either; some are comments made by characters that are easily missed on a first watch. Here are a few things that might not have stuck out on the first viewing of the show.
The Roar in Ciri's Scream
There are a few times in the show when Ciri reveals she has the same powerful magic scream that her mother did. But if listening closely, viewers can hear the sound of a lion's roar within the scream. Given that Calanthe refers to it as "your grandmother's gift" when talking to Pavetta, and that a lion is their family crest, it may be a hint that this particular power has been in the family for generations.
It may also be connected to their refusal to have mage advisors from Aretuza. It happens every time Ciri does her magic scream, so there are multiple opportunities to hear it.
"Ciri" & the Silver Cup
When Cahir catches "Cirilla," he offers her a cup of water to calm her down. She refuses, but as soon as he turns his back on her it's revealed that Ciri is actually the doppler that's changed into her form. While it may not be obvious the first time through, it becomes clear on a second viewing that the doppler refused the cup not to look scared, but because the cup is silver.
It had already been established that dopplers are injured by silver, but this detail is easy to misinterpret as Ciri (the doppler) just distrusting the man who caught her.
Borch's Clothes
When the team makes it up the mountain to find the dragon, it's revealed that Borch is actually a gold dragon. This was hard to see coming since there was no indication in any of what was said that dragons could transform into a human shape.
But on a second viewing, one may notice something about his clothes: They look like golden scales. His companions Tea and Vea also appear to have scaly armor, but for different reasons.
Renfri Name-Dropping Calanthe
The most confusing thing about the show for viewers has been the much-maligned timeline. Since there are three timelines going on at once for the first portion of The Witcher, it's hard to make connections. However, Renfri actually dropped a big fat hint in episode 1 for those paying attention.
When she's explaining to Geralt why she wants to kill Stregobor, she starts talking about how she could've been great and then compares herself to Queen Calanthe, who just won her first battle. The same battle that Cirilla mentions her grandmother fought at her age.
Calanthe's Sash
Calanthe's sash is taken from her corpse by Mousesack and later used by the doppler to deceive Ciri. Ciri takes the sash as proof that the doppler is really Mousesack. But those who are watching closely will notice that same sash in another important scene: Pavetta and Duny's marriage.
The ceremony involves binding their hands together with a sash, and it so happens that the same one was used. This was the same night that Ciri became Geralt's child of surprise. That gives it extra meaning for Cirilla, whether she's aware of this history or not.
The King's Joke With Ciri
When King Eist is joking with Ciri in the throne room, he makes a joke about her losing at knucklebones because a horse showed up. More specifically, he makes a joke about how she at least didn't crap her pants. While mildly funny at first, it could actually be considered a callback to the night Ciri became Geralt's child surprise.
When asked to regale everyone with his tale of killing elves, Geralt instead told everyone he nearly had his throat cut, but at least he didn't crap his pants. Then, in typical Geralt fashion, rather rudely added that he couldn't expect the same from any of them.
Three Spheres On the Dance Floor
The Brotherhood participates in a ball where Fringilla is introduced to the king of Aedirn. When Yennefer walks in unannounced, there are several shots that show the ballroom floor. While hard to tell from the angles it is shown, it looks as though the floor may have a representation of the three spheres mentioned in the Brotherhood's initiation ceremony.
Sabrina's is the only initiation the viewer gets to see any of, but she does make a promise about the three spheres. There are several other representations of the spheres in other scenes of the academy, but this one might slip by unnoticed.
That Parenthood Mystery
Though it passes by pretty quickly, this particular detail could be very significant to Geralt's history. In a flashback, it's revealed that Geralt's mother was Visenna, who is also shown to be a sorceress when she floats an apple down to him and again when she heals him. There's just one problem with that: The viewer has already been shown how and why mages are sterile in graphic detail.
As Yennefer demonstrates, female mages use their womb to enchant themselves after initiation into the Brotherhood. So how exactly could Geralt's mom be a sorceress? Was he born before her initiation? Book fans may know the answer, but it's not explained in season 1.
Tea & Vea's Swords
The two warriors who accompany the dragon Borch are pretty intimidating at first sight. A closer examination reveals a few more interesting details, like the marks on their temples, the tooth-like necklaces, and the double-heads on their swords. In the scene on the mountain, where viewers get one of a select few close-ups of the pair, the hilts of both their swords are shown to have a two-faced head on them.
One face appears to be screaming and the other appears calm. Though it's not clear what this might mean, it is an interesting choice considering the close bond they seem to have with each other.
The Daisies in Yennefer's Test
Yennefer is introduced in an unfortunate scene where she's bullied by a young couple. The boy of that couple had just given his girlfriend some daisies, which she threw on the ground. When Yennefer picks them up, this sparks a confrontation. Later in the same episode, Yennefer has her first test in Aretuza, where she's expected to make a rock float while taking the energy from a flower.
Eagle-eyed viewers may notice that it's the same kind of flower from the bullying scene. It makes sense, but it's also sad that Tissaia does a different kind of bullying; she lets Fringilla wither her hand before showing them how to do the task correctly, just to make a point.