Very powerful, fire magic is used by Yennefer at the end of season 1 of The Witcher in order to put an end to the battle of Sodden Hill. But the use of this forbidden magic is not without consequences…
Spoiler alert, this article discusses specific plot points from The Witcher seasons 1 and 2.
The world of The Witcher, season 2 of which was released on Netflix last December, is populated by witchers and magicians, all of whom have extraordinary abilities, which they use for good or bad depending on their personality. However, there are a few rules in this universe invented by the Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
Several forms of magic are for example prohibited: demonology, necromancy and fire magic, as indicated by Triss Merigold (Anna Shaffer) in the first season. And if everything related to fire is not accepted by magicians, it is quite simply because it is far too destructive a magic.
The proof: in the last episode of the first season, the mages whom Fringilla (Mimi Ndiweni) forces to conjure fireballs during the battle of Sodden Hill crumble into dust immediately afterwards. The powerful Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), meanwhile, survives the use of this form of magic, but nevertheless pays the price by completely losing her powers as a result of her prowess, which at least defeats the Nilfgaard army.
The fire demands a sacrifice
It is its devouring aspect, which consumes everything, whether it is the life of those who try it or their powers, which makes fire magic so dangerous and therefore prohibited. However, this prohibition is not always respected. Introduced in season 2, the evil magician Rience (Chris Fulton) is indeed a follower of this magic, which he uses in particular to torture Dandelion (Joey Batey).
But there again, it is not without consequence. Rience thus explains to the bard that “fire is a forbidden source because it usually consumes those who draw from it. Unless you are very talented”. And clarifies:So the body can resist it, but it consumes the soul”.
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Contrary to the other elements of chaos – the name given to the force allowing the characters of The Witcher to obtain powers – which are water, earth and air and which can be destructive but also creative, fire cannot than to destroy and consume. Only negative thoughts can channel it.
That’s why it was by tapping into her anger and rage that had been building up for years that Yennefer was able to let her chaos explode, allowing her to conjure up a sea of fire at the end of the first season. Such power can therefore easily corrupt the people who use it, as happened to Rience.
Our interview with the actors of The Witcher for the release of the second season: