It should come as no surprise to many fans that Ciri is the protagonist of The Witcher 4, considering it felt like a natural progression of the story following Wild Huntbut it was surprising to see her as a witch. For those unfamiliar with the lore and requirements for being a witch, this may seem strange considering the title of the series, but the fact that Ciri is a witch seems to contradict the franchise's lore, even though she has the training. Very few can become witches, and Ciri shouldn't be one of those few.
Despite this, Ciri has taken the reins of Geralt for one of gaming's most anticipated titles and is more than a Witcher in name only. Previously, she was often called Witch Girl derisively, usually by Bonhartdue to her fighting style imitating those trained in Kaer Morhen, but it seems she has become a real witch now. She could even be the only female witch in the world, which raises some questions about how this contradicts the lore written by Andrzej Sapkowski, author of The wizard series.
Ciri is now a witch in the first trailer for The Witcher 4
She is no longer the mistress of space and time
There's no denying that Ciri is now a full-fledged witch in The Witcher 4first trailer. Although many theorized that if Ciri became the protagonist of a new game, she would be a witch in name only; however, his cat eyes, Lynx School medallion, and use of potions in the cinematic trailer all indicate that Ciri has undergone mutations, similar to Geralt and Eskel before her. She has always fought like a witch and now has the necessary mutations, but there are some strange things about Ciri compared to her. Wild Hunt self.
Ciri was known as the Mistress of Space and Time, although it appears she has lost her interdimensional powerswhich would have quickly resolved the monster she faced. Instead, Ciri uses more conventional magical spells and Witcher tools to get the job done, implying that she has lost the powers that made her unique, but not her status as Source. She can still use magic to a level beyond most Witchers, but it still raises the question of how she was able to undergo the mutations.
What are the “rules” for being a wizard in the franchise canon?
Only boys can pass the trial of grasses
It is explicitly said that Only boys can go through the Grass Trail to become Witchesand most who try end up dying. The process kills adults because their bodies are not as malleable to mutations, and the process is necessary to allow Wizards to have the biology necessary to take potions and use their magical Signs. The process has been tried on girls before, but none survived. Ciri is neither man nor child, but is now a witch, going against tradition, at least on the surface.
One adult survived a form of the Path of Grasses, being Avallac'h when he was transformed into Uma by Eredin; however, this process was neither complete nor typical, as Avallac'h was cursed and his biology was unique as a result. After the Trial of the Grasses comes the Path of Dreams, which gives Witchers their night vision, then the Trial of the Mountainwhere Witchers implement their previous training. The final, optional stage is the Path of the Sword, where aspiring wizards hunt a monster of their master's choosing or face off against another wizard in training.
How Ciri could still be a witch in 4 – and what that could mean for the story
Ciri's unique biology is the key to getting her through the trails
Ciri is unique and always has been. She has the Elder Blood and even without her space-time powers, she is a Source capable of using powerful magic. Her unique biology could mean she could survive the Witch Trialsdespite being an adult and a woman. Instead of there being witches, there is only one witch, Ciri, due to her older blood. Her cat eyes meant she should have survived the Grass Trail, but being a Source, she might be more receptive to the magical elixirs needed to transform her body.
Ciri's Elder Blood has been a tool to explain many things in The wizardstory, like her having dreams about the future, then going to the future to meet the Lady of the Lake, or even traveling to Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. Its biology is so unique and sought after that could probably be used to explain his survival of the Witch Trials. Becoming sterile would also have helped Ciri be less hunted, as people in the games and books would move heaven and earth to try to get her to have children.
It will take some work from CD Projekt Red to explain how Ciri is a Witch, but her Elder Blood and status as a Source could help explain how she can do many things that others cannot. If she is the only female witch, and it is stated that she survived because of her unique biology or that she was able to pass through an alternate form of the Grass Path because she is a Source, that won't break the tradition much. . Still, Ciri would have been a worthy protagonist The Witcher 4whether she was one or not.
Source: The Wizard IV/YouTube
The Witcher IV
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The wizard
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