Summary
- Fire magic is forbidden in The Witcher because of its destructive nature and the corrupting effects it has on those who use it.
- In the show, fire magic is primarily used by Yennefer and other sorceresses, but it comes with a heavy price.
- Despite the risks, characters like Ciri and Stregobor still resort to using fire magic, leading to dangerous consequences and potential corruption.
Netflix’s The Witcher has seen different ways of using magic throughout its two seasons, but a big rule has also been established about it: fire magic is forbidden in The Witcher. The fantasy genre is home to some of the most popular and extensive universes with their own mythologies, and one of the most successful ones in recent years is The Witcher. Created by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher is a series of novels and short stories that became widely popular thanks to their video game adaptations, and it was adapted into a movie and a TV series in Poland in 2001 and 2002.
The Witcher got its first English language adaptation in 2019 thanks to Netflix. The show approached Sapkowski’s stories differently and went for a non-linear narrative while following three characters in different places and points in time, with their paths converging towards the end of the season, but season 2 had a much clearer and easy-to-follow narrative, allowing viewers to get to know the characters easier and deeper. These characters are Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Ciri. Through them, viewers have met different types of Witcher magic, but why is fire magic forbidden in The Witcher?
The Reason Fire Magic Is Forbidden In The Witcher
Fire magic is forbidden in the universe of The Witcher because of its all-consuming nature, and it can have different effects on those who cast it. The other elements of chaos – water, earth, and air – can be creative and destructive forces, but fire stands out because it’s the only one that can destroy and consume. To channel it, the practitioner has to lean into the negative forces within them, which is why Yennefer focused on their inner rage to bring fire. The power of fire magic can easily corrupt those who survive using it, as happened with Rience and almost to Ciri in the books. It’s understandable why it’s considered one of the forbidden magic practices.
Fire Magic In The Witcher Seasons 1 & 2
Throughout The Witcher, fire magic came from Yennefer and her fellow sorceresses, while Ciri started showing the first signs of her immense power but without any control over it. The sorceresses ed forces in season 1’s finale during the Battle of Sodden Hill, and at one point, Triss Merigold mentioned that fire magic is one of the forbidden magic practices along with demonology and necromancy, but Fringilla didn’t care. Triss was right, and the mages working for Fringilla and the Nilfgaardian army were consumed by their own magic right after casting massive fireballs against their enemies.
Yennefer later learned the price of using fire magic when she channeled all her chaos to cast it and defeat the Nilfgaardians, and while she didn’t die, she lost her chaos and was left powerless through season 2. The mages working for Fringilla were immediately consumed by fire magic, but the price for such power isn’t always the life of those who cast it. Yennefer survived but lost her connection to chaos. Then there’s Rience, who primarily uses fire magic, especially to torture others, like Jaskier. Rience explained to Jaskier that in order to channel fire, you have to sacrifice something, as this specific magic extracts a heavy price, and in his case, it was his soul.
Fire Magic In The Witcher Season 3
Fire magic in The Witcher returned in season 3, and it is clear that there are plenty of cases of people using the forbidden magic regardless of the repercussions. In season 3, Ciri went down a path that could lead to a very dark turn when she decided to use fire magic on The Witcher, despite it being taboo and extremely dangerous. However, it didn't start with Ciri in the new season. Instead, Stregobor delivered a scene-stealing use of fire magic during the battle between Nilfgaard and Redania. He used the fire magic during season 3’s finale to allow his fellow mages to escape the Scoia'tael warriors.
However, as mentioned, Ciri also used fire magic in The Witcher season 3 finale. She arrived in the Korath desert through the Tor Lara portal and has visions of her mother, Pavett, and grandmother Calanthe. This was all brought about by Falka, and she convinces Ciri to use fire magic in The Witcher to heal the unicorn. Luckily, while Ciri went deep to use the fire magic, she wouldn't let go and use it in battle. Falka wanted her to use fire magic for revenge against the Continent, but Ciri gave up her magic at the end to stop her visions of Geralt and Yennefer, saving herself for now from the corruption fire magic brings.
