The Witcher season 4 ending explained: What happened to Geralt?

The Witcher season 4 conclusion features huge shifts across The Continent. Following the Battle of the Bridge, Geralt of Rivia survives his injuries and is knighted by Queen Meve for his bravery, gaining him the title "Geralt of Rivia."

But his new loyalty puts him at odds with Nilfgaard and Emperor Emhyr's increasing political ambitions. Yennefer departs after chasing Vilgefortz into a magical storm, and we don't know what happens to her.

At the same time, bounty hunter Leo Bonhart catches Ciri, who now goes by Falka, after killing her gang, the Rats. As Emhyr carries out a hidden scheme related to Geralt's history, fate begins to drag their paths together once more.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers. Read at your own discretion.

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What happened in The Witcher season 4?

The Witcher (Image via Netflix)

In The Witcher season 4, the finale intertwines Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri’s fates through loss, power, and prophecy. Geralt’s quest to rescue Ciri leads him into the Battle of the Bridge, where Queen Meve knights him for valor.

Ironically, “Geralt of Rivia,” a name he once fabricated, becomes real. The title, however, binds him to royal duty, forcing him to choose between loyalty and family.

While Geralt’s knighthood cements his legend, Emhyr of Nilfgaard plots his downfall. Believing that Geralt’s survival prevents him from reclaiming Ciri, Emhyr orders his adviser Stefan Skellen to eliminate the Witcher. Using Renfri’s brooch, a token from Geralt’s past, the Emperor summons a monster tied to the Witcher’s scent.

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Why did Leo Bonhart capture Ciri?

Elsewhere, The Witcher season 4 shifts focus to Ciri’s darker transformation. Now living as Falka, she runs with a gang called the Rats. Her life of rebellion ends abruptly when Bonhart, a mercenary hired by Skellen, slaughters the Rats in front of her. He spares Ciri, not out of mercy but fascination. Bonhart sees in her a reflection of his own brutality and wants to shape her into a weapon.

Ciri’s arc represents a battle between identity and destiny. Once a princess, now a fugitive, she faces her inner conflict head-on. Her time with Bonhart strips away the illusions of safety, forcing her to confront the violent world she was born into.

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Yennefer’s disappearance

Yennefer’s mission in The Witcher season 4 centers on reclaiming control of magic and stopping Vilgefortz. After rallying the mages at Montecalvo and witnessing Istredd’s sacrifice to restore the portals, she vows to confront Vilgefortz herself.

With Triss’ reluctant help, Yennefer opens a portal using blood magic and steps through, only to find herself stranded in a raging sea. The last image of her, pulled into a vortex, leaves her fate uncertain.

Her disappearance represents both sacrifice and rebirth. Yennefer’s choice to chase Vilgefortz alone underscores her belief that peace can only be achieved through risk. Her journey into the unknown suggests a transition from power seeker to protector, echoing her earlier promise to make the world safe for Ciri’s return.

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Emhyr’s next move

The Witcher (Image via Netflix)

By the end of The Witcher season 4, Emhyr’s ambitions turn personal. His political claim to Cintra remains unstable, and the prophecy he wishes to fulfill through Ciri slips further from his grasp. His desperation grows as he realizes that destiny favors Geralt’s bond with Ciri. The finale reveals his intent to sever that connection permanently.

Emhyr’s final scene, in which he uses Renfri’s brooch to summon a creature, sets up a deadly confrontation. His manipulation of relics from Geralt’s past shows how entwined the Witcher’s humanity is with his greatest threat.

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Stribog and Nimue

Adding Stribog and Nimue to The Witcher season 4 changes the story into a legend that is told again a hundred years later. Stribog tells the story of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer. At first, Nimue is only a curious youngster, but she becomes a magician who wants to find out how she is connected to Ciri. Their scenes make it seem like the events of the series are already part of myth.

This story tool connects the past and the future, suggesting that Nimue's fate may help Ciri come back. It also reinforces one of the main ideas of the series: that stories, like magic, change over time as people remember them.

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The Witcher season 4 and the previous seasons are available for online streaming on Netflix.

Edited by Bea Melisse Ibañez