‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’: Will the Spinoff Series Have Complex Timelines Like the Original Series?

An aspect of The Witcher that had fans scratching their heads was its timeline. While watching the first season, the plot would get confusing as fans simultaneously watched three different timelines. Fans saw the past of both Geralt and Yennefer while watching Ciri’s current timeline. But it leads to wonder if The Witcher: Blood Origin will also follow its predecessor’s complex plot using different timelines.

‘The Witcher’ showed Yennefer’s backstory years before Geralt’s and Ciri’s

The Netflix series has three primary timelines that fans were able to figure out. Yennefer’s story is first in the sequence and takes place in 1210 before what fans see with Geralt. It is important to remember that while at Aretuza and becoming a mage, Yennefer ages slower than the rest. It means she has looked the same for years and is almost ageless.

At some point, Geralt’s story also occurs when he meets Renfri. But the second timeline mainly focuses on Geralt’s time with Jaskier and their adventures. After Renfri, there is a 30-year time jump to when the infamous Witcher meets the bard. During this time, fans see all the fun mishaps, the Djinn, and Geralt track a dragon. Also, Yennefer learns the truth about the Law of Surprise and her feelings toward Geralt.

The second timeline can later be tied into the third when Geralt invoked the Law of Surprise over Pavetta’s future child. The third timeline is Ciri’s and takes place throughout The Witcher. Unlike the others, everything happening to Ciri is the present and soon intersects with Geralt’s story. The timelines needed a detailed breakdown, but The Witcher: Blood Origin will keep things a lot simpler.

Fans do not have to worry about timelines in ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’

Netflix Tudum spoke with the creator of The Witcher: Blood Origin to flesh out what fans can expect and look forward to from the spinoff series. One of the important questions is whether The Witcher: Blood Origin will also have complex timelines that fans have to take notes on.

“This is more of a straightforward linear run. It’s the same timeline, so you don’t have to worry about that part when you’re watching,” creator Declan de Barra explains. Fans can breathe easier knowing the spinoff will be easier to follow.

But fans will want to keep an eye on all the storyline reveals as The Witcher: Blood Origin works as backstory to the events and includes Easter eggs from the original series. “Blood Origin sets up certain core characters and fan favorites from the books in the later Witcher series. There are items and discoveries that are made in this world that play off in later seasons of The Witcher and have critical effects on the storyline,” explains the creator.

The spinoff series takes fans deep into the history of the elven people before human reign

In The Witcher, humans are at the top of the hierarchy throughout the Continent. But fans know that the elven people hiding once had a rich past to the land taken from them. The Witcher: Blood Origin is meant to tell their story in a 4-episode limited series.

The story begins a thousand years before the events of Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer, and Ciri. While having a well-rounded group of characters, the series focuses on Éile (Sophia Brown), Fjall (Laurence O’Fuarain), and Scian (Michelle Yeoh).

Éile was once a warrior in the queen’s guard who decided to leave it all behind to become a traveling musician. Scian was once part of the Ghost Clan, which a vengeful king eradicated. She lives as a hermit until Éile finds her. Brewing with grief and revenge, Scian seeks to recover a special sword of her people.

Fjall was born into his role as the muscle and guard of the Dog Clan. But behind the brute is a man who has become wounded due to loss.

Fans will soon see these characters’ journey in The Witcher: Blood Origin on Dec. 25.