In “The Witcher” season 2, there is a lot of discussion regarding Elder blood, specifically on how Ciri (Freya Allan) may be the “Child of Elder Blood,” a legendary mage of great power who will usher in a new era and exact vengeance on the Elves.
In the world of “The Witcher,” there are many distinct kinds of magic, including that of the Witchers and the Chaos, which is employed by most mages. However, what does having Elder blood signify and how is that magic distinct? Let’s examine the lineage of the most powerful family on the Continent, Princess Cirilla, a gifted mage who has already altered the path of history.
There are minor “The Witcher” season 2 spoilers ahead.
From Lara to Ciri
The second season of “The Witcher” opens with Ciri and Geralt pausing en route to Kaer Morhen to spend the night at the expansive manor of the cursed Nivellen (Kristofer Hivju). He tells Ciri the tale of “The Fall of the Elders,” in which an elf and a human who fell in love and had a child together perished soon after the kid was born. The sorrowful tale doesn’t seem to have much to do with our protagonists until Ciri and Triss (Anna Shaffer) begin looking into Ciri’s background.
Triss attempts to transfer Ciri and herself into Ciri’s past using strong magic in episode 5, “Turn Your Back,” but the spell escapes Triss. She loses control of the investigation, and they arrive at a burned-out, barren field where an injured Elven woman is holding a baby. The Feainnewedd flower, which also flowered in Kaer Morhen where Ciri’s blood fell, is all around her. The elf is Lara Dorren, Ciri’s ancestor who had aspirations of bringing humans and elves together but was bitter enough to curse humanity instead.
The Elves developed the mutant gene known as elder blood in an effort to produce a mage who would be more powerful than any other and capable of opening portals between realms. Many people believed Lara to be the last person with the gene and that she also marked the end of Elder blood. Instead, they learn that Ciri is a Lara descendant who has had her Elder blood activated as a result of another carrier getting married into the family.
Tracking a Magical Lineage
Because the Elder blood gene requires another latent gene to be “activated,” this is one of the reasons why some people believed it was disappeared. Male Elder blood carriers don’t have any particular abilities, but they can carry the gene to their offspring. The gene is most likely found on the X chromosome, however two copies of the gene are needed for it to function according to our understanding of science. Some XX people only have one X where the Elder blood is present; they are therefore carriers without the power. Likewise, XY carriers don’t show any powers. But what happens if the genetics of a XX carrier and an XY carrier are correct and they conceive a child? Ciri, a.k.a. the Child of Elder Blood, is what you receive.
High fantasy rarely incorporates any sort of scientific knowledge, but “The Witcher’s” ancestry is intricate and interesting. They use Elder blood to make the potion that produces new Witchers since Triss can detect the Elder blood gene through a straightforward blood test. Together, magic and science enrich the world of “The Witcher” with a richness.
At least now that Ciri’s name and powerful bloodline have been revealed, we know why everyone is so keen to capture her.
Season 2 of “The Witcher” is currently available on Netflix.
