With the new Netflix series dropping its first season (of an apparently planned seven), it seems like a better time than ever to talk about the famous Witcher franchise. This series of games and shows were all based on the books created by Andrzej Sapkowski while the game development was headed by CD Projekt Red, both of which are Polish entities.
Geralt of Rivia is the protag, and we follow him as he goes around killing monsters to either escape destiny, find destiny, or ignore it altogether. This destiny has a name, and her name is Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, or Ciri for short. She's a favorite for everyone including gaming fans, film fans, and even statue creators. Ciri is a Source who has Elder Blood in her veins, meaning she is one of the most powerful entities in existence. But, what exactly can Ciri do that our main character can't? Here are 10 such things only Ciri can do that even Geralt can't.
10 She Can Get Yennefer To Listen To Her
Now again, Ciri is basically Geralt's daughter, not by blood, but by bond. And, her surrogate mother is Yennefer of Vengerberg. This Sorceress desperately craved a child during the latter half of her century-long life and finally found one in Ciri. Both Yen and Geralt can't have children due to their magic and mutations, so Ciri is a blessing to both of them. And, like most couples, they bicker often. Sometimes jokingly, other times not so much.
But one thing that always follows is that Yen does what she wants, and rarely listens to Geralt. However, her stubbornness is finally trumped by her maternal instincts, as she listens to Ciri multiple times throughout the books and games.
9 She Could Lead A Country If She Wanted
Ciri is a MacGuffin in human form. A MacGuffin is an item, object, or person that is all-important solely for the purpose of the plot. Ciri is that times 10. She's got Elder Blood, she's a source, she's the rightful ruler of Cintra, she's the daughter of the ruler of Nilfgaard, she's a Witcher, she's part of a prophecy, and she's a sorceress. But the question is, would she really be better as a Witcher, or as a ruler?
Again, Ciri is the Daughter of Pavetta Fiona Elen who was the Daughter of Queen Calanthe of Cintra. Then, after the country is overthrown by Nilfgaard, it's discovered that her father (the one who married Pavetta) was the ruler of this country the whole time.
8 She Can Use Higher-Level Magic
Witchers by default can only use the most basic of magic with their Signs. These are five symbols they make with their hands that allow them to perform incredibly basic spells like making a barrier or pushing an object from afar. Ciri is different, she's a Source, a powerful human connected to ancient magic that allows her to perform some truly high-level magic.
Thankfully, her foster mother is one of the most powerful Sorceresses in existence, so she has a great teacher. Ciri is a true battlemage of a Witcher, being able to rely on both her magical and physical skills to take down any opponent. While, in contrast. Geralt only has his signs and his potions, though Ciri can't drink any of those, so it goes both ways.
7 She Can Use Time & Space Magic
And, similarly, Ciri's special birth and blood allow her to perform magic no one else is capable of. The High-level spells we talked about before are powerful, but the stronger mages and Sorcerers can cast them as well.
These spells, however, are specific to Ciri. In the games, these spells are usually color-coded a sort of seafoam green color, to show that Ciri is using her unique powers to phase-dash, level messages behind, and buff her sword. The bigger example is Ciri's portals that can take her through time and space, and aspect no one else can seemingly replicate.
6 She Doesn't Need Two Swords
Speaking of her buffing her sword, Ciri actually does that quite often. Normally, Geralt is able to slash through creatures and people in a single blow thanks to his mutated muscles, silver weapon, and accurate strikes. But, Ciri doesn't necessarily have to rely on that, her magic and accurately honed physique allow her to cleave through anything she desires with ease.
Sure, in the game it might not feel that way, as developers can't exactly let a player kill everything with one strike. But, it allows her to use only one sword for both Monsters and Humans, where Geralt has to carry two.
5 She Can Have Children
Remember, Geralt and Yen aren't Ciri's biological parents; they just happened upon her thanks to a combination of destiny, the Law of Surprise, and a lot of luck. Geralt is sterile due to the mages intentionally neutering him during his Witcher mutations, while Yen sacrifices her womb in order to achieve her perfect physical form.
But, Ciri isn't mutated. She didn't undergo the Trial of the Grasses and she doesn't change her appearance, so she's perfectly capable of having children. While this seems like a blessing, it is also the reason monsters like her father, the Wild Hunt, and plenty of other baddies are after her.
4 She Can Blend Witcher Swordplay With Teleportation Magic
A Witcher's style of swordplay is a pretty unique one. Unlike most medieval forms of combat, there is a lot of dexterity and speed that this style requires. Witchers of the House of the Wolf and Cat specifically use a lot of spins, flourishes, dodges, parries, and counters when fighting. They're constantly on the move, keeping their opponent's eyes moving, and weaving between all the enemies in a group.
Ciri can also do this and actually excels as sword combat more than anyone would've expected, at least in the games. But, what she can add to this already amazing sword style are her beautiful teleport dashes.
3 She Doesn't Need Her Own "Roach"
Witchers tend to wander. They travel from town to town, looking for monsters to kill in exchange for a bit of coin to keep them going. And, because they lack magic, they primarily travel everywhere on horseback. In fact, Geralt has quite a close relationship with his horse, Roach. But, Ciri doesn't need any of that, because, as a Sorceress, she can use portals to get anywhere she needs.
Although, Ciri's portals are a tad different from Yennefers. While Yen can use them to travel anywhere in the Kingdom, Ciri can use hers to travel between the spheres, and to many other dimensions. She utilizes this while running from the Wild Hunt and might've even stopped by the Cyberpunk 2077 universe at some point.
2 She Can Relate To Just About Everyone
Most of the time Geralt ends up in trouble, he either has to talk his way out or fight it out. And, unfortunately, he's not fully human or a monster, so neither side relates to him at all. Witchers are singular entities that really only relate to one another.
Ciri, on the other hand, has a bit of everything in her. As a princess, she can talk to nobles equally, as someone with Elder Blood most of the other races respect her, as a "certified" Witcher Geralt relates to her, and as a Sorceress, she can bond with Yennefer or visit Aretuza. Ciri is truly to best of all worlds who is able to bridge bonds between race, gender, color, or even dimensions.
1 She Can Go Into Hiding (Usually)
The Witcher games actually misrepresent Geralt's eyes, apparently, in the books, his eyes are cat-like in nature and not literally. Plus, they're never described in color. But, in the games, Geralt has bright orange eyes with slim cat-like pupils. Sort of hard to miss, no? That plus his overall build, his stark white hair, and his two swords make it difficult for the Witcher to go into hiding. Meanwhile, Ciri is another story.
Yes, in the games she has white hair as well, but that can be easily dyed. The fact that her eyes aren't of a supernatural color means that Cirilla can hide from anyone she wants to as long as they don't detect the Elder Blood within her.