The new animated movie The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf isn't a standalone piece, but it has a close connection to the books, video games, and the popular Netflix series. Even though the film focuses on Vesemir's youth, it will still be familiar even to those who only know Geralt's era.

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This familiarity is partially thanks to the appearance of some well-known characters, as well as the film's fair share of easter eggs that allude to both the books and games. It Even though it's perfectly enjoyable without the knowledge of any other The Witcher story, the added value this film provides for the franchise's long-time fans makes it even more intriguing to watch.

7 Vesemir Likes To Get Clean

Vesemir takes a bath

A Witcher's life means spending a lot of time in forests, sewers, and other places where people can easily get dirty. So when Vesemir gets the chance to enjoy a bit of luxury, he decides to take a bath. The scene will be familiar to all fans who either played The Witcher 3, or saw the Netflix show.

In both cases, Geralt takes a bath in a fashion similar to Vesemir, so it's possible it was Vesemir of all people who instilled this habit in Geralt. Another interesting similarity is that neither is alone when they take the bath. Vesemir is with Filavandrel, while Geralt is with Yennefer with the game and with Jaskier in the show.

6 Cutting Down His Enemies

Vesemir holds his sword and fights

Vesemir is no stranger to threats from ordinary people, because most fear the Witchers and don't trust them. When Vesemir encounters hostile knights in an inn, he isn't afraid to deal with them.

A bit similar to this is the scenario in which Geralt encounters hostile men of the Bloody Baron in Velen in an inn. Unlike with Vesemir, the player can decide whether to spare the rude men or kill them, but in both cases, the tone of the scene is very similar.

5 Leshens Are Like Gods

Geralt fights a leshen in The Witcher

The first major enemy Vesemir faces in the film is a mutated leshen. Vesemir jokes that the leshen must be very popular with the druids, which might seem like an odd remark. However, it's not as random as it might seem.

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In The Witcher 3, Geralt can undertake a task in which he has to stop a leshen from killing the inhabitants of a nearby village. He discovers that some of the village's elders worship the leshen as a god, and believe the leshen needs to live. Just like Vesemir, some of the villagers don't agree with this sentiment, though, and want to see the leshen dead.

4 The Law Of Surprise

Geralt holds Ciri in The Witcher 3

The Law of Surprise plays a major part in The Witcher series. In this movie, it's mentioned as the reason why some of the boys end up training to be Witchers at Kaer Morhen. It's how Geralt's friend, Lambert, got to be a Witcher.

However, one of the most important examples of the Law of Surprise is, of course, the bond between Geralt and Ciri which ties their lives together. And as the third game notes, in a funny twist of events, it's also how another friend of Geralt's, Eskel, got his horse whom he named Scorpion.

3 The Three New Witchers

Eskel and Lambert meet Geralt at Kaer Morhen in The Witcher 3

Before the massacre at Kaer Morhen, a lot of new Witchers were trained. When the older Witchers talk about who will survive the trials, Vesemir thinks that Lambert, Eskel, and maybe Remus will make it. (Funnily enough, he doesn't mention Geralt.) All The Witcher fans know that Lambert and Eskel indeed make it, and became Geralt's friends. However, Remus meets his untimely end when a striga kills him.

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There's also an interesting connection between the name Remus and the Witcher School of the Wolf. Some may will recall the legend of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome who were supposedly nurtured by a she-wolf as children, hence the name.

2 Geralt's Sacrifice

Geralt rides Roach in The Witcher

Vesemir's origin story reveals that, unlike so many Witchers, he actually wanted to become one. That's not the case for Geralt, who was planning to run away from Kaer Morhen. This was how he discovered the road to safety which the young Witchers later used to escape.

What some people might not know is that Geralt's escape plans are a clever reference to the books. Geralt has never wanted to become a Witcher, but his mother, who was a witch, left her son with the Witchers and the rest was history.

1 Tragic Love

Illyana faces Tetra in The Witcher Nightmare of the Wolf

A major subplot of the movie revolves around Vesemir's relationship with Illyana, his childhood love. When they meet again, Illyana is already 70, and Vesemir looks much younger than her. Yet, they still briefly rekindle their romance before Illyana dies.

Unfortunately for Vesemir, his relationship with Illyana similar to his romance with Countess de Mignole from The Witcher 3. He and the Countess also met when they were young (Vesemir was already a Witcher by then) but were forced to separate despite their affection for each. And just like with Vesemir and Illyana, this romance also had a tragic end. It seems poor Vesimir is doomed to this fate.

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