‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ Has a Tragic Romance Story Behind Meldof’s Hammer
Netflix’s The Witcher: Blood Origin has many romance storylines that tug at the heart. As many would have suspected from the trailers and details of the series, Eile and Fjall fall in love, leading to Ciri’s future bloodline. But they are not the only love story in The Witcher: Blood Origin, as it tells a harrowing and sad story of why Meldof’s hammer is named Gwen.
[WARNING: This article contains mild spoilers for The Witcher: Blood Origin.]
Meldof is a dwarf out for blood and revenge in ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’
Before the seven heroes fully meet, fans get small solo backstories of each character. In the first episode of The Witcher Blood Origin, fans learn why Fjall was banished from the Dog Clan, how he meets Eile, how Xin’trea has become a new empire, and more. Before all the warriors meet, fans meet Meldof, played by Francesca Mills, in the second episode.
At first glance, Meldof has eyes filled with rage and determination. She knocks on the door of a smoking and whore house. Even 1200 years ago, people have a distaste toward dwarven kind, and the elf who answered the door dismissed her. But Meldof is looking for an elf with a particular kink for dwarves. With the door shut in her face, Meldof hoists up her metal hammer and calls it Gwen.
She forces her way in, and fans hear screams of terror. Like nothing, Meldof emerges covered in blood, speaks to her hammer, and claims she will find “him.” Fans do not see Meldof again for a while until later in The Witcher: Blood Origin Episode 2. While Fjall and Eile venture to save Scian with the help of Callan, they meet Syndril and Zacaré.
In another location, fans see Meldof in a robe painting on the wall with blood. She talks of how she could tell when Gwen was nearby due to her unique scent. As she turns, she addresses someone that goes by many names, Gaylth, Bon Machán, and Kilmac. The scene reveals a dead man on a table. Meldof had sought her revenge against a one-eyed sergeant with a penchant for pretty dwarves. The Witcher: Blood Origin soon reveals why Meldof named her hammer Gwen.
Meldof lost her lover Gwen and memorialized her in her hammer in ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’
It is clear that Meldof was seeking revenge against the sergeant. In a dwarven script, she had written on the wall that Gwen ended him and would suffer for all eternity. The Witcher: Blood Origin Episode 3 explored Meldof’s heartache and why she refers to her hammer as Gwen.
After meeting the other main characters, they begin a celebration. Syndril and Zacaré will soon embark on creating the first witcher in The Witcher: Blood Origin. After smoking what could be a hallucinogenic herb, Meldof tells Callan the truth about why her hammer is called Gwen.
“She was the fairest dwarf you ever did see,” begins Meldof. She explains how Gwen had an impressive chest and a silken beard she was jealous of. Meldof was madly in love until horror struck. While she was out hunting, elves raided their camp. She found Gwen naked and “gutted like a boar” by Xin’treans.
Meldof ventured to Koreth Mountains and mined ore to keep part of her love. She infused the ore with Gwen’s ashes and made a hammer. Since then, Meldof and Gwen have hunted after the men responsible. “The last thing they saw was Gwen’s name coming to claim justice,” explained Meldof.
What happens to Meldof in the prequel finale?
Meldof joins the group of warriors after helping them seek shelter from being spotted by Balor’s beast. Giving them food and shelter, she is also against Merwyn and the Golden Empire. She tells Callan she wishes to join them because she is “empty.” She has succeeded in killing the men who defiled Gwen. Meldof says, “One last quest to take me to her.”
She joins them on their mission to infiltrate Xin’trea and begin a rebellion. They disguise themselves as soldiers with the others and get through the gates. Eile arouses the elven townspeople to fight for their freedom. Meldof, Callan, and Sican fight off soldiers, Eile goes after Merwyn, Fjall goes after the beast, and Syndril and Zacaré go stop Balor.
In The Witcher: Blood Origin finale, the Convergence of the Spheres occurs. Fans see the aftermath, and Meldof is alive with her hammer alongside a pregnant Eile. They live with Ithlinne and her mother in a new world.
The Witcher: Blood Origin is available on Netflix.
