‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ Trailer Has a Closer Look at Monoliths – Centuries Before ‘The Witcher’
While The Witcher Season 3 will premiere in the summer of 2023, fans can look forward to the limited prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin. The series takes place 1200 years before the events of the Netflix series surrounding Geralt of Revia, Yennefer, and Ciri. Focusing on a time before the Convergence of Spheres, The Witcher: Blood Origin will focus on multiple backstories of elements of The Witcher universe, like the power of monoliths.
What are monoliths in ‘The Witcher’?
Fans get their first deep dive into monoliths in The Witcher Season 2. While at Kaer Morhen, Triss examined a monster Geralt killed. She soon discovers a unique black powder inside it and realizes it is stellacite. The stellacite was also found within the Leshy Eskel killed. Ciri soon reveals what happened in the first season when she escaped Cintra.
While trying to uncover the truth about Ciri and her grand powers in The Witcher Season 2, Geralt seeks the help of Istredd to investigate the monolith Ciri destroyed outside of Cintra in the first season. Istredd’s investigation leads to a surprising discovery. As an expert on the subject, he explains the monolith Ciri destroyed is the oldest in existence.
Ciri destroying it with a mighty scream seems almost impossible. But even Istredd is unclear about what the monoliths are for. The official Netflix page for the series explains, “Monoliths are an “inexplicable phenomenon” – enormous pillars of obsidian stone scattered across the Continent. Scholars study them but don’t yet know who created them.”
According to history books, scholars believed the monoliths were remnants of the convergence. Geralt also believes mutated monsters created by the monoliths are rising from the subterranean. But Istredd soon discovers a new truth. In The Witcher, the monoliths are conduits of power and a gateway. It proves true when Ciri is possessed by the Deathless Mother and uses her power to conjure a monolith. She used it as a gateway to another realm and summoned monsters.
‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ will answer many questions about monoliths for the Netflix series
The Witcher: Blood Origin will be a four-episode series that will dive deep into what caused the convergence of spheres, the backstory of the elven people, and monoliths. According to showrunner Declan de Barra to Netflix’s Tudum, “We learn the origin of the monoliths here. Who first made these monoliths? Why? And then we kind of understand how they became so important in the world of The Witcher later and the power that was bestowed upon them and how that came about. They’re the catalyst for a lot of what goes wrong in this world.”
In the official teaser trailer, fans get a closer look at the pitch-black monoliths that will change the world. A short clip shows large pieces broken on the beach as a hand gently touches them in lament. The biggest look into the monoliths in The Witcher: Blood Origin will occur with Chief Sage Balor, played by actor Lenny Henry.
Abandoned as a child, he was taken in due to the display of his immense powers. He serves as an adviser to the king in the prequel series. But he may be the key to understanding the monoliths in The Witcher: Blood Origin. The trailer reveals him to have the ability to control monoliths. Unlike previous scenes, the monoliths in the trailer are intact and have glowing runes. Audiences see him pass through the gateway alongside two small children.
The monoliths are the key to the future convergence of spheres that leads to the world of The Witcher and likely a further backstory into Ciri and her abilities to control them.
When will ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ premiere on Netflix?
The Witcher: Blood Origin will answer one of the biggest mysteries of The Witcher universe. In the Netflix series, elves no longer rule the land and are hunted. While immensely powerful in their own right, they explain they once ruled the Continent. But the series explains it all occurred due to the Convergence of Spheres.
The prequel series will finally explore what led to the catastrophic event that changed their history. Fans also get to see the creation of the first Witcher in response to the events. The Witcher: Blood Origin will premiere on Christmas day, Dec. 25.
