The Witcher Recap: 1.06 ‘Rare Species’

The Witcher 1.06 Rare Species

Is it a fantasy series without a dragon? Well never fear because episode six of The Witcher introduces the creature into the storyline and it sees Yennefer and Geralt cross paths once more.

During the previous episode, Geralt meets Yennefer as he needs to help Jaskier after the djinn attacked, while Fringilla and Cahir kill Mousesack to trick Ciri into going with the doppler.

A Quest

Jaskier (Joey Batey) sings and pens another song of Geralt (Henry Cavill), who is currently after a monster. The men who asked for his help go to steal his belongings as they believe him to be killed, but Borch Three Jackdaws (Ron Cook) and two Zerrikanian warriors, Téa (Adele Oni) and Véa (Colette Tchantcho), stop the men from taking Geralt’s things. Borch has been looking for Geralt as there is a green dragon and King Niedamir has commanded a hunt after locals searched for its treasure and wounded the dragon, which angered it.

Niedamir wants the dragon killed as he is set to marry a princess from Malleore, his rival kingdom. The prize? The winners get the dragon horde and to lord over a state. Borch wishes Geralt to join his team, but Geralt doesn’t kill dragons. As Borch points out the other teams—the dwarves, the Reavers, and then Yennefer (Anya Chalotra)—and he quickly changes his mind.

Yarpen Zigrin (Jeremy Crawford), one of the dwarves, introduces himself to Geralt, while Yennefer is on the hunt alongside Sir Eyck of Denesle (Jordan Renzo) and Borch notes Geralt’s love for Yennefer. While trying to impress the Zerrikanian warriors, Jaskier comes across a hirikka and Geralt tells everyone to stand down. However, Eyck comes swords ablazing and repeatedly stabs the hirikka. He is advised to not eat the hirikka, but he ignores them and ends up with a severely upset stomach.

Yarpen speaks of Nilfgaard and how they may take many, while Borch comments that Nilfgaard could have been stopped earlier by a stronger hand—looking at you, Yennefer. The topic of dragons come up and Geralt says green dragons are the most common, red dragons less so, and black dragons are the rarest. However, Borch corrects him and says gold dragons are the rarest, but Geralt says they are myth.

A Few Deaths

The next morning, Yarpen finds Eyck with his throat slit and Yarpen talks of a shortcut through the mountains that is known to the dwarves. Geralt asks Yennefer if she killed Eyck, but she believes Boholt (Steve Wall), the Reaver leader, did it. Yennefer needs the dragon as it has alleged healing properties and Geralt can’t believe she wants a child, but it’s the choice to have one that she wants. Geralt speaks of their sterility and accidentally mentions his Child Surprise

The group continue their path alongside a mountain’s rock face, which is incredibly narrow and perfect for dwarves. Suddenly, Borch, Téa, and Véa fall and Geralt grabs the chain, but the three of them let go as there was no saving them.

After making it through, Geralt goes to see Yennefer in her semi-lavish tent and the pair kiss with Geralt remembering several times they’ve been together. In bed afterwards, they converse and Yennefer says she dreamed of being important to someone and Geralt says she is important to him.

A Living Dragon

The next morning, Yennefer still wants to get to the dragon and realises the dwarves have gone ahead. Once she reaches them, she uses her magic to freeze them, enters the cave, and she’s approached by Téa and Véa who are protecting the now dead green female dragon and its egg. A gold dragon comes from above and it’s actually Borch.

The rest of the group arrive and a battle ensues. At one point, Yennefer rushes to Geralt and kisses him to use that for magic. One of the men begin crawling towards the egg, but dragon-Borch burns him alive.

Meanwhile, Jaskier awakes to find himself alone and begins down the path where the dwarves are still frozen. He finds the many men dead and is taken aback by the two warriors. Borch then offers dragon teeth to Yarpen so they can take it to the King, while he thanks Geralt and Yennefer for protecting his child. Yennefer then realises what Geralt’s final wish was, which is why they can’t escape each other. Borch stops them from fighting and tells Yennefer she will never regain her womb and Geralt that he will lose her. However, Geralt’s destiny is still out there. Geralt then turns his anger to Jaskier and blames him for the Surprise and djinn, so Jaskier also leaves.

Deception

Ciri (Freya Allan) asks doppler-Mousesack (Adam Levy) about Geralt and it seems she’s now been filled in on the Law of Surprise and her destiny as they exit Brokilon Forest. Dara (Wilson Radjou-Pujalte) questions Mousesack’s reappearance, who claims he was captured by Nilfgaard and rescued by Geralt. Dara tells Ciri that this off and so doppler-Mousesack produces her Calanthe’s sash to reassure her.

Later on, Ciri asks doppler-Mousesack several questions and it pushes him over the edge. Dara attacks him with his silver blade, and they begin to question him, but the doppler overpowers them causing Dara to hit his head and Ciri running away.

Ciri is then captured by Cahir (Eamon Farren), who apologies and tells her the White Flame brought them together as he wants to fulfil her destiny. However, it isn’t Ciri, but actually the doppler and the two begin to fight, which is a challenge as the doppler turns into Cahir so he knows everything.

The real Ciri is tied to a tree when Dara rescues her, but he believes she will just get him killed like Calanthe and so he leaves.

Meanwhile, Cahir has killed all of the people in the tavern while Fringilla (Mimi Ndiweni) tends to his wounds and tells him Ciri is the key, but he is the commissioner. He orders for the men to be gathered as the “time of the sword and the ax is nigh”.

What did you think of the episode? Tell us in the comments below!

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