With just one season to go, The Witcher season 4 ending was always going to carry some serious emotional weight – and a body count to match. And so it proved as the Netflix finale forged new paths for some of The Continent's major players, some fraught with danger and others laced with opportunity.
But if you didn't quite take in all the goings-on in The Witcher season 4 ending, we're here to help. Below, we'll take the 'surprise' out of The Law of Surprise with a complete breakdown of the finale, including a list of all major deaths, Geralt's new role, Ciri's fate, and so much more besides, as we inch towards The Witcher season 5.
So, throw a coin – or a click – our way as we run our way through The Witcher season 4 and its climactic final act, beat by bloody beat. First, we've got an ending recap for those who need a brief reminder on just what went down.
The Witcher season 4 ending recap
With the hunt on for Ciri, the 'Hansa' (a fellowship-like group consisting of Geralt, Jaskier, Regis, Cahir, and Zoltan) begin the journey to Caed Dhu. As Yennefer revealed in her brief stopover, the druids there will be able to harness the power of the equinox to locate Ciri.
This being The Continent, however, it doesn't quite go to plan. A rushed attempt to take a ferry across the river puts the group in close proximity to an ongoing war between Nilfgaard and Northern forces. With arrows raining down on them, a returning Milva arrives to save the day.
Over at Montecalvo, Yennefer oversees the aftermath of the battle that featured the sorceresses' last stand against Vilgefortz. While Vilgefortz escaped and several key allies were killed, a resurgent Yennefer forms a 'sisterhood' and Sorceresses' Lodge alongside Philippa, Francesca, Triss, and Fringilla. Yennefer, though, tells Triss she will be striking out on her own to stop Vilgefortz and bring Ciri home.
Back on the river, Geralt and the Hansa drift towards a bridge that serves as a key asset in winning the war for whichever side holds it. After heading to land, they discover the pregnant Milva is miscarrying. In her place, Geralt, Cahir, Zoltan, and a reluctant Jaskier make a daring raid on the bridge against the Nilfgaardian army.
In the ensuing battle, Geralt and Cahir make unlikely bedfellows, with the former Nilfgaardian soldier getting a measure of revenge by cutting down a commanding officer in the field.
Sometime in the future, the storyteller Stribog once again meets with Nimue, who reveals she is going to study at Artetuza. He gifts her Jaskier's 'A Half Century of Poetry' to help, but first she wants to know how she's connected with Ciri, especially as Nimue herself appears to be a part of the story…
The Rats, meanwhile, have their own date with destiny – and aim to go face to face with the bounty hunter Leo Bonhart. One by one, Bonhart slaughters The Rats, with Ciri arriving too late. She is knocked out by the witcher-killer, and then has to watch her girlfriend Mistle beheaded in front of her.
In the aftermath of Geralt's battle, he is knighted by Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia. In one fell swoop, he achieves one of his dreams – becoming a knight – and finally, properly earns the name Geralt of Rivia. But with his eyes firmly set on bringing Ciri home, he realizes he may be trapped by his newfound servitude to the Queen.
In one final scene, Emyhr gives an unseen beast Geralt's medallion so it can pick up his stench and kill him.
Who died in The Witcher season 4 ending?
While not quite the Red Wedding, The Witcher season 4 ending wasn't shy about bumping off several named characters during its final act. All of The Rats perished, including Ciri's on-again/off-again partner, Mistle. Each died at the hand – and sword – of Leo Bonhart.
That follows the previous episode's major deaths, which included Vesemir dying during a battle with Vilgefortz and Istredd sacrificing himself to stop the mage's portal system from giving him the upper hand.
Speaking to GamesRadar+ about some of the season's major casualties, creator/showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich addressed any concerns fans might have about changes from the books, saying they "always do it for a reason."
"One of the things that our characters have to deal with is the trauma of losing someone and how that changes who you are and how you view the world," Hissrich said. "And there are several deaths this season that I think are unexpected and they change our characters in very different ways."
What is Geralt's new role?
Geralt is now a knight of Lyria and Rivia, meaning he is under the control of Queen Meve. Ironically, The White Wolf once told Ciri he had a dream of becoming a knight – but that could be the very thing separating him from Ciri.
Where are the Hansa going next?
If Geralt makes it out of his predicament, he, Jaskier, Regis, and Cahir will be making their way to Caed Dhu, a location Regis has earmarked for its assembled druids. There, they could utilize the power of the upcoming equinox to identify Ciri's location. Expect that to be one of the more pressing concerns in the final season of The Witcher.
What is the Lodge of Sorceresses?
Artetuza and the Brotherhood may be no more, but there's a replacement for magic users. Over in Montecalvo, Yennefer brings together her sorceress allies to assemble a Lodge, a group designed to help clean up The Continent and make it a safer place for all. In Yennefer's words: "we do it our way".
As revealed by the storyteller framing device in the future, the foundation of the Lodge would go on to have meaningful ripple effects down the line. Namely, Nimue is going to study at Aretuza, indicating that the community of magic users is restored to its former glory decades down the line, all thanks to Yennefer's gamble.
Who is Nimue?
Book readers will know who Nimue is, but her inclusion in The Witcher season 4 ending may baffle some. Why, after all, has the show skipped ahead decades to muddy the waters with Ciri further? Those answers will likely lie in The Witcher season 5.
Right now, all we know is that Nimue is a budding sorceress with an interest in the stories of Geralt, Ciri, and Yen. Beyond that, she will play a pivotal role in what's to come. As Stribog mentions, Nimue and Ciri are tied together by destiny.
Where is Vilgefortz?
Vilgefortz retreated back to Stygga Castle after his forces were routed at Montecalvo. The series' Big Bad isn't completely defeated yet, though, as he manages to take some of his mages' lifeforce to maintain his powers.
Yennefer is on the hunt for him, however, which makes a showdown in the not-too-distant future all but inevitable, especially given her declaration to leave the Lodge in the safe hands of Triss while she goes to settle the score with the man who tore her family apart and killed some of her loved ones.
What happened to Ciri?
Ciri is currently imprisoned by Leo Bonhart but, crucially, is still alive. It is implied that Bonhart doesn't merely want the bounty reward from Nilfgaard but instead desires the infamy from besting those powerful enough to oppose him.
While we don't outright see where Bonhart is taking Ciri, we imagine the fact he's kept her around means he can use her as a pawn in whatever plans he is cooking up next or, at the very least, satisfy his curiosity at whether the mysterious 'Falka' can really live up to her fearsome reputation.
What books are being adapted next?
The Witcher season 4 adapted Baptism of Fire and tiptoed its way into the next novel, The Tower of the Swallow with some of its Geralt storyline.
With The Witcher season 5 being the Netflix show's last, we anticipate the rest of The Tower of the Swallow being adapted, with a looser adaptation of The Lady of the Lake potentially bringing the series to a close – especially given the presence of Nimue.
Will there be a Witcher season 5?
There is a fifth season of The Witcher, with Netflix announcing back in April 2024 that it would be the show's last.
Filming for The Witcher season 5 began earlier this year and wrapped in October 2025, though there is still a lengthy post-production window ahead. Don't be surprised if it drops on Netflix in 2026.
Discover what's still to come in 2025 and beyond with our complete guide to new TV shows and upcoming video game movies.
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