Triss comes to Kaer Morhen to help train Ciri. Meanwhile, Yennefer and Cahir must sneak through the virulently racist Northern Kingdoms.
Tropes:
- Ambiguously Bi: Ciri is rather openly attracted to Triss, with her imediately perking up once they meet and her trying to look pretty the next day. Likewise, Jaskier's song is one of bitter heartbreak after Geralt broke up with him.
- Break Up Song: Jaskier's new song "Burn, Butcher, Burn" is very obviously directed at Geralt for cutting off their relationship. When Yennefer asks about it Jaskier admits that he wrote it while his heart was broken.
- Captain Obvious Reveal: In-Universe, the dock guard comments that the "dragon reveal" in one of Jaskier's songs was too obvious.Jaskier: Oh, you're clever. You're a clever one.
- The Dead Have Names: Triss starts to recite the names of the mages who died at Sodden, but Geralt cuts her off. This prevents him from learning that Yennefer is still alive.
- Didn't See That Coming: Jaskier is stunned when Yennefer pulls him in for a hug.
- Establishing Character Moment: The titular head of Redanian Intelligence, Sigismund Dijkstra, is introduced flinging a knife at the throat of a Redanian noblewoman and forcing another nobleman to drink the poisoned chalice they prepared for their King, demonstrating his status as the Hypercompetent Sidekick to his Upper-Class Twit King.
- Fertile Blood: Triss discovers a rare flower that only grows where Elder Blood is spilled on the training field, revealing Ciri's heritage.
- Final Solution: The northern genocide of the elves is in full swing. Jaskier predicts to Yennefer that it won't stop with the elves and they'll be coming after people like him when they start running out of nonhumans to scapegoat.
- Heroic Sacrifice: The elf Yenn and Cahir meet in the sewer who leads them to Jaskier abandons his friend to die when attacked by a beast. He later distracts a guard from Jaskier by stepping into the open and repeating "Fuck the north", taking a severe beating so Yeen, Voorhis, and his fellow elves can escape to Cintra.
- Kick the Dog: Lambert (and to a lesser extent Coen) make fun of Ciri for dressing up, causing her to flee the dining hall in obvious distress. Triss wastes no time laying into them.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: The dock guard's criticism of Jaskier's song he wrote about the adventures in the first season includes a few common criticisms of the series itself made by audience and critics alike, the most obvious of which is them being confused by the multiple timelines.
- No Periods, Period: Lampshaded when Triss asks the Witchers if they've even provided Ciri with menstrual supplies.
- Pet the Dog: Jaskier is sympathetic to Yennefer having lost her magic, explaining that he's similarly afraid of losing his own talents.
- Raised by Dudes: It took Triss an entire half of an day to be the only one amongst the adults in Ciri's life that managed to figure out that she should be given something to deal with her soon to be periods.
- Self-Deprecation: The show has a bit of fun at its own expense, with the guard Jaskier's trying to sneak past commenting on one of his songs... actually the first season. He complains about the complexity of the multiple timelines, the obviousness of the dragon reveal, the cheapness of a magic kiss, and the bard hooking up with two chicks. Then Jaskier turns around to lay into the guard, very nearly screwing up his and Yennefer's plans for escape to Cintra.
- Underground Railroad: Jaskier is running one to help elves escape the Northern Kingdoms' genocidal campaign. He arranges for passage on ships to Cintra, currently held by the Nilfgaard-Elven alliance.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Yennefer and Jaskier take many verbal swipes at each other but also willingly help each other throughout the episode. Jaskier secures Yennefer and Cahir passage to Cintra on a ship, and when Jaskier is attacked Yennefer leaves the ship to find him.
- "Wanted!" Poster: Pamphlets depicting Yennefer and Cahir this way are spread via birds dropping them on the streets of Redania.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Triss is not pleased by Lambert's taunts and criticizes the witchers for not realizing the effects their training has on Ciri's body.
