The Witcher: Yennefer's Shocking Betrayal - Unveiling the Truth Behind Cahir and the Brotherhood

Summary

In order to safeguard her own interests and prevent The Brotherhood from exploiting her, Yennefer chose to rescue Cahir instead of eliminating him. It was necessary for her to keep her dormant powers concealed and avoid the detrimental consequences they would have brought upon her.

Yennefer's previous betrayal of The Brotherhood and disregard for their wishes showcases her inclination to prioritize her own motives and desires. The Witcher season 3 sees Cahir in dire circumstances, being saved multiple times, as he navigates complex alliances and confrontations involving Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri.

The Witcher season 3 contains spoilers.

In Netflix's The Witcher, multiple subplots are tackled simultaneously. One subplot focuses on Yennefer defying The Brotherhood by rescuing the Niflgaardian commander, Cahir. The question is, why did Yennefer choose to save Cahir? While Yennefer is known for her impulsive nature, her decision-making in The Witcher series usually has a purpose. Cahir is first introduced in The Witcher season 1 as a Nilfgaardian commander leading the invasion of Cintra and determined to capture Ciri, whom he refers to as the Black Knight.

The Witcher season 1 finale showcases the Niflgaardian Empire's army, led by Cahir and Fringilla, engaging in battle against the wizard's army. Yennefer exhibits her prowess in fire magic, ultimately securing victory. Following their defeat, Cahir is captured and held captive by the wizards. As The Witcher season 2 commences, audiences discover that Yennefer has survived but lost her magical abilities. Her return to the Brotherhood instills unease in Stregobor, who questions her loyalty. Consequently, Stregobor accuses Yennefer of being a Niflgaardian spy, demanding that she either eliminate Cahir or confess her loss of magic to the Brotherhood. Surprisingly, rather than complying with Stregobor's ultimatum, Yennefer decides to set Cahir free. This raises the question: why did Yennefer choose to save Cahir?

The Reason Yennefer Saved Cahir

In The Witcher season 2, episode 3, Yennefer reveals that her motivation for freeing Cahir was not to assist him, but rather to serve her own interests. Consequently, Yennefer rescued Cahir in order to benefit herself. Unfortunately, neither of the choices offered to Yennefer of Vengerberg in The Witcher was ideal, as both would have resulted in significantly worse repercussions. If Yennefer had opted to kill Cahir, she would have inevitably become a pawn of The Brotherhood.

Furthermore, as he is in his jail cell, she also tells Cahir that she abstains from killing without a purpose. However, confessing that she had relinquished her powers to The Brotherhood would result in the Brotherhood's elders attaining political sway, thereby rendering her defenseless. For this reason, Yennefer rescues Cahir in the presence of the Northern kings and queens, making her escape with him. She hopes that by returning Cahir to Cintra, her powers will be restored.

Yennefer Has Betrayed The Brotherhood Before

Yennefer's betrayal of The Brotherhood may be perplexing, but it's crucial to recognize that this isn't the first time she has defied them, shedding light on the question of "why did Yennefer save Cahir?". In The Witcher season 1, upon learning that she is being dispatched to Nilfgaard instead of Aedirn due to her Elven heritage, she opposes attending the mage initiation. Nevertheless, she refuses to forfeit her chance for beauty and power and insists that the enchanter proceed with the initiation, ultimately securing her desired role as the sorceress of Aedirn.

Furthermore, in addition to disobeying The Brotherhood, she also defied their orders by coming to the aid of the wizard army during the Battle of Sodden Hill and successfully defeating the Niflgaardians. Yennefer's character in The Witcher is not one to involve herself in politics, which is why it was effortless for her to betray The Brotherhood, especially when asked "why did Yennefer save Cahir?". Nevertheless, neither option provided by The Brotherhood was the right choice in her eyes. Consistently, Yennefer has always prioritized her own interests and motivations, which is what makes her such a captivating character within The Witcher series.

What Happened With Yennefer & Cahir In The Witcher Season 3

In The Witcher season 2, Yennefer and Cahir part ways as she heads to investigate Jaskier's cries on a ship bound for Cintra, while Cahir ventures to Cintra alone. Later on, Cahir finds himself coerced into appealing to the Emperor on Fringilla's behalf, while Yennefer strives to regain her powers and rescue Ciri from Voleth Meir. Unfortunately, due to the deceptive actions of the White Flame and a specific falsehood, Emperor Emhyr (whose true identity is Ciri's father, Duny) ultimately imprisons both Cahir and Fringilla. At the beginning of The Witcher season 3, Cahir faces dire circumstances and one could argue that death would have been a better fate for him.

Cahir once again finds himself in a dire situation in The Witcher, as his elf companion Gallatin comes to his rescue. However, tragedy strikes as Cahir is forced to betray and kill Gallatin in order to prove his loyalty to Emperor Emhyr. Emperor Emhyr once again demands that Cahir prove his loyalty through violence, this time targeting Francesca. Instead, Cahir manages to convince Francesca to join forces with him in the search for Ciri. This decision leads to a confrontation, as Cahir and Francesca, along with their respective forces from Nilfgaard and Scoia'tael, invade Aretuza and draw Yennefer into the conflict. Notably, Cahir saves both Geralt and Ciri from the Scoia'tael. In the season 3 finale of The Witcher, loyalties clash and tensions reach their climax.