The Witcher's Enigmatic Monoliths: Unveiling their Secrets, Powers, Ciri's Connection, and Future Revelations

Spoiler Warning: The Witcher season 3, part 1 contains spoilers.

The Witcher series introduces the concept of monoliths - massive black stone pillars that emerged across the Continent after the Conjunction of the Spheres, a thousand years before the events in the show. Unlike the books by Andrzej Sapkowski on which the games and Netflix series are based, the monoliths do not exist in the original Witcher novels. The show's writers deliberately avoided taking elements from the games to ensure that they remained a faithful adaptation of the books. Interestingly, in the show, the monoliths are introduced through an in-game quest rather than through the novels.

What Monoliths Are Made Of & Why They Can't Easily Be Broken

Monoliths in The Witcher games take the form of Sefirot, smaller structures scattered throughout the map. These Sefirot are inspired by the mystical teachings of Kabbalah in Judaism. Interestingly, they hold the key to unlocking a long-abandoned mage's tower, rumored to be a cursed breeding ground for monsters. This mirrors the role of larger monoliths in the series, which serve as portals connecting various realms. Made from a remarkable mineral called stellacite, these monoliths possess extraordinary durability that seems to originate from another dimension. Further insights into the monoliths were hinted at in Istredd's research during the first part of The Witcher season 3.

Sorcerer and archaeologist Istredd (Royce Pierreson) states that stellacite, an incredibly durable material, takes centuries to show any subtle signs of erosion from natural elements. In episode 5 of The Witcher season 2, entitled "Turn Your Back," Istredd describes the monolith's unexpected destruction outside Cintra, caused by Ciri's (Freya Allen) scream in the series pilot. This event defies all previous historical knowledge about the monoliths, making it a significant scientific revelation. Both Triss (Anne Shaffer) and Geralt (Henry Cavill) show familiarity with stellacite, suggesting that it is common knowledge, especially among magic users, that this distinct black mineral primarily composes the monoliths found throughout the Continent.

During episode 4 of The Witcher season 2, titled "Redanian Intelligence," Triss and Geralt discover stellacite inside the leshy and myriapod that attacked Eskel and targeted Ciri at Kaer Morhen's laboratory. When Ciri touches the stellacite, she experiences visions of a peculiar desert in another world, where an entity resembling the Deathless Mother, known as Voleth Meir, takes on Ciri's form and warns her about the presence of death. The stellacite appears to possess an indestructible nature compared to the forces of the Continent, suggesting it originates from a different realm. Furthermore, Ciri's ability to either destroy or harness the power of the monoliths through her Elder blood gene indicates that her destiny may have extraterrestrial origins. These connections trace back to the Conjunction of the Spheres. In The Witcher season 3, Istredd mentions the potential use of the monoliths to once again segregate elves and humans, as was the case prior to the Conjunction of the Spheres.

Monoliths' Connection To The Conjunction Of The Spheres

During a cosmic event known as The Conjunction, the Elder races of elves and dwarves in the Continent were joined by men and monsters from different worlds. This event brought monoliths scattered across the land, leading to a surge in Chaos and magic. Istredd theorizes that the monoliths acted as conduits of power, enabling the Conjunction. This theory gains credence as the fall of Cintra's monolith coincided with strange vibrations from the monolith at Nazair.

A significant piece of evidence supporting this hypothesis is Ciri's ability, influenced by the Deathless Mother or Voleth Meir of the Wild Hunt, to use the monolith at Kaer Morhen to transport herself, Geralt, and Yennefer to an unknown realm in episode 8 of The Witcher season 2, titled "Family." This suggests that when Ciri channels the power within her Elder blood through these monoliths, it could potentially trigger another Conjunction-like event.

This revelation raises questions about the intentions of Voleth Meir and the Wild Hunt for not only the Continent but the entire multiverse. Their failed attempts to capture Ciri in The Witcher season 3, part 1 only add to the intrigue.

What The Monoliths Have To Do With Ciri’s Destiny, Ithlinne’s Prophecy, And The Wild Hunt

Ciri's emotional reactions appear to be the sole means by which the stellacite monoliths can be influenced or interacted with. As a result, the destiny of the monoliths, and potentially the entire multiverse, will ultimately rely on Ciri's genuine emotions. Currently, Ciri has two main options before her. The Wild Hunt desires to enlist Ciri due to her status as the Daughter of Chaos, the only being capable of granting them access to the monoliths, enabling them to travel between realms and sow destruction and death.

In both the books and games, the Wild Hunt consists of Aen Elle, a faction of elves hailing from the city of Tir ná Lia, situated in a realm separate from the Continent. The Aen Elle did not construct Tir ná Lia, but rather seized it from the human inhabitants, utilizing the city's "Gate of the Worlds" to enslave humans from other realms and establish their own society. The Conjunction disrupted the Aen Elle's plans, though Ciri has the power to potentially revive them. Netflix's The Witcher: Blood Origin has made certain alterations to the Wild Hunt's origin story when compared to the source material.

Stregobor's Book Of Monoliths In The Witcher Season 3 Explained

Furthermore, there exists a prophecy known as Ithlinne's prophecy or Aen Ithlinnespeath, which designates Ciri, also known as the Child of Elder Blood, as the savior of the elven race. This implies that Ciri may ultimately decide to dismantle the monoliths, thereby thwarting the plans of the Wild Hunt. Moreover, Ciri's ability to control these monoliths could potentially hold the key to reversing the Conjunction, leading to the expulsion of humans and monsters from the Continent. As a result, the elves would regain control, fulfilling the visions foreseen by Ithlinne. However, it is worth noting that both the Wild Hunt's plans and Ithlinne's prophecy originate from elven sources and spell impending disaster for humankind.

Istredd continued his research on the monoliths in The Witcher season 3, part 1. Unfortunately, he was unable to locate the Book of Monoliths in Aretuza's library, indicating that someone with library access had taken it. The Book of Monoliths, authored by the elves, is rumored to hold knowledge predating the Conjunction of the Spheres. This valuable book could provide crucial insight into the functioning of monoliths as well as their potential as gateways to other realms. Istredd, Triss, Geralt, and Yennefer all suspected Stregobor of being the culprit behind the theft, but it was eventually discovered that the book was hidden in Strebogor's safe.

Why Monoliths Will Be So Important In The Witcher Season 4 & Beyond

Yennefer's allegations against Stregobor revolved around his alleged plot to exploit the monoliths' power in order to exile those with elven ancestry to a parallel dimension. Despite Stregobor's prejudice against elves, his actions in the season 3 finale of The Witcher were merely a diversion. The true culprit behind the abductions of Aretuza students with elven heritage was none other than Vilgefortz. Surprisingly, it remains uncertain whether Stregobor had any involvement in the theft of the book; it is plausible that Lydia or even Vilgefortz himself orchestrated this act to frame him. Regardless of the perpetrator, the potential ability to utilize the monoliths as gateways to different realms would indisputably tip the scales of power on the Continent.

The Witcher series on Netflix has garnered attention for its deviations from the original books and games, as exemplified by the introduction of the monoliths. Consequently, the upcoming second part of The Witcher season 3 could potentially diverge from established events. The spin-off series, The Witcher: Blood Origin, delved into the history of elves prior to the Conjunction, the influx of humans and monsters, and the genesis of the first witcher. Moreover, it shed light on the prophecy entwining Ciri's fate and the significance of her Elder Blood.

It will be intriguing to observe how closely The Witcher season 4 aligns with the books, whether it draws greater inspiration from the games' timeline, or if it establishes its own narrative continuity. Given that The Witcher's overarching storyline is essentially a unique component of the lore, it is not directly linked to any specific plotlines from the books. However, it is important to note that the monoliths in The Witcher are fundamentally connected to Ciri's abilities, as evidenced by the events at the end of season 2. Consequently, as Ciri gains further understanding of her powers, additional revelations about the monoliths will likely emerge.