Is Ciri Related to Geralt? Is Ciri Geralt's Daughter?
by Janani
Updated Jun 30, 2023
Who is Ciri?
Ciri, a character in The Witcher series, possesses Elder Blood, which grants her access to powerful magic. The Elder Blood is inherited genetically, and Ciri is a descendant of Lara Dorren, a prominent Elf sorceress. Lara intended to marry an Elf sorcerer to produce exceptionally powerful offspring. However, she married a human mage instead, advocating for peaceful coexistence between humans and Elves.
Lara's marriage caused controversy and tension between the races, as she was originally conceived as a weapon for the Elves to regain control of the Continent from humans. The origins of Elder Blood are not fully explored in the Netflix series, but the original books by Andrzej Sapkowski incorporate elements of medieval fantasy and science fiction, including concepts like time-traveling and genetic manipulation.
Although Lara disrupted the Elves' plans, the Elder Blood lives on in her descendants. In the time of The Witcher, Ciri is the last known carrier of the Lara Gene, making her extremely valuable. The Witcher: Blood Origin, a spin-off series, delves into the Conjunction of the Spheres and sheds light on the political conflicts surrounding the Elder Blood in the Continent.
Is Ciri Related to Geralt?
No, Ciri is not relate to Geralt by blood. He is the adoptive father of Ciri. In the TV series "Witcher: Blood Origin," an important revelation about Ciri's ancestry is made, shedding light on her immense power as the carrier of the Elder Blood. The Elder Blood is traced back to her ancestors, Eíle and Fjall. What makes this revelation significant is the fact that Fjall is the first person to have successfully undergone the Witcher transformation. It is implied that this transformation played a role in the creation of the Elder Blood lineage.
In the world of The Witcher, modern-day Witchers become sterile after the Trial of the Grasses and their transformation. However, Fjall does not share this trait, allowing him to pass on his genes to his offspring with Eíle. As a result, their descendants inherit the monster genes that Witchers possess, infusing them with extraordinary abilities.
While the specifics of the Witcher transformation have evolved by the time Geralt undergoes the Trial of the Grasses, the process still involves the infusion of monster genes to enhance the subject's fighting skills. This means that Geralt and Ciri share the same genetic makeup in this regard, making them distant relatives.
The unusual aspect is that they are related through their shared monster DNA, which is a particularly rare and unconventional form of kinship, even within the world of The Witcher.
How is Ciri Related to Geralt?
Ciri is the adoptive daughter of Geralt, but not a biological daughter. "The Witcher" series depicts Geralt's journey and his quest to find Ciri. Spanning a 40-year period, the story revolves around Geralt of Rivia's search for a young girl who is bound to him by the Law of Surprise, an ancient tradition that enables him to claim her as his daughter.
Despite their shared traits of white hair and physical resemblance, Ciri and Geralt are not biologically related. However, their fates are intertwined. Ciri becomes Geralt's adoptive daughter due to the Law of Surprise. Throughout the narrative, both characters embark on separate quests across four kingdoms, eventually leading them to cross paths.
Geralt assumes the role of Ciri's father by saving her biological father's life before she is even born. The sequence of events unfolds as follows: During a banquet, Ciri's grandmother holds ill feelings toward her father and attempts to have him assassinated. Geralt happens to be present at the same gathering and intervenes to save his life.
In gratitude, Ciri's father offers to repay Geralt, prompting Geralt to invoke the Law of Surprise. Under this law, Geralt is entitled to either the first thing the man is greeted with upon returning home or something that surprises them both. Geralt chooses the latter, and the surprise manifests as an unborn child—Ciri.
Whether Geralt knew that Ciri was in her mother's womb at the time of invoking the Law of Surprise is uncertain. Some speculate that Geralt intentionally requested this outcome, seeing it as an opportunity for Witchers to gain heirs or recruits, while others believe he made the request in a lighthearted manner without anticipating becoming a father.
Regardless, Ciri and Geralt share a bond predetermined by destiny, even before her birth. This connection is why Ciri is often referred to as the "child of destiny" or someone "bound to Geralt by destiny."
Is Ciri Geralt's Daughter?
Ciri is not Geralt's biological daughter, but she is an adoptive daughter of Geralt. However, legally speaking, Geralt is considered her father or guardian. The reason behind this lies in the Law of Surprise, which Geralt unknowingly invoked after saving the life of Ciri's true father, a knight named Duny.
But their connection is established through adoption and their intertwined destinies shaped by the Law of Surprise. The definition of a father-daughter relationship is subjective and open to interpretation. What constitutes such a relationship varies from person to person.
Geralt assumes the role of a father figure for Ciri and takes his responsibilities seriously. He becomes her guide, mentor, and protector, prioritizing her safety above all else. Geralt makes a heartfelt promise to keep her out of harm's way and diligently fulfills that pledge to the best of his abilities.
In the fourth episode of season 1, Geralt intervenes and rescues Duny from a situation where he was on the brink of death. As a customary tradition, Geralt claims the Law of Surprise as his reward, assuming it would result in something minor or insignificant.
Unbeknownst to Geralt, invoking the Law of Surprise entitles him to claim Duny and Pavetta's unborn child as his own. This child turns out to be Ciri, whose fate becomes intertwined with Geralt's as a result of this unexpected twist of destiny.
Although Geralt is not Ciri's biological father, the Law of Surprise has bound them together, legally establishing Geralt as her father or guardian.
The Law of Surprise
The Law of Surprise is an ancient custom within the Witcher universe, triggered when someone saves another person's life. It entails two possible forms of repayment. The savior can request either the first thing the saved person encounters upon returning home or something that surprises both the savior and the saved individual.
Typically, the Law of Surprise results in receiving a bountiful harvest, but on occasion, it can lead to an unexpected pregnancy. In such instances, the claimed child is referred to as a "child surprise." This practice serves as one of the primary methods for witchers to find potential trainees for their trials.
Real Father of Ciri
Ciri's real father is Duny, who is also known as the Urcheon of Erlenwald. Duny was a cursed prince from the south who fell in love with Ciri's mother, Pavetta of Cintra. Before marrying Pavetta and becoming Ciri's father, Duny was cursed by a mage and transformed into a monster-like creature. Calanthe, Pavetta's mother and the queen of Cintra disapproved of their union and attempted to kill Duny.
However, Geralt stepped in and saved Duny's life, allowing him and Pavetta to marry. Their story takes a tragic turn when Duny and Pavetta are presumed dead in a shipwreck. However, it is later revealed that Duny is alive and has become Emhyr van Emreis, the emperor of Nilfgaard. Thus, Ciri's biological father, Duny, is actually Emhyr van Emreis, the ruler of Nilfgaard, the country that attacked Cintra.
The Witcher: Blood Origin
"The Witcher: Blood Origin is a miniseries set in a fantasy world and created by Declan de Barra and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. Loosely based on Andrzej Sapkowski's book series, it serves as a prequel to the popular series, The Witcher. The show premiered on Netflix on December 25, 2022, and consists of four episodes.
Unfortunately, the series received predominantly negative reviews from both critics and audiences. The criticism mainly centered around the writing, story, characters, acting, and the lack of faithfulness to the source material. While some praise was given to the action sequences, overall, the reception was largely unfavorable."
Is Ciri Related to Geralt - FAQ
No, Ciri is not related to Geralt by blood.
The Elder Blood is a genetic trait that grants powerful magic abilities. Ciri is a descendant of Lara Dorren, an Elf sorceress who intended to produce exceptionally powerful offspring by marrying an Elf sorcerer. However, she married a human mage instead, passing on the Elder Blood to her descendants.
Lara's marriage to a human mage caused tension between humans and Elves. She was initially conceived as a weapon for the Elves to reclaim control of the Continent from humans. Her marriage disrupted their plans and led to conflict between the races.
The origins of the Elder Blood are not fully explored in the Netflix series. However, the original books by Andrzej Sapkowski incorporate elements of medieval fantasy and science fiction, including concepts like time-traveling and genetic manipulation.
In the time of The Witcher, Ciri is the last known carrier of the Lara Gene and possesses the Elder Blood. This makes her extremely valuable and sought after by various factions due to her powerful magical abilities.