The Witcher: Not Returning For Season 4? How Ciri's Story Ends

Contains spoilers for the "Witcher" book series

Big changes are coming to Netflix's "The Witcher" following the conclusion of its third season that carry the potential impact major characters like sorceress in training Ciri (Freya Allan). Most importantly, while Geralt of Rivia will stay its main protagonist, Liam Hemsworth will take over the role from Henry Cavill starting in Season 4. As for what happens to Ciri, Andrzej Sapkowski's series of novels that serve as the TV show's source material provide the best idea of what's next.

Notably, Seasons 1 and 2 of "The Witcher" differ significantly from the book series. Seemingly in response to backlash against these diversions from its source material, Season 3 is a comparatively more faithful adaptation of Sapkowski's work. Fans of the books will recognize that Season 3 is predominately based on the storyline of the second "Witcher" novel, titled "Time of Contempt." Three novels still remain in the core "Witcher" series, and if Netflix theoretically wants to continue past those, the popular "Witcher" video games take place afterword — though they're not written by Sapkowski, making the possibility of their incorporation unlikely.

Fortunately for fans of Allan's character in Netflix's "Witcher" series, there's still plenty left in the books before the end of Ciri's story, all but confirming that she will return as a primary character in Season 4.

Presuming that "The Witcher" Season 3, Part 2 continues through the end of the events that comprise "Time of Contempt," moving forward, the Netflix show can still pull from three more mainline novels while likewise dipping into canonical short stories that Sapkowski also wrote if necessary.

Ciri's story, meanwhile, progresses through all three of these subsequent "Witcher" novels, culminating in a definitive — albeit open-ended — conclusion to her journey in fifth entry "The Lady of the Lake." By that book's final chapter, she travels to a dimension where she meets a version of Sir Galahad of Arthurian legend whom she then accompanies to Arthur's court in Camelot.

For now, though, Netflix's adaptation must reckon with the events of two prior novels. Whether or not Ciri's TV show storyline ends in this same manner will depend on if "The Witcher" maintains its current degree of faithfulness to the book series or lands somewhere else entirely. That said, Ciri is all but confirmed to be back for "The Witcher" Season 4 and should remain a key player beyond just this upcoming season.