The Myriapod From The Witcher Season 2 Explained

"The Witcher" Season 2 does its best to try and rectify some of the biggest issues that plagued its divisive first season. The overlapping stories, murky timeline, and confusing non-linear structure that marred the show's first season have all been replaced with a grounded, character-driven quest led by Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Ciri (Freya Allan). Thankfully, the series has also really started to emphasize the monster-hunting that Geralt of Rivia is famous for.

Indeed, there is no shortage of monstrous foes for Geralt to take on in "The Witcher" Season 2. Familiar creatures like the Leshy, Basilisk, and Bruxa return from the "Witcher" novels and video games, and there are even a few new beasts that fans have never seen before. One of these new monsters is the Myriapod, a creature mentioned only briefly in the original "Witcher" novels, but was never fully adapted into the games.

It's clear that the showrunners behind the Netflix series decided to take some ample liberties with its portrayal of the creature too.

In the books, the Myriapod is essentially described as an enormous centipede and is featured in the short story "The Sword of Destiny," in which Geralt is forced to save Ciri from one in the forest of Brokilon (via Witcher Wiki). An offshoot of the Myriapod is also present in the "Witcher 3" video game expansion titled "Blood and Wine," though, the creatures are simply referred to in-game as "giant centipedes."

The Myriapod in the Netflix series, however, might as well be an entirely different creature. The beast has a centipede's body, a bulbous 4-eyed demon head with bull's horns, and spiked arms that look like they belong on a massive praying mantis. The beast also sports a multitude of human arms sprouting from its torso, some of which flail about as they attack, while others grasp at the creature's own chest to try and protect it. 

It's a completely fresh take on what was just an oversized centipede in the source material, one that turns it into something more akin to a Lovecraftian abomination than a fantasy monster, which may have been the intention of the show's creative team. Regardless, the scene where Geralt and Ciri battle the creature (after watching it dismember a Leshy) is one of the most memorable fights in "The Witcher" Season 2, and that's due in no small part to just how unforgettable the creature's design is.