There are three timelines going on for each episode. Ciri is the present. Yenn and Geralt are the past. Yenn being far into the past, while Geralt being in the middle with Yennefer eventually catching up with him and then Geralt eventually catching up with Ciri. Also keep in mind that Yennefer doesn't age, and Geralt ages slowly. Answer from Arsenic_Touch on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/witcher › what the fuck is going on in episode 4?
r/witcher on Reddit: What the fuck is going on in episode 4?
December 30, 2019 -
Didn't Calanthe and Mousesack die in the first episode? How are they back again? And what is Yennefer talking about when she said she spent three decades with political messes? Is something fycky going on with timelines?
Top answer 1 of 9
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There are three timelines going on for each episode. Ciri is the present. Yenn and Geralt are the past. Yenn being far into the past, while Geralt being in the middle with Yennefer eventually catching up with him and then Geralt eventually catching up with Ciri. Also keep in mind that Yennefer doesn't age, and Geralt ages slowly.
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To be fair, you have to work a little more at paying attention if you haven’t been exposed to the Witcher before. What I might suggest is watch it all the way through and understand it as best as you can and start a rewatch and you’ll catch a lot of details that went over your head the first time.
PC Gamer
pcgamer.com › games › rpg › the witcher › the witcher (tv series)
The Witcher episode 4 recap: Our heroes deal with a cursed knight and a magical assassin | PC Gamer
December 21, 2019 - Ciri visits an enchanted forest, Yennefer faces an assassin, and we learn the intricacies of the Law of Surprise.
The Witcher, S1:E4, I'm Confused (Open Spoilers) - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board
Been watching The Witcher on Netflix, just finished Episode 4. It bears noting that I have neither read the books nor played the video games (tried one, couldn’t get into it). So obviously there’s a lot of context that I’m missing here. Anyway, the episode’s timing didn’t make sense. More on boards.straightdope.com
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January 5, 2020The Witcher - 4x01 "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger" (TV Show Only Discussion)
I'm gonna watch the rest later, but after watching 20mins or so, I think i like Liam's chemistry with the supporting cast better. I always felt Henry was playing a loner really well, but his interactions with other characters felt off to me. I think I'm gonna watch this and stay away from any reviews with this one. The way I interpreted the first few scenes is that this is a new retelling of the witcher's story, and Henry's portrayal never existed if that makes sense. I really liked it, I can't lie. Looking forward to watching the rest. More on reddit.com
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October 30, 2025What the fuck is going on in episode 4?
There are three timelines going on for each episode. Ciri is the present. Yenn and Geralt are the past. Yenn being far into the past, while Geralt being in the middle with Yennefer eventually catching up with him and then Geralt eventually catching up with Ciri. Also keep in mind that Yennefer doesn't age, and Geralt ages slowly. More on reddit.com
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December 30, 2019I'm confused (episode 4 spoilers)
Keep watching. The show is jumping between the past and present which makes it a little confusing at first. More on reddit.com
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October 16, 2019Videos
13:08
The Witcher: Episode 4 - "Of Banquets, Bastards, and Burials" ...
21:16
The Witcher S1E04 Explained (The Witcher Netflix Series, Banquets, ...
08:27
The Witcher Netflix Episode 4 Review / Reaction - Timeline Explained!
06:47
Renfail Reviews The Witcher (TV Series) - Season 4, Episode 1 - ...
08:18
The Witcher Season 4 Episode 1 Recap - YouTube
43:48
The Witcher Season 1-4 Recap | Netflix - YouTube
Polygon
polygon.com › home › entertainment › in the witcher, the law of surprise is bigger than any prophecy
The Witcher episode 4: the Law of Surprise twist, explained
December 29, 2019 - These endangered unfortunates are usually occasioned by a witcher, but sometimes an ordinary knight can encounter them due to pure happenstance — such was the case with Duny himself, who saved the life of Pavetta’s father 15 years before the events of episode 4, and won the right to marry his daughter through the Law of Surprise.
Greatgeekrefuge
greatgeekrefuge.com › moviesandtv › › witcherep4
The Witcher: Episode 4 Review — The Great Geek Refuge
March 15, 2020 - Anywho, this is how Episode 4 ends. ... 1: I’m not going to lie, I had to rewatch the ball scenes two times to understand the whole Law of Surprise thing, and then even read up on it a bit. So pretty much the Law is that if person A saves person B, they claim the Law, and the first “surprise” that happens in person B’s life is now person A’s which is why Eist says it’s a gamble. I really wish they would have explained that just a little bit more, maybe like a side dialogue about it or something.
Autocrat on a Sofa
autocratonasofa.com › 2020 › 01 › 04 › the-witcher-recap-season-1-epsiode-4-of-banquets-bastards-and-burials
The Witcher Recap – Season 1 Epsiode 4: Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials
January 6, 2020 - Cirri hypno-walked to the edge of a forest at the end of last episode and Dara got hit by an arrow trying to follow her. She comes to in a forest and rapidly meets up with some peeps. It’s very tense standoffish, but once the head of this group (Dryads, apparently) shows up, there’s much less of a physical threat.
Straight Dope Message Board
boards.straightdope.com › cafe society
The Witcher, S1:E4, I'm Confused (Open Spoilers) - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board
January 5, 2020 - Been watching The Witcher on Netflix, just finished Episode 4. It bears noting that I have neither read the books nor played the video games (tried one, couldn’t get into it). So obviously there’s a lot of context that I…
Vulture
vulture.com › 2019 › 12 › the-witcher-recap-season-1-episode-4-of-banquets-bastards-and-burials.html
The Witcher Recap, Season 1 Episode 4
December 21, 2019 - I think The Witcher tends to work better when Geralt is a supporting character in someone else’s story, and this episode really belongs to Jodhi May’s Calanthe. The Queen of Cintra comes into the ballroom in armor and covered in blood, having left the battlefield and walked directly into the party she’s throwing for her daughter.
Netflix Tudum
netflix.com › tudum › articles › the-witcher-season-1-recap
What Happens in ‘The Witcher’ Season 1? Let’s Go Back to the Continent
Let’s recap exactly what the Law of Surprise is — and how it affects Geralt.
Published June 24, 2023
Express.co.uk
express.co.uk › showbiz › tv-radio › 1220850 › The-Witcher-episode-4-explained-S01E04-1x04-Of-Banquets-Bastards-and-Burials-law-surprise
The Witcher episode 4 explained: What happened in Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials? | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV | Express.co.uk
December 29, 2021 - Superman actor Henry Cavill portrays Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter for hire. Season one, episode four is called Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials and perfectly explained the different timelines.
ComingSoon.net
comingsoon.net › home › the witcher season 1 episode 4 recap
The Witcher Season 1 Episode 4 Recap
December 31, 2019 - Paths are beginning to cross and ... which sees Geralt of Rivia head to a ball alongside bard Jaskier as his bodyguard, while Cirilla meets a dangerous new ally and Yennefer chooses to forge her own path....
Winter is Coming
winteriscoming.net › home › the witcher
The Witcher season 4 episode 1 recap and review: "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger"
October 30, 2025 - We're recapping and reviewing each episode, breaking down their secrets and pointing out all the little details to help you get the most out of your watch. Now our journey begins with the season premiere, "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger." FULL SPOILERS beyond this point. Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher season 4.
Show Snob
showsnob.com › home › netflix
The Witcher season 1, episode 4 recap: Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials
March 11, 2020 - Elsewhere, a portion of Queen Calanthe (Jodhi May) is eaten by a magical seer, who is then himself gutted to magically trace Cirilla to Brokilon Forest (yes, it’s a very weird scene, and not exactly the most useful form of magic imaginable). Later, by the episode’s end, Ciri has a vision of a magical tree in the desert — which must be the legendary Shan-Kayan. For new lyrical material, Jaskier the Bard (Joey Batey) listens to the story of a Witcher being swallowed by a Selkiemore.
Vulture
vulture.com › article › the-witcher-recap-season-4-episode-1-premiere-netflix.html
The Witcher Season-Premiere Recap: The Witcher Has Two Faces
October 30, 2025 - • The Witcher doesn’t do a great job of explaining its world, but if you’re curious how all these similar-sounding fantasy kingdoms fit together, check out this map, which shows how much land Nilfgaard has already raided and how dangerous it is for the Continent that they’re moving into territories like Lyria. • “The stories say death dogged his footsteps,” says Stribog the storyteller at the start of the episode — referring, obliquely, to Geralt’s encounter with Death in Andrzej Sapkowski’s Sword of Destiny.
The Review Geek
thereviewgeek.com › home › tv shows › the witcher – season 4 episode 1 recap & review
The Witcher - Season 4 Episode 1 Recap & Review | The Review Geek
November 16, 2025 - The Witcher Season 4 Episode 1 has Yennefer going after Vilgefortz. Geralt worries that he's running out of time to save Ciri.
The Review Geek
thereviewgeek.com › home › tv shows › fantasy › the witcher – season 1 episode 4 recap & review
The Witcher – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review | The Review Geek
February 27, 2020 - Dressed in seemingly inconspicuous clothes, Geralt’s disguise is quickly extinguished as Mousesack recognizes him immediately and pulls him aside, where they discuss royal affairs. This inevitably leads the Witcher to sit with the Royal Family but he refuses to help them.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/netflixwitcher › the witcher - 4x01 "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" (tv show only discussion)
r/netflixwitcher on Reddit: The Witcher - 4x01 "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger" (TV Show Only Discussion)
October 30, 2025 -
Season 4 Episode 1: What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
Released: October 30, 2025
Directed by: Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Written by: Lauren Schmidt Hissrich
Use spoiler tags for book spoilers. Please keep the discussion focused on the show.
Top answer 1 of 5
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I'm gonna watch the rest later, but after watching 20mins or so, I think i like Liam's chemistry with the supporting cast better. I always felt Henry was playing a loner really well, but his interactions with other characters felt off to me. I think I'm gonna watch this and stay away from any reviews with this one. The way I interpreted the first few scenes is that this is a new retelling of the witcher's story, and Henry's portrayal never existed if that makes sense. I really liked it, I can't lie. Looking forward to watching the rest.
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Gotta tip my hat off for Liam. He's doing his best to embody the role of Geralt — not Henry — and I appreciate it.
TV Insider
tvinsider.com › 842307 › the-witcher-season-1-episode-4-recap-of-banquets-bastards-and-burials
The Women of 'The Witcher' Say to Hell With Tradition in Episode 4 (RECAP)
December 22, 2019 - It’s an episode that explores the treatment of women within the Witcher-verse, the expectations thrust upon them, and the ongoing fight against those expectations. It’s a fight that, at times, seems unwinnable.
Collider
collider.com › home › tv features › 'the witcher: blood origin' episode 4 recap: time to slay the beast
'The Witcher: Blood Origin' Episode 4 Recap: Time to Slay the Beast
December 25, 2022 - Episode 4 of The Witcher: Blood Origin finally reveals how the Conjunction of the Spheres came to happen and change the Continent forever.
Omnivorous
omnivorous.substack.com › p › tv-review-the-witcher-season-4-episodes
TV Review: "The Witcher" (Season 4, Episodes 1-4)
November 12, 2025 - I love the many scenes like this that we get in the books, and thankfully there are quite a few of them in the fourth season of the show, as Yennefer gathers those remaining sorceresses who are determined to stand against Nilfgaard. If I had to pick my favorite scene with Yennefer it would have to be the moment when she spars with Francesca, illustrating that she really has absorbed the lessons taught to her by Vesemir and the other Witchers.
IMDb
imdb.com › news › ni64141472
‘The Witcher’ Season 3, Episode 4 Recap & Ending, Explained: Is Stregobor The Villain? - IMDb
In the fourth episode of The Witcher, Geralt and Yennefer would team up to uncover the mystery surrounding the most powerful sorceress Rience was working for. Spoilers Ahead Why Did Geralt And Ciri Return To Aretuza?