The first season of Netflix's The Witcher saw Geralt of Rivia fighting various monsters, including a kikimora, a striga, ghouls, a sylvan, and even a djinn — and that's not to mention an actual dragon that Geralt encountered (but not quite slew) in episode 6, "Rare Species." Needless to say, in season 2, fans of the show are hoping to see more of the deadly creatures as featured in the original book series of the same name by Andrzej Sapkowski or in the expanded world created by CD Projekt Red for The Witcher game series.
The first season of The Witcher followed the stories of Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a hired monster hunter with enhanced powers; Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), a powerful and ambitious sorceress; and Ciri (Freya Allan), the crown princess of Cintra and a Child of Surprise whose destiny is linked to Geralt's. Aside from delving into the personal backstories of each protagonist and showing their inevitably converging paths, The Witchergave its viewers stories of friendship, intrigue, and even romance, plenty of action scenes, and, of course, glorious monster battles.
Some of the creatures featured in the coming season — like a bruxa, a vampire-like monster whose piercing scream can send a man flying through the air, and a leshen, an ancient woodland spirit with the ability to control both flora and fauna — have been officially confirmed, while others are a source of rumors and speculation. Here are the top 5 monsters that fans hope to see in Netflix's The Witcher season 2.
Godling
These gray-skinned child-like woodland creatures are fun-loving, youthful, and delight in mischief. While they are a CD Projekt Red's creation and don't appear in the books, godlings have a strong connection to Polish folklore (known as Bożęcie, Dydko, or Ubożę) and seem to fit The Witcher's world just right.
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Geralt investigates a supposed house haunting that turns out to have a godling behind it. If shown in season 2, these energetic and handful creatures that speak the common tongue can present a perfect contrast to Geralt's somber mood and monosyllabic grunts.
Botchling
These fetus-shaped creatures might be ugly in appearance, but what they represent is actually much darker. Botchlings are created from the stillborn and unwanted children that were never given a proper burial. In that shape, they feed on the blood of pregnant women until they and their unborn child are dead.
However, as the "Family Matters" quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt shows, if they are accepted, a botchling can be transformed into a lubberkin, a family guardian spirit. It would be interesting to see a similar story on the show.
Wraiths
While the original books barely touch on the topics of ghosts and specters, The Witcher games feature wraiths on a regular basis. They are restless and angry spirits, left behind and forever haunting the places of their demise.
However, aside from being terrifying, wraiths are said to suffer endless, indescribable pain. They are lost souls that both envy and blame the living — that's a plot for an episode right there.
Vampires
The world of The Witcher is not the first one to feature vampires, but there's one distinction — both the games and the books present an entire subset of vampire creatures, ranging in traits and skills. Lesser vampires like fleders and garkains are mere beasts; the higher vampires like alps and bruxas are intelligent, immune to sunlight, and can appear human; while rare true higher vampires are immortal, use blood for recreational purposes rather than survival, and are almost indistinguishable from humans.
Considering this, Geralt's encounters with the vampires on The Witcher show can range from pulse-pounding battles to opportunities for character development and hard moral choices. The appearance of Vereena, a powerful bruxa who falls in love with a cursed man Nivellen, has already been confirmed for season 2. And while the upcoming season's timeline might be too early to include Emiel Regis — Geralt's higher vampire friend who appeared both in the books and Blood and Wine expansion of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — many fans have already started to speculate that he might make an appearance in season 3 or 4.
The Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt is featured in Sword of Destiny and make their first appearance in Time of Contempt, as well as playing a central role in the third installment of The Witcher games. Also known as Wraiths of Mörhogg, they are believed to be a group of specters galloping in the sky and an omen of war. In reality, they are a group of Aen Elle elves, whose purpose is to find and capture slaves from other worlds and who at some point set eyes on Ciri because of her Elder Blood.
Ever since Redanian Intelligence shared several leaked set photos featuring heavily armored warriors on armored horses in March 2021, many fans have been convinced that the Wild Hunt would appear in The Witcher season 2. Even though this formidable enemy doesn't play a major role in the books, the associated game storyline can provide more than enough inspiration for their presence on the show.