The Witcher: 10 Unanswered Questions We Still Have About Tissaia

If you’ve been watching The Witcher on Netflix, you’ll know who Tissaia de Vries (played by actress MyAnna Buring) is. A powerful sorceress and the rector of the magical female academy of Aretuza. She was the person who recruited Yennefer and, despite their tumultuous relationship, believed in her abilities and ultimate power. More than anything though, Tissaia is completely awesome and represents one of the multiple powerful women on the show.

However, there is a lot about Tissaia that is unknown as most of the first season revolved around developing Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri’s storylines.  As Season 2 just started filming, hopefully, all the questions about Tissaia will be answered!

This article’s focus is solely on the Netflix series and, therefore, will contain no spoilers for what happens later in the books or games.

10 How Did Her Powers Manifest?

Every young sorceress has a moment in their life when they discover their powers or happen to manifest them. Yennefer’s big moment came when she was attacked in a stable and was able to transport herself to Aretuza.

With a sorceress as powerful as Tissaia, there had to be a moment in her life when she couldn’t control her magic because it was brand new to her. That leaves the question of how did Tissaia discover her powers? Did they manifest in a similar way to Yennefer’s? Or were they nurtured as she grew up?

9 What Was Her Life Like Before She Became A Sorceress?

Yennefer’s backstory was a central part of the first season of The Witcher and gave viewers a chance to feel a connection with her and understand her pain. Tissaia was introduced as part of Yennefer’s backstory, and there is little known about her life before Aretuza.

Where was she born, and what kind of family did she come from? Did Tissaia come from a wealthy and elite family? Or does she have a tragic backstory like Yennefer? There are so many questions about Tissaia’s life before she became a sorceress that need to be answered to understand her character fully.

8 Does She Regret Giving Up Her Previous Life?

Yennefer’s key storyline stems from the fact she gave up so much for her life as a sorceress, and it doesn’t feel worth it to her. Tissaia’s history is unknown, but does she feel the same way? Did she struggle to come to terms with all she gave up? As the years went on, did she regret it at all?

Did she ever feel the need to rebel against what she knew because of it? Tissaia and Yennefer have a likeness that is hinted at throughout the first season of The Witcher, but is there even more to it than meets the eye?

7 Where Was She Assigned When She Graduated From Aretuza?

All graduates from Aretuza are assigned to a kingdom where they serve as the Royal Mage for the King and provide support and protection to the Kingdom. It would prove insightful for viewers to know where Tissaia was first placed upon her graduation, and how that affected who she became later in life.

Was Tissaia placed somewhere she had wanted, like the Kingdom she was born in? Or did she have to put up with a placement she despised? If so, did she ever feel like disobeying it all as Yennefer did?

6 How Did She Become The Rector Of Aretuza?

Aretuza is an important part of The Witcher because it is the reason sorceresses exist on a council and the law of the land continues to move smoothly. Tissaia is quite obviously a powerful sorceress with a strong ability to lead, and that makes her the ideal type of candidate to lead a magical academy.

That being said, the Council of Mages consists of a lot of powerful characters. What made Tissaia the perfect choice to become the Rector of Aretuza? Did the previous rector die or simply step down? Did that Rector know Tissaia and choose her specifically?

5 What Was The Rage She Learned To Channel?

Throughout the first season of The Witcher, Tissaia encourages Yennefer to control her rage and learn how to utilize it in better and more powerful ways. In the beginning, she dismisses the rage as childish, but as the season progresses she sees it for what it is.

Tissaia also briefly mentions how she had to learn to control her rage, which begs the question: What caused her rage? Where did it come from and how did it affect her life? Was it a specific moment in time, or a build-up of various events?

4 How Will She React To Vilgefortz’s Apparent Betrayal?

One of the most surprising moments in the season finale of The Witcher came from Vilgefortz. A close confidant and friend of Tissaia’s, he proved himself an incredibly powerful sorcerer and fought in the Battle of Sodden Hill.

After he falls down a hill from fighting Cahir, he wakes up further away from the battle and takes that opportunity to brutally kill a wounded ally. A truly shocking moment, it appears that Vilgefortz has been hiding his allegiance to the enemy. After losing so many of her fellow mages, how will Tissaia take the news that Vilgefortz betrayed them? Or will she not find out until further into the series?

3 Is Tissaia Still Alive After The Battle Of Sodden Hill?

The Battle of Sodden Hill ends with a lot of death and destruction. Nearly every mage that elected to fight ended up meeting a brutal death, as did nearly every villager.

At the very end of the episode, Yennefer uses her rage to unleash a powerful fire on all of the Nilfgaardian enemies nearing in. Tissaia, injured and weak, forms a protective force field over herself (or perhaps Yennefer did this, it is unknown). Tissaia seemed to be on the cusp of surviving, so it is questionable if she will be alive in Season 2.

2 How Will Her Relationship With The Council Change?

Tissaia and other members of the Council of Mages chose to defend Cintra from Nilfgaard, leading to The Battle of Sodden Hill and the death of fourteen to twenty-two mages. Tissaia and the others didn’t stand a chance against Nilfgaard because so many members of the Council decided to let Cintra fend for itself.

Most of Tissaia’s comrades are now dead because of that, and her relationship with The Council is bound to change. Will she step down from her place in the Council and will she begin to rebel against them?

1 If Tissaia Is Alive, Will She & Yennefer Finally Team Up?

Season 1 of The Witcher showed Yennefer and Tissaia’s relationship from the very beginning, and how it evolved. Tissaia clearly has a fondness for Yennefer and believes in her powers, perhaps even seeing herself in the woman.

If Tissaia survived The Battle of Sodden Hill, will she leave the Council of Mages and begin to work with Yennefer? Will the two become a team of powerful sorceresses that make their own rules and regulations? Will they form a new alliance with other mages, like Triss? That would be a sight to see.

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