The Witcher's Freya Allan Got Oddly Intimate With Her Unicorn Co-Star
For my money, the best episodes of "The Witcher" are the ones that focus on Ciri, the adopted daughter of Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg, and the powerfully magical crown princess of Cintra. Ciri was a favorite of readers of the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, as well as players of the video game adaptations, and is now beloved by the fans of Netflix's TV series. The character is imbued with mystery and surprises, and as a result you never quite know what to expect when "The Witcher" fully trains its focus on her.
Case in point episode 7 of season 3, "Out of the Fire, Into the Frying Pan." At this point, only a single episode stood between everything we'd come to know about "The Witcher" and a Henry Cavill-less future. Ciri, who played a critical role in the first season but was certainly secondary to Geralt (Cavill) and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), assumed more prominence throughout season 2, and more power as well. In season 3, it's looking like "The Witcher" may be shifting Allan into the protagonist position, even as Liam Hemsworth armors up to enter the fray in season 4.
If you view the episode as Allan's audition for new series lead, she makes an extremely compelling case. In the previous episode, a frightening encounter with the monolith in Tor Lara rendered her unconscious. When she regains consciousness it's in the scorched desert wastelands of the Korath Desert. She spends the episode fighting for survival against heat, ominous visions, and giant bug monsters. She ultimately prevails over the elements and is all the stronger for it, but only thanks to an enigmatic unicorn companion. The bond between Ciri and her equine guide was mirrored in real life between Allan and the horse actor.
'It was amazing and it was beautiful'
Early into her desert travail, Ciri spots what appears to be a glimmering oasis. She approaches, desperate to wade into the crystal clear waters, but Little Horse, her unicorn guide which seemed to wander out of the clear blue yonder, cautions her against it. That desert spring is actually a trap set by a massive, toothy monster hiding just below the sand. It isn't the oasis that's Ciri's salvation; it's Little Horse.
In a feature on TUDUM, Allan recalled her experiences working with Little Horse. "It was actually a circus horse," she revealed. Allan has showcased an extraordinary range of on-camera capabilities on "The Witcher," from accent and conlang work to stunt performing. It makes sense they'd pair her with a horse that's spent its life trotting, galloping, and jumping on command. Assistant director Harry Boyd coached the two through their scenes together, but Allan felt that her main priority was to forge a deeper connection with the horse.
When Little Horse is gravely injured by a bug monster, Ciri has a profound decision to make: should she harness dangerous fire magic to heal this gentle advisor, or leave him to waste in the heat? Allan recalled the poignant moment they shared on screen: "I laid out in the desert with it and literally spooned the bloody horse [...] It was amazing and it was beautiful."
Ultimately Ciri heals the horse and finds her way back to familiar lands, but the use of fire magic always has its consequences. At least it seems like, in "The Witcher" season 4, Ciri will have plenty of screen time to explore them.