The Witcher universe can be confusing for people who are exploring it through the Netflix drama. In three seasons, many unfamiliar terms would have come across viewers who did not read the source material. So it makes sense things get overwhelming when they could not connect the threads of what these mentions mean for the story. Although the creator has tried their best to explain all the instances, there is one thing that hardly got any explanation.

The term The White Flame is likely familiar to the audience because of its use throughout the show. Characters like Fringilla, Nilgaard’s sorceress, and Commander Cahir have used it. Fans would know that this term has some connection to Nilfgaard which has been searching for Ciri. But what significance it holds in the storyline remains a mystery for many.

Who is the White Flame in The Witcher? 

It would come as a surprise, but the White Flame is none other than Emhyr var Emreis himself. This revelation plays a major role in the storyline because he is the father of Ciri, and all fans know her parents died when she was a young child. However, the season 2 finale disclosed that Duny was not only alive but became the new emperor of Nilfgaard. He was the force behind troops that relentlessly chased the girl and her friends to the end of the world.

According to the books, Duny aka Emhyr was a humanoid hedgehog whose curse lifted when he fell in love with Pavetta. But after she passed away, he became obsessed with Ciri. Although the show has not revealed it, the character wishes to marry her because of Ithlinne’s prophecy. This is the reason he overthrew the usurper and took the charge of Nilfgaard in his hands.

This title of the White Flame is befitting for Emhyr because of his brutal reputation and lust for power. The show has depicted many sequences, which reveal how rapidly he has been expanding his rule.

How much power has Emhyr var Emreis gained on the Continent? 

The show has mentioned several times that there is a war brewing on the Continent. In season 3, Vilgefortz led Nilfgaardian troops into Aretuza and broke down the Brotherhood of Sorcerers. The emperor made this evil plan so he could wipe out all the major threats from the Continent. He has been continuously working on occupying more and more land to become the sole ruler of their world.

As far as fans know, he accomplished his plans because his people shattered Aretuza in the Thanedd Coup and only a handful of mages survived the massacre. He made elves and mages go against each other and his army did the rest. Thus, one can say he holds the majority of power on the continent and apparently will grow stronger in the future.

Not to forget, he burned all the old portraits, presumably of his family and the kingdom. This action stated that he did not want commoners to remember anyone other than himself or question his legitimacy on the throne. Also, this way his marriage to Ciri will not raise questions among people and he would fulfill his destiny.

How many aliases does the Nilfgaard emperor have? 

By season 3, episode 5’s conclusion, Duny garnered the support of most elves, as viewers might have noted. Cahir manipulated Francesca and made her believe that The White Flame had chosen her. Considering the queen of elves and Emhyr had the same motive of bringing back Ciri to the right place, for the sake of her people, she reluctantly agreed to join forces with them and started their mission of finding her, which led to the Aretuza War.

But the finale of the third installment showed she discovered the man who killed her baby in the womb. It turned out the White Flame was behind it because he wanted to use her as a weapon to remove his hurdles in the way of becoming a conqueror. So fans can expect a twist in this alliance between the two because Francesca knows he is a frantic murderer. As for the rest of the characters, they can switch alliances, too, depending on the situation.

Who is the actor behind the face of the White Flame? 

Bart Edwards has been playing the character of the White Flame in seasons 2 and 3 of The Witcher. Before joining the cast of the fantasy drama, he took the role of Jasper Hunt in the Hulu drama series Unreal. The British actor has also appeared in other shows, including The Flatshare, Fresh Meat, Eastenders, and Peep Show.

Meanwhile, his role will probably become more important for the storyline of the Netflix show. It is possible Geralt finally gets to know that he is the mind behind all their problems. Although there is nothing confirmed about what will happen next, Emhyr is certainly up for more bloodshed and drama.

What do you think about this mad emperor? Drop your comments below!