Ben from the US and John aka Softie from the UK join Alyssa for our discussion of Netflix’s The Witcher: Blood Origin Episode 101 “Of Ballads, Brawlers, and Bloodied Blades”. Very important bits include: our standouts and critiques, how the framing narrative eases the viewer into the prequel, pre-Conjunction Elven architecture, the early journey of our protagonists and how their internal conflicts are illustrated in combat, and whether or not the betrayal of the monarchies was justified. Plus, Softie brings a revelation of monolithic proportions.

• [00:00] Cold Open
• [01:07] Introduction
• [08:58] Episode Highlights & Lowlights
• [15:30] “How does the framing narrative ease the viewer into ‘Blood Origin’?”
• [22:29] “How is the Elven aesthetic realized?”
• [34:14] “How do Fjall and Éile cope with their losses?”
• [39:03] ‘Tidings from Toussaint’, Mid-Episode News Segment
• [43:56] “How does the show further contextualize the monoliths?”
• [52:59] “Do you believe the betrayal of the kingdoms was justified?”
• [1:03:47] “How are the fight scenes representative the characters’ internal conflicts?”
• [1:17:56] Outro & Credits

The full episode transcript, show notes, merchandise store, and access to our social platforms are available at breakfastinbeauclair.com.