When you’re talking about a fantasy saga as dense and ambitious as The Witcher, it’s hard to stand out. Yet that’s exactly what Mimî M. Khayisa‘s Fringilla does time and time again. The sorceress serves as a grounding counterbalance to Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), another powerful chaos wielder who’s pulled from neutrality to fight for what she believes.
“I think, actually, that Fringilla really respects Yennefer, and there’s a lot in Yennefer that I think Fringilla wants,” Khayisa told Decider. “That’s the thing that she can’t deal with, that’s what I genuinely believe.”
The first two episodes of The Witcher Season 2 see Yennefer captured by Fringilla and Nilfgaardian forces. It’s a harrowing moment in the aftermath of war that works largely because both women are right in their own way. Yennefer only fought in the Battle of Sodden Hill to protect the Northern Kingdoms and help her mage allies, a battle that cost her friends as well as her powers thanks to Fringilla. Similarly, Fringilla alined herself with Nilfgaard to protect the elves, a decision that ended in mass death at Yennefer’s hands. They’re two people who have caused each other untold pain, and yet they’re not so different. It’s that complexity that Khayisa channeled in her portrayal of Fringilla Vigo.
“When [Yennefer] leaves again and they’re not together, she’s influenced by the time they spent together. You kind of get to see that this season, what she’s taken from that relationship,” Khayisa said.
As sad as this rift is, there’s a chance it may one day be repaired. In the game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fringilla comes to be part of the Lodge of Sorceresses, an alliance that forms in the wake of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers. Eventually, Yennefer and even Ciri come to be members of this elite group. So if you can’t get enough of Khayisa’s electrifying and morally complex Fringilla, don’t worry. There’s a good chance you’ll be seeing more of her in seasons to come.
Watch The Witcher on Netflix