Adapts the short story "The Bound of Reason" from the anthology Sword of Destiny.
A mysterious man tries to entice Geralt to join a hunt for a rampaging dragon, a quest that attracts a familiar face. Ciri questions who she can trust.
Tropes present in this episode:
- Adaptation Distillation: In the short story, the four teams of dragon hunters had extensive retinues; most were mounted, and there were multiple carts. Having that many horses and livery would have led to a greatly increased budget, so the decision was made to handwave the path up the mountain as being too narrow for horses.
- Adaptation Expansion: Yennefer learns in this episode that Geralt used his last wish from the djinn to bind their lives together. She views this as yet another case of someone with power over her making a choice for her and reacts very badly, thinking that means their feelings toward each other aren't genuine, then proceeds to angrily leave. In the short story version of "The Last Wish", she finds out as soon as he does it (she's right beside him, so she actually hears him make the wish) and considers it romantic, since he was willing to risk his life for her even after she'd used him as a Sleeper Agent to gain petty revenge on some enemies.
- A Handful for an Eye: Boholt, leader of the Reavers, throws a handful of grit in Geralt's face, temporarily blinding him. Fortunately, Yennefer stabs Boholt in the throat before he can kill Geralt.
- Amazon Brigade: Borch's warrior women bodyguards, Tea and Vea.
- Asshole Victim:
- It's doubtful that anyone is going to be sad about Ser Eyck’s death. He was rude, arrogant, and unnecessarily slaughtered a starving creature. Yennifer herself wasn’t sad about his death, just irritated that he got himself killed before doing what she needed him to do. Jaskier only shows sympathy because being killed while using the restroom is a horrible way to go.
- Also, the peasant who tries to rob Geralt, presuming him dead for taking too long on a job, doesn't get a second thought.
- Beautiful Dreamer: After a romantic night together, Geralt and Yennefer both have a moment contentedly watching their lover sleep.
- Big Damn Kiss: Yennefer lays one on Geralt to supercharge his Aard and knock some of their attackers flying.
- Bigger on the Inside: Yennefer's tent is normal if somewhat on the large end on the outside, but a palatial bedroom full of creature comforts on the inside.
- Bluff the Imposter: Ciri asks Mousesack if he misses Skellige and its colder climes. When Mousesack replies that he does, Ciri realises he's an imposter: the real Mousesack hated going back to Skellige because the cold aggravated his arthritis.
- Bodyguarding a Badass: Tea and Vea are quite competent, but a dragon doesn't need that much help.
- Both Sides Have a Point: Yennefer is correct that Geralt needs to take responsibility for his child of surprise, and Geralt is correct that Yennefer's quest for fertility has led her to be destructive and disregard others, and is not going to fix her self-esteem problems.Geralt: You flit about like a tornado, wreaking havoc and for what?! So you can have a baby? A child is no way to boost your fragile ego, Yen!
Yennefer: I'll take advice from you about children as soon as you take responsibility for the one you bound to you and then abandoned! - Brutal Honesty: Geralt asks incredulously if Yennefer really wants to be a mother. When she defensively asks if he thinks she'd be a bad one, Geralt doesn't even hesitate before replying "definitely". She does later clarify that what she really wants is the ability to have a child, since not having any choice reminds her of her youth.
- Bullying a Dragon: When Borch demands that the men trying to steal Roach and threatening Jaskier stop, one of them sneeringly dismisses the threat and shoves the old man. He promptly gets his neck broken for it.
- Clique Tour: At the bar, Tea and Vea point out the teams involved in the dragon hunt: the dwarves, the Reavers, and...Yennefer and her escort.
- Cruel to Be Kind: Borch invokes this to save Geralt and Yennefer "a lot of hurt with a little pain now", telling them that Yennefer will never cure her infertility and despite the djinn honouring his wish, Geralt will eventually lose her.
- Decapitation Presentation: Geralt proves he's still alive by tossing the head of the basilisk he was hired to kill at the feet of his employer, who was in the process of robbing him.
- Double-Meaning Title: The "rare species" of the title can refer to the dragons that are becoming increasingly rare (even the common colors like green), the extremely rare gold dragon (a color Geralt dismissed as impossible), or the evil Doppler (most Dopplers are non-violent and helpful).
- Everyone Has Standards: Yennefer, who had been hunting the dragon in hopes of using it to cure her infertility, relents when she realizes the green dragon was a female protecting her nest.
- Foreshadowing: Borch wears a gold-colour studded vest, a hint that he is really the gold dragon he mentions of to Geralt.
- Friend Versus Lover: This episode makes it clear that Jaskier (Geralt's only friend) and Yennefer (Geralt's on-and-off girlfriend) can barely stand each other, as all their interactions consist of sarcasm at best and straight up insults at worst.
- Informed Attractiveness: Discussed Trope when Jaskier wonders why the foreigners Tea and Vea are guarding Borch, and they mysteriously reply that it's because "he is the most beautiful." Later on, the group (and the audience) find out that Borch is a dragon.
- Kick the Dog: After his shouting match with Yennefer, Geralt angrily rounds on Jaskier trying to cheer him up, blaming the bard for just about everything that's gone wrong in his life of late. While he had a point critiquing Yennefer, this is just misdirected and hurtful anger.Geralt: Damn it, Jaskier! Why is it whenever I find myself in a pile of shit these days, it's you shoveling it?
Jaskier: [hurt] That's not fair-
Geralt: The Child Surprise, the djinn, all of it! If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands! - Lame Comeback: The best Jaskier can muster to fire back at Yennefer is that her jokes are old.
- Law of Chromatic Superiority: Dragons. In order of rarity: green, red, black, then gold.
- Monster Is a Mommy: The green dragon was never malicious; she would have run away when first attacked, but her egg was at too delicate a developmental stage to be safely moved, so she tried to scare people off by flaming the mountainside.
- Neck Snap: One of the peasants trying to rob Geralt in the belief he's been killed by the monster he was hired to get rid of gets killed this way by one of Borch's Zerrikanian bodyguards.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: After Yerpen talks about how bad things are getting down south due to the Nilfgaardian advance, Borch rather knowingly looks at Yennefer and snarks that "a firmer hand" could possibly have tempered Emhyr's ambitions in that regard.
- Not Staying for Breakfast: As it turns out Geralt left Yennefer after they made love in Rinde. Yennefer then retaliated by pulling this on Geralt several times.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Jaskier reacts with dismay when he sees Yennefer enter the tavern, knowing Geralt is going to insist on following her.
- Geralt's reaction when he inadvertently lets slip he's been promised a child by the Law of Surprise to the broody Yennefer.Yennefer: What did you just say?!
Geralt: I, er,...Ah fuck!
- Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Jaskier's inability to let silence stand really fucks things up at the end of the episode, as he starts wittering immediately after Geralt and Yennefer have a massive falling out over his last wish, causing Geralt to lash out in a very harsh verbal beat down.
- Rapid-Fire "No!": Jaskier does this when he realises Geralt is thinking of following Yennefer on the dragon hunt.
- The Reveal: Borch isn't just looking for a dragon, he is one.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Dara finally gets fed up with traipsing after Ciri, particularly after their close call with the doppler, and chooses to leave her and return to Brokilon.
- Spotting the Thread: The Doppler has all of Mousesack's memories, but still isn't actually Mousesack. By constantly asking him questions, Ciri eventually gets him to slip up.
- Stating the Simple Solution: Cahir kills everyone in a tavern in an unsuccessful attempt to find a Doppler. Fringilla dryly notes that simply touching their bare skin with silver would have been enough.
- Too Dumb to Live: One of the Reavers tries to crawl to the dragon egg, ignoring the golden dragon looming over it. He promptly gets incinerated.
- Ugly Cute: In-Universe, Jaskier certainly thinks the hirikka is cute...until he realizes how big it is.
- Undignified Death: Eyck gets his throat slit while taking a shit in the night.
- Upper-Class Twit: Eyck is a vainglorious, trigger-happy idiot from a rich background. The vassal state he wanted to lay claim to is lucky it didn't have to deal with him for even the short time the dwarves claim it will take before Nilfgaard rolls over it.
- Wham Shot: Tea and Vea leveling their swords, and the gold dragon climbing in the other side of the cave.
