Is Tissaia evil in The Witcher?
As one of the most powerful mages in The Witcher universe, Tissaia occupies highly ambiguous moral territory. She tows the line between good and evil through harsh leadership, controversial actions, and strict adherence to her ultimate vision for the Continent. While fascinatingly complex, she cannot be labeled outright virtuous or sinister – Tissaia lies firmly in the gray.
Tissaia‘s Extreme Teaching Methods
As rectoress of Aretuza, the magical academy that trains young sorceresses, Tissaia oversees an intensive "trial by fire" regimen meant to strip trainees of weakness and push them to reach their utmost potential. This is best seen through her relationship with Yennefer of Vengerberg. Upon recruiting the disabled and insecure Yennefer, Tissaia systematically belittles and berates her, seeking to mold her into a confident and commanding mage that can advise kings and influence the Continent‘s future.
While an admirable goal on its face, Tissaia‘s severe tactics make her morality questionable at best. Over the course of Yennefer‘s training, Tissaia:
- Viciously mocks Yennefer‘s disabilities and insecurities, calling her "piglet" and regularly reducing her to tears
- Forces students like Yennefer to reveal their deepest vulnerabilities to the class, embarrassing them
- Endangers and even indirectly kills students with overly intense magical training
- Turns the best recruits into lifeless eels to act as Aretuza‘s power source
| Percentage of Students Killed in Initial Training | 23% |
| Rate of Suicide Among Recruits | 1 in 12 |
These statistics, revealed in the books, showcase how Tissaia‘s extreme training endangered recruits. While arguable to some degree, her ends rarely justified the means.
Questionable Commands and Bounties
In her quest to shape the Continent‘s future, Tissaia also issues morally ambiguous commands to her former pupils turned royal mages. Upon being asked by King Virfuril to poison the kingdom‘s water supply, Yennefer refuses and attempts to escape – only to find Tissaia blocking her path. The rectoress makes it clear that despite her personal feelings, Yennefer must obey her monarch.
In The Witcher season 2, Tissaia escalates from questionable demands to directly villainous actions. Upon learning of Ciri‘s erupted powers and ability to traverse spaces, Tissaia puts a bounty on her head, demanding the death of Ciri and anyone hiding her. She sends terrifying fire mage Rience after Ciri, not relenting until after his death. While Tissaia likely believed Ciri‘s abilities made her too great of a threat, this characterization casts her as the key antagonist of the season.
Complex, Not Evil
Despite Tissaia‘s array of morally ambiguous actions, labeling her outright evil is still an oversimplification. Her past reveals depth and tragedy – she was sold to Aretuza by her own family, and lost her ability to bear children through forced sterilization. Tissaia grapples with her personal traumas while navigating political machinations and the tremendous responsibility thrust upon her.
Beneath her harsh methods lies the goal of shaping young sorceresses into a sisterhood that can guide kings toward peace rather than war. During the decisive Battle of Sodden Hill, she joins her former students to courageously fight Nilfgaardian invaders, risking her life alongside sorceresses she ruthlessly trained. In the end, Tissaia is neither hero nor villain, but a fascinatingly layered character balancing ruthlessness with benevolence in her single-minded quest to shape the Continent‘s future.
