WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Shadow and Bone Season 1, which is available on Netflix.
By the end of Shadow and Bone Season 1, the country of Ravka has been forever changed by the machinations of General Kirigan and the appearance of legendary Sun Summoner Alina Starkov. However, while Alina and her allies do foil General Kirigan’s plans, the Shadow and Bone Season 1 finale makes clear their fight is far from over.
Here are some of the Shadow and Bone plotlines set up in the Season 1 finale. Also, as it’s unclear just how faithful the next installment of Shadow and Bone will be to Siege and Storm — the second book in author Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse — there won’t be any spoilers for that novel in this article.
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How Shadow and Bone Season 1 Ends
Over the course of Shadow and Bone Season 1, Alina Starkov discovers that she’s a legendary Grisha — the show’s magically-gifted characters — capable of creating light. This eventually leads to the reveal that General Kirigan is, in fact, much older than he appears and was the original person responsible for the Shadow Fold, a cloud of monster-filled darkness that divides the country of Ravka in two. While Kirigan claims he wants to use Alina’s powers to destroy the Shadow Fold, his actual goal is much more nefarious.
In reality, Kirigan wants to bend the Shadow Fold to his will and use it to subjugate others. As part of his plan, Kirigan takes control of Alina’s powers by binding her to him through a power amplifier made from the antlers of a mythical beast called Morozova’s Stag. Kirigan buries this power amplifier deep within Alina’s body and does seemingly gain mastery over her. However, after Kirigan destroys the city of Novokribisk from a ship in the Shadow Fold, Alina breaks free from his control. With help from Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey, Zoya Nazyalensky and Mal Oretsev, Alina then defeats the villain and cast him into the his dark creation. There, he’s attacked by volcra, who were the humans his actions turned into monsters.
Afterwards, the group debriefs just outside the Shadow Fold and plans its next move. This results in everyone except Zoya catching a ship to Ketterdam — where the Crows began the series — from Os Kervo. While on the ship, their plotline finally intersects with that of Grisha Heartrender Nina and Fjerdan witch hunter Matthias. Nina, for her part, is looking for a way to free the imprisoned Matthias, whom she claimed was a slaver so as to escape the wrath of Grisha Fedyor.
General Kirigan Will Want His Revenge
Just before the credits roll on Shadow and Bone Season 1, a battered and bloodied General Kirigan walks out from the Fold. However, he’s not alone. Instead, Kirigan turns back to the Fold and says, “Follow,” which results in several shadowy monstrosities stepping out to accompany him. General Kirigan is going to be looking for revenge and a way to make his dream of bending the world to his desires a reality. This will certainly put him into conflict with Alina and Mal again, who are seemingly going into hiding for the time being in hopes of learning how to destroy the Shadow Fold.
Alina and Mal won’t be able to stay out of the fray for long, though. While they assume Kirigan is dead, they know that the Apparat — a religious zealot — has seized control of Ravka from the king, with Zoya remarking that the people are sure to turn on Grisha again under his rule. Before departing for Novokribisk to see if any of her family survived General Kirigan’s attack on the city, Zoya tells Alina she’ll need to get new allies if she’s to stand a chance in the conflict to come. Alina, who herself is presumed dead by those in Ravka, responds by saying that she’ll come back in the future to reclaim the country. As such, Alina is going to need to get more powerful to take on the Apparat, Kirigan and the Shadow Fold. This means she’s going to need to train, but whether she can get strong enough to defeat such mighty forces is another matter entirely.
The Crows Have a New Plan (And an Uncertain Future)
After exiting the Shadow Fold, Alina gives Kaz an ornate piece of jewelry to keep quiet about just where she and Mal are going. Kaz later remarks that the cost of one of the gemstones is enough to keep Inej from being returned to servitude in the Menagerie, which is a brothel in Ketterdam. Still, the Menagerie is far from their only problem, as both gangster Pekka Rollins and merchant Dreesen will be gunning for them when they return without their promised Sun Summoner. Kaz, though, reveals that he has a plan that requires a Heartrender. Luckily, Nina is within earshot and offers her services. Together, the group will be looking to survive their return and, presumably, get Matthias out of prison.
It’s not clear at this time if the Crows’ adventure with Nina will connect to Shadow and Bone Season 2 or dovetail more into a standalone spinoff based on Six of Crows, the book from which the group originates. Regardless, it’s entirely possible that a future season of Shadow and Bone may find a way to once again bring the Crows together with Alina and Mal. There’s a very real chance that, should Alina need help, the Crows will once again appear. The religious Inej, after all, believes Alina is a saint and promised to help her again should the need arise.
At the time of writing, Netflix has not officially renewed Shadow and Bone for a second season. However, the show has been well-received by critics, and the books on which the series is based have a massive, passionate fanbase. There’s a good chance then that more of the Grishaverse will bring viewers back to Ravka sooner rather than later.
A Netflix production from Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment, Eric Heisserer, Leigh Bardugo, Pouya Shahbazian and Lee Toland Krieger, Shadow and Bone stars Jessie Mei Li (Alina Starkov), Archie Renaux (Malyen Oretsev), Freddy Carter (Kaz Brekker), Amita Suman (Inej), Kit Young (Jesper Fahey), Ben Barnes (General Kirigan), Sujaya Dasgupta (Zoya Nazyalensky), Danielle Galligan (Nina Zenik), Daisy Head (Genya Safin), Simon Sears (Ivan), Calahan Skogman (Matthias Helvar), Zoë Wanamaker (Baghra), Kevin Eldon (The Apparat), Julian Kostov (Fedyor), Luke Pasqualino (David), Jasmine Blackborow (Marie) nad Gabrielle Brooks (Nadia). The series is available now on Netflix.
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