Premiering on April 23 through the streaming service Netflix, the fantastical series Shadow and Bone quickly became a smash hit. Based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse books, the first season combines elements from the books Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows. Though most of its characters and mythos remain the same, the series has taken several creative liberties.
Mostly set in the fictional nation of Ravka, the series follows Alina Starkov after she discovers she is a prophesized Sun Summoner, her powers mean to bring about the closure of The Fold, a gigantic and shadowy tear that split isolated both sides of Ravka. Alina has to navigate both her new life as a Grisha and the gigantic target on her back.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
10 Nina Is Revealed As A Spy For Kirigan
After Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, and Jesper Fahey—the gang members known as The Crows—recruit a man called The Conductor to cross through The Fold undetected, The Conductor reveals that he often works with a woman named Nina Zenik to smuggle defecting Grisha out of the Little Palace. The Conductor has full faith in Zenik, who apparently worked with him for quite some time before the start of the series.
Nina never meets with The Crows and is instead captured by Drüskelle, Grisha hunters from the neighboring nation of Fjerda. Later, the Heartrender Fedyor Kaminsky speaks with General Kirigan about how Nina was a deep-undercover-spy, providing intel on the deserting Grisha and their whereabouts. It was the first hint at how deeply Kirigan’s control over the Grisha extended and cast a different light on Nina and her intentions.
9 Fjerdans Ambush & Attack Mal
After Mal and Alina are separated when Alina is discovered as the Sun Summoner, the pair attempts to keep in contact with each other through letters, to no avail. Mal later learns that the Grisha are searching for the mythical Morozova’s Stag, something Alina used to dream about when the two were younger and said to be one of the most powerful Grisha amplifiers in the world.
Most consider the mission a fool’s errand and suicidal. Nevertheless, Mal’s friends, Dubrov and Mikhael, volunteer to go with him into Fjerdan territory. Several days into their journey, they are ambushed at night, and everyone but Mal is killed. The entire sequence leading up to the scene is extremely tense, as is the aftermath when Morozova’s Stag appears to an injured and grieving Mal.
8 Baghra Shows Alina Her Power
First introduced as an elderly Grisha and mentor, Baghra is Alina’s strict and no-nonsense teacher tasked with strengthening Alina’s abilities so she can destroy The Fold. Through her various methods—including wacking Alina’s arm each time she fails—Baghra is able to get the young Sun Summoner to fully dedicate herself to her task.
When Mal shows up with information about Morozova’s Stag, a being of ancient and magical power, Baghra realizes that General Kirigan will do anything to capture it and use its power to control Alina. Leading Alina through a secret passageway, Baghra tells her of Kirigan’s true intentions and powers. Alina questions how Baghra would know, considering Shadow Summoning is hereditary, causing Baghra to reveal herself as Kirigan’s mother by filling the passage with shadow.
7 Kirigan Turns Out To Be The Original Heretic
After Baghra revealed her heritage to Alina, she further disclosed that Kirigan was not a descendant of the Heretic but the Heretic himself, having created the fold many centuries ago by accident. Over time, Baghra’s allegiance to her son faltered, dismayed with how much he had begun to chase power.
After his true colors had been revealed, Kirigan becomes ever more ruthless in his campaign, going so far as to poison the King of Ravka and taking full command of the Second Army.
6 Inej Breaks Her No Killing Vow
A member of The Crows, Inej is known and referred to as “The Wraith” for her exceptional infiltration and stealth skills. Working for Kaz, Inej often collects intel for him in order to best formulate his schemes and countermeasures. Inej always made a point that killing was against her beliefs, preferring to slip away unnoticed or simply incapacitate her opponents.
As the plan to kidnap Alina from the Little Palace starts to go awry, Kaz is followed by an Inferni. Though Kaz manages to subdue him briefly, the Inferni quickly recovered and prepared to blast Kaz with fire. Coming to his aid, Inej threw a single knife in the back of the Inferni’s head. Shocked at her own actions, Kaz reassured her vehemently that she had done nothing wrong, and had saved his life.
5 Kirigan Kills The Stag
After Mal and Alina reunite and reconcile, Mal tells Alina he found Morozova’s Stag, and Alina realizes she can’t let the Stag fall into Kirigan’s hands. Together, the two travel back to where Mal first saw the Stag, once again encountering it and allowing Alina to bond with it. She laments and considers letting the Stag go, but unbeknownst to her, a ring Genya had given her allowed Kirigan to track her.
Kirigan appears and slays the Stag, binding the creature to both himself and Alina, amplifying their powers and giving Kirigan complete control over Alina’s abilities until she separated the part of the Stag bound to him.
4 Genya Reveals Her Allegiance To The Darkling
When Alina first arrived at the Little Palace, she was seldom comforted, facing racism and prejudice for her status as a half-Suli and for her more humble upbringing. Genya Safin was put in charge of making Alina presentable. The two eventually bonded through their time together, with Genya revealing how she’d been gifted to the King and Queen of Ravka when she was only a child.
After Kirigan fully turns against Alina, Genya is brought to the camp she’s staying at, initially making Alina relived. Genya reveals that The King had been poisoned and that The Queen had been confined to her quarters. Remembering that The King had abused Genya, Alina’s attempts to warn her about Kirigan turned to fear when she realized that all along Genya had been plotting with him, seeking revenge for her mistreatment.
3 Zoya Joins Forces With Alina & The Crows
Once General Kirigan’s lover, Zoya Nazyalensky is a Squaller, a Grisha with the power to command and control winds. When Alina is revealed as the Sun Summoner, Zoya makes it a point to be as antagonistic as possible, throwing racist comments at Alina’s way and almost seriously injuring her during training.
She appeared to be fiercely loyal to Kirigan until the season finale and defected to stand against him with Kaz, Inej, and Jesper. Though she still held some animosity towards Alina afterward, she told Alina to look after herself and stay alive in order to close The Fold.
2 Kirigan Expands The Fold To Destroy West Ravka
Wielding both Shadow and Sun, Kirigan was able to manipulate The Fold to his will. He then has various nobles brought with him and Alina through The Fold, intent on showcasing his new power. Knowing that he will be met with the Western Ravka rebellion, Kirigan utilizes his abilities to overwhelm it with darkness.
Much to the shock of the nobles and Zoya, Kirigan shows no remorse for his actions, causing nearly everyone present to turn against him. With this frightening display of power, viewers can only imagine what Kirigan will do next season, having survived his encounter with Volcra.
1 The Conductor Kills “Alina”
During The Crows’ heist to kidnap Alina, Kez discovered that the Grisha had arranged for a decoy to take her place as a precaution to protecting her. Knowing when the switch was going to happen and when Alina would be isolated, Kez assigned The Conductor the task of nabbing the real Alina while the rest of The Crows cleared a path for them to escape.
The Conductor, however, was revealed to have had dealings with General Zlatan, who wanted to split Ravka into two separate nations due to the presence of The Fold. Taking Alina by surprise, The Conductor slits Alina’s throat before fighting Genya and fleeing. It’s then revealed that Kez knew the false Alina would be in the fitting room and purposely sent The Conductor to dispose of him. Genya, whose Grisha abilities allow her to alter appearances, restored the dying Marie’s face before she expired.
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