The second season of Netflix’s hit fantasy adaptation Shadow and Bone is but mere weeks away. It’s been a long time coming, nearly two years in fact. In that time you’ve probably forgotten everything that went down in Season 1, I know I have. So let’s recap all the important events from Shadow and Bone so that we’re all ready for Season 2.
Shadow and Bone Season 1 recap
What is Shadow and Bone based on?
Shadow and Bone is based on a series of fantasy books by Leigh Bardugo. The first novel was released in 2012 titled Shadow and Bone. This was made into a trilogy with Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising, which was followed by a duology – Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
The Netflix series has merged both book series into the television adaptation, telling the stories of Alina Starkov and the Crows in one narrative.
Where is Shadow and Bone set?
Before we get into specifics, let’s recap the basics of Shadow and Bone. The series takes place in a world of magic users, known as Grisha, who are split between different branches of summoners that can manipulate certain elements.
The main nations in the story are Ravka, Fjerda, Shu Han, Kerch, Novyi Zem and the Wandering Isle. Ravka as a nation has been split in half by an engulfing darkness known as the Shadow Fold.
The Darkling and his plan
Early on in Shadow and Bone Season 1, we’re introduced to General Kirigan, the leader of Ravka’s Second Army and a shadow summoner, who is seeking a sun summoner to eradicate the Shadow Fold.
It’s later revealed that Kirigan is actually the Darkling, the one who created the Shadow Fold, and he plans to expand it, not destroy it.
At the end of the season, Kirigin is seemingly dragged away by the monstrous Volcra, but he manages to emerge from the Fold alive and with a shadow army.
Who is Alina Starkov?
Alina Stakov is the main character in Shadow and Bone. She is a very rare Grisha known as a sun summoner, who discovers her power late in life. Taken by the Darkling to the Little Palace she learns to control her powers.
Alina has a brief romance with Kirigan, until she learns his real identity and then fights to put a stop to his plan. After reuniting with her childhood best friend Mal, who she has feelings for, they escape the Darkling and vow to tear down the Shadow Fold once Alina is strong enough.
Who are the Crows?
Intertwined with Alina’s storyline is that of the Crows, Kaz, Jesper, and Inej, who take on a job worth a million kruge that involves them finding the Sun Summoner. Over the course of the season, we see them cross the Shadow Fold, break into the Little Palace and try to find Alina. Lucky for them she lands straight in their laps after she flees the Little Palace and escapes in their getaway carriage.
The group are all captured by Kirigan and they join the fight with Alina and Mal to stop him and escape the Shadow Fold. After forming an agreement with Alina and Mal, the Crows sneak onto a ship bound for Ketterdam. The same ship which happens to hold Nina and Matthias.
Nina and Matthias
Wait, who are Nina and Matthias, you ask? The third main storyline in Shadow and Bone follows Nina, a Grisha who can manipulate others’ bodies, and a group of witch hunters, the Druskelle, which capture her and leave Matthias to guard her.
After their ship crashes in a storm, Nina and Matthias must put aside their differences in order to survive, and in doing so they fall in love. They’re home free when one of Kirigan’s soldiers finds them and Nina pretends Matthias is a slaver in the hopes that a bounty hunter will take them away from the danger. This causes distrust between them again, but it does save Matthias’ life.
We’ll have to wait and see where things go from here in Season 2 of Shadow and Bone, but it’s expected the series will adapt the next book, Siege and Storm. If you’d like a visual recap of all of the above you can see the one Netflix has put together here.
Find out what else there is to know about Shadow and Bone Season 2 here and then tune in when it releases on Netflix on March 16.
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