Entertainment

Shadow and bone | A Complete Guide to the New and Ambitious Netflix Series

Published

3 years ago

April 9, 2021

In another original attempt, Netflix bet its tokens on a supernatural and magical series called “ Shadow and Bones. ” Inspired by the saga signed by Leigh Bardugo, the tale takes place in a continent divided in two – Ravka and Kerch, two territories separated by a mysterious Dobra (a bunch of impassable black clouds inhabited by deadly flying creatures that do not the distinction between soldiers and civilians).

Guided by a powder keg that foreshadows a civil war, there are two types of humans who inhabit this universe: the Grisha, who have the ability to manipulate natural elements (air, fire, earth, water, blood) or to change reality. (as Craftsmen); and mortals, who were not endowed with such skills.

At the center of it all is a young cartographer named Alina Starkov; without parents and never feeling out of place anywhere, she has a best friend named Malyen Oretsev, with whom she attended the orphanage until she came of age and tried to do something with her life. However, things change completely when she finds out that she is Grisha and, more than that, a Sun Caster, who belongs to the rare Etherealki order, considered not only extinct, but a legend that has spanned generations. It is from there that Alina discovers that she has a much bigger destiny than she thought predestined.

Among the countless classes, protagonists and assistants who are distributed in the three novels of Bardugo, the production of the streaming giant aims to adapt only the first volume, which lends its name to the title. And, to help you get to know this inviting pantheon of fantasy literature, CinePOP has put together a brief guide showcasing the series’ main characters and the most important locations (at least for now).

Check:

ALINA STARKOV

Performer: Jessie Mei Li

Enjoy watching:

Central character of ‘Shadow and Bones’, Alina Starkov is described as a thin and sickly girl whose ethnicity is the target of prejudice in Ravka, mainly because of her Shu descent (probably related to the Asians of our world). Upon discovering that she is the Sun Caster and using her Grisha powers, she becomes healthier and becomes the only person who can destroy the fold and its inhabitants, the volcras (winged creatures that feed on anyone who dares enter theirs. areas)) .

MALYEN “MAL” ORETSEV

Performer: Archie Renaux

Mal is Alina’s best and oldest friend, she also became her first passion through books. Although they lived together at the Keramzin orphanage, they separated for a brief period before meeting again. Due to his enviable talent as a stalker, he dedicated himself as a soldier in the First Army and, later, saving Alina from the terrible clutches of the alluring and suspicious Aleksander Morozova (also known as Darkling).

GENERAL KIRIGAN / ALEKSANDER MOROZOVA / DARKLING

Performer: Ben Barnes

The novels’ main antagonist, Aleksander Morozova, adopts the code name of General Kirigan and poses as a defender of Grisha and an accomplished warrior with shadow management – in fact, only his blood family can handle this element and, for that reason, it is nicknamed “affectionately” Darkling. Manipulative and dangerous, Aleksander was responsible for the creation of the Dobra and, with it, the volcras; different from what everyone believes, he does not intend to destroy it, but rather to increase it and use it as a weapon against those who come after magical beings.

ZOYA NAZYALENSKY

Performer: Sujaya Dasgupta

Zoya starts off as a strong character who also has the ability to manage the air, rising up as a fundamental part of both the Second Army and Aleksander’s personal entourage (i.e. unaware of his true intentions). She despises the relationship between Alina and Mal, as well as the bewildering presence of the main heroine for her lack of skills. Finally, she became his ally and, over the books, the queen of Ravka, leader of the Etherealki and an extremely powerful woman who evokes wind, water and fire, in addition to having a penchant for the artisan. .

GENYA SAFIN

Performer: Daisy Head

One of Alina’s first confidants, Genya Safin is a Grisha who works at Little Palace, Ravka’s main executive structure. Characterized as a Craftswoman, her main ability is to change the appearance of people, she becomes an ally of the protagonist and tries to protect her from the evils that pursue her – even though she carries a terrible secret which can destroy the trust between the two.

KAZ BREKKER

Performer: Freddy Carter

Kaz is a boy prodigy who lives on the other side of the fold, Kirch, specifically in the epicenter of the criminal underworld. Leader of Os Corvos, the character is astute and always one step ahead of everyone else, despite the physical limitations that require him to use a cane. Built as an anti-hero, he sees his values constantly tested when he is hired to kidnap Alina from Ravka and bring her to the other side of the world.

INEJ GHAFA

Performer: Amita Suman

Also belonging to the Ravens, Inej is the best spy in Ketterdam, capital of Kerch, and started her life working as a prostitute in a brothel known as Menagérie, after being kidnapped and taken away from her parents and brother. In a constant journey to prove her worth, Inej has transformed into a silent, deadly shadow shed at knives and battles that keep her from being detected by anyone. Although she has been criticized by Kaz for her religious outlook, she also believes in the power of the Sun Caster, in the hopes that Alina can save them.

JESPER FAHEY

Performer: Kit Young

Hiding a secret that can change the way his companions view him, Jesper is a young man who has traveled the world to study, at least initially. Fearless, sarcastic, and weak at flirting with handsome boys, Jesper wields a gun like no other and doesn’t let anyone tell him what to do – except for Kaz and Inej, who greeted him in the controversial Ravens.

NINA ZENIK

Performer: Danielle Galligan

Part of the Second Army before being kidnapped in a trap, Nina is hemorrhaging and was built with a charming, overblown, and hilarious personality. Passionate about sweets, even more waffles, she is charming and, as if that weren’t enough, possesses extraordinary skills for linguistics and acting – and feels threatened by a mysterious drug which increases the Grisha’s abilities to destructive levels.

MATTHIAS HELVAR

Performer: Calaham Skogman

Matthias is a drüskelle, a grisha hunter from Fjerda, one of the many countries that surround Ravka. He was the one who kidnapped Nina and planned to execute her – at least until they were both the target of a tragic shipwreck. Despite their thirst for revenge and their contempt for magical humans, he and Nina begin to fall in love with each other.

BAGHRA

Performer: Zoë Wanamaker

Baghra is the mother of the Darkling and, like her son, has the ability to summon shadows. In the books, she was treated like a monster as a child and, out of envy, ended up murdering her own sister. After the emergence of the Dobra, Baghra was chosen as Alina’s stern and reprehensible guardian, with the aim of making her strong enough to destroy the barrier between the two communities.

RAVKA

Ravka is a monarchy ruled by the Lantsov royal family. They are protected by two armies: the first, which is made up of non-grisha soldiers (also known as otkazat’sya), and the second, which covers a legion of magical beings. With Alta as its capital, the kingdom is also home to several members of the Suli tribe and was inspired by the Russian Tsarist Empire in the early 19th century (as seen in clothing that mimics the country’s uniforms).

KERCH

With Ketterdam as its bustling and mysterious capital, Kerch is known as the center of all international trade, mainly because it is located with an opening to the real sea. Known for its neutrality on the political and economic issues of the globe, the territory is separated from Ravka by the fold and is inspired by the 18th century Dutch republic, with some influences from New York, Las Vegas and Victorian London.

FJERDA

Fjerda is the northernmost nation on the Ravka border and is streaked with numerous mountain ranges. Its inhabitants hunt the Grisha like dangerous demons who must be exterminated, calling for no effort to complete the missions of assassination and hostility. Based in Scandinavia, the territory features many elements of Nordic culture, including clothing and economics.

Other “Shadow and Bones” territories include Novyi Zem, Shu Han, and Wandering Isle, which will not appear in the show’s first season.

The first season consists of eight one-hour episodes and will release on April 23, 2021.