Shadow and Bone is returning for season two! It’s official and back to the Grishaverse we go! The news was announced on Netflix’s #GeekedWeek this morning via videos from the cast and we’re super jazzed about it.
And there’s a lot I’d like to see from the second season. I haven’t made it a secret that I am not a big fan of the original trilogy. (Now that I’ve actually read them during this hiatus, I can attest to this.) But that isn’t to say that I don’t adore these characters and can’t wait to see more of them, primarily with Alina’s journey and coming to terms with her powers. No love triangles, no back and forth–Shadow and Bone season two would be so strong if it allowed its heroine to examine her strengths.
If the series follows its second book closely, I personally don’t want to see any tension or any attention to the idea that Nikolai Lantsov could be a love interest. Let’s not even play on it. Let it be a journey of self discovery. The same with Mal and strengthening their friendship. Alina Starkov is an incredibly nuanced and fascinating character and she deserves the chance to stand on her own without such unnecessary plot points that TV series so often tend to draw on.
The Second Army
Ben Barnes’ The Darkling doesn’t have as big of a role in the second book, but we imagine the series will give him plenty on screen as Barnes is fascinating as the villain. And that’s entirely fine with me because let him go all out as the season’s big bad–let him explore all that is inside of the character. But that said, who’s still standing by him. We didn’t see Ivan return so does that mean he’s actually dead? Where does this leave Fedyor, who you all know we adore.
We are also going to need way more of Baghra and since the original trilogy is primarily in Alina’s point of view, it’ll be interesting to see what’s happening that she herself isn’t aware of as that’s been one of the strengthening points of the TV show.
Bring on the Pirate Prince
NIKOLAI LANTSOV. We need the casting announcement and we need it now. Lantsov is such a riveting character in the second and third books, and we can’t wait to see how his character is brought to life on screen. One of the things the TV series has done such an excellent job of is the casting. And because we trust them in this arrow, we trust that they’ll impress us with this one, too. The chosen actors have all breathed life into these characters beautifully and have made them that much more enamoring.
However, in spite of all the great the series has done with diversity, we also really hope that going forward Netflix rectifies what happened with the stunt double situation. It’s a matter that cannot be brushed under the rug.
Shadow and Bones + Six of Crows
We also need casting for Wylan Van Eck and while we imagine the show might want to combine the Crows storyline with the Shadow and Bone characters again, I know I’m not alone in hoping that we will still get some version of the Ice Court heist. Leigh Bardugo has done such an exemplary job of writing it that I just cannot imagine an adaptation where it isn’t brought to life in all its glory. (And we’re lovingly greedy, we need it stat.)
And we could also combine storylines, so okay, hear me out: what if The Darkling is working alongside Van Eck? I’ve had a running theory lingering in my head that The Darkling is not going to let Inej stabbing him with one of her knives go so easily. He is the villain after all and also, Kaz Brekker escaping his shadow won’t be that easy either. He is dramatic enough to retaliate. He’s got to go hard and have each of these confrontations happen again in someway. Thus, involving him with Van Eck could be such an interesting turning point because this way, The Crows and Grisha characters can still be part of the same story somehow.
Ultimately, once more, we need Wylan Van Eck and we need Wesper stat.
And get us to Hellgate Prison—there’s a particular Fjerdan we need to breakout. The thing is, the series could also give us two separate storylines and we wouldn’t be mad about that either, to be frank. Whatever it is, we need it now. Shadow and Bone’s first season was an incredible one, and we’re hopeful that the second will be just as exceptional.
What are some of your thoughts and theories about what could possibly happen when combining The Crows storylines with the Grisha?
For more Shadow and Bone content, be sure to check out the episode of Fangirl Forum Gissane Sophia was a guest on with Fangirlish’s Lizzie and Your Money Geek’s Maggie. More theories and geeking out takes place there. Gissane Sophia also teamed up with Fangirlish’s Lizzie to talk about all things KANEJ and you should also join us in screaming about that.