In a world the place there is a part of impenetrable darkness referred to as the Shadow Fold, a reputation like The Darkling would not precisely recall to mind somebody heroic. Despite initially embarking on an attention-grabbing relationship with protagonist and solar summoner Alina Starkov, by the second season, he is totally turn into the villain of the “Shadow and Bone” collection. Though he is merely referred to as The Darkling within the books, for Netflix’s adaptation, showrunner Eric Heisserer finally determined to offer him a brand new moniker: General Kirigan.
Played by Ben Barnes on the Netflix collection, The Darkling is a strong Grisha, aka an individual who can manipulate matter at its most elementary ranges. He can be the chief of the Second Army of Ravka, which nearly solely consists of Grisha. Known as a shadow summoner, The Darkling has the uncommon capacity to control shadows round him, which at first strengthens his declare that he is a descendant of The Black Heretic. In season one, he recruits Alina to affix him within the hopes of destroying the Shadow Fold, and the pair develop shut throughout her coaching.
Drawn to one another from the beginning, The Darkling and Alina’s relationship quickly turns romantic earlier than she learns of his true intentions. Instead of desirous to destroy the Shadow Fold, he plans to make use of Alina’s gentle to fend off the volcra as he expands the Shadow Fold’s attain. Of course, Alina turns towards him as soon as she learns the reality and spends a lot of the second season attempting to achieve sufficient energy to destroy him and the Shadow Fold as soon as and for all.
Born to a fellow shadow summoner by the identify of Baghra centuries earlier than the start of “Shadow and Bone,” The Darkling initially presents himself because the great-great-great-grandson of the Black Heretic. The Black Heretic, which is later revealed to be one other one in all The Darkling’s aliases, created the Shadow Fold and, with it, left a legacy of darkness and destruction.
The revelation that General Kirigan and the Black Heretic are one and the identical was a significant plot twist within the first season, although some viewers have been in a position to see it coming due to some context clues. After all, the present is ready in a world the place there are literal monsters (aka the volcra) at the hours of darkness. Then there’s the truth that The Darkling is Alina’s equal and reverse. Regardless, by the tip of season one, General Kirigan has totally embraced his shadow aspect, rising from the depths of the Fold with new, seemingly indestructible shadow monsters referred to as the nichevo’ya at his aspect.
Still, Barnes’s character manages to stay complicated regardless of his ostensible wickedness. His shadowy monsters take a toll on him, and by the beginning of the second season, he’s suffering from complications and agonizing ache. Meanwhile, he continues to face by his concept that destroying the Shadow Fold would not assist the Grisha in any respect, because the common individuals — referred to as the otkazat’sya — won’t ever settle for them both approach. He additionally appears to have a lingering, unbreakable connection to Alina.
“If a personality delivers a line, I need to know why he is chosen every of these phrases,” Barnes informed Comics Beat about portraying General Kirigan in 2021. “He would not say, ‘Fine, I’m your villain,’ however he says ‘Fine, make me your villain.’ He would not imagine that he’s the villain of the story and I feel all villains that you simply actually imagine in perceive their very own motivations.”
“Shadow and Bone” season two hits Netflix on March 16.