Is the darkling the black heretic?

It might not be hard to guess that a character who can manipulate shadow is a bad guy, but Ben Barnes is so god damn charming that some may be surprised by the mid-season reveal that General Kirigan, aka the Darkling, is actually the Black Heretic.

Is the darkling the villain?

The Darkling, despite being the villain of Shadow and Bone, works as a well-intentioned extremist with a sympathetic tragic backstory. He has had plenty of upsetting things happen in his long life, from the reason he created the Fold in the first place to losing Alina after thinking he might win her over.

Is the darkling in love with Alina?

Bardugo, the author of the Grishaverse novels as well as executive producer of the show, walks a very fine line. She doesn't objectively romanticize the Darkling, but lead character Alina Starkov, against her will and better judgement, does, to an extent.

Is the darkling General Kirigan?

The Darkling, also known as General Kirigan, is a commander of the Second Army and a Shadow Summoner.

Is the darkling evil in the show?

The Darkling is more than just "evil." He's also a wounded person who did terrible things for what he considered a noble purpose. Of course, this means he's a complex character with believable motivations, not that he's a saint.

The Darkling | Black Heretic

Why does the darkling turn evil?

Just as Alina and Nikolai Lantsov were about to leave, the Darkling attacked them instead. As revenge for Nikolai stealing Alina, the Darkling filled his lungs with merzost, which turns him into a volcra-like creature.

Who is the real villain in Shadow and Bone?

It might not be hard to guess that a character who can manipulate shadow is a bad guy, but Ben Barnes is so god damn charming that some may be surprised by the mid-season reveal that General Kirigan, aka the Darkling, is actually the Black Heretic.

How does the black heretic live forever?

As the Shadow Summoner, the Darkling is one of the most powerful (if not the most powerful) Grisha to have ever lived. His great power is what allows him to live as long as he does — the more he uses his Grisha abilities, which can rejuvenate and strengthen the body, the longer his lifespan becomes.

Is Alina related to Morozova?

Baghra tells Alina about her father, Ilya Morozova, and how the Darkling is his last descendant. Nikolai also talks about their future as King and Queen of Ravka and gives her his mother's heirloom ring.

Is Alina in Six of Crows?

Alina isn't a part of the Six of Crows duology (although characters from those books are used in the Shadow and Bone series on Netflix.)

Who does darkling end up with?

Ultimately, though, Mal and Alina are endgame. After three books of will they or won't they, Alina's dalliance with the Darkling, and near-engagement to Nikolai, the pair end up together running the old orphanage where they grew up in Keramzin.

Did Zoya sleep with Mal?

The only real difference in behaviour is that Mal doesn't sleep with Zoya when they meet in the first episode (episode 1 minute 17:59), which we are told that he does in the book.

Do Alina and Mal kiss in the book?

Mal and Alina kiss right before finding the stag in the book. In both the books and the show, Mal and Alina spend several key days together in the forest after she escapes from Kirigan. In the show, Alina decides they should track down Morozova's stag.

Are all Grisha immortal?

Normally, Grisha are not immortal in the sense vampires are. However, using their powers grants them health and strength. As Nina points out in the Six of Crows book, Grisha who use their power never get sick, so, unless they die in battle, they can be very long-lived and age slowly.

Why did darkling create the fold?

As revealed in a flashback in Episode 7 of the series, the Darkling created the Fold when he was cornered by the King's men. He had already made an enemy of the King, who was afraid of the Darkling's power and was now hunting down and rounding up Grisha.

Why is the darkling called Kirigan?

Instead, this manipulative character, played by Ben Barnes, is referred to mostly as General Kirigan, a title taken from the book that purposely disguises his true character for the show's earlier episodes, aligning him more with his role running the Second Army and less with the fact that he is The Black Heretic who ...

Why is mal a half breed?

"[Alina] was really ostracized at the orphanage where she grew up, and that's why [she] and Mal got together," they explained. "Obviously, they also wanted Mal to be mixed race, so they, the two of them, the two 'half-breeds,' as they say, sort of have more in common with each other.

Is Mal also a sun Summoner?

Born in the same village as Alina and raised alongside her at the orphanage in Keramzin, Malyen Oretsev is the Sun Summoner's only childhood friend. They join Ravka's First Army together — he as a tracker, and she as a cartographer — but are separated soon after, when her Sun Summoner powers are revealed.

Is Ulla the darklings sister?

Ulla is a half-sildroher songcaster and the half-sister of The Darkling via their late mother, Baghra. She is also known as Sankta Ursula of the Waves.

What did the darkling do to Genya?

Genya hasn't seen her parents since she was five. Because of her uniqueness of being a gifted Tailor, the Darkling sent her as a gift to the Queen at a young age, making Genya her servant. Since she had slept in the Grand Palace and received privileges, the other Grisha treated her with resentment.

Is the darkling in King of Scars?

Both the Darkling and Elizaveta appear dead. Hanne realizes who Nina truly is: The girl who maimed her father months ago. Nina admits she's an agent of the Ravkan government working to free Fjerdans with Grisha power, just like Hanne.

Why does the darkling want Alina?

It is eventually revealed that Kirigan is actually the Darkling, the Grisha who created the Fold in the first place ages ago, and who now wants to use Alina's power to control it and enact revenge on those who are prejudiced against (and have hunted down) Grisha.

Can the darkling be redeemed?

The Darkling goes after the Stag for its amplifying abilities and forces Alina to use her powers. He also expands the Fold, killing an entire city. It would appear that the Darkling is probably not able to be redeemed after such actions. And indeed, it might not happen.

Why is General Kirigan bad?

Kirigan has cast himself as the villain. He is the one who has gone too far. It's his behavior and his inability to see past himself that has cost him a hold on the person he thought he was. A protector, a leader of his people.

Why is General Kirigan immortal?

The more powerful a Grisha is, and the more they make use of their powers, the longer their lifespan can stretch. General Kirigan is on par with Alina Starkov as one of the most powerful Grisha who have ever lived, and this is what has allowed him to survive for hundreds of years without appearing to age at all.