Is the darkling evil in the books?

In the books, the Darkling (Ben Barnes) is pretty much straight-up evil. He's still pretty evil on the show, but we get to see more of how he became the way he is.

Is the darkling good or evil?

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.

Does the darkling love Alina in the books?

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 a villain in Shadow and Bone?

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.

Why is the darkling the villain?

The Darkling is an extremely dark and manipulative person. He is power-hungry and had created the Fold with merzost, in order to use it against his enemies. In the process created the volcra which prevented him from expanding it.

Oh, how dare you like the Darkling

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.

Is the darkling toxic?

Swooning over the Darkling grants all of the fun of dating a charming rebel with none of the toxicity that comes with it in real life. It's not particularly any different than getting into a Harlequin novel; both offer a controlled dose of romance and desire in their purest, hottest forms.

What happens to the darkling in the books?

They flee the Shadow Fold and board a ship to cross the sea, leaving the Darkling to be eaten by the volcra in the darkness.

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 the 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.

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.

Do the darkling and Alina kiss in the books?

Alina kisses The Darkling first in 'Shadow and Bone'

In Bardugo's first novel, which is also titled Shadow and Bone, Kirigan kisses Alina without warning. The first kiss between the two characters differed in the show, and instead, Alina makes the first move.

Did the darkling have a wife?

Many centuries ago, known then as the Black Heretic, the Darkling returned home to his partner Luda, who was also a Grisha Healer.

Is Alina immortal in Shadow and Bone?

Alina learns of the Darkling's true intentions to manipulate her and use her powers, leaving her unsure if his feelings for her were genuine. Throughout the series it is shown that he holds a deep obsessive, possessive attraction to her because of her power and immortality.

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.

How is Alina Starkov described in the book?

Alina Starkov is described as somewhat small, pale, and mousy, having often been frail and sickly as a child. As a teen, she is skinny with dull brown hair and eyes; once she begins training with her Grisha power, she becomes healthier, physically and in appearance. She has a scar across her right palm.

How old is Alina in the books?

In the books, the Darkling appears to be only a few years older than Alina, who is 17.

Is Kirigan the black heretic?

In the big twist of season one, we find out that General Kirigan, also called the Darkling, actually is the Black Heretic. He has been alive for centuries, and created the Fold using merzost, a.k.a. the power of creation, to expand his own power and save the Grisha with him.

Did Alina erase her scar?

Alina never gets her scar removed

In episode four of the show, Alina eventually asks Genya to remove the scar on her palm after not hearing back from Mal. However, in the books Alina never asks for the scar to be removed but instead keeps it to remind her of who she is.

Is Aleksander Kirigan evil?

Kirigan lives long enough to see himself become the villain in Shadow and Bone. But, the facts of Kirigan's life, how he's suffered, doesn't negate his selfishness. Yes, he created the Shadow Fold in a fit of grief.

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.

Is Shadow and Bone a love triangle?

Technically, no, there is no love triangle in Shadow and Bone, but this is only because the romantic interests in the story do not overlap.

Is the darkling right?

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.

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.

Does the darkling get redeemed?

And though the Darkling isn't redeemed in the books, the show has already changed things from their book portrayal.