Why does Alina look different?

Heisserer explained that this casting change was an intentional way to highlight Alina's outsider status, without having to over-explain things with dialogue. He figured that racism would be universally recognized, and more visual.

Why is Alina different in Shadow and Bone?

Alina was always from a Ravkan border town, but in the show, she's explicitly part Shu. In several interviews, actor Jessie Mei Li, who plays Alina Starkov, talks head-on about being relieved that Shadow and Bone doesn't shy away from race.

What was Alina Starkov supposed to look like?

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.

Is Alina mixed?

“We knew we wanted to make some changes there, and it made a lot of sense for us to write Alina as half Shu.” Alina's mixed-race status on the series led Heisserer to staff a writers' room with half mixed-race writers to write a story he wanted to show up on screen, but knew he was not able to tell himself.

Why did they make Alina Shu in the show?

Making Alina half-Shu is a change unique to the show.

In an interview with Polygon, Bardugo said that she wanted the show to have more diversity than her initial Shadow and Bone trilogy, which had mostly white characters.

the darkling being in his feelings about alina for almost 7 minutes straight

Why is Alina 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 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.)

Why is mal a half breed?

Unlike the novels, in the Netflix series, both Mal and Alina are mixed-race—part Ravkan, and part Shu-Han (in real life, Alina actress Jessie Li Mei is a Chinese-British actress, while Mal actor Archie Renaux is White English)—two countries that have long been at war with one another.

Why did Alina Starkov hair turn white?

During The Darkling's attack at Os Alta, he reveals that he has set nichevo'ya on Genya Safin for sparing Alina. Alina fights him and uses merzost, which causes her hair to turn white, and nearly drains her of her power, defeating them both. This leaves her almost dead and the Darkling, also, badly wounded.

What race is Alina in the books?

In the books by Leigh Bardugo, Alina is described simply as a "pale" girl, but in the show she is half Shu — a fictional nationality roughly analogous to being East Asian in the "Grishaverse." Showrunner Eric Heisserer explained the reason for this change in an interview with The Wrap.

Why did they change Shadow and Bone?

They are arguably three of Bardugo's best characters, which explains why Heisserer, who read Six of Crows before Shadow and Bone, was so desperate to include them early on. “He didn't want to adapt these two series in isolation from each other,” Bardugo explained to ELLE.com.

Why the darkling name was changed?

Here's what the actor told CinemaBlend: We chose to call him General Kirigan as opposed to the Darkling from the outset and have that be something more nefarious that other people could level with him later in the show.

Does Alina have white hair in the books?

Procrastinating Bibliophile Alina's hair is brown in the first book, but later turns white in either the end of the second book or the third book.

Is Alina actually Shu in the books?

Meet the Cast of “Jupiter's Legacy”

The series protagonist, Alina Starkov, we are told, was born in the border regions of Shu Han and Ravka and is herself part Shu. In the book series, however, Alina was full Ravkan, Ravka being the Grishaverse's stand-in for Czarist Russia.

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.

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.

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.

How old does the darkling look?

An estimate would put him at 500 years of age, if not a bit older. In season 1's episode five, he's somewhat frustrated about Luda's mortality. After all, Grisha can still die and it seems he and his mother, Baghra, are the only ones who have survived for as long as they have.

Does Alina ever wear a black Kefta?

Kefta colors

Black, with black cuffs – Only the Darkling is permitted to wear this color; despite this, Alina Starkov wears a black kefta at the winter fete in Shadow and Bone.

Are Mal and Alina related?

Last seen. This article is about the character in Shadow and Bone Trilogy. For the Netflix adaptation character, see Malyen Oretsev (Netflix). Malyen Oretsev, commonly known as Mal, is Alina Starkov's childhood best friend, a former soldier of the First Army and a gifted tracker.

Was Shadow and Bone Cancelled?

6/8/2021 update: Shadow and Bone has been renewed for a second season on Netflix.

Why is Zoya mean to Alina?

Zoya was initially infatuated with the Darkling. Upon Alina's arrival at the Little Palace, Zoya instantly hates her for becoming the Darkling's new favorite, and expresses her jealousy by cheating during a duel and injuring Alina.

Do the crows ever meet Alina?

No, Alina and Genya don't sneak out and enjoy the theatrical festivities in the book, but it's a good moment in the show to connect the Crows with their target's appearance — Jesper spies the pair in the crowd, and it becomes clear that not everyone knows that Alina is part Shu.

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.

What nationality is Alina Starkov?

The series protagonist, Alina Starkov, we are told, was born in the border regions of Shu Han and Ravka and is herself part Shu. In the book series, however, Alina was full Ravkan, Ravka being the Grishaverse's stand-in for Czarist Russia.