Why was Alina made half SHU?

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

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

Is Alina supposed to be half SHU?

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 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 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 Alina half Chinese?

The series boasts a talented and diverse cast, including 25-year-old half English, half Chinese Jessie Mei Li, who plays protagonist Alina Starkov. Born in Brighton and raised in Redhill, Surrey, this is Li's major television break.

Is Alina Starkov half SHU?

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 are the SHU hated in Shadow and Bone?

The Shu have been at war with Ravka for centuries and have a particular hatred of people like the Grisha who have powers. As a result, the border between them is closed, meaning Ravkans cannot pass the Fold to the south.

Why did Alina's 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.

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.)

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 Zoya a half Suli?

Physical description. Zoya has long, black, wavy hair, brown skin, and dark blue eyes. She is half Suli through her father's ancestry.

Was Shadow and Bone Cancelled?

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

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.

Was Alina The first sun Summoner?

Alina Starkov was the original Sun Summoner.

Is Alina white in the books?

In Leigh Bardugo's “Grishavese” books , Alina is white, but the Netflix series changed Alina's race to reflect actress Jessie Mei Li's half-Chinese heritage, and as a half-Chinese person myself, I know all too well that “What are you?” is the world's worst and yet most popular guessing game for mixed-race people.

Why is Alina an outcast?

Alina's life has never been simple to begin with; beyond being an orphan, she grew up looking like the enemy because her mother was Shu, making her an outcast.

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.

Who Alina parents?

In the Netflix show, Alina Starkov's mother was Shu, and her father was Ravkan. As Shadow and Bone goes on, the audience learns more about Alina's parents.

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.

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 ...

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.

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.

Is Alina mentioned in King of scars?

Alina did not return in King of Scars, but there are several sneaky (and-not-so-sneaky) references to her presence in the Grishas' world.

What does Sheyao mean in SHU?

shuǐ shé yāo. slender and supple waist lithe body feminine pose.

What does half Shu mean?

Image via Netflix. In addition, by making her half Shu, it means she will have been treated with prejudice her entire life because of the way she looks, making her transformation to the most important person in the Kingdom even more dramatic.