Alina Starkov from Shadow and Bone faces betrayals from multiple people, most notably General Kirigan (The Darkling), who manipulates her for power; Grisha royalty who abandon her; and even Genya Safin, who initially sides with Kirigan due to manipulation, though Genya later seeks forgiveness, while Alina also briefly betrays her friends by abandoning them to escape. The main betrayer, however, is Kirigan, who uses her Sun Summoner power for his own dark agenda, binding her to him and leading to immense conflict.
That's lucky for newly minted Shadow and Bone stans because it's Mal who Alina ends up with at the end of the Shadow and Bone books. Before they get there, though, there are two other contenders for Alina's heart. The most obvious is General Kirigan, who in the books is known as the Darkling.
Luda was a Grisha Healer and the Darkling's partner until her untimely death.
Aleksander Morozava, also known as the Darkling or General Kirigan is the main antagonist of the Shadow and Bone book series and its 2021 Netflix adaptation of the same name, serving as the main antagonist of both seasons.
They slept together in the second book. When Alina was back in the little palace.
While his desire for Alina is not a healthy one and is obsessive, he truly does develop feelings for her. She is the one person who can bring balance to his life. The one person who will understand the weight of eternity and never leave him behind.
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. 5.
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. Ulla spent her childhood feeling like an outcast, having heard rumors of her being part human.
One half of the battle between good and evil, he is the inverse of everything that Alina stands for. He is cruel where she is kind, callous where she is empathetic, and confident where she is unsure. Fundamentally, the Darkling is obsessed with power and will do anything necessary to gain even more of it.
Sun Summoners are Grisha of the Etherealki Order. They have the ability to bend and summon light. They can also summon heat from the sun. Alina Starkov was the original Sun Summoner.
Squallers: Suborder of Grisha who can manipulate wind. Sun Summoners: A suborder of Grisha who can manipulate light. These are the rarest type of Grisha, which is why Alina (Jessie Mei Li) is so important.
Alina has spent two months in the underground tunnels of Ravka. She is controlled by the Apparat, who leads a cult convinced that Alina is a saint. As a result of her battle with the Darkling, Alina's hair has turned white and she is weak from being away from sunlight and her powers for so long.
It turns out Mal is descended from Baghra's sister, making him a great-nephew of the Darkling. Upon this discovery, Mal makes Alina promise she will kill him for his power if she needs it. This is exactly what happens at the end of the book series—in the final showdown with the Darkling, Alina stabs Mal, and he dies.
Despite his nefarious plans, it is thought the Darkling did love Alina. However, Alina ends up killing him at the end of Ruin and Rising. Alina and Nikolai Lantsov: In Siege and Storm, despite fleeing together, Mal and Alina begin to drift apart. Enter Nikolai Lantsov, younger son of the King of Ravka.
Alina is automatically powerful just by being the Sun Summor. She destroyed the Fold, which was with the help of three amplifiers. Because of those amplifiers, she is in third place. Coming in at number two, we have the Darkling.
After Alina finally accepted her powers, the Darkling visited her again during a training session. He had still not found Morozova's stag whose antlers he had promised her but he asked that she have faith in him, and then he kissed her to both of their surprise.
General Kirigan / The Darkling
The villain of Shadow and Bone seasons one and two is the Darkling, the former commander of the Second Army.
Grisha who practice the Small Science are said to be "fed" by it, rejuvenated by channeling their particular element. For this reason, Grisha age at a slower rate than non-Grisha, with the strongest and rarest of them living for centuries.
He definitely had deep feelings for her. He was pretending for awhile, but eventually I think he came to care for her. SPOILERS FOR RUIN AND RISING AND NIKOLAI DUOLOGY: I think he was manipulative, and he did a lot for power, especially at the end with the orphanage and the hallucination visits and all that.
Zoya has long, black, wavy hair, brown skin, and dark blue eyes. She is half Suli through her father's ancestry.
Despite not being as talented as her older sister, Morgana is almost just as evil as Ursula. She shows that she hates being criticized in the movie when she berates Undertow for comparing her to Ursula. Morgana is deceitful, baleful, and ruthless.
Surviving the consumption of parem can lead to altered Grisha powers and abilities. Healers are able to heal themselves and others instantly without physical contact and can also control people's minds.
By the final pages of the book, Nikolai's deep and abiding love for Zoya is clear for all to see. After voluntarily renouncing the Ravkan throne (long story), he immediately nominates her to lead their beloved nation as Queen Zoya. He can't imagine anyone doing a better job, simple as that.
To Ravka's government, the Shu are known for their scientific advancements and inhumane treatment of Grisha.
They both survive, and a few days later, Zoya admits to Nikolai that she loves him. The two begin a romantic relationship after that. It is implied that they intend to marry in the future.