Warning! Major spoilers ahead for Shadow and Bone season 1.
Shadow and Bone is finally on Netflix and there were several characters who died by the end of season 1. The series introduces a sprawling fantasy world that includes various locations, geopolitical tension, and character developments that warrant a second watch. Of course, considering all the action and devious scheming going on, not every character makes it out alive by the season 1 finale.
Alina Starkov, Mal Oretsev, the Darkling, and the Dregs — Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, and Jesper Fahey — are the survivors of Shadow and Bone season 1. It makes sense considering they are the main characters and there's a lot of setup for each of their stories moving forward. However, their survival doesn’t mean other characters’ deaths haven’t taken their toll. Many of the people who died had personal relationships with Alina, Mal et al.
With so much danger lurking around every corner, there were bound to be casualties along the way. Here are the characters (who were notable to the story in some way) confirmed to be dead by the end of Shadow and Bone season 1.
Alexei
Alexei was a soldier in the First Army and a part of Alina and Mal’s crew. He was aboard the skiff, a ship specialized to cross the Shadow Fold, when Alina’s powers manifested. However, when the volcras attacked, Alexei freaked out and fled the ship, making it to the other side on foot. He was kidnapped by Dreesen at some point and questioned regarding the events of what happened. When a Heartrender, a Grisha who could slow down the heart and manipulate organs, gleaned the information from him, Dreesen promptly shot him in the head.
Mikhael & Dubrov
In Shadow and Bone, Mikhael and Dubrov were Mal’s friends in the First Army. They assisted him in tracking the stag because they didn’t want Mal to go it alone. However, right before Mal came face-to-face with the stag, the trio were attacked by Fjerdens. Unfortunately, Mikhael and Dubrov didn’t make it out of the fight alive. Their deaths were a shame; they were certainly loyal friends until the end.
Tofin
Tofin is also a soldier with Mal in the First Army. He joins Mal in his journey to the Little Palace after it's been confirmed he's seen the mythical stag, a creature that could amplify the powers of the Grisha who killed it. Tofin is killed on the grounds of the Little Palace in Shadow and Bone season 1’s episode five. Tofin ultimately died because Baghra didn’t want anyone knowing about the stag's whereabouts, so she had a Grisha in her employ kill him lest the Darkling finds out and obtains more power.
Marie, Alina’s Stand-in
The Little Palace had quite the plan to protect Alina at all costs, going so far as to have Marie, a Grisha who’d befriended the Sun Summoner, act as a stand-in during the night of the fate, an event that revealed Alina’s powers to the public. Unfortunately, Marie was caught in the middle of the Dregs’ plans to kidnap Alina, with the Conductor changing tactics. Rather than kidnap Alina, the Conductor straight up murdered Marie, cutting her throat thinking she was the Sun Summoner. It was a devastating way to go.
Morozova’s Stag
RIP to Morozova’s Stag. This beautiful creature was created by Ilya Morozova, a Grisha who was a little too obsessed with making amplifiers to enhance his abilities. Thought to be a mythical animal, Alina dreamed about the stag. Mal was successfully able to track it, but the Darkling had big plans for the stag as an amplifier. The poor animal didn’t stand a chance as soon as the Darkling got involved and he killed the stag with a brutality that sliced its head clean off its body.
Arken Visser, The Conductor
Arken Visser, best known as the Conductor, really thought he could get away working with both sides. While he formed an alliance with the Kaz, Inej, and Jesper to split the money once they’d taken Alina, Arken also had a deal with First Army General Zlatan, who offered him one million kruge to kill Alina Starkov instead. Of course, the Conductor’s attempts were discovered by Kaz and the Darkling. Once the latter had the information needed, Arken was suffocated by the shadows summoned by the Black Heretic. Suffice it to say the Conductor found himself in a lose-lose situation without realizing he’d even been played.
Ivan, The Darkling’s Heartrender
Ivan and Fedyor were two peas in a pod, serving the Darkling as Heartrenders, who have the ability to manipulate internal organs. While Fedyor was tasked with finding Nina Zenik, a Grisha who had been kidnapped by witch hunters, Ivan joined the Darkling’s expedition to cross the Fold with Alina as a prisoner. Ivan’s attempts to kill Alina didn’t work and Jesper bested him in a battle that ended with Ivan being shot several times and subsequently thrown from the skiff in the Shadow and Bone season 1 finale. Suffice it to say Fedyor will be devastated to hear what happened.
Polina & Pavel, The Darkling’s Inferni
Pavel, one of the Darkling’s Inferni at the Little Palace, grew suspicious of Kaz, who had just failed in kidnapping Alina during the fate. He went after Kaz and the two duked it out before Inej threw one of her knives into his head. It was Inej’s first kill and she was horrified by it, though she did it to save Kaz’s life. Polina, Pavel’s sister, went after Inej to avenge her brother’s death shortly after. Their scuffle didn’t last very long, however, and Polina was also killed when Inej stabbed her with her blade.
Luda, Grisha Healer
In Shadow and Bone episode six, the Darkling’s backstory was revealed. Before he created the Shadow Fold, he was in a relationship with Luda, a Grisha healer. Luda was now mortal, though she was hopeful she could still live for another hundred years or so. She healed the Darkling when he was shot by the king’s soldiers, but was caught by them and subsequently stabbed. The Darkling carried her to be healed, but Luda tragically died before that could happen.
Kerch Ambassador & Crew
The Kerch ambassador was present during Alina's fate and she was also there to witness the Darkling crossing the Fold with Alina forcefully in tow. However, when she attempted to speak up about the atrocities she was witnessing aboard the skiff — including the Grisha soldiers fighting Mal and the Dregs, with the Darkling having chained Alina while using her power to amplify his — Ivan killed the Kerch ambassador and the people traveling with her. All the Darkling could say was that he had to give his speech again, annoyed. It was a shocking moment, too, since her death will likely shake things up further in regions of Shadow and Bone's world.