Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Shadow and Bone season 1.
Shadow and Bone star, Ben Barnes, reveals which of the Darkling’s actions he finds most repulsive. Adapted from a book series by Leigh Bardugo, the Netflix show premiered last week to effusive reviews from both critics and viewers. A dark fantasy drama, Shadow and Bone follows an eclectic group of young adults as they attempt to survive a land devastated by war and black magic. In this world, the Shadow Fold, a heavy curtain of darkness, separates East Ravka from West Ravka. The protagonist, Aliva Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), works as a mapmaker for the army, only to discover that she harbors light-summoning powers. Upon joining the ranks of other magic-wielding soldiers, otherwise known as Grisha, she finds herself confronting an elaborate knot of secrets, tragedies, and betrayals.
In Shadow and Bone, Ben Barnes plays General Aleksander Kirigan, a tortured but seemingly kindhearted man who offers guidance to Alina as she navigates her powers. Known as the “The Darkling,” he displays potent shadow-summoning powers and a canny, manipulative mind. In the beginning, Kirigan woos Alina with thoughtful overtures and a valiant promise to destroy the Fold. During this time, he secretly collects information on Alina by speaking with her childhood best friend, Mal Oretsev (Archie Renaux). He then uses this same knowledge to establish a false connection of trust with the heroine.
While speaking to THR, Barnes described the moment he found most upsetting when embodying the role of The Darkling. He shared a specific scene that takes place early on in the season. Read what Barnes said below:
The worst thing that he does in the whole story — to me — is to use the knowledge [gained from Mal] that Alina loves blue irises, and then immediately presents her with blue irises…It makes me feel sick, at that moment, because it's the most outward show that he is manipulating, and it's just so outward that it makes me feel ill. When I saw that part in the show I was like, 'I don't want to play a bad guy, I want to play a good guy.
Over time, Alina recognizes that she has misplaced her trust in The Darkling, who seeks to wrest control of Ravka from the kingdom and install the population of Grishas as sovereigns of the land. With this revelation, she runs away from the Little Place and finds new, unexpected allies. By the end of the first season, she fights to defeat Kirigan, even as he attempts to force her hand and coerce her into a formidable partnership. Whether or not Alina truly succeeds is a question that remains up in the air.
While many book-to-television adaptations have reached Netflix, Shadow and Bone stands out as a compelling, carefully-rendered narrative that builds upon and deepens its original source material. Its detailed, intricately-constructed story arc explores numerous plotlines with a deft hand. The scope of its world-building would understandably flummox any television writer, but the fantasy series leads on with admirable confidence. Hopefully, Shadow and Bone earns a season two renewal and another opportunity to delve into the magical world of Ravka.
Source: THR