Warning! Spoilers ahead for Shadow and Bone season 1.
The Shadow and Bone timeline may not be as confusing as The Witcher's was, but it certainly has just as much going on and some of it is out of order. The fantasy series — which primarily follows Alina Starkov's journey from cartographer to Sun Summoner, a once-mythical Grisha with the ability to call upon light — involves a lot of characters, terminology, and a timeline that isn’t as simple as it seems.
Shadow and Bone’s timeline can get a bit confusing — some events happen over the course of several weeks, while others occur in one night or over a few days. The series premiere goes full The Witcher when it comes to the chronology of events that leads the Dregs — Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, and Jesper Fahey — on the path towards finding Alina. There are four major storylines playing out simultaneously, with several more on the side. With so many characters and journeys occurring throughout, it’s certainly a lot to keep track of.
Even when the season clears up the timelines and character trajectories, there are vague lapses in time before the characters all converge in one location for the season’s final crossing through the Fold. To help sort through what’s happening and when, here’s a handy guide to the big events of Shadow and Bone in the chronological order in which they happened.
The Darkling Creates The Shadow Fold
Shadow and Bone is rather vague about the exact year the Darkling (aka, General Kirigan and the Black Heretic) created the Shadow Fold, but it was hundreds of years prior to the start of the series. The Darkling created the Fold after using merzost, which is considered an abomination, magic that goes well beyond the Grisha’s use of Small Science, which allows them to manipulate matter to create.
After the Fold’s appearance, the Darkling spent the next few centuries under various names, reimagining his entire backstory (and faking his death) several times over. As of the present day, the Darkling allied himself with the latest king of Ravka, forming the Second Army and turning things around for the Grisha, who were now soldiers and guides through the Fold. Kirigan also built the Little Palace as a refuge for them, a structure that is safe and secure. As Kirigan is the Darkling’s latest persona, it’s likely he’s been in the position for at least a couple of decades, if not longer.
Alina Starkov’s Sun Summoner Powers Are Revealed
This is the big event that kicked off the major plot of Shadow and Bone season 1. Set in present day Ravka (hundreds of years after the Fold’s creation), Alina, Mal and their military regiment are tasked with crossing the Fold to obtain food and other supplies from the other side. By this point, the Darkling had long since established the Second Army and the Fold was well-known for its dangers and monstrous creatures. Their time inside the fold lasts for a few hours longer than it should have thanks to being attacked by volcra and Alina’s Sun Summoner powers manifesting. Her powers are appear in a bright burst of light in the midst of being carried away by a volcra and clinging to Mal, who was also attacked. Her powers set her on a new path. When they finally make it across, it's another few hours before Alina meets Kirigan and is taken to the Little Palace to help hone her newly discovered abilities.
Alina Starkov Trains At The Little Palace
Once Alina makes it to the Little Palace, she begins writing to Mal. Her letters mark how long she’s been separated from him since they exited the Fold. In Shadow and Bone season 1’s episode three, Alina says she’s been at the Little Palace for three days and she's still getting to used to being pampered and trained. She doesn't fit in and this causes her to feel incredibly alone. By the fourth episode, Mal begins writing letters to Alina as well. In them, he reveals it’s been weeks since he last saw her. It would be a few more weeks until he sees her again when he goes off to find the stag, news of its location he later brings to the Darkling. During this time, Mal and Alina's storylines are moving away from each other a bit. As he tries to desperately find her, Alina finally begins to settle into the Little Palace and shows signs of exceling at her training with Baghra, believing she has to leave her past life behind her to move forward.
The Dregs Plan Their Heist In Shadow & Bone
At last, the timeline of the events occurring with Alina and Mal are aligning with the Dregs. In the Shadow and Bone series premiere, the Dregs learn of a job that is worth one million kruge (what money is called in the show). To obtain it, they must find a way to cross the Fold into the eastern part of Ravka, kidnap Alina, and bring her back safely. As it turns out, the Dregs’ storyline is set two weeks after Alina puts on a light show inside the Fold. This isn’t wholly clear in the first episode. It’s only when Alexei — a member of Alina and Mal’s regiment who saw what happened on the ship — is revealed to have been kidnapped that the events to set up both stories are confirmed to be happening at two different points in time. It would be some time before the Dregs and Alina’s timelines merge as it takes them another few weeks to find the blueprints, copy them, and figure out a way into the Little Palace without being detected.
Nina Is Kidnapped By Fjerdan Witch Hunters
Nina Zenik, a Grisha, was scheduled to meet with the Conductor and the Dregs shortly after they joined forces to cross the Fold. Nina was to aid them in navigating the inside of the Little Palace, a haven for Grisha. She is kidnapped two weeks after Alina crosses the Fold for the first time and a couple of days or so after the Dregs decide to recruit her. Nina is taken to Fjerda to be tried for being Grisha, but a storm prevents the ship from arriving safely. She saves the witch hunter Matthias and they trek to civilization together while getting to know each other. Nina’s journey takes place over the course of a couple of months before she (unknowingly) crosses paths with the Dregs at the end of Shadow and Bone season 1.
The Dregs Finally Cross Paths With Alina
It isn’t until Shadow and Bone season 1’s fifth episode that the timelines finally come together, with Alina, the Dregs, Alina, Nina's storylines are finally aligned. The fate, a party thrown to reveal Alina’s Sun Summoner abilities to the public, brought them all together, though they all wanted to find Alina for their own personal reasons. Things don’t go according to plan, however, with Alina escaping the Darkling and the Dregs. It would be another few days before she finally reunites with Mal, who tracked her after she fled the Little Palace, and a couple more after that before the Darkling finds them and plans to cross the Fold once more in a bid to show his powers as amplified by Alina's.
By this point, Alina confirms to the audience that it's been "months" since she saw Mal. That's fairly vague, but based on the chronology and the descriptions of the days and weeks, the entirety of Shadow and Bone likely took place over the course of two months. Nina's story is still happening on the side for the entirety of the show. She doesn't meet any of the other main characters besides Matthias until the very last episode. By this point, her journey has also been going on for a month and a half, much of which is spent on the ship of her kidnappers. With Nina, Alina et al now on the same ship set to cross the True Sea, Shadow and Bone brings each characters' journey full circle.