"We're All Someone's Monster"
In the second episode of Shadow and Bone, the Ravkans deal with the repercussions of the chaos that took place after trying to cross the Shadow Fold and the Crows in Ketterdam are desperate to find a route across it into East Ravka to retrieve an alleged Sun Summoner. It was an interesting episode that delved into the core of some of the most important relationships in the series and by the end was the most important thing about it, more than the development of the actual story.
The episode begins with a flashback of Mal and Alina's childhood in the orphanage at Keramzin. These flashbacks are one of the things I appreciate about books being adapted into TV series, that things like this can be fleshed out. It makes me more invested in the bond they share as you see what made them so close as children. This one is the most important that the book starts with when the Grisha Examiners make their regular trip to the orphanage to look for more Grisha children to train for the Second Army before returning to the present day with the two of them unconscious on the skiff. And we are finally introduced to the mysterious Shadow Summoner known as General Kirigan. If anyone had any doubts about Ben Barnes' casting as the Darkling, there was no doubt at all by the end of this scene alone, if not by the end of the episode.
One of the greatest changes from book to screen for this scene was the way Mal reacted. There were a lot of people (myself included) who did not like Mal for the way he acted at first right after the failed Shadow Fold crossing, the way he acted like Alina betrayed him etc. With how close they are meant to be, at the start of the book it always felt like Alina cared more about Mal than he did about her but in the show, it feels a lot more equal and that he is as worried about her as she is about him. In the book, people hate Mal for turning away from Alina when she was taken to the Darkling's carriage; in the adaptation, it made more sense that Mal would try to run after her, even with a bad leg.
On Alina's journey to the Little Palace, with Ivan and Fedyor escorting her, we come across the Fjerdan Druskelle for the first time, Fjerdans trained specifically to hunt and capture Grisha and one of Ravka's worst enemies. This is the first time we see Grisha power in action to fight off attackers and defend themselves. You see how Squallers (wind summoners), Inferni (fire summoners) and Heartrenders (body manipulators) work in tandem when faced with an enemy. They each work well on their own and they may be a little bit out of sync with one another due to the nature of the ambush but they still fight as one entity. As General Kirigan followed closely behind, right before he uses his own power to kill the druskelle attacking Alina, he is referred to as "Darkling" for the first time in Fjerdan. It's the name many looked forward to hearing after the official name for the character in the show has been General Kirigan.
What begins here is General Kirigan's plan to gain Alina's trust but immediately places a heavy burden on her - to be the one who enters the Fold and destroy it. As she's only summoned her power once, she seems to still be in complete denial about being Grisha and isn't eager to be the one with the power that many seem to be relying on already. She still avoids the full truth about her being tested as a child, only telling Kirigan that she and Mal hid when the Examiners came. The flashbacks to that particular visit seem to be incomplete and as though there will be more of it to reveal later. It seems now that Mal will be a larger presence in the show than he was in the first book as well, for which he was mostly absent. It'll be worthwhile to see just what happens to him between being separated from and reunited with Alina.
When Alina and Kirigan reach the Little Palace, the home of the Grisha of the Second Army, she seems to finally have a moment where she can absorb the situation she has found herself in. Immediately, she goes for finding something to protect herself with, a letter opener that could be used as a knife tucked under the pillow of the bed she's been given. I think it was kind of cringey having Mal and Alina end the episode in wildly different places from one another but in a way looking in each other's direction hoping the other would be there. I'm all for how they are adjusting the dynamic in some aspects of their relationship compared to how it plays out in the books but scenes like this just seem outdated and overdone.
Back in Ketterdam, the Crows scramble for a plan to get across the Shadow Fold and how to get Inej out of Kerch with them. But Kaz's planning is quickly interrupted by an unexpected visit from Barrel boss Pekka Rollins trying to sabotage and take over the job given by Dreesen. Though it's far from being explained yet, there was so much that was handled so carefully in this scene that you can't help but marvel at it as a reader of the books. Though it's Kaz's secret alone, it's interesting that they made sure no one touched him skin to skin. And there was one small hint towards an unknown history between the two characters, one that Pekka seems to not remember but Kaz never gives away. Another reason to hope for more seasons to see this play out.
Through all the books, I never realised until now how the divide between East and West Ravka due to the Fold resembled the Cold War divide between East and West Germany. Interestingly enough it comes up in the Crow Club when Kaz notices one of the players and interrogates her, realising she counts money the way East Ravkans do as well as the way she refers to Ravka, meaning that she had found a way across the Fold. Even 30 years after the reunification of Germany, there are still characteristics that are found to be specific to East or West Germans or their accent. And crossing between each side seems to be just as big of a risk in Ravka to get away to some semblance of a better life.
Inej's past has some light shed on it when she arrives at the Menagerie, summoned by Tante Heleen, the woman who "owns" her and whose indenture is being paid off by Kaz. This explains why in their first scene of this episode Inej says she cannot leave Ketterdam as she has to have Heleen's permission which she will only give if the former completes an assassination. Here we find out that despite all the knives she carries and just removed from her belt before the meeting, Inej refuses to kill people. As the show is more of a prequel on the Six of Crows side of things, it'll be interesting to see her develop into the Wraith she is known as who does in fact kill people. This episode has shown how important Jesper is to both Kaz and Inej, each time either has come across some trouble they have gone straight to Jesper. It also does well to emphasise Jesper's loyalty to Kaz and Inej despite how distant they can be in their own way. Kit Young shines as Jesper. He has the wit, humourous and easygoing attitude characteristic of the sharpshooter and he doesn't stop talking in almost every scene he's in. Whether he's checking himself out in the mirror or refers to something not being a "Jesper talent", he's one of the best things about this episode.
Inej comes close to killing the target Tante Heleen gives her and she has a motive believing that the man is responsible for selling her and her brother after they were kidnapped from their parents' wagon. I think it adds something more to her personal fight giving her a brother who was sold as she was, rather than being an only child who was kidnapped. Rather than just trying to gain her freedom to be reunited with her parents, she is desperate to find a younger sibling who was sold just as she was. She comes close to her first kill if not for Kaz getting there just in time. Unfortunately, this particular target was set by Heleen to sabotage the job given to them so that Inej would still be unable to leave Ketterdam, the target being the Conductor Kaz was after to get them across the Fold.
The thing I have always loved about Kaz and Inej's relationship is that it's not about what they do together, it's about what they do for each other and how far they will go and this episode closes with one of the first instances of this in the show. With the Conductor in employment but Inej's indenture still unpaid, Kaz does something risky to make sure Inej can leave Ketterdam and go with them to Ravka - hands over his shares in the Crow Club to Tante Heleen to pay it off. Kaz's circle of trust is small and Inej is the only person alongside Jesper he would trust to take on the job, no other Barrel thug or thief would be as valuable in a job like this one. But handing over his shares in something as important as the Crow Club shows how far he is willing to go to free Inej, despite the uncertainty of completing the job and having the money to buy it back.
Reasons to Recommend:
- Formal introduction of General Kirigan (aka the Darkling)
- Grisha powers in action
- Balance of power and insight of friendships amongst the three present Crows
- Positive changes to Mal's character
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