From improved worldbuilding to more political and romantic subplots, this is our wish list for Shadow and Bone season 2 (if Netflix makes it).
Netflix’s Shadow and Bone has generated plenty of hype since its release back in April. The fantasy series dominated the streamer’s list of top shows in the weeks after its debut, and it drew attention to its talented, largely unknown cast members (with the exception of Westworld alum Ben Barnes, which was known beforehand and rightfully so).
Based on Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone follows military cartographer Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) as she discovers her ability to wield light, which makes her the ideal candidate to tear down the Fold, a stretch of darkness that’s plagued the nation of Ravka for hundreds of years.
Thrown into the world of magic users called Grisha, Alina struggles to gain control of her newfound power while juggling an onslaught of other problems, from Ravka’s enemies hunting her to betrayals from within the Ravkan military. Her story is a compelling addition to the fantasy genre, especially for those hoping to see young adult stories take up more space on the small screen.
Will Netflix make Shadow and Bone season 2?
With Shadow and Bone receiving so much attention, renewing it for a second season seems like a no-brainer. However, Netflix works in mysterious ways. As of the time of this writing, the media giant has yet announce a second season, even as the series crosses the one-month mark since its premiere.
With Netflix’s Geeked Week virtual event on the horizon, it’s possible the company is saving the renewal announcement for then. However, the fantasy series doesn’t appear anywhere in the initial marketing, leaving fans to wonder whether we’ll see a second season at all.
The source material is certainly there, and showrunner Eric Heisserer has repeatedly confirmed that he’s game to produce more seasons — he even has a plan ready to go. Until he gets the official green light, however, Shadow and Bone fans are left wondering over the fate of this new epic.
The bright side? It also gives us plenty of time to speculate on what’s to come. Should Netflix opt to continue the show, there are quite a few things it could do to improve on the first outing and bring the remainder of Bardugo’s book series to life.
Here’s what we want to see in Shadow and Bone season 2:
1. Alina’s transformation: Power comes at a price
Alina makes great strides toward mastering her newly discovered Grisha abilities during the first season of Shadow and Bone, and the final episodes see her power heightened with one of Morozova’s amplifiers. Unfortunately, there’s no time for her to fully embrace this shift; she’s under General Kirigan’s control for the majority of the finale, and the big moment where she reclaims her autonomy comes and goes pretty quickly.
With Alina and Mal vowing to return to the Fold and destroy it, however, it’s safe to assume a second season would see the Sun Summoner reckoning with the effects of her now-magnified power. That means more stunning light shows and empowering moments for the show’s protagonist, but it could bring some downsides with it as well.
Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse books introduce the concept of “Merzost,” or a corruption of the magic Grisha refer to as “the small science.” Those who venture down this path suffer unintended consequences, something Alina experiences firsthand in the later novels. That will be just as interesting to see play out onscreen as her embracing her powers, and it’ll raise some interesting questions about the cost of unlimited power.
Of course, it’s not just Alina’s physical transformation fans want to see in season 2 (though who doesn’t love a little more magic?). If the series sticks to the source material, she’ll come into her own in future seasons, especially now that she’s accepted who she is and set herself free from General Kirigan’s manipulations.
Shadow and Bone has already delivered on a tough female protagonist, but witnessing Alina become a leader in her own right will take things to another level. Fingers crossed we get to see it.
2. More romance: Let those ships sail!
Romance is par for the course when it comes to young adult fantasy stories, and Shadow and Bone has no shortage of pairings to root for. At the heart of the series is the relationship between Alina and Mal (Archie Renaux), and while they hasn’t officially ventured into romantic territory just yet, it’s clear the feelings are there.
Unfortunately, Alina and Mal haven’t gotten to explore those feelings in much depth, something that’s disappointing but understandable given their circumstances in season 1. Should a second season be greenlit, however, showrunner Eric Heisserer has already suggested he’d like to delve into their dynamic further. (And yes, he also hinted that some kissing could be on the horizon.)
Speaking of kissing, Alina’s feelings for General Kirigan are also unlikely to vanish into thin air, even after all the terrible things he’s done. In the Grishaverse books, he and Alina continue to share a bond that’s fueled by their similar abilities and experiences. It’ll be fun to watch that play out onscreen, particularly given how skilled Li and Barnes are at bringing these characters and their nuances to life.
There’s plenty of romance brewing on the other side of the Fold as well, with Kaz (Freddy Carter) and Inej (Amita Suman) clearly enamored with one another. Although the two of them won’t be kissing anytime soon — Kaz is canonically touch-averse and Inej’s traumatic past makes intimacy just as complicated for her — they’ve got more than enough chemistry to keep fans invested. (All we want is Kaz’s “I’d crawl to you” monologue, Netflix!)
Nina (Danielle Galligan) and Matthias (Calahan Skogman) are also headed in the direction of Ketterdam, and although the two of them left off on bad terms, they’re bound to reconcile at some point (and bring fans plenty of angst in the meantime).
Finally, even Jesper (Kit Young) could find himself coupled in season 2, since Heisserer has already confirmed his love interest from the books will be making an appearance in the show. Whether the two will instantly hit it off or spend multiple seasons torturing us remains to be seen — but it’s something to look forward to nonetheless.
3. New characters: On pirate princes and merchants’ sons
The second season of a high-fantasy epic like Shadow and Bone is bound to introduce new faces as it cracks its world wide open, and fans already have a pretty good idea of which characters from Leigh Bardugo’s novels will show up in the coming episodes.
Probably the most prominent character to expect is Nikolai Lantsov, a pirate (and self-proclaimed privateer) who also turns out to be a prince. Without spoiling too much, his addition to Alina and Mal’s storyline in Siege and Storm shakes things up quite a bit — and also puts some of the power back in their court in the fight against General Kirigan.
Of course, no pirate or prince travels alone, and Nikolai will bring two other noteworthy additions to the show along with him: Tolya and Tamar. Members of his crew, these two Grisha offer a different perspective than the ones fans have seen so far, mostly because they’ve never been part of the Second Army nor do they swear allegiance to the person in charge of it.
On the Ketterdam side of things, Eric Heisserer has already confirmed season 2 would introduce a key Six of Crows characters into the mix: Wylan Van Eck. The son of a wealthy merchant, Wylan finds himself wrapped up in Kaz’s scheme to break into the impenetrable Ice Court. Since the Ice Court storyline occurs after Alina’s tale in the books, however, it’s possible Wylan will find himself in different circumstances in the meantime. There’s only one way to find out what the show’s creatives have planned, and that’s for Netflix to give us another season!
4. A Crow-centric storyline
Despite being appended to Alina Starkov’s story in the first season, the Crows are undoubtedly some of the most compelling characters introduced in Shadow and Bone season 1 and more than capable of standing on their own. And with Kaz, Inej and Jesper headed back to Ketterdam, it’s possible season 2 could give them their own narrative completely separate from the Sun Summoner’s.
As much as book fans would love to see Heisserer include the heist plot of Six of Crows in season 2, doing so would require some major changes to the duology’s plot. Certain story elements simply wouldn’t make sense within the timeline of Alina’s story. Still, it wouldn’t be the first time the series made some huge alterations to squeeze in the Crows. Anything’s possible with a little tweaking.
Of course, even if Heisserer doesn’t delve into the Ice Court just yet, the Crows have plenty to contend with now that they’ve returned home without the Sun Summoner in their custody. For one, their employer isn’t going to be pleased to hear the mission was a failure. Plus, Pekka Rollins (Dean Lennox Kelly) will be waiting for their return, and he’s not likely to be very forgiving about their nearly successful attempt to steal his bounty.
Tante Heleen (Deirdre Mullins) is another obstacle the Crows will face upon returning to Ketterdam. Kaz intended to pay off Inej’s indenture with the money the gang received from successfully securing Alina. Now that they’ve let the Sun Summoner go, Heleen still has control over them — and control over the Crow Club, which Kaz left in her possession as insurance if they didn’t return.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Ketterdam side of this series plays out in a second season, and a greater focus on the Crows and their antics would balance out Alina’s more traditional fantasy story.
5. Better worldbuilding: Where even are we?
One of the biggest criticisms of Shadow and Bone‘s first season is how it handled its worldbuilding. The show seemed to choose fast-paced action over giving viewers a full understanding of Ravka and its surrounding nations. And while that approach has its benefits, it left a lot to be desired.
The series opens with Ravka at war with two main enemies — Shu Han and Fjerda — but it never gives any insight into why these nations are feuding in the first place. The implication seems to be that everyone outside of Ravka is unwelcoming of the Grisha. However, even Ravka’s ordinary citizens and court don’t seem that accepting of the magic users in their midst. It makes viewers question why they’d bother with a war in the first place, and the show’s refusal to delve deeper into the history and perspectives of all three nations makes the whole storyline feel a bit empty.
Because Shadow and Bone doesn’t delve into Shu Han and Fjerda, it also fails in its attempt to make a statement about racism using Alina’s Shu roots. Rather than explain why our main character finds herself on the receiving end of rude comments and slurs (or do anything to rectify the problem), the show winds up pointing to a real-world issue without saying anything truly meaningful about it.
Even outside of the tensions between Ravka and its neighbors, Shadow and Bone doesn’t put much time or effort into coherently unpacking its magic system or world. This may be fine for readers with a deeper understanding of the locations and various Grisha powers, but it makes it more difficult for newcomers to fully immerse themselves in the show.
If the series does get a second season, hopefully it will correct some of these problems. It may be a little late for a play-by-play of Grisha powers and Ravkan history, but the writers can find a way to work these things into the narrative if they just slow down a bit. And they can definitely put a greater emphasis on fans’ concerns about racism in the show.
6. General Kirigan’s dark side
Okay, yes. You could definitely argue that General Kirigan doesn’t have a dark side because he’s rotten all the way through. However, Shadow and Bone season 1 doesn’t initially portray Ben Barnes’ character this way, choosing instead to lead viewers into a false sense of security before revealing that he’s not the hero he’s made out to be. The show even gives the character a backstory that’s absent from the books, attempting to give its villain a little more nuance.
Of course, all pretense goes out the window during the last few episodes, when Kirigan manipulates Alina and physically controls her to meet his ends. This isn’t the worst thing the Darkling does in Leigh Bardugo’s books, though, and it’s unlikely to be the darkest he gets in the Netflix adaptation. In fact, now that Alina has completely turned away from him, Kirigan will only get nastier in his pursuit of power.
Given Barnes’ stellar performance throughout season 1, an even crueler Kirigan is something to look forward to in Shadow and Bone‘s second season. Although some of his actions will undoubtedly be difficult to watch, there’s no denying he’ll bring fans a fantasy villain for the history books.
7. Female friendships: It’s a girl’s world
After years of women in fiction competing and feuding with one another, it’s been refreshing to see mainstream television become more inclusive when it comes to female friendships. The first season of Shadow and Bone falls somewhere in the middle on this; while Alina and Inej have some sweet moments together, Alina and Genya’s (Daisy Head) friendship ends in betrayal and Zoya’s (Sujaya Dasgupta) initial reactions to Alina are straight out of the Mean Girls playbook.
However, the season finale changed the nature of Alina and Zoya’s relationship, if only slightly, and book fans know that this will mark a shift heading into a second season. Not only will these two begin to change their tone about one another, but Siege and Storm also goes a way towards bridging the new divide between Genya and Alina, offering fans a resolution.
The season finale of Shadow and Bone also suggests Nina will be joining the Crows in Ketterdam in season 2, meaning we’ll be getting one of Bardugo’s best-written friendships: Nina and Inej. There’s no time for backstabbing and gossiping in the chaotic underbelly of the Barrel, and these two look out for one another at every turn in the books. If the show places the same emphasis on their friendship, it’ll be a joy to watch.
8. Politics: What’s a court without a little intrigue?
Shadow and Bone‘s first season may have introduced the king and queen of Ravka, but the majority of its court scenes are dedicated to showing off Alina’s power. Viewers learn about the royal family’s corruption through General Kirigan and Genya, but most of the political intrigue takes place offscreen (including Genya’s poisoning of the king).
Apart from the scenes set at the palace, there are a few other references to the tensions within Ravka scattered throughout season 1. There’s a reason the troops on the other side of the Fold were planning an uprising, and the Apparat (Kevin Eldon) clearly has his own motives for standing at the king’s side.
Now that General Kirigan has betrayed the king’s trust, it’ll be interesting to see the show delve more deeply into Ravkan politics outside of the Grisha. Alina eventually returning to the Little Palace will no doubt help fuel this; not only will she need to maneuver around the king, prince and Apparat, but she’ll get front-row seats to whatever conflicts they’re dealing with among themselves.
Kirigan’s actions are also likely to have consequences for any Grisha that remained at the Little Palace, meaning the Second Army will probably have to do some political maneuvering of its own. Through exploring court politics like this, Shadow and Bone has an opportunity to raise interesting questions about power and who should wield it. Let’s hope it does that conversation justice.
9. We want to see the Second Army in action
Speaking of Alina returning to the Little Palace, Siege and Storm sees Shadow and Bone‘s lead character taking control of what’s left of the Grisha army. Not only will it be nice to see Alina embracing a leadership role similar to the Darkling’s, but it will give the series another opportunity to throw in some training montages that were sorely missing from season 1.
Due to the first season’s fast pacing, viewers spent very little time in the Little Palace and even less watching the Grisha train with the likes of Baghra (Zoë Wanamaker) and Botkin (Hon Ping Tang). It’s unclear what happened to Baghra following her confrontation with her son toward the end of the season, but Botkin will certainly be needed to prepare the Second Army for a war against Kirigan and their former comrades.
This would offer an opening for the show to unpack Grisha powers in more depth. It could also lead to some fun action scenes with smaller stakes than those in season 1. Season 2 would be wise to spend more time on the Grisha building their powers. Sure, endless training montages can get a little dull after a while; however, too few of them can also make characters’ progress feel unearned, and that’s a line Shadow and Bone doesn’t want to cross.
10. Morozova’s other amplifiers
When the Apparat gives Alina a history lesson on Morozova and his amplifiers, the focus is primarily on the Stag. However, the book he shows her contains several other images surrounding the man who created this mystical being. The implication here is clear: There’s more than one of Morozova’s legendary amplifiers out there.
Book readers already know these other amplifiers will play a big role in the next part of Alina’s journey, a storyline a second season of the show is likely to follow. Now that he’s lost the Stag, there’s little doubt General Kirigan will seek out another means of attaining power. Looks like we’re in for a race to find whatever amplifiers remain. (It’s a good thing Alina’s closest friend is a skilled tracker, huh?)
Given how gorgeously Shadow and Bone brought the Stag to life in its first season, Morozova’s other amplifiers are something to look forward to in a potential second outing. With Netflix’s budget, they’re sure to be done justice. Whether they’ll help or hinder Alina’s quest to bring down the Fold is another question, and one the streamer can only answer by giving us more episodes.
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