Ben Barnes and Jessie Mei Li talk Shadow and Bone season 3

Shadow and Bone season 2 is finally available to watch on Netflix, and the fantasy series powered through Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy quicker than many fans expected. Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) took down both the Fold and General Kirigan (Ben Barnes) in the final episodes, saving Ravka from the dark forces that plagued it. That leaves major questions about what will happen in Shadow and Bone season 3.

The ending of Shadow and Bone season 2 diverges from Bardugo’s book series, making Alina the new queen of Ravka. It also sees her sporting a new power, one that’s eerily similar to that of the Darkling.

If Netflix renews Shadow and Bone for another batch of episodes, the show is likely to cover uncharted territory. And during an interview with Cosmopolitan, Jessie Mei Li reflected on what’s next for the Sun Summoner. “The way I see it is in season 1, Alina a lot of the time is afraid,” Mei Li said. “And in season 2, she’s brave. And in my mind, the natural progression is going from bravery to fearlessness.”

Jessie Mei Li is interested in “what darker Alina could be like”

That said, fearlessness often has a “darker and more dangerous side.” And while Mei Li believes the final shot of Alina is empowering, she’s also interested in what choices the character will make going forward:

"That last shot of Alina is all of that fear that she’s felt up until now sort of leaves her. And of course, she’s going to have darkness within her. She’s experienced great loss and trauma and difficulty. We obviously hope that she’s gonna make the right decisions, but who knows? I’m very interested to see what darker Alina could be like, for sure."

Of course, Alina’s future isn’t the only one hanging in the balance after Shadow and Bone season 2. Characters like Mal (Archie Renaux) and Nikolai Lantsov (Patrick Gibson) have their own demons to overcome. And then there’s the question of the show’s main villain.

Will Ben Barnes be back as the Darkling in Shadow and Bone season 3?

Shadow and Bone season 2 may have veered from the source material, but the Darkling’s ending is similar to his demise in Leigh Bardugo’s book Ruin and Rising. In both iterations of the story, the villain perishes alongside the Fold. And with Alina burning Kirigan’s body, it’s hard to imagine how Barnes could return.

It’s equally difficult to envision Shadow and Bone season 3 without the Darkling, as he plays such a prominent role in Alina’s journey. It’ll be interesting to see her come into her own, but every fantasy series needs a Big Bad. And Barnes’ villain fills that role splendidly.

Unfortunately, Barnes doesn’t seem to know any more about his character’s future than we do. “I have absolutely no idea ,” he told Cosmopolitan.

"I think they’re poised very beautifully for a Six of Crows story, which I would be very excited to see. I’m a huge fan of those next two books, which obviously don’t involve the Darkling. I’ve not been included beyond this moment, so who knows?"

It seems we’ll be waiting a while to learn what’s next for these characters, assuming Netflix gives them another season at all. Barnes is right that a Six of Crows spinoff feels like the obvious next step. Whether we’ll get more of Alina’s story remains a mystery — but we’re crossing our fingers we do!

Shadow and Bone season 2 is currently streaming on Netflix.

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