I haven’t been rewatching episodes before writing these recaps. I thought I would be, but I found yesterday that I didn’t need to in order to collect my thoughts. The finale might be the only episode where rewatching it is necessary, as I think it will only improve. When it comes to big turning points and long-expected team-ups I tend to always feel underwhelmed. I enjoyed Inej getting the drop on Mal and all four of them bickering in the hold. I could have watched a whole episode of that. I also enjoyed Inej and Zoya forming an allegiance. I could have watched a whole series of that. Alina finally knows and understand the Crows, and all of them – including Nina and Matthias, are on the same ship across the True Sea. Are we going to see more Mal and Alina interacting with them in Novyi Zem? Probably not.
The Crows popping up in the first novel of “Shadow & Bone” isn’t a wholly failed experiment but it is an interesting gambit. One that only they would be proud of, I imagine. As people, Kaz and Inej (and to a lesser extent, Jesper) have changed. But, accustomed to “Six of Crows” nonsense, I had assumed they’d have a larger outcome on the plot. All the Crows backstory is cool and well-thought out, clearly these characters are very loved, but backstory just isn’t as fundamentally interesting is…forestory? Alina and Mal are moving forward and the Crows are inching their way towards their beginning. It’s just too frustrating. The closest we got was Inej sending a knife into the Darkling. And I mean, who didn’t want to see that? The Darkling has been given many reasons at this point to despise the Crows and I’m hoping that has some consequences down the line. Mostly the consequential storylines seem to be saved for Alina and Mal, though.
The Darkling’s destruction of Novokirbirsk is given more motivation too, a deed I didn’t think was necessary. Now it’s for retaliation on the attemped assassination of Alina and grab for power. Part of the core of the Darkling’s…well, darkness, is his use of senseless violence. Growing the Fold in the first place, and then extending it, was all part of his need for power. That’s the only emotional motivation he really has – that’s the disturbing part. I can’t tell whether the show is trying to save the character or just give Ben Barnes more to work with, as he’s amazing in the role, but I’m not interested in another Ben Kenobi story. Sometimes the people are miserable wretches and that can be just as compelling. The Darkling could have easily been redeemed in the books but always chooses not to be.
If the Crows are going to be a part of Season Two (and I can’t see why they wouldn’t be) then I’m unsure why the writers seems so determined to keep everyone on separate paths. There are many hopes I have for the second season (many of them include flying ships) but my biggest might be that the fun that the writers have with individual character dynamics can extend to larger groups. We know what Kaz, Inej, and Jesper together are like – what about Jesper and Zoya? Alina and Kaz? (what brief tidbit we did get was very interesting) Mal and Inej? What would it look like if all these people had to cook up a heist together? If it’s going to be a show about all of them, then they should all be in on the plan. Mal and Alina dream of retiring to a farm and leaving everything behind them. Pairing them up with new friends might mean that they have a better, much more interesting future ahead of them.
NOTES w/BOOK SPOILERS
- Speaking of choice, the holy stag chooses Alina! It’s about the people you choose – crows, stags, or goats – not about what you get out of it.
- Bold vs. smart. If that isn’t the best encapsulation of Mal vs. Kaz. I would LOVE to see them work together more.
- Matthias thinks Nina is a witch again. She seems genuinely remorseful. She’s also now more explicitly a Grisha traitor.
- Zoya/Inej forever
- “I’m exhausted.” The 2021 Jesper mood.