Season 2 of ‘Shadow and Bone’ proves that it is one of the best fantasy series on Netflix

He Grishaverse keep fit: Season 2 of ‘Shadow and Bone’ is now available among the Netflix series to show that it lives up to its predecessor. The series, based on the novels by Leigh Bardugo, has all the makings of a classic fantasy adventure with doses of romance, action and magical prophecies that can change the course of a world in decline. The new episodes continue the story, develop its protagonists better and raise the stakes in the battles, although it tries to cover too many plots in too little time. Not everything was going to be perfect.

Created by Eric Heisserer and one of the best fantasy series to get hooked on right now, ‘Shadow and Bone’ Season 2 once again follows Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), more determined than ever to destroy The Shadow and reunite. the country of Ravka. If you already know by heart the differences between the novel and the ‘Shadow and Bone’ series, it’s time to delve into the possibilities of this new season through three essential keys that will cement (hopefully) its success.

Alina raises the ante against El Oscuro

It is no longer a mystery: the trailers for the second season revealed that the Dark One (or Darkling) had not died. The ‘Shadow and Bone’ season 1 finale left us wondering what happened to Aleksander inside The Shadow, but it seems he survived the Volcra and actually made some friends along the way.: in the new episodes, in addition to some disturbing scars that cover his face, the villain is accompanied by two bodyguards made of shadows and impossible to destroy. Well, nothing is impossible, especially if the protagonists turn to ancient legends and ancient mythical artifacts that could be more real than they ever thought.

Alina’s goal in Season 2 is to destroy The Shadow once and for all.. It is the mission that was marked the last time we saw her, and now she travels with Mal in search of two powerful amplifiers that, together with the deer that she already has incorporated into her body, could give her the necessary power to break down that shadow barrier that divide Ravka. Those two amplifiers are also mythological creatures: they are known as the Sea Whip and the Fire Bird.. The result of the three beings, almost like Harry Potter’s Deathly Hallows, can be something extraordinary to grow their power. To find them, he will need new allies, including a cunning and charming pirate played by Patrick Gibson whose true identity will be key to the story.

The Ravens are still the best

Yes, Alina is the protagonist, and at the center of the story is her romance with Mal and her tensions with El Oscuro, but in reality ‘Shadow and Bone’ would be nothing without its group of Ketterdam Ravens, who in the new episodes will have to deal with their respective traumatic pasts and their prospects for the future.. In this season 2, the Ravens once again show that they have a lot to offer, both as warriors in this fight against Evil and as those grounded characters that viewers can connect with.

If we remember, at the end of the first season, Kaz and company said goodbye to Alina and Mal to go their separate ways. After all, His setting is the city of Ketterdam, where crime boss Pekka Collins has wreaked havoc in his absence., including the robbery of Kaz’s much-loved club. Together with Inej and Jesper, the Ravens will carry out a plan to take control of the city from Pekka, and they will do it with the help of Nina (who in turn is desperately looking for a way to get Matthias out of jail) and the newcomer Wylan, an expert in explosives and thrown weapons.

Despite the many hits of the new episodes, It must be said that season 2 of ‘Shadow and Bone’ is guilty of wanting to tell too many things in a very short time: there are plots from at least five different books by Leigh Bardugo included in this new stretch of history, which means that many special moments end up rushing to the next thing. It is not a question of comparing the books and the series, but that what has found its place in the television adaptation has the quality that fans expect. At times, despite the great start to the season, he is lost.

The roadmap for the series, and its ambitions, expand

In this season 2 of ‘Shadow and Bone’, we will have the opportunity to learn more about the fictional map drawn by Leigh Bardugo. Until now the story had moved mainly between Ravka and Ketterdam, and through The Fold, but it was about time they expanded the universe on the small screen. In the new episodes we travel to Novyi Zem on the other side of the ocean, meet Shu Han characters, better understand new cultures, travel by air and sea, and generally gain a better understanding of the frontiers of the world. Grishaverse.

With ‘Shadow and Bone’ it seems almost impossible to fully understand its complicated mythology without having read the books and only as a viewer of the series, but it is such a cleverly constructed universe that it doesn’t matter. We may not remember how many types of Grisha there are or whether Fjerda is in the north or the south, but the characters are so endearing, the villain so memorable, and Alina’s mission so exciting that it’s not a problem at the end of the day.. Season 2 isn’t quite as perfect as Season 1, but it keeps intact what made it so appealing to so many viewers, whether they were Bardugo readers or not. Let’s hope there’s still a future for him. Grishaverse on Netflix.