Tamal Kundu
Based on two series of books in the Grishaverse by Israeli-American author Leigh Bardugo and an Eric Heisserer (‘Arrival’) creation, ‘Shadow and Bone’ is a fantasy steampunk series. It is set in a world with scientific advancements resembling the late 19th century and a special section of the human population who can control matters in their basic forms. At the start of the series, cartographer Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) discovers that she is a Sun Summoner, a special group of the Grisha with the ability to bend and summon light. Suddenly, the orphaned young woman finds herself being at the receiving of the interests of the world. In her home country of Ravka, the people hope she will take down the Fold, a massive cluster of darkness that has split the country into two parts.
The first season came out on April 23, 2021. Following the release of season 2, ‘Shadow and Bone’ mainly received positive reviews, with a significant amount of praise directed at the scope, plot, performances, and execution. If that has made you wonder whether there will be ‘Shadow and Bone’ season 3, we got you covered.
Will Shadow and Bone Season 3 Happen?
‘Shadow and Bone’ season 2 premiered on March 16, 2023, on Netflix. It comprises eight episodes with a 55-64-minute runtime, effectively making most of the episodes longer than the ones in the previous season. As for season 3, this is what we know.
Neither the series creators nor the Netflix executives have confirmed the development of a third season, but Heisserer stated in various interviews that he originally pitched the series to Netflix with a three-season plan. “It was a three-year plan that I laid out, or three-season plan,” Heisserer told Collider. “It came about in a really interesting way because it all came from a New Year’s resolution that I had three years ago, which was to do more pleasure reading. I just wasn’t doing enough of it, and there’s something about when you’re reading for work, you always have that part of your brain on, like, ‘Ooh can this be adapted or…’ And I’m like, I just want to have fun.”
Season 2 introduces several new characters: siblings Tolya and Tamar Yul-Bataar (Lewis Tan and Anna Leong Brophy); Privateer Sturmhond (Patrick Gibson), the captain of The Volkvolny, who is later revealed to be Nikolai Lantsov, the Second Prince of Ravka; and Wylan Hendriks (Jack Wolfe), Kaz’s demolition expert.
Realizing that one amplifier isn’t enough to take down the Fold, Alina and Mal (Archie Renaux) search for the other two with the help of Privateer Sturmhond and his crew. They eventually find the Sea Whip, and Alina reluctantly kills it, but the power she gains from that isn’t enough to destroy the Fold. With Baghra’s help, Alina and Mal discover that the latter is the Firebird, the third amplifier, being a direct descendant of Baghra’s father, Ilya Morozova.
Meanwhile, Aleksander Kirigan / the Darkling (Ben Barnes) has survived the Fold as well and now has two shadow monsters known as the Nichevo’ya guarding him. As these creatures can’t be killed by ordinary means, Nina (Danielle Galligan), Zoya (Sujaya Dasgupta), and Tolya embark on the search for a legendary sword along with the Crows.
The season ends with a massive confrontation between Alina and Darkling. Alina defeats the Darkling and is forced to stab Mal to use him as an amplifier to remove the Fold. Afterward, as Darkling dies, he warns Alina to destroy every part of him. However, as he is cremated, pieces of him are blown away by the wind. The war takes a heavy toll on the heroes. David is seemingly killed alongside numerous soldiers of the First Army. With his purpose served, Mal is unsure about his place in the world. As Nikolai becomes the King of Ravka, Mal takes up the Sturmhond mantle. Meanwhile, realizing that Kaz (Freddy Carter) is not yet ready for intimacy, Inej (Amita Suman) joins Sturmhond’s crew and searches for her family. Despite Nina’s best efforts, Matthias (Calahan Skogman), a Fjerdan Drüskelle, remains imprisoned at the Hellgate prison.
If the second season can replicate the success of the first one, there is a legitimate chance for the third season to be greenlighted for another season. In season 3, the third entry in the ‘Grishaverse’ series, ‘Ruin and Rising,’ will likely be adapted along with an original story about the Crows.
The second season seems to combine books 2 and 3 in the ‘Grishaverse, ‘Siege and Storm’ (2013) and ‘Ruin and Rising’ (2014), and an original story about the Crows. It is implied that some parts of the Darkling still exist in the world, so in season 3, we might see that he is brought back with those fragments and subsequently wreaking havoc on Nikolai’s fledgling reign. Nina will probably learn how much Matthias has changed. In season 3, the nation of Fjerda will probably be more involved in the narrative, especially with the Fold gone. If it is greenlighted in the next few months, viewers can expect ‘Shadow and Bone’ season 3 to come out sometime in Q1 2025.
Read More: What Are the Amplifiers in Shadow and Bone?
