Spoilers for Season 2 of Shadow and Bone forward.
Most book-to-screen diversifications characteristic many modifications of all sizes as a novel will get remodeled right into a film or a sequence. Shadow and Bone options many moments immediately from the books and stays very true to its characters. Nevertheless, it’s additionally no stranger to main modifications, because the present combines the plots and characters from the unique Grishaverse trilogy and Six of Crows into one sequence. There are additionally extra nuanced modifications that allowed the actors to dive deeper into their characters’ relationships, and that was very true for Daisy Head and Ben Barnes as they performed out the complicated relationship between Genya and Common Kirigan in Season 2 of Shadow and Bone.
Together with each characters creating their connections with Alina in Season 2, Genya and The Darkling’s relationship is central within the Netflix sequence (opens in new tab). Because the books Seige and Storm and Spoil and Rising are instructed from Alina’s first-person perspective there’s loads we don’t get to see as a reader. Nevertheless, within the present, there is no such thing as a dominant perspective, and due to that Ben Barnes and Daisy Head bought to discover and develop their characters’ relationship. Head instructed CinemaBlend that whereas the characters’ darkish relationship is depicted within the books, they had been in a position to develop the strain between Genya and Common Kirigan into one thing greater for the present. Barnes agreed along with her, and stated:
There is a pressure between them, however truly we managed to develop one thing that was truly nearly a purer form of instance of this sort of poisonous relationship that you just had been simply speaking about why she’s staying.
Within the books, like within the present, the Grisha don’t know that Common Kirigan is unhealthy till it’s revealed that he created The Fold. When that occurs it’s additionally revealed that Genya had been on The Darkling’s aspect, and he or she determined to stick with him after Alina finds out the reality, making her really feel betrayed. In Siege and Storm, the Tailor continues to work for the Common, however in Spoil and Rising, we study that she was punished by him after sparing Alina, giving her scars throughout her face.
In the meantime, within the present, it’s very clear that Genya is sort of conflicted about Common Kirigan, and doesn’t actually need to belief him, however he’s all she is aware of. Head elaborated on why her character determined to stick with Barnes’ villain, and the way they had been in a position to barely change her motivations within the present, saying:
Yeah, there is a familiarity and there is additionally like, form of it is not likely Stockholm Syndrome, however there’s this, this barely conflicted juxtaposition to their relationship and it is, you already know, he is form of the closest factor to household that she has till she meets Alina. And I feel, yeah, I’ve talked about earlier than that she discover security within the familiarity of it, though the familiarity of it clearly may be very unsafe due to the character of the connection. But it surely was actually enjoyable with Ben to form of discover these moments the place we will join.
Barnes agreed with this level, and he spoke about how they had been in a position to present that the characters’ relationship and motives are usually not black and white, they’re fairly gray, which actually helps present the toxicity of their relationship, and why Genya stays. He stated:
And having a little bit of freedom to form of discover these themes, which I feel are the nuances, the nuances of these themes, which I feel are like modern throughout the framework of one thing way more broad, sweeping, as a result of fantasy typically has this sort of very broad, darkish versus gentle, these kind of grand themes. However to essentially form of, you already know, chip away at issues that really feel very fashionable, you already know, when it comes to, toxicity of relationships, that you already know, struggles.
It’s fascinating to listen to how these actors developed their characters and the relationships they’ve. Genya and Common Kirigan have one of many darker storylines in Season 2 of Shadow and Bone, and to listen to how the actors had been in a position to actually develop that relationship and make it extra nuanced and complicated makes it all of the extra significant.
To see how Common Kirigan and Genya’s complicated and tormented relationship differs from the books, you may stream each seasons of Shadow and Bone with a Netflix subscription. Then try the 2023 TV schedule to see what different fantasy exhibits will probably be making their solution to the small display quickly.
