We are ready to enter the Kingdom of Ravka, if we can make it through that nasty cloud of monsters that seems to be closing in on it. Netflix has released the full trailer for their upcoming series Shadow and Bone, and it looks pretty incredible. It gives us a bit more of an idea as an audience of who “sun-summoner” Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) is and how she’s going to save this fantastical world, alongside the very sexy and maybe sinister General Kirigan (Ben Barnes).
This trailer has me really excited for this series. For one, the cast looks incredible, and I’m so ready to see Ben Barnes step into a big role like this. He’s been excellent for years, especially on Westworld, and he looks awesome here, with just the right amount of scary and sexy. I can’t wait to probably ship him with absolutely everyone. Is he evil? Is he trustworthy? Is his whole summoning darkness in contrast to Alina’s ability to summon light a bad sign? I don’t know, but it’s Ben Barnes so I’m on board!
I’m also excited to get to know the supporting characters more, including Kit Young as quick-shooting Jesper Fahey, who just screams “new fan favorite” every second he’s onscreen.
While the trailer gives us the broad strokes of what’s going on in Shadow and Bone—big scary cloud of demons that only a light-summoning magic gal like Alina can fight—the story is obviously more complex. The series is based on Leigh Bardugo’s “Grishaverse” books, which are comprised of several separate series. The first trilogy is made up of Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising, and the series is apparently set in a sort of Russian-inspired world, which sounds very interesting. I haven’t read the books, so I’m coming into the story unspoiled, but very curious.
Here’s how Netflix summarizes the series:
Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive.
That’s about all the details I personally need to want to check out this series after the trailer. We’ve got a diverse cast, magic, action, and a rich fantasy world that I’m excited to explore. And Prince Caspian is here! I’m sold!
Are you excited for Shadow and Bone, Suevians?
(images: Netflix)
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