Shadow and Bone is finally back, and the looming threat of the Fold remains as Alina and Mal escape to Novyi Zem while Kaz, Inej, and Jesper return to Ketterdam. “No Shelter But Me” sets the stage for this season’s events — let’s hop into what went down.
Novyi Zem
Following a nightmare about General Kirigan, Alina wakes on a ship beside Mal. Based on the sketch in the journal he’s holding, this isn’t the first time this has happened. Mal assures Alina that he’s dead; he saw the Volcra take him. Alina is concerned, because she keeps seeing the Fold grow larger in her dreams. Their discussion is interrupted by the ship’s arrival at Weddle Harbor — it’s the first time the pair has ever left Ravka.
While the pair is standing in line with Kaz’s forged papers from Ketterdam to enter Novyi Zem, Alina is confused when she notices that there’s a line for Ravkan refugees. She runs over and asks a woman what happened, learning that the Fold grew overnight and destroyed their village. Her nightmares are really happening.
Returning to Ketterdam
Meanwhile, Kaz, Jesper, and Inej arrive back in Ketterdam. Home sweet home — or not. The Crow Club has been replaced by … the Kaelish Prince. Pekka Rollins has taken over. Oh, and apparently, the trio is wanted for murder. Inej escapes, as is her nature, but Jesper and Kaz are caught by the Stadwatch, cuffed, and put in a carriage bound for Hellgate. However, just as Kaz begins to suffer from an episode as traumatic memories overcome him, they stop, because Dreesen paid a pretty penny kruge to have 10 minutes alone with them. He demands to know where Alina is.
Kaz, forever cunning, notices something about their company is off; the man standing beside Dreesen is actually the one that sanctioned the mission in the first place. Meet the privateer, Sturmhond. Kaz and Jesper initially insist that they don’t know of Alina’s current whereabouts (whilst the former puts his legendary lock-picking skills to use on his handcuffs). However, with the promise of payment and 20 seconds to escape, Kaz tells Sturmhond that she went to Novyi Zem. Jesper then realizes that Kaz knows he’s a Durast — which means he can manipulate solid objects, essentially.
Gathering new allies
Inej meets back up with Jesper and Kaz (scaring the former, but the latter always knows she’s coming), and she tells them that they’re apparently wanted for the murder of Tante Heleen. Pekka framed them, and he killed her because she had the deed to the Crow Club. He owns the Menagerie as well now. Kaz shares what information he and Jesper gleaned: Fjerda believes Alina was in cahoots with the Darkling, and they want her. He wants Inej to go and protect Alina, but she won’t leave him.
Pekka’s men surround Inej, but suddenly they collapse to the ground. A Heartrender, Nina, walks out and offers her services, because she overheard the Crows were in need of her skills. They meet up with Kaz and Jesper, who have found their other new recruit: Wylan, their demolitions expert. Nina tells Kaz that her price is freeing someone from Hellgate … the love of her life (at one point in the episode, we briefly see Matthias being locked in his cell). While Kaz can’t get her a release, he can get her a visit.
The Crows step outside onto the roof, looking out over Ketterdam, and watch as the Kaelish Prince explodes.
The kiss
Alina and Mal arrive at their new lodgings, thrilled to see how nice they are (and there was only one bed). As they sit together on the bed, discussing the places they can go now, Mal reflects on how Alina’s mapmaking inspired him to want to dream of hopeful places beyond what exists on the page while he was knee-deep in the trenches. He also thought about the chances he regretted not taking. He stares at her, and as Alina says, “Why not take them now then?” he finally kisses her.
Alina and Mal remain on the run
Again, Alina dreams of Kirigan, and he asks her if she’s willing to sacrifice that which is most precious to her. She wakes up in a library, where she was pouring over nautical maps to aid their search for the sea whip (and she ends up finding the map she needs, using her powers to reveal its location). Unfortunately, she then overhears Ravkan refugees discussing their belief that both she and the Darkling were to blame for the expansion of the Fold. A woman recognizes her as she’s rushing to leave.
Meanwhile, Mal literally runs into Lieutenant Bohdan. He intends to bring Mal in to be court-martialed for deserting, but he punches him and takes off. Alina finds him, and the First Army has them both cornered, but the people of Novyi Zem move to protect them and help them escape. When night falls, they pay their way onto a ship to escape. Unfortunately, the captain of the ship is none other than Sturmhond.
The Darkling lives
Members of the First Army have placed Grisha in locked cells just outside the edge of the Fold. Genya pleads with them to let her go. However, when one of the soldiers suddenly falls dead, their laughter dissipates. Volcra can’t leave the Fold. A monstrous, shadowy figure walks out of the darkness, killing the First Army. The Darkling lives. He frees the Grisha, and they follow him into town.
Shadow and Bone season 2 is now streaming on Netflix. Make sure to follow along with all of our episodic recaps!
