Alina & The Darkling - Shadow & Bone

I love just how complex the Darkling really is. Yes his actions are wrong, but he's dealt with countless years of his own people being slaughtered and used. He's lost so many people he's felt close to, causing his heart to harden, not allowing himself to actually care and let people in. Alina represents the hope for humanity, and he let her into his heart. By doing so he really started to change some of his beliefs and was starting to in a way be willing to admit fault in his actions. I just love his character so much.

The sad thing about their whole relationship is that he was not wrong about most of the things he said to her. He told her that she would lose Mal, any arrangements she makes even through an arranged marriage, it will never be enough to keep their kind safe. There will always be those who will fear her and anyone else like her. If she makes the smallest mistake, they will brand her as the next heretic just as they did to him. And he didn’t want her to go through it alone like he did. Such an amazing tribute to these two characters. I hope it is not the last time we see his character through the show. I wouldn’t mind if he somehow found a way to live on. Thanks for uploading.

For a moment I swear I did The darkling truly loved her

truth be told Darklina are the only couple in the series that have actual chemistry on screen...malina felt super off as if it was forced

He was so close to having it all, if only he could release his own trauma, let go of his fears, share their power instead of deceiving and subjugating her… their chemistry was off the charts, such potential, I can’t seem to let it go. So sad, but also… SO GOOD!

I still ship AIina with Darkling. A villain who would destroy the world to save you

The way Alina kept constantly arguing the Darkling didn't understood sacrifice just irritated me. He's the villain and she has every right to hate him, make no mistakes, but no matter how good she thinks she is, how righteous in comparison to him...he has lived thousands of years more than she has. He DOES have more practice with eternity and what that much time and loss can do to a simple boy like he used to be. She was also wrong to affirm he was the cause of all the violence, because Grisha had been persecuted by humans long before the fold was even created, and that's what she failed to understand. Luda's unjust death (his past lover) was what made him tap into merzost (dark magic) to protect the others of his kind and accidentally led to the creation of the fold. Hell, few minutes after she swore she would never be like him, she was using merzost too to bring Mal back to life and then used a shadow cut to kill that Grisha at the end. She's already going down the same path as him and he REALLY tried to warn her about it :/

Light has no meaning without darkness 🖤🕯

Everything he said was the truth, as he saw and experienced it, Alina came in with her innocence and inexperience and immediately saw only black and white. You can see how he softened around her, how for a time, he truly thought they would be able to do this together, until she began to pull away, and he felt forced then to make decisions for her. His obsession with her, his desire to have her by his side, to fill the loneliness and be his equal ultimately led to his downfall. In a way, it's a story of loneliness, and what a person will do to have someone by their side, to fill the void that no one else can or even understand. I love the darkling, he is such an amazing and complex character, and seeing his interactions with Alina really bring to light all those complexities.

Tbh, I still shipped them until the very end. The "my little saint" had me in tears. And she brought out the best in him. Those moments of weakness, when he really tried to hide all his bad sides so that she would feel safe. And how he kept coming back, kept wanting her to stand with him. And not because he nesscesarily thought it would better his domination. Just because he loved her.

A hero would give up one person for the world… but a villain would destroy the world for one person.

Ben Barnes brought the Darkling to life perfectly for 2 seasons. Was great

Is no one gonna comment about the chemistry these to have? Mal who?!! Omg when i see alina and darkling together i get goosebumps! This love! The way he looks at her. And i can tell she is also have feelings for him! And i wanted to see those two together sooooooo baaaaadddd😢😢😢😢❤❤❤

The chemistry between Darkling and Alina is so supremacy, the vibes are everywhere in every scene.. i wish we had more of them on 2nd season.. the love and the caring of Darkling to Alina is doubtless.. i am so into them 🖤🤍

My beloved Darklina! Legendary soulmatery and chemistry!

I loved Aleksander and i think he was right. Darkling was cruel because of the he's experience but same time he was a knight for me. Series writers want pink story, but truth not the same with it. More than that and painfull than that. RIP Darkling :')

She made the fold the biggest problem when in fact it was ravka against everyone. They could've been each other's missing link but alina chose to turn a blind eye while aleksander was so enveloped with the need for revenge that he failed to get alina by his side as his queen. Both of them were scarred and alone and it's sad that they could've been each other's refuge...

Oh my God, I'm actually crying right now. I didn't think I would until the Darkling's final speech to Alina about how "this world doesn't need a Saint, it needs a monster," which gained a deeper meaning to me after watching this video. I've always been a sucker for the Dark Lord/Lady of Light trope, an extension of my Beauty & the Beast love, and despite the coaster of highs and lows I've heard about Season 2, the writers put everything they had into Darklina. The Force bond-esque dream/vision meetings that only they themselves can see, which just so happens to be another one of my favorite tropes? Ah-mazing. Jessie and Ben's acting? Already great in S1, but in S2 they stepped up in a big way I can tell, especially Jessie. The amount of book quotes that translated to screen? I know we have Ben to thank for that. And the budget behind their powers, damn! God, I'm just grateful to know that this isn't the Darkling's end, and having been told the symbolism of the bee on Zoya's shoulder, I'm hoping we can expect a return for him very soon, especially in regard to Alina's new end as well. Plus, I have no doubt the showrunners are aware that Ben Barnes as the Darkling is one of the biggest factors in the show's popularity, so bringing him back would be a win for them as well. Fingers crossed!🤞Amazing work here. 🥰🌓

I think Kirigan understood her best and knew what was hidden inside her. What consequences of power await her, how she will feel after a while. And he tried to help her, but so that she was next to him. Yes, his methods of struggle and the liberation of his people were very dubious, but Alina could change that. Instead of finding out, listening to him, how he will explain Baghra's words, about the fact that he is the Black Heretic and only uses her for his own purposes, Alina simply ran away and immediately labeled him "enemy". That's why he was furious. Their relationship was going well, everything was great, Alina could correct him later, guide him, and they could solve this situation together. Instead, there is so much loss, pain and sacrifice. Because there was no dialogue! Did not have. A couple of Kirigan's proposals, and Alina's incredulous angry face. Mal in season 2 fulfilled his role as the Firebird amplifier. He was there to protect her until she became strong. And Mal had to die. But he was resurrected in a "dark" way, and it was immediately clear that he had become a different person. He no longer had feelings for Alina and the desire to protect her. He calmly sought his way. And says you're meant for something more. But I would say: for SOMEONE more. Alina discovers darkness in herself and ... at the end of the last episode, she sees with a very pleased face and a grin how that woman was sawn into pieces from her "cut". Not from the light, but from the darkness. And she has no regrets. So I think her power will soon take on dark traits and in the end it will turn out that only Kirigan is her "refuge". And if they want to overcome the darkness, then they can only do it together. And both become light. purely my opinion)

I will forever be a Darklina. No matter how much the writers will try to destroy the ship.