Netflix ‘Shadow and Bone’ Season 2 to explore Alina and Mal’s romance

Netflix Shadow and Bone will be focusing on the budding romance of its two leads.

The show’s upcoming second season teased the spark between the lead characters Alina Starkov and Malyen Oretsev in newly released image by Entertainment Weekly.

An adaptation of the book series of the same name written by Leigh Bardugo, the rare picture foreshadows some plot details.

In the image, Mal (Archie Renaux) and Alina (Jessie Mei Li) are holding hands walking through a small-town market place beyond Ravka called Novyi Zem. The two characters are casting each other with an endearing look during the scene from the show.

According to a conversation showrunners Eric Heisserer and Daegan Fryklind had with EW, the new season will follow the trail of breadcrumbs laid at the end of season 1.

The ending brought the main characters together on the same ship, though their paths diverged. Sun Summoner Alina left with tracker Mal across the True Sea, while Crows leader Kaz (Freddy Carter), knife-slinger Inej (Amita Suman), and pistol prodigy Jesper (Kit Young) were busy crafting a plan to get them out of their troubles back home in Ketterdam.

“They're certainly not in the same place as they were in season 1," Heisserer remarked.

However, it won’t be as smooth sailing for the two. "They've made some pretty big decisions together that they soon discover means they're all or nothing, and that puts a lot of stress on each other. I, too, am worried for them."

Shadow and Bone Season 2 will be premiering on Netflix March 16, 2023, and will once again consist of eight episodes.