Netflix revealed the first trailer for their new series Shadow and Bone on Friday.
In the action-packed teaser clip for the fantasy epic, Ben Barnes is seen as The Darkling, also known as General Kirigan in the show, who is the charismatic yet menacing leader of Ravka’s Second Army.
The trailer opens, however, with its main character Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), an unassuming mapmaker who discovers a dormant power lies within her when she enters the ominous Fold with her best friend Mal Oretsev (Archie Renaux).
One to watch: Ben Barnes stars as the charismatic yet menacing Darkling in the action-packed first trailer for Netflix’s fantasy epic Shadow and Bone, which Netflix released on Friday
As Alina is seen arriving in the city of Kribirsk to enter the Fold, Ben is heard narrating: ‘The Shadow Fold, a scar on the map, that tore our country in two. To destroy it we need a miracle.’
Terrifying creatures known as the Volcra reside in the Fold, which was created by The Darkling’s ancestor The Black Heretic, but Alina appears determined to make the crossing with Mal, despite his reservations over her joining him.
In the Fold, Alina and her fellow First Army soldiers are attacked by Volcra, dark, horrifying beings that are only interested in feeding on whoever dares try and make the crossing to Novokribirsk.
Sun summoner: The trailer opens, however, with its main character Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li, right), an unassuming mapmaker who discovers a dormant power lies within her
Ominous: The trailer opens with Alina arriving in the city of Kribirsk to enter the Fold, and Ben is heard narrating: ‘The shadow fold, a scar on the map that tore our country in two’
One such creature attacks Mal and tries to take him off the ship, but as Alina calls out his name a blinding white light is seen, driving the Volcra away.
After surviving the Volcra attack, Alina is taken by force to see The Darkling and he demands to know ‘who actually saw what happened’.
Alina tells him: ‘We were attacked and then there was a searing light.’
What could it be? Terrifying creatures known as The Volcra reside in the Fold and attack Alina and her fellow First Army soldiers, only for a blinding white light to drive them away
Interrogation: After surviving the Volcra attack, Alina is taken to The Darkling, who demands to know ‘what she is’ before he helps release her power and show she is a Sun Summoner
Seemingly aware of what power may lie within Alina, Kirigan steps up to her and asks her ‘what’ she is, before taking his bladed ring and asking her to ‘lift up [her] sleeve’ to discover the truth.
As he cuts her skin, though, a searing light emits from her revealing that she is a Sun Summoner, a rare class of Grisha that can bend and summon light – the opposite to Kirigan’s ability as a Shadow Summoner.
Alina is taken away on The Darkling’s orders to the Ravkan capital Os Alta to join her fellow Grishas in the Second Army, and Mal is seen running after her carriage and shouting for her.
Dramatic: Alina is taken away on The Darkling’s orders to the Ravkan capital Os Alta to join her fellow Grishas in the Second Army, and Mal (pictured) is seen running after her
Into battle: The action-packed trailer shows soldiers going to war on a snowy landscape
The action-packed trailer shows soldiers going to war on a snowy landscape, while Alina is brought to Genya Safin (Daisy Head) to be prepared to meet the King and Queen of Ravka.
In Ketterdam, a different city part of the island nation of Kerch, fans get their first glimpse of the Dregs, a criminal gang operating in the town.
Jesper Fahey (Kit Young) is seen gambling at a high stakes table before the sharpshooter sets off one of his guns, though Dregs Lieutenant Kaz Brekker (Freddie Carter) stops him from killing any patrons of the Crow Club.
Gang: In Ketterdam, a different city part of the island nation of Kerch, fans get their first glimpse of the Dregs, a criminal gang operating in the town
Dynamic duo: Jesper Fahey (Kit Young, left) is seen gambling before shooting one of his guns before Kaz Brekker (Freddie Carter, right) stops him from killing any patrons of the Crow Club
Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman), a spy for the Dregs known as The Wraith, then appears, doing what she does best by sneaking into a building under cover of darkness.
The trailer goes on to tease various parts in the show, including Etherealki, Grisha who can control different natural elements, fighting enemies in a forest, using their abilities to send a strong winds to stun their adversaries.
Kaz, Inej and Jesper are briefly seen showing their skills with weapons in several different fight scenes, while Alina is shown with both Mal and The Darkling.
The Wraith: Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman), a spy for the Dregs, then appears, doing what she does best by sneaking into a building under cover of darkness
Working together: In a final scene, Alina and The Darkling enter the Ravkan court where she shows her ability to the King by summoning light when he plunges the room into darkness
Returning to the beginning, Alina is once again shown with Kirigan as he says to her once more: ‘Answer the question, what are you?’
She tells him she is simply ‘a mapmaker’, but he informs her: ‘Oh a mapmaker, well you and I are going to change the world.’
In a final scene, Alina and The Darkling enter the Ravkan court in the Grand Palace, where she puts her abilities to the test by summoning light when he plunges the room into a deep darkness.
The series will see Alina join the Second Army and The Darkling after he requests her help to destroy the Fold, as he believes she is the only one capable of stopping it.
On her side? The series will see Alina join The Darkling after he requests her help to destroy the Fold, as he believes she is the only one capable of stopping it
Stars: Kaz, Jesper and Inej, and are also in the show Nina Zenik (Danielle Galligan, pictured) and Matthias Helvar (Calahan Skogman) first appeared in the Six Of Crows duology
Shadow and Bone is based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse novels, and it takes its name from -and is based on- the book of the same name, which is the first in a trilogy.
Kaz, Jesper and Inej, and characters who didn’t feature in the trailer but are in the show Nina Zenik (Danielle Galligan) and Matthias Helvar (Calahan Skogman), first appeared in the Six Of Crows duology.
The two books are set after the events of the Bardugo’s trilogy, so the show will see the characters embark on a wholly different storyline to what fans of the novels might expect.
Shadow and Bone will be released globally on Netflix on April 23, 2021.
One to watch: Shadow and Bone will be released globally on Netflix on April 23, 2021