Sophia Michaels
No, the Darkling is not like the other vampires. He doesn’t have a heart.
The Darkling is a vampire who has been turned on his own.
He is not like other vampires.
He is not like other vampires because he has been turned on his own.
He is like other vampires.
He is like other vampires because he has been turned on his own.
Season 2 of “Shadow & Bone” is darker than the first episode. This is clear from the beginning, as the Darkling is no longer a kissable vampire. He is now a powerful and dangerous man. Ben Barnes tells us that he and Jessie Mei Li built up a system of communication during the season that was “really good.”
This system allowed the two of them to be able to push boundaries and communicate with each other in a way that was not previously possible. It is also clear from the beginning of the season that the Darkling is a vampire who has been turned on his own. He is now a powerful and dangerous man.
Let’s start with the fact that Season 2 of “Shadow & Bone” is demonstrably darker than its predecessor. Where once the Darkling was peppering Alina with kisses, now we see him attempting to choke her. Given this dramatic shift, Ben Barnes explained that he and Jessie Mei Li had to trust each other on-set more than ever. “[Jessie is] my little sister, they’re all my family, and I feel so affectionate and protective of all of this cast, but particularly Jessie,” Barnes told Newsweek, adding that he and his co-star “built up a really good system” of communication.
Li took a similar stance and spoke with Cosmopolitan about how they and Barnes weren’t afraid to push boundaries, given their established foundation of trust. “Luckily, we’re such good friends, and there is so much trust there,” the actor explained. “We’re both so open to trying things. We worked with the stunt team and I said to Ben, ‘Don’t be afraid to make it look like you’re really hurting me, because I’m in control here.'”
All that time spent working together and effectively communicating paid off. Apparently, Li knows Barnes better than anyone. In a Vanity Fair interview testing how well the cast of “Shadow & Bone” knew each other, Li was able to correctly answer all of Barnes’ questions. Likewise, Barnes knew plenty about Li and their passions. Could the Darkling say as much?
