What are nichevo’ya in Shadow and Bone season 2?

It’s finally time to dive into a new season of the hit Netflix original series Shadow and Bone. After a nearly two-year long wait, Shadow and Bone season 2 premiered on March 16 and delivered the next chapter of Alina’s fight to save Ravka from The Darkling.

When we last left the world of Shadow and Bone at the end of season 1, Alina and her friends left The Darkling behind in the Shadow Fold, expecting him to have been taken by the volcra. However, he emerges from the Fold before the season ends with shadow monsters at his side.

For those who might not have read Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy, what are these shadow monsters created by The Darkling? They’re called nichevo’ya, and below we’re explaining what they are, how they were created, and the dangerous role they play in season 2.

Spoilers ahead from Shadow and Bone season 2!

What are nichevo’ya in Shadow and Bone season 2?

The nichevo’ya, which translates to “nothings” in Ravkan, are the creatures that The Darkling creates from shadow. As a Shadow Summoner, he’s the opposite of Alina, the Sun Summoner, and can conjure shadow. Through the use of merzost, The Darkling creates the nichevo’ya.

Grisha aren’t supposed to use their powers to create, an act otherwise known as merzost. Rather, they are meant to manipulate matter. Using merzost to create nichevo’ya comes at a cost or sacrifice to The Darkling, as the abominable usage of the small sciences goes against its means.

While the nichevo’ya play a much, much larger and different role in the final two books in the series (Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising), they are still a massive and formidable threat to Alina’s army. They can exist outside of the Shadow Fold and can only be killed by Alina using the Cut or Inej’s blade. Being so, they’re unpredictable thanks to The Darkling.

Final warning for season 2 spoilers!

In the Shadow and Bone books, Nikolai’s fate is much different than in Shadow and Bone season 2, as a nichevo’ya injury to his shoulder appears to have infected him from the inside. When he looks in the mirror, he sees a nichevo’ya staring back at him. Let’s hope Shadow and Bone season 3 will be renewed and answer our lingering questions.

What did you think of the nichevo’ya in Shadow and Bone season 2? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned for more Shadow and Bone news and updates from Netflix Life!