What is a Durast in Shadow and Bone? (Grisha power explained)

When we were first introduced to the world of Shadow and Bone and the Grisha, we thought we knew who had those special abilities and who didn’t. But the second season of the Netflix hit revealed a fan-favorite that we weren’t expecting to actually have powers. And that’s Jesper!

Who knew someone in the group of the fun and adventurous Crows was Grisha? And the smart and guarded leader of the group, Kaz, knew all about it! We first notice this in the season 2 premiere episode when Kaz and Jesper are handcuffed while Sturmhond, aka Prince Nikolai, is speaking to them. The leader of the Crows throws a coin to Jesper who is able to turn it into a lockpick to get them out.

So what exactly is a Durast and what do Jesper’s abilities entail? We’ve got the answer for you below!

What is a Durast in Shadow and Bone? (Grisha power explained)

So we know that Grisha can manipulate matter and energy. We’ve heard of Healers like Genya, Heartrenders like Nina, and now Durasts like Jesper. The term was used a lot in the fantasy’s sophomore season.

A Durast is a type of Grisha who can control solid matter like wood, metal, glass, and plants, per Netflix’s TUDUM site. Objects they can manipulate include bullets and guns too. So that’s how Jesper always manages to get himself out of trouble! And as we know, trouble always follows the mischievous Crows. Apparently, that’s the reason he never misses a shot.

In season 2 episode 6 when the group breathes in a gas that knocks them out, we see Jesper’s hallucination as he “speaks” to his deceased mother. That’s when we get more clarity into his abilities and why he stopped practicing them. After she died for being Grisha (not much of an explanation has been revealed yet), his father told him to hide away who he is.

We saw a few Durasts this season, including David (may he rest in peace) and Ohval who is actually Neyar, the Durast Saint. TUDUM also shares that if you look carefully, Durasts under Kirigan wear purple keftas with gray embroidery. For a breakdown of all the types of Grisha, head over to the Netflix TUDUM page!

Shadow and Bone season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.