Ruin and Rising

The Darkling is the novel’s main antagonist and a powerful Grisha who can summon darkness and shadows. He created the permanently dark area known as the Fold, is thought to be immortal, and takes Ravka’s throne for himself in the series’ previous book. Scarred by a lonely and isolating childhood, the Darkling has learned to manipulate people rather than becoming genuinely attached to them, and he takes this approach to all of his relationships. Alina is the only one who seems to be able to awaken genuine feelings of attachment in him (although his sincerity is difficult to gauge because he is so manipulative), although they are based entirely on her power and his perception of her as a worthy counterpoint to him. The Darkling is completely devastated when he realizes that the soldiers have become Sun Summoners because he desires complete control and domination of Ravka, and he knows such a transformation will make him powerless.

Mal is Alina’s childhood friend, a soldier in the Ravkan army, and a skilled tracker. He is generally portrayed as straightforward, practical, and selfless. In many ways, Mal is a foil for both the Darkling and Nikolai. Unlike Nikolai, he believes he is a commoner and is not politically savvy. And unlike the Darkling, he doesn’t desire power, prestige, or domination. Mal’s identity as the third amplifier reflects his deep bond with Alina, and he willingly faces death to help her defeat the Darkling. This makes him a more heroic figure than the Darkling or Nikolai. At the end of the war, Mal achieves the “ordinary” life with Alina that he always wanted.