Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the Six of Crows duology, as well as possible spoilers for upcoming seasons of Shadow and Bone.
Shadow and Bone is one of the few fantasy series to survive Netflix’s ever-swinging axe. The show is an adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse novels, which introduced its audience to a world of incredible powers, best described in-universe as abilities to manipulate matter in its most elemental form.
These abilities don’t allow people to simply conjure matter out of thin air, only manipulate what already exists, which is why Grisha — those who possess these powers — don’t consider it magic, but rather Small Science. The Grisha see their powers as extensions of the natural world, something that comes to them as easily as breathing.
In season one of the Netflix adaptation, viewers unfamiliar with the source material were introduced to Nina Zenik (played by Danielle Galligan), a rather well-known Heartrender being chased by Fjerdan soldiers. Despite putting up a good fight, Nina ends up being captured and meets Matthias (Calahan Skogman), who has a very poor impression of all Grisha, but especially Heartrenders, with power over life and death. But what exactly do a Heartrender’s powers entail?
What powers does Nina Zenik have?
In the Grishaverse, Small Science is divided into three orders: the Corporalki, the Etherealki, and the Materialki. Being a Heartrender, Nina is part of the Corporalki order, also known as The Order of the Living and the Dead. Right at first glance, the name of this order seems intimidating, and it can absolutely be, especially in the case of Heartrenders, who are considered valuable for their ability to manipulate the human body at a fundamental level.
Grisha with this power can slow, quicken, or even stop someone’s heart, slow the body’s natural healing process, crush a person’s lungs, and control their breathing — which can be used to either keep air flowing through the respiratory system or prevent it. Because human emotions derive from the release of chemicals in the body, Heartrenders can also use this to their favor, influencing other people’s emotions.
As powerful as Heartrenders can be, they’re not invincible, since their abilities have a few weaknesses. They cannot use it on animals, for one, nor manipulate human bodies outside of their field of vision. If the person is partially obstructed from view or simply too far away, they will not be affected by a Heartrender’s power. Lastly, it’s impossible for all Grisha to use their abilities without moving their hands, so restricting their movement is a sure way to prevent Heartrenders from doing their thing.
It’s worth noting, however, that in the books, Nina is no ordinary Heartrender. After ingesting a drug capable of modifying a Grisha’s powers, Nina becomes a Corpsewitch, gaining the ability to manipulate the dead. She can use this to raise and control corpses, as well as their remains, like bone shards and skin cells. Additionally, the character gains the power to communicate with souls who have passed away, sense, and spread diseases.
This is an impressive set of powers for any character to have, which makes Nina one of the most powerful Grisha in the series. In the Netflix adaptation, her full potential remains undiscovered, but here’s to hoping that future episodes dive into it.
Shadow and Bone season 2 will hit Netflix on March 16.