Summary
Another installment is plagued by exposition, jargon, and mediocre action, with a battle sequence that feels never-ending. The only saving grace is the valiant return of some beloved characters that were sorely missed for most of the chapter and the pay-offs this entails.
We recap the Netflix series Shadow and Bone Season 2 Episode 7, “Meet You in the Meadow,” which contains spoilers.
The big reveal in Shadow and Bone Season 2 Episode 6 was that Mal (Archie Renaux) is the third amplifier; he is the Firebird. This is a bittersweet revelation, as it means Alina (Jessie Mei Li) now has the means to destroy Kirigan (Ben Barnes) and the Fold, but she must sacrifice her lover’s life to do so. In “Meet You in the Meadow,” the gang tries to save Mal and end victorious without killing the man. Meanwhile, Kirigan’s army advances with restrengthened Grisha on its side. This accumulates in a final showdown between Nikolai’s (Patrick Gibson) army and Kirigan’s.
Shadow and Bone Season 2 Episode 7 Recap
How does Kirigan strengthen his army?
We’re first introduced to Kirigan’s new and improved army, led by three super-powered Grisha. Vatra, Nisho, and Fruzsi have all become amplified thanks to Baghra’s bones, which strengthen his army overall. They show off their new powers to Kirigan. He believes they are now ready to fight Nikolai’s army.
Kirigan’s orders are simple, to kill the new King, but he wants Mal saving for himself; they are not to touch the tracker. Kirigan believes that he can manipulate Mal himself. Regardless, Alina would rather die than sacrifice her lover.
And this is true. The couple contemplates their next move. Mal wants to get it over and done with; he sees no other way. Alina will try anything before killing Mal, though. Kirigan visits Mal in his dreams. He tells Mal to disappear, to leave this life behind and start a new one elsewhere. Mal refuses to leave Alina’s side, though. He will see this through to the end, no matter what. They must destroy the Fold. Kirigan says that Alina will be vulnerable without Mal to protect her. Mal thinks she will have allies and an entire country to protect her when he is gone.
Nikolai explains his military plan to Alina, but her mind is elsewhere. He wants to send their strongest units to defend the orphanage at Keramzin. Alina wants to take on Kirigan and the Fold on her own, though. She wants to get close enough to kill him herself without sacrificing any soldiers or Mal. Alina reveals that Mal is the Firebird. Nikolai consoles her as she cries. Alina returns Nikolai’s lucky compass and urges him to survive this battle for both their sakes.
What is Alina’s plan?
Facing his mortality, Mal starts to get reflective. He asks Nikolai in private to look after Alina when he is gone. Next, Alina talks with the Second Army leaders about their plan of attack. She has decided to send a blended battle unit with the First Army to Keramzin. They plan to ambush Kirigan’s army. Mal butts in, though, suggesting a different strategy. What if Mal and Alina head into the Fold while Kirigan is distracted? Alina refuses to sacrifice Mal’s life, though. Tamar has a different idea; she could stop Mal’s heart for two minutes to buy Alina enough time to destroy the Fold.
Alina is willing to try anything. David interjects, stating that they could use a fragment of Mal’s bone to fuse with Alina instead of sacrificing Mal’s whole body. Alina accepts the plan, and with Tamar’s assistance, Alina and Mal will enter the Fold. Nikolai plans to head to Keramzin with Dominik, Adrik, and Nadia. They all say their goodbyes, and Nikolai sets sail upon his flying ship, the Hummingbird.
What is Kirigan’s plan?
The flying ship passes the outskirts of the Fold and heads for Keramzin. However, they are ambushed by Kirigan’s army; this was Kirigan’s plan all along—the Grisha attack, firing fireballs at the ship. The ship is hit, and crash lands. The enemy, Grisha, heads towards the crash site to finish the job. Nikolai’s army retreats, heading towards a nearby fort, but many of his team are either dead or injured from the crash. Kirigan’s army pursues them through the wilderness.
Back at the base, inside the chapel, David begins to amputate Mal’s little finger. David is nervous and stalls. Before he can proceed, one of Kirigan’s shadow monster attacks. The gang flees, racing away from this unkillable foe. Mal uses new phosphorus bullets to fight back, and they actually work against the shadow monster.
Who saves Mal and Alina?
During all this chaos, Kirigan silently enters the Fold. He starts to use his powers to expand the Fold, which moves outwards, swallowing the surrounding landscape. As the Fold grows, the Volcra covers more ground, attacking and killing soldiers on the ground below. Alina and Mal are soon attacked by shadow monsters and Volcra alike. Inej appears to save the day, though, wielding the Neshyenyer sword. She saves Mal and Alina’s lives; the blade actually cuts through the shadow monsters. Inej is joined by Zoya and Nina, who are found on a second flying ship.
Shadow and Bone Season 2 Episode 7 Ending Explained
Nikolai’s army returns to the fort and reunites with their other comrades. Kirigan’s army advances, battling Nikolai’s combined army. They use their superpowers, firing all the elements at Nikolai’s soldiers. Nikolai’s army is continually forced to retreat as Kirigan’s army is too strong to compete with, constantly pushing forwards. Tamar and Tolya join the fight, but it is not enough. As the enemies gain ground, Nikolai’s friend Dominik is killed in battle.
How do they tackle Kirigan’s army?
All hope seems to be lost until the Crows turn up valiantly. Wylan’s bombs hit Vatra, killing the first major Grisha foe. The Crows (Jesper, Wylan, and Kaz) then reunite with Nikolai and his remaining army. With Wylan’s smarts and Jesper’s abilities, the Crows soon even the playing field. Nisho and then Fruzsi are killed.
Alina and the gang make it into the heart of the Fold. Alina and Mal fuse energies without any bloodshed. As they connect, the couple kisses one another. They are ready to destroy the Fold as a singular unit, but then Kirigan appears on the scene. He fights back, although he is no match for Alina and her new strengths. She lands a deadly blow on Kirigan, who is thrown to the ground. The good guys seem to have the upper hand, but then Nina is taken by a shadow monster, and Alina notices Mal has been hit too.
What did you think of Shadow and Bone Season 2 Episode 7? Comment below.
