Ben Barnes Found an Interesting Alternate Use for His ‘Shadow and Bone’ Metal Hand
Ben Barnes is the star of Shadow and Bone, one of the top fantasy shows on Netflix. While Barnes has acted in a wide variety of fantasy and literary-based productions, the series has introduced him to a whole new audience of fans. With the recent release of the second season of Shadow and Bone, his star has risen higher than ever before. While it’s unclear as to what the future holds for Shadow and Bone, many fans are clamoring for a third season and even a spinoff. Amid the buzz for Shadow and Bone, Barnes sat down with Collider to discuss his character and included an interesting detail about a prop he brought home.
Ben Barnes plays General Kirigan/Darkling in ‘Shadow and Bone’
Shadow and Bone is based on the popular Grishaverse book series. The first season debuted on the streaming platform in early 2021. Right from the start, Barnes’ portrayal of the mysterious General Kirigan/Darkling got a lot of attention. When Alina Starkov learns why the charming character is so interested in her power, it kicks off a confrontation that lasts through the recently-released second season.
What did Ben Barnes say about his metal hand in ‘Shadow and Bone’?
In the second season of Shadow and Bone, The Darkling is ready to enact vengeance on Alina. He’s also coping with the effects of his injuries, including scars on his face and a prosthetic metal hand. In his recent interview with Collider, Barnes admitted that the metal hand was the item that he opted to bring home with him from the set.
“I’ve got some lovely mementos from things. I’ve got my ‘Narnia’ sword on the wall and I’ve got a ‘Westworld’ hat,” he said, adding, “I have my metal hand that we attached, from the second season of ‘Shadow and Bone.’ I use that as a bookend.”
Will there be a third season of ‘Shadow and Bone’?
Netflix hasn’t renewed Shadow and Bone for a third season yet. Fans are clamoring for more, though, and there’s certainly plenty of source material to draw from. While the future is unclear for Barnes’ character of General Kirigan/Darkling, the actor is down to explore more of the world that the fantasy series has created. “I think they’re poised very beautifully for a ‘Six of Crows’ story, which I would be very excited to see,” he told Cosmopolitan. “I’m a huge fan of those next two books, which obviously don’t involve the Darkling. I’ve not been included beyond this moment, so who knows?”
Ultimately, Barnes admitted that he has “no idea” what the future holds for him with Shadow and Bone. Still, he’s well aware of the love that people have for the character of General Kirigan/Darkling, even though he is what the actor termed a “toxic” character. “I think that in the first season, the trick is to make him not seem that way so you do feel betrayed by him as a viewer,” he said. “Hopefully, people can see the poison in his veins and the trouble in his mind as you go through season 2.”
