Baghra

Baghra
As depicted in Demon in the Wood (graphic novel)
Biographical Information
Full name	Baghra Morozova
Alias(es)	Lena The Black Witch The Dark Mother Night Witch
Age	Ancient
Status	Deceased
Relatives	Ilya Morozova (father) Unnamed otkazat'sya mother † Unnamed otkazat'sya younger sister † The Darkling (son) Ulla (daughter) Other unnamed children Malyen Oretsev (distant relative)
Physical Information
Gender	Female
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Black
Affiliation
Nation	Ravka
Grisha Order	Etherealki
Grisha Type	Shadow Summoner
Appearances
First seen	Shadow and Bone
Last seen	Ruin and Rising

"Suffering is cheap as clay and twice as common. What matters is what each man makes of it." — Baghra, Ruin and Rising

Baghra was the daughter of Ilya Morozova and the mother of the Darkling. She was a living amplifier and, like her son, was also able to summon darkness.

Biography

Early life

Baghra is the daughter of Ilya Morozova, a famous and powerful Grisha who created three amplifiers and worked as a carpenter in the local village. Since early childhood, Baghra had a unique power of summoning darkness, which led to her otkazat'sya mother thinking of her daughter as a monster and favoring her younger daughter. As a young child, Baghra lashed out and accidentally killed her sister with the Cut.

Their father, Morozova, desperate to save his child, reanimated the child back to life, inadvertently making her the third Morozova amplifier. The villagers, however, took it as witchcraft and attempted to murder both Ilya and the girl brought back to life. Morozova and his youngest daughter were thrown into the river in chains. The moment the two of them were being drowned by the people was the last time Baghra had seen her father. Baghra and her mother were driven out of the village. Baghra's mother, in her grief, laid down on the forest floor and refused to move or help her child. Baghra, cold and hungry, went in search of help, but she was unable to find her mother again and never saw her again.

Many years later, Baghra and an unknown, powerful Heartrender conceived a child who would become the Darkling. Baghra named her son Aleksander; although, since they had to live in secrecy, it's doubtful anyone other than her called him that. She claims she does not remember the Heartrender's name and that there was no love story between them, as she only wanted a child.

Sometime later, she conceived a daughter named Ulla with a sildroher while he was in human form. Baghra gave Ulla to the father to take care of under the sea, as Ulla was born with a tail.

Baghra had many other children, though their identities are not known. Sometime over the course of his life, the Darkling sought out his many half-siblings.

Before he formed the Second Army, Baghra and the Darkling traveled all over the world together, constantly on the move because the world was not safe for Grisha—and it was even less safe for them as Shadow Summoners and human amplifiers. Sometimes they would separate for several months and rejoin later, such as when the Darkling went to Fjerda to meet his half-sister Ulla while Baghra traveled with the Suli in the south.

Shadow and Bone

Baghra is a tough teacher to Alina Starkov, the newly discovered Sun Summoner, but it turns out that she does so to make Alina strong enough to defend herself. After the winter fete, Alina learns that Baghra is, in fact, the Darkling's mother. Baghra reveals the Darkling's plan, which involves binding Alina to him with the stag's antlers, and she convinces Alina to flee the palace. Alina asks why Baghra would betray her son; Baghra says she does this out of love for her son, because she does not want to see him put himself beyond redemption.

When Alina is captured with Malyen Oretsev, she's worried about Baghra once the Darkling informs her that he knows who helped her escape. He says she is in isolation, but Alina fears that she has been killed, which the Darkling laughs at.

Siege and Storm

The Darkling leaves Baghra blind as punishment for helping Alina escape. Baghra is angry with Alina, arguing that she was supposed to disappear in the wild and never come back, not seek the stag, and get caught by the Darkling. Baghra claims that her son is now beyond redemption because of Alina's foolishness and refuses to speak to her.

Baghra boards the Kingfisher with the royal family, as Alina requested of Nikolai. She is taken to a safe place in West Ravka along with her servant boy, Misha.

Ruin and Rising

Alina is made aware that Baghra is still alive and well, and is under the care of Nikolai at the Monastery of Sankt Demyan of the Rime, a pilgrimage site turned into an observatory a few hundred years ago, where the rest of the survivors are, including King and the Queen. She teaches Alina to use the Cut to slice off the top of a mountain range and reaffirms Alina of her power. Later, she tells Alina about her early life. She was Morozova's first daughter, and she was never accepted due to the darkness she summoned, a rare and unidentified power. She tells Alina that she brought up her son Aleksander (the Darkling) with pride (second to no one and in no need of anyone) and ambition, which she admits was a mistake.

During the Darkling's attack on their hiding place, Baghra jumps off the side of the mountain as a distraction. The Darkling diverts from his attack to try and save her. Due to her sacrifice, Alina, Mal, and some others manage to escape to look for the firebird.

Her death is presumed from that moment on, but it is never confirmed whether she actually died by jumping off the cliff.

Personality and traits

Baghra is temperamental and will act if she feels threatened. She values survival.

She learned to be independent from a young age. She mentioned how her father never cared for her, and her mother preferred her sister. As a young child she had trouble controlling her emotions and her powers, one time her mother gave her toy to her younger sister, Baghra sliced her sister in half with the Cut.

Baghra is often harsh with her words. She does not coddle Alina or any of her other students. The Darkling describes her as "not one for sentiment."

Baghra prefers to live in a hut in total darkness. She keeps her hut incredibly hot, and later spends her time in front of the fire at the Spinning Wheel, implying she is often cold.

Physical description

Baghra had black hair and black eyes. When Alina first meets her, she has a brief impression that Baghra is "impossibly ancient," but then discards this perception, as Baghra's skin is smooth and taut, with perfect posture. She wears a kefta of indeterminate color and has a cane.

Later, her eyes were "clouded" by the Darkling using the living shadow of the Fold to make her blind.

Powers and abilities

Grisha powers

As a Shadow Summoner, Baghra was able to summon and control darkness and shadows. She could use the Cut, a lethal ability that uses shadows or darkness to create a slicing effect on the target. Being one of the rarest and strongest of Grisha, Baghra possesses a greatly extended lifespan, appearing as a woman with smooth taut skin and perfect posture despite being older than the Darkling, who is at least 400 years old.

Relationships

The Darkling

"Know that I loved you. Know that it was not enough." — Baghra to the Darkling, Ruin and Rising

Baghra and the Darkling have a complicated relationship. Due to her early experiences, Baghra believes that staying hidden is crucial to survival. She cautions her son against letting himself be known in his efforts to create a safe place for Grisha, claiming that "once you are known, you cannot be unknown." She tells Alina that she never wanted the Darkling to feel the way she had as a child, so she taught him to be strong, to rely on no one, and to value power over love. She says that his dream of creating the Second Army and a safe place for Grisha was a good one, but that he lost too much of himself in the process of achieving it.

They tend to bicker with one another. After an argument with Baghra, Alina comments that it is the only time she has seen the Darkling look "ruffled." The Darkling is often dismissive of his mother and her beliefs, as they are so different from his own. Despite the antagonism in their relationship, they do care about one another. After blinding her as punishment, the Darkling looks "pained" when Alina says that Baghra loves him and believes he can be redeemed.

Baghra intercedes and tells Alina to run in an attempt to save the Darkling from himself, saying that because she "loves him [she] will not let him put himself beyond redemption." When this does not succeed, Baghra is unwilling to help Alina stop the Darkling—stating that Ravka is not worth saving, as she only wanted to save her son from becoming a monster. When Baghra leaps from the cliff, the Darkling's grief is so strong that Alina can feel it from miles away through their bond; he becomes unhinged after her assumed death.

Given the longevity of their lifespan compared to others, Baghra and the Darkling were one of the only constants in each other's lives.

Appearances

• The Demon in the Wood
  • Demon in the Wood (graphic novel)
• When Water Sang Fire (mentioned only)
• Shadow and Bone (first appearance)
• Siege and Storm
• Ruin and Rising
• King of Scars (mentioned only)
• Rule of Wolves (mentioned only)

Gallery

Baghra depicted in Demon in the Wood (graphic novel)

Official art by Bon Orthwick for Illumicrate in collaboration with Leigh Bardugo