The Grishaverse
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The Grishaverse

Malyen Oretsev is a soldier in the First Army and a remarkable tracker.

Biography[]

Crossing into the Fold[]

Mal is stationed at a First Army campsite, where he joins a fight club to earn extra wages. However, upon the arrival of the Grisha and the Second Army, the otkazat'sya soldiers disperse. Mal then catches up with Alina Starkov and learns from his commander that he will be among the few First Army soldiers stationed on the skiff to Novokribirsk as it crosses through the Shadow Fold. Later that evening, Mal is caught red handed by Zoya Nazyalensky while stealing a bowl of grapes from a Grisha tent. He briefly flirts with her until she suggests they have sex, causing Mal to flee and reconvene with Alina.

The following day, Mal boards the skiff headed into the Fold. Much to his dismay, he discovers that Alina and her unit will be joining them on the expedition. The skiff is attacked by volcra two markers into the Fold. Mal attempts to fend them off but finds himself being gripped by the talons of a volcra and lifted off the skiff. Alina picks up a rifle and fires at the creature, causing it to release Mal, who has sustained possibly fatal injuries. Barely conscious, he tells Alina "I'll meet you at the meadow." A volcra then swoops down and digs its talons into Alina's back, causing a large explosion of light to emerge from within her, destroying the nearby volcra.[1]

The Truth About Alina[]

Mal awakens in medical only to learn that Alina has been taken to the General Kirigan's tent to be tested, as they suspect that she may be the legendary Sun Summoner. Mal hobbles over to the General's tent insistent that she's not a Grisha only for a sudden beam of light to shoot through the roof of the tent, much to his disbelief. He chases after Alina as she is escorted into a carriage headed for the Little Palace, but he is too to give chase.

After learning that Alina's escort was attacked, Mal approaches his commander demanding they go after her, but with Alina being Grisha, she's now under the command of the Second Army and no longer their concern, the commander explains, refusing to risk any resources on her retrieval.

With his commander refusing to go after Alina, Mal devises a plan to go after her himself, but Mikhael and Dubrov convince him to stand down, as Alina is safer in the hands of the Black General and behind the walls of the Little Palace. They remind Mal that he has no way inside and that leaving now would only make him a deserter, the notion of which is enough to convince Mal to stay in camp.[2]

Hunting Morozova's stag[]

Weeks have passed since Alina was taken to the Little Palace. Mal has written her several letters and still no word back. His unit is now stationed at Chernast, where the Fjerdans have been attacking at night. It's there that he volunteers to lead a tracking party with Mikhael and Dubrov for Morozova's stag. In return, General Kirigan is offering a visit to the Little Palace.

Mal, Mikhael, and Dubrov track Morozova's herd into Fjerdan territory. They set up camp and take refuge. Then suddenly Mal hears a soft high pitched sound calling to him. However, he is forced to divert his attention away from the herd when the Fjerdans attack. They manage to subdue and kill the first three, but Mikhael and Dubrov fall victim to a machine gun firing from within the trees. Mal is shot in the shoulder but suffers no fatal wounds. As the two remaining Fjerdans approach, Mal kills the two of them. Unfortunately, he is unable to save Mikhael and Dubrov, who have succumbed to their wounds. Mal manages to get back to his feet and just a few yards away, he spots the stag — all white with remarkable antlers.[3]

Mal returns to his outpost on the outskirts of Chernast and reports his findings after being taken to medical. After a bit of rest, Mal and Tofin ride to the Little Palace to inform General Kirigan that they've found the stag north of Chernast, twice as big as any other, all white with enormous antlers marked by a symbol. When Kirigan asks for the exact location he spotted the stag, Mal requests to see Alina first, insisting that they're friends. In exchange, he will give General Kirigan the exact location of the stag. Kirigan asks Mal to prove that he knows her by revealing something that only few would know about her, such as her favorite flower, which Mal reveals is blue iris. Assuming Mal is telling the truth, Kirigan promises to bring Alina to him.

Mal is led into an ambush by a Little Palace guard. She has already killed Tofin and intends for Mal to meet the same fate, but he manages to counter her attack and subdue the guard before escaping. Mal sneaks out into the courtyard, where he overhears General Kirigan and Baghra arguing about his intentions for Alina and the Fold.[4]

Reunited with Alina[]

After months apart, Mal tracks Alina down outside a small town in Ryevost. After they're clear of the soldiers, she accuses him of ignoring her letters for months, but he insists that he wrote her. He then asks how long has she known that she was Grisha, recalling how Alina cheated on the Grisha examiner test when they were children, however, Alina insists that she didn't know until that day in the Fold. She claims that she cheated because she feared that they would be separated if she did in fact pass the test. Mal then reveals that he found the stag. Kirigan's orders to track it came from her drawings. Alina realizes that he must've stolen her drawings and informs Mal how the stag's antlers can be used as a Grisha amplifier to rival the General's powers. She then embraces Mal and thanks him for finding her, to which he replies "I'll always find you."

That night, Mal and Alina find refuge in a cave. He advises Alina against starting a fire, as they are still being tracked and the smoke will lead their enemies to them. So rather than sparking a flame, Alina warms Mal with her sun summoning abilities, which Mal insists don't scare him before professing his love for her. The following morning, Alina treats Mal's wound as he tells her about his time tracking the stag and how Mikhael and Dubrov died behind the Fjerdan border. The two then decide to hunt the stag and use it against General Kirigan. Before long, they find themselves only a day or two behind the stag.[5]

Captured by the Darkling[]

Just like before, Mal hears the sudden high pitched sound. He and Alina follow it to the stag, which stands in a clearing just a few yards off. Alina points a rifle at the stag but ultimately decides against killing the creature, suddenly realizing that she can claim its power without killing it. Alina pets the stag and her powers are instantly amplified, though only momentarily as General Kirigan arrives with his men and shoots the stag with an arrow, wounding the creature. Mal attempts to kill the stag before the Grisha can but is attacked by Zoya and Ivan — shot in the abdomen with an arrow. As Alina pulls the arrow from within Mal, General Kirigan attempts to kill the stag, but Alina deflects his attack. General Kirigan presents Alina with an ultimatum: either kill the stag and let Mal die or allow for him to kill the stag and heal Mal. Alina chooses Mal, allowing General Kirigan to deliver the killing blow to the stag, cutting the creature's head off with the Cut.

After General Kirgan melds the stag's antlers into both himself and Alina, he chains Mal up to a banister at the First Army's camp, though he did keep his promise and saw to it that Mal was healed of his arrow wound. Mal refers to him as the Black Heretic. He adds that whatever he has planned, Alina will never forgive him and promises to kill the General himself the first chance he gets. Kirigan admits that Alina has strong feelings for Mal and that Mal feels the same way about her judging by the letters Kirigan read between the two. General Kirigan explains that he has patience. Alina may take years to forgive him, but as Grisha, Kirigan can wait, whereas Mal will age and one day she will forget all about him and realize that she only has one equal, that being the Darkling. So he doesn't need to kill Mal, as time will do it for him.

Mal spots a baby goat with a single bullet tied around its neck like a necklace. He uses the bullet to break his shackles and escape past the sleeping guard. The following day, Mal sneaks aboard the skiff headed into the Fold for Novokribirsk.[6]

Defeating the Darkling[]

Mal has managed to remain hidden below the deck of the skiff as it passes through the Fold. He remains hidden as Kaz Brekker, Jesper Fahey, and Inej Ghafa enter and begin discussing just how they intend to stop the Darkling. However, he is found by Inej and brought out from within the darkness he was using for cover. When Mal reveals that he's aboard to kill the General and save Alina, Kaz orders Inej to return Mal his gun, as they will work together for the time being.

After General Kirigan expands the Fold and consumes a small portion of Novokribirsk, Mal and Inej make their move. Mal shoots two of the General's guards before being stopped in his tracks by Ivan, a Heartrender who the Darkling orders to keep Mal alive, as he may prove useful at another time. The Darkling then extends his hand to Alina. She grabs Inej's knife and stabs General Kirigan, removing the stag's bone that was embedded in his hand, granting Alina full control of her abilities. As she calls on the light, Mal tackles General Kirigan overboard. They battle alongside the skiff. Mal keeps Kirigan distracted long enough for the volcra to sneak up behind and attack him. Mal then returns to the skiff to find Alina unconscious after being attacked by Ivan. He begs her to wake up. Alina slowly opens her eyes and lights the way for them to escape the Fold.

Mal, Alina, Zoya, and the Crows gather in a clearing after escaping the Fold. She gifts Inej with a new knife and pays Kaz off with royal jewelry in exchange for his silence about her location. While they may not have the resource to do so now, Mal assures Alina that one day they will return to destroy the Fold. Alina and Mal then board a ship headed for Ketterdam.[7]

Hunting the Sea Whip[]

Mal and Alina arrive in Novyi Zem in search of the Sea Whip. There, they discover that Alina's dreams of the Fold growing were more likely premonitions, after crossing paths with displaced Ravkan refugees who claim the Fold consumed their village. While Alina goes to the library for answers, Mal asks the local fishermen about the surrounding seas. Unfortunately, it's while searching for answers that he bumps into Lt. Bohdan, who seeks to apprehend Mal for deserting the First Army. Mal punches his former lieutenant and flees the scene. With the First Army on his trail, Mal finds himself backed into a corner. Alina comes to his rescue, but the two of them are out numbered until the Zemeni people come to their aid. Looking to get off the harbor without further detection, Mal and Alina board a ship privately owned by a privateer named Sturmhond, who has led them into a trap.[8]

Fortunately for the young orphans, Sturmhond agrees to help them on their journey to hunt the Sea Whip upon learning Alina's plan to tear down the Fold and reunite Ravka. The following day, Mal tracks the Sea Whip to a cave on the island of Jelka. Alina is initially reluctant to kill the Sea Whip, certain that she can obtain its power without its death, similar to the Stag. However, after it kills multiple men on Sturmhond's crew and attacks Mal, she is forced to kill the beast, whose scales she uses to amplify her powers to the point that she nearly takes out the entire ship until Mal intervenes and brings Alina back to reality with a kiss.[9]

Return to East Ravka[]

With two amplifiers now in her possession, Alina and Mal set course for East Ravka, where they are escorted into the Fold by Sturmhond and his crew on his flying craft dubbed the Hummingbird. However, Alina is not strong enough to conjure the light needed to destroy the Fold. Upon crashing in Ravka, on the other side of the Fold, they're surrounded by the First Army, at which point Sturmhond reveals that he's actually Prince Nikolai Lantsov, who then takes them to the Spinning Wheel, his invention workshop and a refuge for Grisha. There, Nikolai proposes a political alliance with Alina through marriage, at least until they can find the third amplifier, that being the Firebird. To Alina's surprise, Mal is more open to the idea than she initially expected, reasoning that he may not be enough to protect her.[10]

Mal meets with Alina after she announces not only her engagement to Nikolai but her plans to lead the Second Army, which was not a part of their initial agreement. Alina replies that she did so in order to protect and provide hope for the other Grisha. She's only leading them until the Fold is destroyed, at which point, she will step down. Mal expedites his hunt for the Firebird after David arrives at the Spinning Wheel with claims that the Darkling is not only alive but that he created shadow monsters with merzost. But first, he, Nikolai, and Tolya discuss sending the Crows on a hunt for Neshyenyer, the Relentless Blade, supposedly so sharp it can cut shadows. After Tolya leaves for Ketterdam, Mal is blindsided and taken to the base at Ulensk for court-martial at Vasily's behest.[11]

Hunting the Firebird[]

Mal tracks Alina and the others to an underground cave some distance away from the Spinning Wheel following the Darkling's attack. When he finds Alina, she's in some kind of state as light shoots from her body. Mal shakes her back into reality only for Alina to scold him for interfering with her attempt to sever the connection between her and Kirigan, which angers Mal given the great lengths he's gone to in order to protect Alina, only for her to dive head first into a fight with the Darkling. Moreover, he accuses Alina of moving too fast and not seeing where this ends for her.[12]

Mal, Alina, and Baghra hunt for the Firebird, during which point, Baghra tells them the story of how Morozova created the Stag and Sea Whip amplifiers, and how she's the Bonesmith's daughter. Additionally, Mal shares how he was orphaned by the war and found home with Alina at the orphanage. Upon their arrival at Morozova's workshop, Baghra reveals to Mal that he's the third amplifier, the Firebird, passed on to him from generations ago when Morozova resurrected Bagrha's younger sister using merzost. After Baghra sacrifices herself to save Alina from the Darkling, Mal and Alina escape the workshop and return to camp, where Mal reveals that he's the Firebird. Given what little time they may have left, Alina and Mal have sex.[13]

Sacrificing himself[]

Mal receives an unexpected visit from the Darkling, who has learned the truth about Mal and encourages him to simply run away, but Mal refuses to leave before seeing the Fold undone. As they plot their next move, Mal suggests that he and Alina go into the Fold alone while everyone else is fighting, the two of them destroy the Fold. When Alina refuses to kill Mal, Tamar proposes simply stopping Mal's heart temporarily while David fuses a fragment of Mal's bone with Alina beforehand so that when Mal's heart stops, the amplification will commence. However, before they can amputate Mal's finger, the camp is attacked by nichevo'ya and Volcra, as the Darkling has expanded the Fold over their base. While searching for a way out, Mal and Alina are attacked in the courtyard, but Inej saves them with the shadow blade and kills the nichevo'ya. After flying to the center of the Fold on one of Sturmhond's flying ships, Alina touches Mal's chest and uses him as an amplifier. However, the Darkling arrives and tries to use the cut against Mal. Alina performs a counterattack, injuring both Mal and Kirigan.[14]

Severely wounded from Kirigan's attack, Mal urges Alina to kill him and claim his power. She does so reluctantly and releases an explosive light of energy that completely destroys the Fold. Nina then attempts to resuscitate Mal after Alina kills the Darkling. However, when that fails, Alina uses merzost to resurrect Mal, who reveals that he no longer has his ability to track and then breaks up with Alina, as he feels as though she is meant for more and is also unsure if their connection to each other extends beyond his purpose of being an amplifier. Deciding to pursue a new path all his own, Mal becomes a privateer as well as the new Sturmhond.[15]

Personality and traits[]

Mal is loyal, protective, impulsive, and caring. He is steadfast and loyal to the people he loves. Mal can act rashly and impulsively when he feels he or the people he loves are in danger.

Mal is also very compliant with his orders in the army, even when he is clearly scared or doesn't want to follow orders. When he is called out in the lottery to go on an operation through the Fold, he is terrified, but still complies with his orders. However, Mal can also be a bit rebellious, for example, he punches the quartermaster, so he can be put into jail with Alina.

Mal is a very talented tracker as he is very intuitive. He can be very determined, going to extreme lengths to get back to Alina after she is discovered to be the Sun Summoner. He is also very task-completion oriented as seen when he took the stag tracking mission, he was determined to find it even after the injuries he sustained.

Physical description[]

Mal has black hair and brown eyes. He is handsome and due to his training as a soldier, he is well built.

Skills and abilities[]

Mal is a soldier in the First Army with exceptional fighting skill. By otkazat'sya standards, he is a remarkable tracker and successfully tracks down Morozova's stag, which was believed to be a myth. When near such beings, he describes hearing a high pitched sound.

Relationships[]

Alina Starkov[]

"If you get this letter, know that when I told you about true north, I was talking about you. You are my true north, and I can see my way to you now."
— Malyen Oretsev's letter to Alina, Otkazat'sya

Mal and Alina have been best of friends since childhood. Over the years, they took care of one another, and, unbeknownst to the other, they developed romantic feelings for each other. When Alina was denied food by the camp cook, for her Shu heritage, Mal risked imprisonment, taking fruit from Zoya's tent to share with Alina. After Alina had been discovered to being the Sun Summoner and was taken to the Little Palace, Mal's initial instinct was to go after her and protect her, even at the risk of him being hanged for desertion. He continued to write to Alina, but he never received any responding letters from her. When General Kirigan set up a reward to locate Morozova's stag, Mal was the first person to volunteer to find it, as finding the stag would allow him an audience into the Little Palace.

After Alina fled the little palace, Mal tracked her down, and the two were reunited. At first, they were angry at one another, thinking the other had abandoned them, because neither received the other's letters, but they soon made up. Later Alina was going to explain her personal mistakes when she was at the Little Palace, but Mal stopped her, reassuring her that he only cared about protecting her, and the two hunted for the stag to prevent Kirigan from getting to it first. Even after Mal was severely injured by the Darkling's forces, he still wanted Alina to kill the stag to prevent the Darkling from doing so and taking her prisoner. After Mal escaped imprisonment, he boarded the skiff going into the Fold, with Alina on it, and fought to free her, again, risking his own life in the process.

Appearances[]

Season 1[]

Season 2[]

Gallery[]

See more here

Trivia[]

References[]

  1. Season 1, Episode 1: A Searing Burst of Light
  2. Season 1, Episode 2: We're All Someone's Monster
  3. Season 1, Episode 4: Otkazat'sya
  4. Season 1, Episode 5: Show Me Who You Are
  5. Season 1, Episode 6: The Heart is an Arrow
  6. Season 1, Episode 7: The Unsea
  7. Season 1, Episode 8: No Mourners
  8. Season 2, Episode 1: No Shelter but Me
  9. Season 2, Episode 2: Rusalye
  10. Season 2, Episode 3: Like Calls to Like
  11. Season 2, Episode 4: Every Monstrous Thing
  12. Season 2, Episode 5: Yuyeh Sesh (Despise Your Heart)
  13. Season 2, Episode 6: Ni Weh Sesh (I Have No Heart)
  14. Season 2, Episode 7: Meet You in the Meadow
  15. Season 2, Episode 8: No Funerals
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