@uddovaintomyheart The reason you "have never seen someone defend the Darkling throwing a child for King like this" is that you blocked the people pointing out the lies in that statement.
The queen did not order The Darkling to provide her a grisha tailor. Her talents showed themselves at an early age and she was gifted to Tatiana Lantsov by The Darkling.
So far so good. In a way. There's context missing.
“When Genya’s abilities began to show themselves, I could have had her choose between becoming a Fabrikator or a Corporalnik. Instead, I cultivated her particular affinity and made a gift of her to the Queen.” - Shadow and Bone, Chapter 7
“The Darkling had given me to the Queen” - The Tailor
The Darkling allowed Genya to be herself. A rarity (which will be thrown into a trash by the author the moment she decides anyone can Tailor). Something I never see acknowledged, especially among her "defenders".
When you were on the page, you could've continued the quote:
“When Genya’s abilities began to show themselves, I could have had her choose between becoming a Fabrikator or a Corporalnik. Instead, I cultivated her particular affinity and made a gift of her to the Queen.”
“A gift? So a Grisha is no better than a serf?”
“We all serve someone,” he said, and I was surprised by the harsh edge in his voice.
The Darkling is visibly displeased by being compared to the King's property. Why? Because it's a painful reminder of reality he cannot seem to be able to fix.
The wedding guests bellowed their terror. Zoya’s mother gazed at her daughter with frightened eyes, clutching the pew behind her as if she might collapse without its support.
Liliyana, one hand pressed to her bleeding head, cried, “You cannot sell her off now! She’s Grisha. It’s against the law. She is the property of the king and will go to school to train.”
King of Scars- Chapter 25
He had thought he’d accomplished his task, that he’d given his people a safe haven, a home where they’d never be punished for their gifts.
What had changed? The answer was everything. Kings lived and died. Their sons were honest or corrupt. Wars ended and began again—and again and again. Grisha were not accepted; they were resented in Ravka and hunted abroad. Men fought them with swords, then guns, then worse. There was no end to it, and so he had sought an end. Power that could not be questioned. Might that could not be reckoned with. The result had been the Fold.
King of Scars- Chapter 33
Genya quite literally shared the fate of many other Grisha. The only difference is that she had a headstart, and got space on page to show how badly it turned out. The former was quite visibly a design to make the Queen fond of her, which DID work. Who could've forseen Tatiana is the kind of a bitch, who'll grow to resent and abuse the child she once treated as her own? On a basis of shallow bitterness.
I looked back across the water to the school. “What happens when they finish?”
“They become members of the Second Army. Many are sent to the great houses to serve with noble families, or they’re sent to serve with the First Army on the northern or southern front, or near the Fold. The best are chosen to remain at the Little Palace, to finish their education and join the Darkling’s service.”
Shadow and Bone- Chapter 8
Sometimes it’s as if she forgets to hate me. It’s as if I were still the girl she treasured, the doll she loved to dress up and show off to her friends. I’d like to say I resisted such treatment, but I loved every minute of it.
I’d been ordinary among the Grisha, a pretty girl with a modicum of talent. At the Grand Palace, I was cherished. In the mornings, I would arrive with the Queen’s tea and she’d throw open her arms. “Pretty thing!” she’d exclaim, and I’d run to her.
“Where shall we walk today? Shall we go to the gardens or take a trip into town? Shall we find a new gown for you?”
... The Queen fed me on candied plums and cherries soaked in ginger syrup. We painted silk fans and discussed fashionable novels with her friends. She let me pick out which wriggling puppy would be hers and we spent hours choosing his name. She taught me to walk, to curtsy. It was easy to adore her.
Obviously, everyone must obey the orders of the King and Queen, including The Darkling, but you are minimizing his obvious high-ranking role in the Ravkan government. He is the general of the Second Army and in charge of all grisha, he has been for generations of Lantsov Kings.
Obviously high-ranking role in the Ravkan government we only hear about from mouths of normie-raised bigots, like Alina, who based their statements on "everyone knows" or as we say here "One lady said so.".
Do we see that influence? No. He's taking care of Grisha as much as his position allows, he's travelling from one front to another, he's despised and feared among the wide population. Even the Coup he starts is so severely underdeveloped we're left with a few crumbs, and no way to connect them into a real strategy.
He could have chosen to keep Genya as a tailor under his command, to wear his colors, or give her a new set of embroidery as a corporalnik, like he does at the end of Shadow and Bone. He could have chosen for Genya to become a Durast or a Healer. But he saw an opportunity to gain a spy in the Grand Palace, and he took it.
The first sentence is straight up stupid.
Why on earth would the highest-ranking Etherealnik share his colour in heavily colour-coded world with relatively ordinary Grisha that has nothing to do with his own powers? The only reason he wanted to share black with Alina is that she was supposed to be his equal with complimentary set of powers.
Genya's colours are implied to be the Queen's choice. She is the one to be in charge of Genya's wardrobe before their division, she is the head of the household Genya belongs to. Genya is officially a Grand Palace servant, therefore gold on white livery:
My kefta hang along one wall—wool for winter, silk for summer, thick folds of satin and velvet for when I am still asked to parties. There are two shelves stacked with rarely worn breeches and blouses, and a row of simple shifts made for me because the Queen does not approve of women wearing trousers.
...
Despite the trappings of my kit, there’s plenty of room in my closet. Once I fell out of favor, the new gowns stopped coming. I outgrew the layers of ruffles and puffed sleeves, and had to slouch to hide how tight my bodice had grown, the way the hems rode up my ankles. The effect was almost obscene.
And then one morning I found my child’s dresses gone and a kefta, a Grisha’s most treasured possession outside of an amplifier, hanging on my door. It was white. White and gold. It was livery.
I told myself it meant nothing. It was just a color. I made myself put it on. I fixed my hair, held my head high. I was beautiful in this, as I was beautiful in everything else. Besides, I had nothing else to wear.
But I was wrong. That color meant everything. It was a command to the Queen’s ladies that they shouldn’t greet me or acknowledge that I’d entered a room. It was an indelible line drawn between me and the other Grisha. It was a signal to the King that he could follow me into my chambers and press me up against the wall, that I was available for his use. That there was no point to crying out.
Your solution to "prevent" the situation is to erase Genya's specific inclination, to make her invisible, hope no one powerful will notice her and pretend she's safe from the absolute ruler of the country, who could press every single one of his subjects against the wall and use them. Including the "high-ranking" serf in charge of the Second Army.
Maybe if they hold their breaths and don't move, the King won't notice them.
Genya was arguably as safe as she could be, because the Queen's authority comes right after her husband's, and even he didn't risk crossing her by shitting on her front lawn raping her maid before she allowed him to.
You say this while ignoring the whole premise of the first book, and the power that The Darkling had over this entire situation from the beginning. He is powerful, and is part of the reason why Genya says this to Alina:
“Alina, the Darkling doesn’t notice most of us. We’re moments he’ll forget in his long life. And I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing. Just ... be careful.” I stared at her, baffled. “Of what?” “Of powerful men.” - Shadow and Bone, Chapter 14
Again- how does that "power" manifest?
By living longer? That's just his nature. It plays no role in his social standing.
Were he as powerful as you're pretending, he wouldn't need to attempt the coup. He wouldn't have to wait for a living light bulb to deal with a four hundred years old danger zone. He'd have some kind of support among the population, instead of a vague mention of some deal with the Apparat, and unopposed nation-wide pogroms following immediately upon his failure. The notion Ravka's somehow under his thumb is about as valid as its real-world equivalent: The world's been totally run by Jews since ancient days.
Genya, just like Zoya and Alina, was groomed into believing that they could be one of The Darkling’s greatest assets in the Second Army.
Genya didn't live in Little Palace, she belonged to the Queen's household, she had no contact with the Darkling. How exactly did he "groom" her? Brain waves?!
Instead, I went to the Darkling. I don’t know where I found the audacity. Even as I ran across the palace grounds, a voice in my head was cursing me for a fool, clamoring that I would never be granted audience, that I should turn back around and forget this madness.
... As soon as I made my request to the oprichnik standing guard, I regretted it. The Darkling had given me to the Queen. He would turn me away now, maybe worse.
... I’d told myself I would be dignified. I would plead my case rationally. But when Ivan closed the door, I started to cry. The Darkling might have chastised me or turned his back. But he put his arm around me, sat me down at the table. He poured me a glass of water and waited until I was calm enough to take a gulping sip.
Alina had about five interactions with the Darkling before Baghra told her The Tall Tale of Evil Dark Lord, and Alina deserted.
Zoya liked to boast about how super important she was, but the whole Second Army knew she's just a desperate wannabe, and treated her as such.
I'll intorduce you to a shocking concept: You don't have to accept every single word of the narrator or the main characters. They might lack information, they might be misguided, they might simply lie.
You might also want to check the meaning of the words you're using, then think about them, because neither apply to the Darkling's "relationships" with any of the girls. Two of them weren't in contact with him long enough to establish any kind of a relationship, Genya saught him out herself after she was abused. Up until that point she were closer to becoming a tsarist, the Queen's beloved doll sharing all the luxuries with her.
I'm sure you'll argue that was all the Darkling's plan. To have Genya taste the life, then be hurt and come running to him, to give him her loyalty eternal. That's about as reliable plan as Kaz's grand schemes counting on human laziness and thick plot armour, minus said plot armour, since the Darkling doesn't have any. It's immensely far-fetched nonsense for even the most predictable people can sometimes avoid their usual pattern, and what then? What if the Queen didn't keep the Tailor to be daily reminded of her own growing age? What if the King didn't come back to this particular servant, since he "has his way with lots of servants" (S&B Ch. 14)? What if Genya didn't run to the Darkling, but hang herself on her underwear? You don't construct your long-term plans on bad faith and wishful thinking. Besides- a spy needs a training. Which Genya got when exactly?
Most importantly- what kind of intel was she collecting? The King kept visiting her in her rooms. Did he moan his political views during their intercourse? Whisper about his secret dealings into her ear? List all the ways in which he wanted to screw the Darkling over in order to get hard?
This is plain stupid. Understandable, since the writer has no idea how believable politics work. Or human psychology. Or natural sciences. Or anything, really.
Yes, Genya chose to seek revenge on her rapist, which I don’t disagree with, and I would never blame her for choosing that. I would make the same choice in her position. This isn’t about Genya's choice; it is about the fact that The Darkling placed her in a vulnerable position where he knew, the Queen knew, Vasily knew, everyone knew (except for Nikolai, apparently), that Alexander cornered servant girls and raped them.
No. As I proved above- Genya was safe under the Queen's care until the Queen deemed her unworthy of her protection. Tatiana isn't some passive figure in the story- she's the reason Genya's abuse started, she was the one to start it!
Genya wasn't in position more vulnerable than any Grisha in Ravka, least of all Grishaverse in general. Quite contrary- she lived frivolous life of abundance and leisure, while her peers trained to die for the Crown, and exchange their gifts in return for semi-decent treatment where nothing in their life's granted. Of course her ordeal is terrible. But it's hardly unheard of. And it was designed by another woman.
*The Tailor quote that clearly shows the Darkling's empathetic approach to the wounded Tailor and a promise of revenge HE delivered*
You might wanna re-read this, and this time think about whether it does or doesn't support your narrative.
And now to the retcon duology, or The Main Character Syndrom Brainwash:
All this Genya even acknowledges in King of Scars when speaking to Isaak:
“But to be a favorite of the queen,” said Isaak. “That must have been a great honor?”
Genya popped a slice of plum into her mouth. “For a time, I was the queen’s doll. She would dress me in lovely clothes and brush my hair and let me sleep at the foot of her bed and sit beside her at meals. I watched the sharks and learned. When I grew older, and I had the misfortune of catching the old king’s eye …” Genya wiped her fingers slowly on a linen napkin, the leavings of the plum staining the cloth. “I convinced myself that the suffering I endured was an honor because I was the Darkling’s soldier and his spy. He trusted me above all others, and one day all would know the good I’d done him. He could not have managed his coup so easily without the information I fed him.”
Isaak stared at her. “You are confessing to treason,” he whispered.
“Sweet Isaak,” she said with a smile. “Nikolai Lantsov pardoned me long ago, and in that moment he earned my loyalty forever. The Darkling threw me into the water, then watched me drown to serve his own purposes.”
“So he was as cruel as the stories say?”
“Cruel? Oh yes. But he didn’t leave me to the king’s predations to punish me. He just never even considered my misery. What was the anguish of one girl if it might help to earn him an empire? He was playing a long and complicated game. It was only when I dared to think for myself, when I interfered with his grand plan, that he set his monsters on me and—”
- King of Scars, Chapter 23, Isaak
I've highlighted the facts, I've reddened the lies.
You can clearly see the retcons here:
Genya never mentions any "sharks" before. She wasn't studying court intrigue, she was the Queen's companion. As mentioned above: "She let me pick out which wriggling puppy would be hers and we spent hours choosing his name. She taught me to walk, to curtsy.". That doesn't exactly initiate Genya in politics in any way.
I've also disproved the next red sentence. Genya didn't just accidentally "catch the old King's eye". It began the moment Tatiana turned her from a favourite into just another servant. The group she sees as inferior:
The Queen clutched a hand to her heart. “Nikolai, you cannot mean to do this.”
“She was under your protection, Mother.”
“She is a servant!”
Ruin adn Rising- Chapter 7
The Darkling's coup failed. The extent of Genya's "helpful" information had to be staggering.
Nikolai Lantsov haven't simply pardoned her. That's a disgusting simplification. He forced her to face trial for the crime of the only self-defence available to her, then proceeded to send his daddy to "an exile" during a three front war, all the luxuries included, no restriction regarding access to more victims. But hey- eternal loyalty and all that...
The Darkling threw me into the water and we've already disproved this nonsense. I'm sure Nikolai the Just likes this narrative, so why not spread it some more? Propaganda who?!
Blah, blah, blah... a plenty of nonsense unsupported by anthing shown in the text. I won't even bother, but let's address the last lie:
The Darkling didn't set his monsters on Genya because she "interfered with his grand plans", she quite literally disobeys direct order during a battle, and lets a crucial asset escape for no good reason whatsoever. She could've been executed, but got magically whipped where it would mentally hurt the most instead.
"Darkling is not a villain either, but seeing that requires some historical knowledge and emotional maturity, which you clearly lack as well."
He is most definitely a villain, even if you want to argue that he is morally grey or what have you. That isn't really what I am interested in arguing anyway. You are free to enjoy The Darkling, ship Darklina all you want, but don't you ever minimize the horrors that The Darkling had a hand in allowing Genya to experience at such a young age. He had a hand in her sexual assault. That is a fact that cannot be denied. And if you don't think so, I suggest re-reading the series when you are a little more emotionally mature.
Sure, if you define "villain" merely as a person, who harms others, ALL of the characters would fit the description.
Alina slaughters a skiff full of people to run off with her manly appendage.
Nikolai bombs supply lines feeding Ravka even though he's allegedly closely familiar with starving peasants.
Zoya's first instinct is violence and humiliation of whoever displeases her.
They all care more about perceiving themselves as "heroes" with pristine hands, than taking action and standing up to injustice.
How kind of you to magnanimously allow us to like whatever we want right before insulting my friend for pointing out your claims are invalid. Well, they still are just that.
The Darkling had no limb in Genya's rapes. He didn't make the King assault anyone. He didn't make the Queen arrange the conditions for it to be possible. These are two people with ALL the sociopolitical power in Ravka, making their own decisions.
The Queen was Genya's protector, the King was her legal owner.
The Queen was the instigator of Genya's abuse, the King was the perpetrator.
The Darkling risked putting faith into a possible royal spy to give her suffering a meaning, and allow her revenge.
Did he stop the world from spinning to coddle her and pretend everything will be fine? No. Did he prophesy every future move of every party involved, when assigning another Grisha to a noble house? Also no.
Were he the clairvoyant you antis like to paint him as, he wouldn't "need" or accept the services of an alleged spy, he would've arranged an accident of the girl, who came begging for help a decade before betraying him.
