it's very interesting to me how those who claim the most that they wish alina had her powers at the end of the series for her own character autonomy and strength are the same people who almost exclusively tie her keeping her powers being dependant on which man she ended up "choosing".
by doing that, you're actually dismissing alina's ENTIRE story and character arc throughout the series???? and i personally find it incredibly sexist. so i just wanna break it down real quick.
alina loses her powers because it's the price she has to pay for using three amplifiers. very early on in the books, it's determined that grishas only have one amplifier for a reason, and leigh bardugo places a lot of burden in the story about power, how power corrupts, and how balance is necessary in the universe. ultimately, when the darkling chooses to manipulate and abuse alina into getting the amplifiers (and in a way in he could be the one keeping her in control, and tying her power to himself) and expanding the power for his own cause (she never needed all that power, and had she not been the hero of this story, had she not ended up being sankta alina, she never would've needed that to be powerful and happy!!), he sets her up for a price to be paid. once alina realises what is now necessary to defeat him and bring back peace and balance and stop the genocide and the terror, she signs up to pay the price of using three amplifiers. and that's losing her powers. (and mal losing his as well!)
so no. alina wouldn't have had her powers if she ended up alone. and she wouldn't have had them if she ended up being the queen of ravka with nikolai. nor would she ever be with the darkling - who she calls out as an abuser who wanted to turn her into a murderer and a slave in book one - and she wouldn't have her power then, because that's distinctly not who alina is or ever could be, and if you think otherwise you're deeply misunderstanding her character and obviously read a different book than i did.
i somewhat understand the disappointment in the ending. i was personally satisfied with it, but i understand those who might not be. however, to pretend as if leigh bardugo didn't set it up from the beginning, and as if she hasn't held by her ideas on power and corruption and paying a price, is foolish and i beg of you, read the books again and pay attention to what is ACTUALLY written.













