Shadow & Bone: Small Science Vs. Merzost Powers Explained

Shadow and Bone introduced two kinds of Grisha powers: one based in Small Science and another in merzost. We explain the key differences between them.

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Warning! Spoilers ahead for Shadow and Bone season 1.

Magic is always put to good use in fantasy series and Shadow and Bone season 1 is no different. The Grisha, humans who have abilities to manifest and manipulate objects and elements, are powerful. When Alina Starkov learns she is the Sun Summoner, a Grisha who can call upon the light, she trains to understand and use her powers. What’s perhaps most interesting is the Grisha don’t refer to their abilities as magic and frown upon the use of the word. Rather, they call it Small Science and the difference between that and merzost, another form of power, is huge.

Small Science is introduced early on in Shadow and Bone season 1. In episode three, General Kirigan (aka, the Darkling) reveals to Alina what Small Science is. Considering she’s rather new to being a Grisha, the explanation is much needed to clarify how they identify their powers and the abilities that grant them use of it. During her time at the Little Palace, Alina trains with Baghra to use her powers. She also learns of a dark magic beyond Small Science, one the Grisha are unwilling and scared of delving into because of how unwieldy it is.

Merzost’s powers are on full display in Shadow and Bone thanks to the Darkling, who also sought Morozova’s Stag, which was created by merzost to amplify Grisha powers. While merzost and Small Science can technically both be used by Grisha, the former is much rarer and sinister. We dive into what merzost and Small Science are exactly, as well as the major differences between the two powers.

What Small Science Is In Shadow & Bone

In Shadow and Bone, the Grisha’s use of Small Science looks a lot like magic. However, they’re not so keen on calling it that and that’s because Small Science is based in physics and chemistry, so it’s not as simple as Grisha pulling their powers out of thin air. Rather, Small Science is the manipulation of matter. Anything that exists in nature can be drawn upon to make new things. They’re still human, but with elevated abilities that allow them to be in touch with their physical and elemental surroundings. Every Grisha has the ability to alter matter at its core — Inferni, like Shadow and Bone’s Polina and Pavel, can conjure fire and heat from their surroundings, but there must always be a catalyst; they can’t actually create fire itself.

As an example, Alina can summon and manipulate light, but her abilities won’t be as strong if she’s underground where there is very little illumination to draw from. Speaking of Alina, her ability to summon light is exceptionally rare, which is why her power has been mythologized. However, even she can’t make light appear; she must draw upon it from somewhere. It’s like turning water into ice, its base is still the same, but it’s an entirely new thing. While Grisha are known to practice Small Science, their powers are hereditary, which is why they’re tested as children and then taught how to use and control their abilities.

In this vein, Shadow and Bone goes a step further to address what’s at the core of the Grisha’s abilities in a way that is unique from other fantasy properties. The Corporalki classification of Grisha practices Small Science on anything having to do with the body (manipulating organs, healing wounds, etc.). Grisha belonging to the Etherealki class can summon things (light, darkness, wind, fire, and more). There’s also Materialki, a classification of Grishas who can manipulate solid materials like glass and metal, as well as chemicals. That magic (as the audience perceives it) in Shadow and Bone is considered a science based in the physical world is a clever explanation and more clearly differentiates it from merzost.

Merzost Powers In Shadow & Bone Explained

The manipulation of matter is wholly different from creating it, which is what separates Small Science from merzost, the powers exhibited by the Darkling in season 1 of the show. In the Shadow and Bone book series, merzost is described as an “abomination” in old Ravkan. It also means “magic,” which just goes to show how Grisha feel about merzost in general. Merzost is the power to literally create something from nothing instead of manipulating what already exists. This form of magic is rare, though Grisha with enough power can push it well past the point of Small Science. Merzost is unnatural, however, and comes at a great cost to whoever wields its power. Merzost can be most closely compared with the Dark Arts in the Harry Potter franchise, which were illegal and most often used to cause harm and chaos.

Baghra fears merzost because of how unpredictable and dangerous it is. Small Science is practical and manageable, whereas merzost is the complete opposite. Merzost is corrupt magic and feeds on the vitality of its user, which is showcased after the Darkling uses it for the first time: his veins appear warped and black, as though merzost took a piece of him. Prior to the Darkling’s use of merzost, his grandfather, Ilya Morozova (Baghra’s father), dabbled in it, creating amplifiers (like Morozova’s Stag) to increase his abilities. The Shadow Fold and the volcra, deadly winged creatures that were once human, residing inside are also a primary example of the deadly creations merzost is capable of conjuring when put to use by Grisha. It’s also an example of how chaotic merzost can be. Created by the Darkling, the Fold is impregnable and sinister. Despite its sudden appearance, he has been unsuccessful in expanding its borders or controlling it — it’s why he needs Alina’s Sun Summoner powers and Morozova’s Stag.

At the end of Shadow and Bone season 1, the Darkling goes a step further, employing merzost to create a new shadowy creature that appears alongside him when he exits the Fold. It’s clear merzost incurs grave consequences whenever it’s used. After all, Small Science was never meant to be pushed past its limits and, because merzost is not predicated on manipulating and controlling that which already exists in the physical world, makes for a twisted and devastatingly harmful form of magic. Small Science suggests there is a natural balance to the world and merzost goes against the very root of that notion. It’s unclear how merzost might come into play in a potential season 2 of Shadow and Bone, but the groundwork for its use has been established.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/shadow-bone-small-science-merzost-powers-explained/