Mal Oretsev isn't confirmed to be a Grisha in Shadow and Bone season 1, but there are a few clues that hint he could be something more than a tracker.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Shadow and Bone season 1.

Malyen “Mal” Oretsev is the ride-or-die best friend and love interest of Alina Starkov in Shadow and Bone season 1, but there are also hints he might be Grisha, too. In the fantasy world of the series, Grisha are people with the ability to manipulate matter in various forms. Alina is the Sun Summoner who can call upon light; other Grisha can manipulate and control anything from fire to metal to human hearts. Mal doesn’t showcase any physical powers like Alina does, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to him than meets the eye.  

Mal and Alina grew up together in a Keramzin orphanage, where they became inseparable, learning to rely and trust one another. Mal was recruited as a soldier with the First Army, becoming a remarkable tracker whose abilities emerged presumably after leaving the orphanage. As children, Alina and Mal attempted to avoid being tested as Grisha for fear of being separated if either of them demonstrated having powers. While Alina’s Sun Summoner abilities ultimately manifested at the end of the season 1 premiere, Shadow and Bone never confirmed whether Mal was Grisha or not. 

At the end of Shadow and Bone's series premiere, Alina’s powers emerged during the volcra attack inside the Fold, a dark and shadowy swath separating Ravka, and, while they appeared because she was in pain, it’s worth noting she was also holding Mal’s hands when this happened. The only other time Alina’s powers are heightened is when she’s touching the Darkling’s hands. Baghra confirms the Darkling can amplify Alina’s Sun Summoner abilities and this suggests Mal can do the same, which is why Alina’s powers shine so brightly the first time she uses them. It could also be why her light dims as soon as she lets go of him. 

Shadow and Bone has yet to explain this turn of events, but it’s likely Mal is an amplifier and doesn’t know it yet. After all, he was never actually shown to be tested as a child and it’s possible the series is saving that reveal for season 2. The only other amplifier known to enhance Alina’s abilities is the stag (RIP). What’s more, Mal reveals he hears a sound in the back of his head whenever  Alina holds his hand as children and he hears it once more in Shadow and Bone season 1. It calls to him and him being a Grisha power amplifier could explain why. Of course, being a potential amplifier doesn’t necessarily make Mal a Grisha in the traditional sense, especially considering he doesn’t seem to have any direct powers of his own.  

In the Shadow and Bone books, Mal is confirmed to be an amplifier (but not a Grisha), so it’s more than likely this fact will be worked into the Netflix series at some point. Exactly why he’s able to enhance Alina’s Sun Summoner abilities would be too much of a spoiler to include, but it’s a pretty massive reveal that will surely shake things up for the loyal tracker in season 2. Shadow and Bone has already sprinkled clues about Mal being something more than a soldier and best friend. Being an amplifier could be crucial to Mal’s storyline moving forward and it’ll be interesting to see how the series ultimately handles this revelation. 

Next: Shadow & Bone Ending & Final Scene Explained (In Detail)