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Alina wages two wars, one internal and one external. Throughout the novel, she struggles to find new footing on shifting ground as her world changes rapidly in the face of mounting political pressure and the looming threat of war. Alina, an orphan and an outsider, has been shunned and ostracized for much of her life. Powerful people use Alina for their own ends, including villainous figures like the Darkling and the Apparat, and even seemingly trusted friends and mentors such as Baghra and Genya. Now she has her own power, but she continues to struggle with feelings of being small and unworthy. Next to Nikolai, she feels unworthy as a diplomat and a politician. Alongside Tamar, Alina’s battle prowess is obviously lacking. Next to Zoya, Alina feels scrawny and unattractive, undeserving of Mal’s desire. Her response to these feelings is often exaggerated. She becomes obsessed with amplifying her power further and discovers a penchant for cruelty and violence that makes her similar in some ways to the Darkling. In trying to take control of the Grisha, the reasonable opposing arguments Sergei raises infuriate Alina, to the point where she tries to kill him. As she oversees training, Alina’s feelings toward Zoya cause her to interrogate the Grisha Etherealki about her past, reveling in her rival’s painful memories.
In some ways, this shift toward a more powerful and authoritative Alina makes her a better leader. It gives her the confidence to issue orders to the Grisha and to advise Nikolai and his ministers. But this power also distracts her from the mission, so instead of helping David fabricate the mirrors or Nikolai forge diplomatic ties, she seeks out Baghra and buries herself in the library. Both of these struggles, internal and external, force Alina to mature, shed her painful past, and adopt the mantle of leadership. But power entails responsibility, and for most of the novel, Alina enjoys the power but adopts little of the responsibility. Aside from issuing orders, she does not interact with the Grisha, the nobility, or even the pilgrims. She knows little about their thoughts, fears, or desires, choosing instead to isolate herself in her quest for the third amplifier. Alina is firmly grounded in Ravkan and Grisha ethics, and her reflections at Kribirsk demonstrate that she feels a healthy sense of responsibility for her people, but her growing power shakes this foundation.
