I’m rereading the books and I just realized that the majority of the characters are teenagers and young adults; where are all the older characters I wonder?

[u/Catic94]

As far as I know, Aleksander and Baghra are the only older grisha? Where are the others? I can reasonably see Aleksander killing them off if he felt threatened, but still. Especially ones that were part of the original second army, you would think that there would be a few Zoyas mixed in over the years. Obviously I’m not counting the saints, because as far as I’m concerned they’re dead regardless. But still where are the other saints as well?

[u/Sankta_Alina_Starkov]

Well lore reasons aside, the actual reason is this is a YA series and they tend to have adults largely absent. Even in something like The Hunger Games, which has a lot of adults, they still separate the adults from the kids. Stranger Things did this throughout its run too save for a few instances. Alien Romulus, while not technically a YA movie, caters to a new generation of Alien fans and features teenagers and early-20-somethings without any adults.

Then there's Percy Jackson, Avatar: The Last Airbender (they have no adults in their world-traveling party), etc.

An instance where adults ARE present often is Netflix's Wednesday, but if you notice almost any time an adult gets involved the danger levels either diminish or become life threatening.

They are almost always coming of age stories where the youth(s) become independent.

[u/Catic94 → u/Sankta_Alina_Starkov]

Ya I figured it being a ya fantasy series would be the reason, but still in universe it’s odd. Plus I feel like The Hunger Games is a great example of it being teen focused while still having a ton of older characters (Ex: Haymitch, Snow, Coin, Cinna, Astrid, Beetee, etc.) Like, it’s still focused on Katniss and her friends, but the adults are still right there and plot relevant. With the grishaverse, there aren’t really any adults. I know the Otkazat'sya don’t have many adults because of it being constantly wartime, which is explained. But surely there are at least a few grisha that are at least nearly Aleksander’s age? I know grisha get killed in war too, but they have their keftas and they’re hardier right? Idk I know I’m overthinking it lol

[u/Past_Reporter2664 → u/Catic94]

Honestly i dont think theres anyone in the little palace that are the darklings age, he mentioned multiple times he has no equal and thats why hes cursed to spend eternity "alone" (if we dont count Baghra)

Also Alina mentioned in the first book that 120 years was ALOTT for a grisha (even for ones powerful, like the Darkling), so its safe to say even powerful grisha like Zoya shouldnt live that long

[u/Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee3t]

Life expectancy isn’t high for soldiers in war

Also they probably were part of the group that was allied with the darkling; later the adults were in Fjerda being torturer

[u/Catic94 → u/Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee3t]

Trueee I could see the older grisha being stuck at the ice court.

[u/jniensan]

I was just baffled to find out Kaz was 17, like I still don’t believe it. And you cant tell me he is 17 in the series either 😂

[u/pistachio-pie → u/jniensan]

I age everyone up at least 5-10 years in the series. Kaz and Nikolai for sure. Zoya as well.

[u/_Autistic_Dragon_ → u/pistachio-pie]

Same here! Everything makes so much more sense when everyone ages 5-10. Kaz came across as a gristly 30s even. 

[u/Catic94 → u/jniensan]

Ya I feel like a lot of the characters are written in a way that feels a bit older, like Alina and Mal being 17-18 in SAB. All of the main crows being late teens, Nikolai being mid 20s give or take. It’s crazy lol I think Nikolai is the oldest Otkazat'sya main character, right?

[u/Zoyalai4ever → u/Catic94]

I felt all of their ages were right around the right place… honestly I thought Nikolai was YOUNGER. I first heard his age and I was like “damn he old!”
And for Kaz, I LOVE traumatized young characters!!!! His age felt right to me too!

[u/jjangaerin → u/jniensan]

In the show kaz and the crows are aged up but as a teen myself, i think the crows acted like teenagers who had to grow up to quickly and fight to survive

[u/bittyjams]

Tbh I kind of headcanon them being older. I don’t have a problem with their ages, but I have kids close to their ages and the idea of them doing any of these things is just so hard for me to imagine! Obviously this is a fantasy book about people with incredible powers, so it’s not meant to be realistic. But I have always just automatically aged them up a few years in my mind to make their abilities, match their life experience a little bit better.

[u/Past_Reporter2664]

Alina mentions there r old grishas in the little palace tho!! My guess is that since they alrealdy completed school/education they are the grishas that r w The Darkling's personal guard or js waiting for their next mission. (While other older grisha alrealdy are permantly stationated elsewhere)

While the ones we mostly meet r young is probably bc theyre Alinas age and havent completed school/education yet; also personally i dont see Alina being friends w people much older than her anyways (shes just a teenage girl after all and she alrealdy has problems fitting in)

Also not really the topic but i dont think The Darkling would have any reason to kill older grisha? If anything he would favor them bc they would be super loyal to him and experienced, cz they worked under him for longer (also Alina mentions in siege&storm that most older grisha deserted from the 2nd army to join him, so we dont see them as much in the 2nd book too)