Demon in the Wood: Secrets of the Darkling is adapted from Leigh Bardugo’s Demon in the Wood graphic novel. The series follows two timelines in Aleksander Morozova’s life. One traces his childhood as a hunted Grisha learning to survive alongside his mother, Baghra. The other follows an older Aleksander as he rises to power and begins making the choices that will eventually create the Shadow Fold and lead to his downfall.

As the past reveals the trauma, persecution, and loss that shaped him, the present timeline shows how those experiences slowly twist his original desire to protect Grisha into a ruthless pursuit of control. At the center of both timelines is Baghra, whose guidance helped shape Aleksander’s power and whose growing regret forces her to confront the role she played in creating the Darkling.