Malyen Oretsev's journey in "Shadow and Bone" Season 2 vastly differs from the character's experiences in the trilogy. The show fleshes him out more, making him a far better ally and partner to Alina. Mal trusts her, believes in her, and would go to the ends of the earth to ensure her safety. But he's also still the third amplifier—the Firebird. As an expert tracker who successfully leads Alina et al to the Rusalye (the Sea Whip), Mal's inability to find the Firebird as quickly later showcases his lineage to the Morozova family, as well as solidifying why he walked past three orphanages until discovering the one in Keremzin. The arc implies that the Firebird in him has been searching for Alina all along.
Thus, after Alina uses Merzost to bring Mal back from the dead, he states that he no longer feels an intense connection to her, wondering whether his actions were ever his or the Firebird's. It's easy to understand that he still loves Alina, but he needs to be away from her to figure out his true calling, stating that when he returns, it'll be their choices, not fate or destiny, linking them again. The idea makes sense in hindsight, especially when examining the "soulmate trope," yet it's an odd shift from the book. Further, the transition to Sturmhond feels a bit clunky. In the book, Nikolai takes up Sturmhond's identity with a tailored face; in the show, since his face is his throughout his journey as Sturmhond, it's strange to imply that Sturmhond is interchangeable based on who's commandeering the Hummingbird. How long Mal will stay on as a privateer or who'll take the reins after, only time will tell.
