'Shadow and Bone' Fans Just Remembered Ben Barnes' Prince Caspian Role in 'Chronicles of Narnia'

Michael Hein

04/24/2021 10:42 pm EDT

Darkling — in Shadow and Bone this weekend, and many are realizing how long he has been a fantasy icon. Barnes has a long career in fantasy book adaptations behind him, including others where he inspired celebrity crushes across the world. The strongest case before now was likely when he played Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia franchise.

Barnes first appeared in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian in 2008, then again in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010. Even that was not technically his first fantasy adaptation role — he played the younger version of Dustan Thorn in the 2007 film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Stardust. However, Caspian was the first role where fantasy fans fell in love with him, some quite literally. His performance as the Darkling in Shadow and Bone is having a similar effect, making some viewers nostalgic.

Incidentally, Barnes talked about the comparison between Kirigan and Caspian last year in an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com. He said: "I just don't like to think of any of [my roles] as heroes or villains. Like, I saw Caspian as somebody who was finding his way, and sort of trying to claw his way out of this spider's web and figure out where he belongs and what he has to offer the world. I think that he's sort of a reluctant hero — very, very reluctant to do anything about anything which, obviously, you can perceive as maybe a weakness."

"And with Shadow and Bone, again, I don't see [Kirigan] as a villain at all, really," Barnes went on. "I see him as someone who has an agenda — and I think like all the best antagonistic characters, he's just somebody with a very passionate agenda. And someone who really believes in something."

For fans on social media, the remarkable thing is mainly that Barnes can be so charming as both a protagonist and an antagonist without missing a beat. Some wonder if his dominance in the genre is only just beginning, even now. Here's a look at what fans are saying.

Hair

Many fans did not even notice that Barnes was Caspian until Shadow and Bone Episode 7, "The Unsea," when a flashback sequence shows a younger version of Kirigan with long hair. At that point, he looked like he had donned his old Caspian costume to some.

Altered

Others joked that the Darkling might just be Caspian in a much darker timeline — one where he had turned even, blighted the land of Narnia or simply turned to drugs.

Same Crush

Fans of the Shadow and Bone book series already knew they were doomed to develop a crush on the Darkling, no matter who played him, but they were caught off guard that it was actor they had felt this way about before.

Genre Dominance

Some took it even further, joking that Barnes was monopolizing all the crush-able parts in the fantasy genre. They wished that producers would stop casting him in roles where he would inevitably come off as a heartthrob.

Range

On the other hand, many praised Barnes for his range as an actor, bringing authenticity to two starkly different roles.

New Fans

Some younger Shadow and Bone fans were going back in time to see Prince Caspian for the first time, having run out of Darkling content already.

Younger Cast

Finally, Many fans wondered if younger cast members had grown up on Barnes' performance as Caspian, and if it had left an impression on them. Shadow and Bone is streaming now on Netflix.

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