While Shadow and Bone centered on Alina’s discovering and mastering her Sun Summoner power, in Siege and Storm an isolated Alina tries to determine how to use this newly discovered power.

The Darkling taunts Alina, calling her the “girl who cannot stand the thought of her own potential” (54). At first, he appears to be right: When Alina gets her second amplifier from the sea whip, she cannot fully control her growing abilities. Soon, however, the balance shifts. Alina falls under the magic’s sway, losing her human identity and becoming “like a stranger […] Beautiful. Terrible” (106). Alina soon discovers that her new power estranges her from others because it heightens her anger and unmerciful tendencies—for example, when she almost kills Sergei with the Cut. Like the Darkling, the power-hungry Alina enjoys watching others cower before her strength; for instance, when Alina challenges Zoya’s loyalty, Mal observes, “She was scared, Alina. And you liked it” (327). In both incidents, Alina must wrestle to restrain herself.

Alina obsesses about how the firebird, the third amplifier, will enhance her strength. Baghra senses this change in Alina, warning that this obsession will lead to “losing herself completely piece by piece” (257)—this is something Baghra knows personally from being the Darkling’s mother.