Shade (Inheritance)

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For other uses, see Shade (disambiguation).

Shades are fictional beings in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Trilogy.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Shades are humans possessed by spirits. They are similar to sorcerers in that both use spirits in order to accomplish magical tasks. Unlike sorcerors, a Shade either gives up his mind and body to a spirit/spirits, or is overpowered by one/several and has no control over his actions. Sorcerers can control spirits.

Shades are immensely powerful, and only three people have ever survived destroying one before: Laetri (an elf), Irnstad (a Dragon Rider), and Eragon. Shades can only be killed by being pierced through the heart; otherwise it will merely reappear elsewhere and return stronger than before. The only notable Shade in Eragon is Durza, who is killed by Eragon.

It is unknown whether there are any other Shades in Alagaësia at the time of the book, though Paolini did say that it was possible that another Shade might turn up. ^{[citation needed]} No new Shades had appearances in Eldest, though Durza was often discussed.

Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Trilogy
Books	Eragon \| Eldest \| Book 3
Films	Eragon
Main Characters	Eragon \| Brom \| Arya \| Galbatorix \| Murtagh \| Roran \| Ajihad \| Nasuada \| Angela \| Saphira \| Oromis \| more...
Places	Alagaësia \| Beor Mountains \| Carvahall \| Dras-Leona \| Ellesméra \| Farthen Dûr \| Hadarac Desert \| Helgrind \| Surda \| Teirm \| Urû'baen \| more...
Events	Blood-Oath Celebration \| Battle of the Burning Plains \| Battle for Carvahall \| Dagshelgr Invocation \| The Fall