#grisha amplifiers

Well, it's not particularly well-developed aspect of the worldbuilding, since we're often left with Alina's unqualified guesses, but I'll try my best.

The Tether had already been there before the Collar. That just strengthened it, and gave Aleksander access to Alina's powers. The ordinary rule is that whoever kills the amplifier claims its power, yet Morozova's amplifiers are artificial and subjected to different rules. Rules we also do not really know, because Alina's sources are Baghra's lies and scraps of the Darkling's wisdom she didn't manage to put him off enough not to share.

We can indeed assume the Darkling was able to control Alina's powers because he was the one to kill this super special amplifier. Baghra's threat included this piece of information, and as all good liars, she often mixes truth with lies to make them more believable, yet add more drama.

“You won’t have a choice. The stag’s power belongs to whoever slays it.” “But he can’t use an amplifier,” I protested weakly. “He can use you,” Baghra said softly. “Morozova’s stag is no ordinary amplifier. He will hunt it. He will kill it. He will take its antlers, and once he places them around your neck, you will belong to him completely. You will be the most powerful Grisha who has ever lived, and all that newfound power will be his to command. You will be bound to him forever, and you will be powerless to resist.”

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 15

As to why and how did Alina take that control back, we're only left with Alina's contradictory speculations. They keep strengthening their Bond, so eventually they are both left with a drop of each other's powers, even though it's never really used with the exception of Alina's murder-suicide attempt (which isn't about their powers per se, but using merzost through the Darkling anyway).

in the show, he’s clearly intimate with zoya, but when she touches his face in that scene where she talks about their past, she doesn’t seem overwhelmed by power the way you’d expect if his amplifier nature was always “on” so maybe it only affects others when he intends it to? and not just through direct contact? idk, just something i kept thinking about

Amplifying ability of human amplifiers certainly ISN'T something they can fully control. There's the usual underwhelming lack of specifics on how they work, but one thing is certain- if that ability were something they could switch off, they wouldn't have to worry about unexpected touch. That said we've speculated there might be a bit of wiggle room regarding the strength of their influence, increase or alteration of the result their focus could cause.

Amplifying abilities are clearly described as bound to a touch. In books, where Grisha amplifiers resemble jewellery instead of bones grafted into their own bodies, an amplifier needs to be worn for it to work. (I was pretty sure Zoya loses hers for a while, after attacking Alina during their combat lesson, but I can't find it now, so maybe that was in some FanFic I've read.)

The show clearly "changed" the lore regarding amplifiers. In books no injury was needed to awake dormant Grisha powers. Alina's discovery was an exception, because she was a powerful Grisha suppressing so strongly a simple touch wasn't enough to show what exactly she is. The Darkling seems to be aware there's something, but has to shock her with a bit of pain to have her focus slip and her summoning manifest. I've recently pointed out it's (either a plot hole or) another wasted opportunity to leave this "skill" of hers further unexplored.

Many readers see the Darkling as choosing only otkazat'sya lovers for this reason precisely- that he would risk revealing himself to a possible killer, and his effect on his partner could span from a mild boost to their summoning to a spontaneous power orgasm, depending on how much would they be influenced by him. Sadly, it's another topic, where our main source remains Alina with her stultifying lack of curiosity.

Well, ten books in, and...

WE STILL DON'T KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS, WHEN AN AMPLIFIER CLAIMS AN AMPLIFIER.

Nothing?

Power overload and death?

Unholy upgrade, forbidden out of superstitious fear of greeeeed?

We could pretend it's not worth the effort if the eeeeevhul, "power-hungry" Darkling never attempted it on page. (Then again, he's old enough to know increasing the amount of power stops making sense at some point, and he's "immortal" already.)

Siege and Storm- Chapter 23 (Leigh Bardugo)

THE AMPLIFIER CLAIMING ITS GRISHA!!!

The Grisha claims the amplifier, but the amplifier claims the Grisha, as well. Once it is done, there can be no other. Like calls to like, and the bond is made.

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 12

(Surprisingly, it only adds another layer of tragedy.)

... that leads them into the otkazat'sya village on the other side of the mountain...

Otkazat'sya located and killed an amplifier.

(How? How do they recognize it?)

The don't hunt it, because they're afraid it's dangerous.

They don't hunt it, because they're hungry.

They kill the bear, because it is valuable to Grisha.

They recognize the connection between Grisha and amplifiers, so they destroy what they can.

They call it the DEMON bear... just like they call Grisha witches.

Siege and Storm- Chapter 23 (Leigh Bardugo)

Ain't this funny choice of words?!

What happens when an amplifier kills another?

Aleksander rarely does something for one reason only. It surely doesn't hurt to take precautions.

But I don't think it's among the main reasons.

First of all, there's not nearly enough amplifiers. I don't think the people he's choosing into his service necessarily have to completely correspond with people he'd give an amplifier. Ivan calls the group "The Darkling's most favoured Grisha". If he's any clever, he won't amplify just the "battle-ready" Grisha, but the exceedingly skilled ones too. That said, David should've totally been amplified, and I'm still waiting for the reason Marie had the seal tooth in books.

Second, the Second Army is established for quite a while, it will have its reputation, and well-deserved. People will be used to the safety of it, and they will protect it accordingly. If someone started to act weird around the Darkling, there's plenty of others to notice, and he's bound to be more cautious, when alone.

Third (and most importantly), Aleksander is not someone, who worries about things he cannot affect. Sure, if there's something reasonable to do to prevent it, he'll do it, but he doesn't think too much about the possibility of getting murdered. Remeber, this is the guy, whose response to an assassination attempt was: “I hardly notice anymore.”