About:
Shadowhunter Downworlder of the Week: Magnus
Previously: Jace is on the outs with the Clave; Valentine has the Soul-Sword; Victor gives Izzy yin fen to aid in her recovery; and Clary draws a powerful rune from a vision.
What Happened
Clary and Izzy visit the weapons-making Iron Sisters’ citadel to inquire about the Soul-Sword, but they have to pass a purity trial for demonic contaminants before they’re allowed inside — which Izzy fails, thanks to the yin fen that she’s been using. So only Clary gets the DL on the Soul-Sword, which can be activated with angelic energy to destroy all Downworlders in its path, but not on the rune from her vision, which isn’t even in the Shadowhunters’ Gray Book. After Clary and Izzy leave, so too does Luke’s sister, Cleophas — but not before she shivs one of her fellow Iron Sisters (Mag, according to social media, if that’s important for book fans).
After getting Raphael to wipe his mom’s memory of him feeding on a rat, Simon’s free to help Clary look for Luke while she’s away. Joined by Maia (remember Maia?), Simon finds Luke on the campgrounds that they used to go to with Clary and Jocelyn. Simon calms Luke into getting his werewolf ability under control and brings him home.
Last but certainly not least, Magnus and Alec go on their first date! Which quickly turns awkward when they discover how little common ground they have, esp. when it comes to Alec’s lack of experience and Magnus’ (over)abundance of it. But it’s cool, since they’re both willing to put effort into making the relationship work. Further kissyface will have to be put on hold, though, as they’re interrupted by Jace, who invites himself to move into Magnus’ place after Victor demotes him to persona non grata at the Institute.
Shadowhighlights
- Dang, the Iron Sisters have some cool-ass swords. The perks of making your own weapons!
- Alec drinking beer = me drinking beer.
- Clary and Luke remain the best parent-child duo on the show. (Not that there’s a lot of competition, but still.)
Shadowlowlights
- Malec have obviously taken an unconventional path to their first date, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that they’d spend a large chunk of it talking about their exes (or lack thereof).
- Victor getting Izzy hooked on yin fen, aka vampire venom which doesn’t even have any curative properties, just to get her to spy on Clary is SHADY SHIZZ.
- … and also inadvertently denies Izzy her longtime dream of visiting the Iron Sisters citadel. DAMMIT, VICTOR.
- The Soul-Sword being a Downworlder-killing device seems like a pretty dang significant “secondary purpose”.
- LOL at the campfire couple brushing off noise from Luke as ones from a deer. Do deer growl?!?!
Shadowhunter Downworlder of the Week
Magnus routinely steals any scene he’s in, but he makes some of the very best faces when the disparity in experience between him and Alec registers. And using his book age of either 500 or 800 as an estimate, 17,000 works out to 21 to 34 people per year, with an average of 10 to 17 days in between each (assumed monogamous) dalliance. SCIENCE!
Say What?
Clary [to Isabelle]: “I’ve never stabbed a friend before, so I figure I at least owe you an apology.”
Oof, the straight delivery kind of bungled this line.
Magnus: “If you fail to grant time for the things you care about, you’ll forget why you’re even fighting at all.”
This pickup line is pretty smooth.
Maia: “One condition: we keep the talking to a minimum.”
Maia’s just met Simon and she already knows what’s up.
Simon: “You know him?”
Maia: “I kind of tried to kill him.”
Simon and Maia, realizing that they have a mutual acquaintance in Jace.
Magnus: “You’re so innocent.”
Alec: “In some ways.”
For a second there, I seriously thought Alec’s response would be a Britney lyric.
Alec: “Look, I don’t care how many people you’ve been with.”
Magnus: “I don’t care how many people you haven’t been with.”
… and that Alec and Magnus break out into BSB.
Swimfan Says
Here’s Shadowhunter Chronicles expert and co-host of The Parabatai Podcast, Meredith (@legallyblonde), with her thoughts!
- Magnus and Alec finally went on a date! In addition to being absolutely adorable, it was very realistic with the oh-so-awkward exes talk. The scene of the two playing pool is one I’ve watched…a lot, and I love everything about it.
- Simon reminding werewolf!Luke of his humanity was a great nod to their history of naturally having spent a lot of time together because of Clary and Jocelyn.
- The Iron Sisters were as fierce as you would expect weapons makers to be. They also provided a lot of necessary exposition about yin fen and the secret purpose of the Soul Sword, which are different or nonexistent in the books.
- Continuing the trend of Aldertree being really terrible, he has essentially blackmailed Jace into leaving the Institute (though Jace, please continue to not buy into Aldertree’s fabrications) and has definitely gotten Izzy addicted to a dangerous demon-based drug (vampire essence = demonic). That being said, I’m still looking forward to Jace and Magnus being roommates, which did happen in City of Ashes under different circumstances.
Burning Questions
- Simon and Maia: Y/N? I’m not sure if I’m into them romantically yet (esp. if it awakens latent jealousy from Clary, as the trope is wont to do), but they do have a good rapport as fast friends.
- Speaking of Maia, she was reading Jane Eyre when she and Simon first meet. I’ve never read it myself, so is there an anvilicious hint that I’m missing there?
- Between the yin fen and being oblivious to what going to the Iron Sisters citadel entails, I’m starting to question what kind of authority figure Victor is: malicious or just incompetent?
- Can anyone with angelic energy use runes, or was Cleophas a Shadowhunter like Luke before she joined the Iron Sisters?
- But seriously — how much better is this show when Valentine isn’t around?
