After Monday’s episode of Shadowhunters, I’m thinking Maury Povich should be made an honorary member of the Clave.
Following last week’s big paternity reveal — Clary was finally told that she isn’t Jace’s sister, after all — tonight’s episode confirmed that Jace is actually from the Herondale bloodline. More specifically, he’s the grandson of Imogen (aka the Inquisitor)!
Elsewhere, Izzy’s attempt to help Simon shake Raphael off his back took an interesting turn when the duo chatted with Raphael’s (seemingly) older sister, who implied that Izzy and Simon would make a great couple. (I think we have a #Sizzy ‘shipper on our hands!)
Of course, the real drama of this week’s episode came from Magnus and Valentine’s adventures in body swapping. Though their souls were eventually returned to the correct meat bags, the experience left its mark — so to speak — on Magnus, who relived horrific childhood memories while being tortured with the agony rune.
“He has a rally troubled history, so building upon that is really important,” Harry Shum Jr. tells TVLine of Magnus’ background, which will continue to be explored this season. “It’s not something he wanted to revisit. And it will definitely affect his storyline with Alec, hopefully bringing them closer together and giving them a deeper understanding of one another. Alec is going to become much more sympathetic to life as a Downworlder.”
And if you picked up on a little tension between Alec and Magnus in their final scene together, don’t worry, you’re not totally insane.
“When you revisit a difficult childhood memory or a traumatizing experience, you sometimes end up redirecting your feelings about it,” Shum Jr. explains. “You can’t always say ‘This is what I went through’ and move on. The frustration lies in when other people don’t understand why you’re acting a certain way.”
As for Sebastian — who helped Clary tap into her true power this week, before being turned down for a date with her — don’t expect to see Magnus warming up to him any time soon.
“Magnus doesn’t trust any Shadowhunter,” Shum Jr. reminds us, save for his brooding boyfriend. “So I would say a big fat no right now. That might change over tim. We’ll see.”
Your thoughts on this week’s developments? Hopes for the rest of Season 2B? Drop ’em in a comment below.
I think Sebastian asking Clary out is a nice turn of events. As a book fan, I can tell that they have a complicated relationship, and I am very interested on how the show is gonna develope it. Magnus and Alec are the heart of the show. Trouble and complications are always an oportunity to grow as a couple. I wish Alec had said something like: I am sorry I didnt beleive you Magnus, and so sorry u had to go thru it, but I am here to help u with anything, I love u.
I hate it that he instead said: Tell me how I can make it right, but its somewhat true to Alecs character, he is still learning, so hopefully they can learn from this expirience. Simon has gotten so hot!!!! and I hate that Rafael is kinda of evil now.
Jace is a Herondale. Will Herondale is his ancestor from the 1800s, different book series but part of the shadowhunters also.
So far 2B has been amazing. I hope it only gets better.
A lot of that is down to how males tend to think. We have been conditioned to solve problems. Which is great when defending a cave from a predator. It is not great when helping a loved one through a difficult time. Often, as you said, listening or just being there is enough. But, as we aren’t always comfortable discussing our feelings, and try to do something to fix the problem instead.
They departed WAY too far from the books this episode.
Clary in bed with Simon?! Seriously?!! Clary never slept with anyone but Jace. Really disappointed with that. Even then, Jace wanted to wait until they were married. I hate that they’re doing that to Clary’s character.
Most book to tv show don’t follow the books.
I really enjoy the show, but this unsettled me, too – I feel like they’re going to lean much harder into the love triangle aspect of things now (as that doesn’t really exist in the books – Simon and Clary’s brief attempt at dating ends amicably and maturely, and happens when Clary still thinks Jace is her brother, so while the shades of jealousy between the boys are there, it’s never an actual romantic rivalry, and of course Simon and Jace soon become tenuous friends). I know the romance factor ‘sells’, but Clary and Simon’s friendship is so powerful and such a beating heart of the story – they mean everything to each other and it doesn’t NEED to be romantic/sexual, they both fall in love with other people and are devoted to them, and yet that doesn’t change their bond with one another. Jace and Isabelle are not threatened by it, either, because (amazing concept!) we love different people differently, and it doesn’t make certain kinds less important than another. It’s a rare example of the power of platonic love, and the show taking their dating this far…is sort of trampling all over it, and is discomfiting. I can’t imagine the breakup scenes going as smoothly and sweetly now (“what we have is real and true and important” or something to that effect, and “as long as I remember what it was like to love you, I’ll always feel like I’m alive.” sorry, I just re-read so the details are fresh in my mind, which now may have been a mistake because I can’t help but make the comparisons). I don’t mind some deviations in plot, that’s going to happen organically, they’re telling the story through a different medium and they want to keep it fresh and interesting and surprising for those of us who DO know what happens, but when the liberties they take are a detriment to important characterization and/or relationship dynamics…well, that I do not like. They already have such dense source material to work with, I don’t understand why they’ve had to make certain changes (I hate Izzy’s drug addiction storyline, too, for example). The show is lovely visually, and they’ve done a lot of great things with the story and the characters, especially in season 2, but it has so much more potential than some of this.
I agree and am glad there are others who also think the show is ruining what the books mean. The drug addiction thing is stupid but easily overlooked if it remains brief. This sex between Clary and Simon simply destroys the entire foundation of the books. The books are built on Clary and Simon being firmly best friends and even more important the angel blood fueled romance between Clary and Jace. This is simply stupid and disgusting, it spits on the work of Cassandra Clare and I can not imagine that she ever approved of this.
I read an article/interview yesterday with Cassandra Clare that was done a couple of weeks ago, in preparation for the release of her most recent novel Lord of Shadows, and it mentioned the show in passing, and that she is mostly not involved with it at all and is “disappointed” in it, and it made me sad, because there’s no reason to NOT have her input and guidance, these are her stories and her characters, and naturally she knows this world better than anyone, so why they’d make such radical changes without any approval or integral decisions from the author herself baffles me. Again, I don’t expect them to follow the books to the letter, no adaptation does (like, I’m okay with Jace already knowing he’s a Herondale, even though the reveal coming so early surprised me, it opens up a lot of possible character development for him), but there are many, many layers of meaning and metaphor and importance in the story – it’s not just pretty people hooking up and fighting dangerous monsters, it’s about friendship and love and loyalty, and standing up to injustice and prejudice, and discovering the truth of who you are and the strength it takes to embrace your own identity. They’ve managed to build in some of those things in small ways, but I want to see more of it, and I want to see them do it better and more faithfully to what this story and these characters deserve.
I agree with you. I was so disappointed that they have clary and Simon having sex. Sex was a big deal to clary and when her and Jace finally had sex it was special. This relationship with Simon was just a small blip in the books that fizzled out real fast. The whole story is based on clary and Jaces love for each other and the obstacles that are thrown in their way. Clary never wavered in her love for Jace, I miss that from the books.
Hi Shell, I agree and feel that content for TV is about ratings and they are adding all of their relationships more vivid and brace yourself for episode 13 as it gets too far off books in my opinion. I hope that we are going to come back to reality soon. Maybe the Seelie Queen will get the TV version back on track. I am reading book three and feel that the show is good but limited in set location and true essence of the story.
I’m glad that the body switch only lasted one episode…. it was a real turnoff at the end of the last episode and I thought they were going to milk it for a while. Now, I have to watch it.
this was an extremely stellar episode, and harry shum jr and alan van sprang nailed their scenes playing each others characters. all the little nuances and details that makes magnus and valentine… you could see the other actor absorbing them. they were amazing!
i’m really glad we get to delve deeper into magnus’ past. since he’s so old, there’s much to explore and i’m excited to see what will come up.
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will tudor is excellent as sebastian. if you didn’t know what would become of him later, you would just call him your new favorite character instantly and root for him all the way. nicely done.
I am so happy that Will Tudor is on this show playing Sebastian, as he’s raised the acting bar way up. I was super impressed with him in the scene outside Magnus’ door where Sebastian tried to get Clary to find her power. Hopefully Will’s abilities will rub off on some of his fellow cast members!
Season 1 of this show was a total disappointment I almost gave up on it ,but wow s2 is killing it and 2b has just made even more awesome.
The whole body switch thing was pointless even though the show feels it had a great impact on who Magnus is. The show has departed so far from the books now that it’s hard to see that the show even has any direction.
This episode was excellent. Loved every minute of it.
I have a hard time believing that Inquisitor Herondale didn’t think to herself one single time that Jace looks AWFULLY familiar to her. Did I miss the part where Valentine gave him plastic surgery?
Ugghh, so disappointed Clary and Simon slept together. Not watching the show anymore! I was okay with Clary’s mom dying, but them two in bed together?? I can’t