‘Shadowhunters’ Recap: Malec
The title of Episode 12 may
refer to the couple name of Magnus Bane
and Alec Lightwood, a not-yet-a-
couple that rates higher with fans
than even
Clary and Jace, but the episode is about so much more. There are
relationships
in every stage-
new, old, broken, and strong- and they all weave together in an
intricate
web. Some will be created, some
will be broken, some will be mended,
but one thing is for certain- not a one
of them will be boring to watch
unfold.
The highs: Magnus. The High Warlock of Brooklyn has a big
week
this episode- relationship
drama with Alec, reuniting with very very very old
friends, promptly losing
said very very very old friend,
and making the most
dramatic stand of the series so far. His ability to
steal a scene with a snap of
his
fingers hasn’t diminished, but it’s his inability to heal his own heart that
has viewers captivated. Alec
accuses Magnus of never risking anything in his
relationships, but Magnus’s
reaction to Ragnor’s death proves
that Magnus hasn’t
always been that way. He is coming apart at the seams,
and it looks like Alec is
the
one holding the needle and thread.
Alec and Jace. These two have had
a rollercoaster ride over the
last few episodes, and the fate of their parabatai
bond seemed up in the
air. Izzy pulls off a masterful plot
to get them into the
same room together, and the resulting scene is one of
the most emotionally
affecting
of the entire episode. Alec’s monologue about making a plan and then
finding
oneself being pushed off of it
is clearly not about Jace, but it
highlights the parallels in their
respective love lives. Both boys have
found
their hearts bound, and it’s high time that they worked out their
problems so
that they have each
other for support again.
The lows: Maryse and Robert.
These two are
the source of at least 90% of
Alec’s problems. The lying, the
betrayals, the insane expectations they
place upon him, and their inability
to
accept anything less than perfection from him makes Valentine look like
Parent
of the Year. When Alec
finally (FINALLY!) breaks free and acts on his true self,
they literally
turn their backs on him. Alec has
Jace, Izzy, Clary, and now
Magnus to back him up, but the realization that
one may just be a better person
than one’s parents is often a bitter pill to swallow. Maryse and Robert are
destroying their family with
every move, and if they don’t realize it soon,
they’re going to lose all
four of their children.
The
conclusion: for a
show that does so well on action, it’s the relationship
episodes that really
shine.
Viewers see love, loss, and courage in spades this time around, and every
character gets to experience at
least two of those. Lydia & Alec, Alec &
Magnus, Alec & Jace,
Jace & Clary, Clary &
Simon, even Luke &
Jocelyn- there are so many relationships being broken
down and rebuilt in this
episode that it’s easy to miss that the problem in every single one is the
same-
it’s always fear. Fear
of failure, of being lonely, of being alone, of being
rejected. That fear
plays out in as many different ways
as there are
relationships this episode, but each one is handled with such
grace that viewers
are left
feeling nothing but anticipation for the upcoming season finale.
Kade is often described as, “here just a minute ago” and can often be found just around the corner from where you’d expect. Approaching is not encouraged, unless you come with a strong wifi connection and a nice charcuterie board with gluten-free breads.
