Can I first just say, freaking FINALLY?!?!?! After over half a year of tears, angst, pain and joy, Shadowhunters season 2, at long last, has come to an end. Valentine has finally been vanquished [cue 'the evil is defeated' meme], and the season, for the most part, comes to a close on a positive note, and I can't wait to start talking about it.
Before we start, I want to say that 2A caused my faith and unconditional love for the show to waver, so to my relief, the writers seemed to take fan criticism into consideration for the writing of 2B, delivering content of much higher quality for the most part. Also - my daughter and actual sunshine Maia Roberts will be a main next season!!!!! I can't wait for Alisha to join the main seven in cast interviews and cons.
Episode 11, Mea Maxima Culpa, brings us back from hiatus with a headfirst dive. As a filler slash transition episode, it serves its purpose. We're introduced to Sebastian Verlac, Valentine's biological demon-blooded son and secondary antagonist, though he manages to successfully convince the Lightwoods and Clary otherwise for most of 2B. Cleverly portraying himself to be a good guy, he comes to Izzy's rescue while she's suffering from Yin Fen withdrawal, a storyline I still maintain was unnecessary. Later, of course, we find out that "Sebastian" isn't even Sebastian - it's a burnt, mangled version of Jonathan Morganstern glamoured as the cousin of a family friend. The real Sebastian deserved better, ugh. But we'll get to that later. While I despise Sebastian/Jonathan and want him suffering forever, I truly applaud Will Tudor for creating such a captivating, terrifying villain.
Valentine's incarceration kicks off the Greater Demon Azazel's search for the Mortal Cup, one of the three titular mortal instruments. During Azazel's summoning, the demon switches Magnus and Valentine's bodies, meaning that Magnus' personality is inside Valentine and vice versa. The switch, explored in the next episode, was painful to watch, but really highlighted Harry and Alan's excellent acting and portrayal of their characters' personalities. The thought of Magnus being trapped in the body of a man he abhors, who has tortured and killed thousands of his people, is sickening. I am still enraged that Magnus had to suffer in that body for so long - I can't imagine how terrible the subsequent trauma must have been. Alec had his doubts, and he didn't do anything about them until Imogen Herondale (who turns out to be Jace's grandmother, what the heck - Jace Wayland-Lightwood-Morganstern-Whatever is a Herondale for once and for all) was about to commit an illegal act - and still then, Alec stayed mute until the very last minute. Fortunately, the writers don't gloss over this.
Speaking of Malec, I was really pleased with their 2B development. Their strengthening relationship didn't come without obstacles, of course, but both Magnus and Alec were willing to improve their communication skills. This is particularly portrayed in episode 15, A Problem of Memory, where Magnus reveals bits of his traumatic past to Alec, and realizes that he doesn't have to push him away. (On a side note, Magnus' backstory makes him one of the most interesting and valued characters on the show, and I can't wait for more development in season 3. I would give Magnus his own paragraph, but this thing is getting too long already.) Considering the lack of Malec screentime and development was a major criticism of 2A, the writers really made the effort to improve upon their mistakes, which I am grateful for. I've talked about how important Malec is in terms of representation before, but it truly means a lot to me to see this mlm couple get the chance to be domestic and simply happy on screen. Even the heartbreaking flashbacks to parallel the breakup were much needed, considering the complaints about Malec's first time never being resolved back in episode 7. Honestly, they're such a power couple - name a more iconic duo than the High Warlock of Brooklyn and the Head of the New York institute. That's right, you can't. HBICs only. One thing that does need further improvement on, however, is the fact that Shadowhunters always, always, always come to Magnus and the Downworlders for help, despite treating them like crap. It's true that Magnus has powers that the Shadowhunters don't, but Magnus is his own person, and shouldn't always have to be the Institute's pet warlock.
The Shadowhunters' constant need to call on Downworlders continues the Shadowhunter / Downworlder racial allegory, and ends up being the catalyst for most of Magnus and Alec's conflicts - which is a good thing. While the temporary breakup broke my heart into a million pieces (seriously, I teared up whenever I even thought about it), it being about the hypocrisy and clear problem in Shadowhunters' tenacious relationship with the Downworlders is infinitely better than book!Malec's dumb fights about biphobia and selfishness. (Book!Alec being biphobic is the worst.) The Shadowhunters continue to win the title of being the most prejudiced, horrible and stupid species in the world, such as when they legitimately think injecting Downworlders with trackers is a good idea, ESPECIALLY after all the shit they've put them through. The Downworlders have good reason to hate Shadowhunters, and as a person of color who would be a Downworlder in this allegory, the Shadowhunters' inherent bigotry and prejudice strikes me to my core with an aching familiarity. And Shadowhunters does even manage to deal with racism in the real world - Maia calling out antiblackness in the police force saved me.
With Alec as the new head, though, relations may be slowly improving. To my surprise and delight, we get to see more of Luke and Magnus' friendship, as well as Raphael and Maia to add into Downworlder solidarity. Luke and Magnus have a lot to bond over, and I know Harry and Isaiah have been actively advocating for Garrobane. But just like how PoC solidarity doesn't exist, Downworlder solidarity doesn't either with the existence of the manipulative, untrustworthy Seelie Queen. She ends up making a deal with Valentine (VALENTINE?!?!?!) and holding Simon as prisoner in exchange for Maia and Luke's freedom, which he does not deserve at all. See, it's always the white Downworlders that manage to fuck the system up.
As for other
We get to see more of Maia's backstory, making her the third most interesting character on the show, after Luke and Magnus. We learn how her ex-boyfriend Jordan turned her into a werewolf without her consent - an issue very similar to rape. Honestly, I don't understand how book fans can want Jordan on the show and even be with Maia after it's been made clear more than enough times that Jordan was an abusive dickbag. It goes beyond wanting book canon - it's just shitty and frankly, misogynistic. No woman deserves to have to be with their abuser, EVER. We also learn about her tumultuous relationship with her parents, especially after her brother died. Despite Maia's shitty past, she is still willing to help others, such as when we're introduced to a newly converted werewolf, Bat Velasquez.
Besides Bat and the Seelie Queen, other new characters include Ollie, Luke's new partner, who discovers the Downworld despite Raphael's attempt to remove her memory; Aline Penhallow, cousin of the real Sebastian and a Chinese lesbian!!!! AAAAAA; and of course, queen Catarina Loss, one of Magnus' best warlock friends. I'm particularly excited for more of Aline and Catarina, who they actually casted a dark-skinned black woman to play (YAY). Aline is the closest thing I'll get to my representation besides Magnus, and I desperately want my Alec/Aline gay brotp. As for Catarina, I'm so excited for Magnus to interact more with his fellow warlocks. We even got little Madzie back for a bit!!!
Anyways, back to the plot - in the gripping season finale, Valentine nearly manages to raise the angel Raziel with the three Mortal Instruments, but Clary kills him just in time. I'm a little disappointed Luke and Magnus didn't get to help her - after all, Valentine has fucked up their lives just as much as he fucked up Clary's, but mostly I'm glad he's finally gone. Jace dies at Valentine's hands but fortunately is brought back thanks to Raziel granting Clary's wish instead. The parabatai montage was emotional, but in season 3, I hope to see it being a little more mutual. While I love Jace, he wasn't a very good fellow parabatai this season, which he should work on. Also, Jace literally got ran through by a sword in the previous episode and survives, but one tiny knife kills him, lol.
With Valentine finally gone, everything seems fine. A little too fine, in fact. The camera cues to a bloody and burnt Jonathan, calling for his... real mother??? What????? We want answers!
The sophomore season of my favorite show has come to an end, and while many fans agonize and groan over the hiatus, I personally am relieved to take some time and step back away from the intensity of the show and fandom. I'm pretty satisfied with where everyone is in the finale, with the exception of poor Simon. Though it pains me to see how self-sacrificing he is, I know he'll be okay. They all will.
So that's it! It's done! The next time you'll be reading another post like this will be in 2018, which is astounding. See you then, and tune in to my other recaps and reviews for the last four months of the year.
Extras that didn't make it in (wow, I haven't done these in ages):
- Drunk!Luke is sober!Isaiah, and it was a goddamn delight.
- Alec and Luke friendship. I am here for it.
- I wish I mentioned Luke more in my recap. But just know I love him, and am expressing my love for him in the bonus, and eagerly await for more of him in season 3.
- This is the fastest I've written something in ages, wow.
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