You may think you know an epic love story when you see one, but we guarantee you’ve never seen a romance as unique and as ground-breaking as the love between Shadowhunters’ angel-blooded soldier Alec Lightwood and Brooklyn’s High Warlock, Magnus Bane. If you aren’t already in love with their love, look no further – here are our 10 reasons why Malec is the epic romance you’ve been waiting for.
1. Electric First Meetings
For every epic love story, that first meeting creates a very important platform for how a relationship can develop and where it might go. And what better way to meet the love of your life than by saving the day together? Alec with his bow and arrow, Magnus with his magic blasts; that brief moment of teamwork was a great prelude to how the two would eventually develop their relationship. Those first shared smiles, and Alec’s first real smile of the series, told us everything we needed to know: that these beautiful boys would be endgame – and in the process, they’d steal our hearts along the way.
2. They’re from Different Worlds
Any decent romance wouldn’t be epic if it didn’t have its fair share of hurdles along the way. Besides, who doesn’t love a little star-crossed romance? Both Magnus and Alec are Big Deals in their own right (they’re basically the royals of their respective people), and these two groups, more often than not, find themselves fiercely at odds. Their warring allegiances can sometimes test their love, putting them both in some truly no-win predicaments. But all signs point to these two crazy kids being in it for the long haul.
3. They Stopped a Wedding with a Kiss
Dramatically crashing the wedding of your love is a bit of a cliche as far as fictional romances go, but Magnus and Alec’s undeniable attraction to each other and what it meant for Alec’s personal freedom made it one hell of a scene to watch. What made it even more enjoyable was Magnus’ lack of an objection speech. He didn’t force anything or out anyone – he simply stood there with his heart on his sleeve and let his presence (and Alec’s inability to breathe at the sight of him) speak for itself. Is it any wonder we’re still talking about that epic kiss?
4. Their Healthy Communication Is Sexy as Hell
In every relationship, there’s the chance that miscommunication will be used as a dramatic crux – but not with these two. When Alec or Magnus find themselves hurt, confused, and with the defensive instinct to close up and turn away when the going gets tough, the other is always there to remind them that they aren’t alone and they don’t have to be alone. Doing so also strengthens the trust between them and better allows them to open up. They listen. They talk to each other. They support each other. Such goals.
5. They Love Each Other, Especially When Things Get Tough
Arguments happen – even with couples that don’t regularly have the fate of the world on their shoulders. With Magnus and Alec, tensions can run high when their duties or their insecurities get in the way. After all, they’re only (sort of? mostly?) human. But what’s magnificent about them is that through it all, their love is still palpable, and they are always ready to defend one another. Most importantly, in the end, they always, always find their way back to each other.
6. Malec Is a Judgement-Free Zone
Getting to know someone can be a minefield of weird – especially when one half of the equation has never dipped their toe in the dating pool before, and the other is a 400+-year-old immortal with more ex-lovers than you can shake a stick at. Good thing then that Magnus and Alec’s feelings for each other are strong enough to overcome the more awkward moments and pave the way for heartfelt reassurances and validation. The heart wants what the heart wants, and, hey – relationships take effort.
7. They Do Epic Declarations of Love
After a season and a half of build-up, one needs a truly spectacular declaration of love – and Malec absolutely deliver. Big catastrophic event? Both of them in mortal peril? Running into each other’s arms post-battle in relief? Check, check, and check. Seeing Alec relay how terrified he was at the thought of losing him, getting to hear those three special words spoken and returned, followed by that loving, all-encompassing hug…It was, without a doubt, an epic declaration of love for the ages.
8. They Get Romantic, Soft-Lit Flashbacks
“Falling in love” flashbacks set with soft lighting and romantic music are practically a given for the ‘romance’ genre, and Malec’s love story is now no exception. Shadowhunters treated viewers this week to some truly breathtaking flashbacks of Magnus and Alec’s journey to love. These little cinematographic pockets of beauty not only allowed us to see their love story but feel it. It was joyous, it was beautiful, it was everything, and it momentarily transported us away from the stark horrors of the current plot. (Breakup? What breakup?)
9. Their First Time Was Imperfectly Perfect
After an earlier episode cut away from the much anticipated first time between Magnus and Alec, this week we finally got to see a bit of what went on that night – including, but not limited to, the sound of Magnus Bane’s giggle, Alexander Gideon Lightwood hopping out of his boots, and endless amounts of smiles, love, and joy. Add in Magnus’ inability to control his demon mark (his glowing cat-eyes) when Alec gets him riled up and you have the beautiful balance of reality and romance that left us all a bit breathless.
10. They Get the Type of Epic Love Usually Only Reserved for Straights™
Don’t get offended, straight friends, but we’re serious! This type of epic, stop-everything, earth-shattering love story is the kind that is usually only reserved for (straight, white) girl meets (straight, white) guy in fiction. But part of what makes Malec so epic is how it pushes boundaries with representation on multiple fronts. This (literally award-winning) same-sex romance is also interracial (both in real world and Shadow World standards), and it includes the often forgotten B in the LGBTQ+ acronym (Alec is gay, Magnus is bisexual). Magnus and Alec’s romance isn’t only beautiful, trope-smashing and groundbreaking in so many ways, but it is also putting something deeply relevant and important out into the world. It’s an incredibly unique story that is sure to go down in television history – and hopefully change a lot of hearts and minds along the way.
Shadowhunters airs Mondays 8/7c on Freeform and Tuesdays internationally on Netflix.
