Simon Lewis practically wrote the book on how to friend. After all, fierce loyalty to Clary Fairchild is what got him wrapped up in Shadow World business in the first place. Sure, it might have taken some of the characters a bit of time to get used to that little habit he has of constantly cracking jokes, but anyone who has taken the time to get to know him has found that he is a genuinely nice guy with all of the traits that one looks for in a best friend. Devotion, empathy, relatability, acceptance, trustworthiness, exceptional listening skills – Simon has it all, and then some. Here are five times in which other characters experienced the full extent of what it means to be friends with Simon Lewis – and honestly, everything he does is such goals. Seriously guys, take notes.
1. A Promise Is a Promise
2×11 – “Mea Maxima Culpa”
Ever since Jace fed Simon his blood and saved his life in 2×10 “By the Light of Dawn,” the two have shared a connection, which was made all the more unique when it was discovered that Jace’s super-powered angel blood also gave Simon the ability to walk in the daylight. (Score!) But this gift was also a curse in that it painted targets on both of their backs. In 2×11 “Mea Maxima Culpa,” Simon swore never to reveal the role that Jace played in Simon acquiring his newfound “Daylighter” status. And later, in 2×15 “A Problem of Memory,” we saw that not even a ticket out of his worst living nightmare could convince him to break his word. If that’s not true friendship, we don’t know what is!
2. Unbreakable
2×19 – “Hail and Farewell”
After Clary broke his heart, Simon told her, in 2×15 “A Problem of Memory,” that he intended to remain her friend no matter what. Their following encounter in 2×19 “Hail and Farewell” actually involved Clary asking him for a favor (what a shocker), but the way in which Simon steered their conversation back into their regular rhythm was proof that he had found a way within himself to honor his pledge. The high-road is the one most traveled for Simon and it’s also the road to long-lasting friendship.
3. Jordan
2×18 – “Awake, Arise, or Be Forever Fallen”
When Maia Roberts successfully guided Simon through the would-be disaster that was Yom Kippur family dinner in 2×16 “Day of Atonement,” Simon returned the favor in 2×18 “Awake, Arise, or Be Forever Fallen,” when he backed her up during some pretty intense Beta Wolf business. Helping the newly-turned Bat Velasquez through his traumatic werewolf transition opened the door for Simon to ask Maia about her own turning. He made sure she knew that she was not obligated to tell him, but the raw and vivid way in which she told her story revealed how much she had grown to trust Simon (and kudos to the acting crafts of both Alisha Wainwright and Alberto Rosende for getting this to come across). Even though they had started dating, Simon was Maia’s friend first and her boyfriend second; and this moment stood as a reminder of that.
4. No Way Out
2×04 – “Day of Wrath”
When Raphael Santiago was pressuring Simon to locate Camille Belcourt, it was desperation that led him to the doorstep of Magnus Bane. Simon did not downplay the gravity of the fact that he was asking Magnus to deliver his former lover – and someone who had once meant a lot to him – into the unforgiving hands of the Clave. He sensed Magnus’ inner turmoil and approached him with understanding so pure that Magnus felt comfortable opening up about one of the darkest times in his long life – a time when he felt there was no way out and Camille had been there to literally pull him back from the ledge. This conversation was pivotal both in helping Magnus move on from a painful chapter in his life and in demonstrating that his new friendship with Simon was not one-sided.
5. 12-Step Program
2×12 – “You Are Not Your Own”
This was another instance in which Simon asking for help turned out to be a therapeutic experience for the person on the other end. With Raphael on his case again (albeit this time, for different reasons), Simon turned to Isabelle Lightwood in the hopes that she could convince him to back off. Izzy admitted to Simon that the reason she had been seeing Raphael was to satiate her dangerous yin fen addiction – something she had been hiding from everyone close to her. Simon immediately switched gears and offered his support with suggestions based off of his own experiences living with his mother’s alcoholism. All concern for his own well-being was put aside as he backpedaled, not wanting to jeopardize Izzy’s recovery. Everything about the way Simon handled this situation was top-notch. What’s more, Izzy actually ended up using and benefiting from his 12-step program suggestion, which just goes to show, Simon really does give the best advice.
Simon has got to be the friendliest vampire there ever was. Since caring about others is such a big part of what makes Simon who he is, wanting to be friends with someone is simply second nature to him. And likewise, who could resist befriending someone like that? We know that Simon tends to talk a lot, but when he listens is when his most charming self is able to shine through. We can only imagine that his list of friends will grow longer come Season 3. In the meantime, there’s plenty of hiatus time in which to take after Simon and make your list of friends equally as long. Kindness, understanding, and most of all, listening, goes a really long way.
Shadowhunters is available for streaming via Freeform for U.S. residents and internationally on Netflix. Shadowhunters returns with Season 3 on April 3rd, 2018.
