This week’s episode of Freeform’s Shadowhunters featured a Malec-filled cook-off, tears upon tears, and “the Owl” (so we’re really going ahead with this nickname then?) was unmasked. You can read our full review here, but below are some of our bite-size bests from episode 3×03.
1: Cutest Moment:
Malec in the kitchen.
Faced with the “joy” of hosting his mother for “family dinner,” Alec decided to “prepare” his “famous” stew based off an old Lightwood family recipe (all the air quotes). And while Alexander is most definitely a sweet man, his skills in the kitchen are in dire need of improvement. How does one get radish stuck in their hair, and how can you mess up a stew that badly? What he has become better at is handling his alcohol. Now he can pound ‘em back with the best of us. From Magnus secretly working his own magic to Alec shooing Magnus out of his own kitchen, this scene was an adorable showcase of their new domestic dynamic.
2: Best Character Growth:
Maryse Lightwood has come a long way.
The character arc of Mama Lightwood is one of the most profound of the series and it came to a satisfying conclusion in this episode. She made great strides in strengthening her relationship with her son and his very significant other, not to mention acceptance as a concept slowly gaining ground in the Shadow World, thanks to (as she pointed out) Alec’s progressive leadership. Maryse thanking Magnus for loving her boy was the encapsulation of what every child wants to hear from their mother.
3: Stand-Out Performance:
David Castro cries, we cry.
We have heard Raphael speak fondly of Rosa and have even seen her once before, but this episode gave us our first glimpse of the Santiago siblings together, and their bond was extremely poignant. From the tender way in which he spoke to her about their childhood to the pure devastation he experienced at the news of her passing, David Castro’s emotional performance relayed how deeply devoted Raphael was to his sister (and our tears just did not let up!). He also got to experience firsthand the wrath of the Mark of Cain when a confrontation between him and Simon went awry; talk about kicking someone when they’re down!
4: Best Symbolism:
J.C. through the looking glass.
Jace’s mind is in a fractured state at the moment and we are honestly with him upon seeing all this symbolic imagery. As much as Jace would hate hearing it, he and Jonathan are forever linked. Both were raised by Valentine, both were his experiments…they even share the same name for Angel’s sake! And this crazy funhouse trip doesn’t end there either when we consider that Jace himself is the Owl. All he had to do was literally look in the mirror to find who he was searching for.
5: Biggest Twist:
Jace Wayland Morgenstern Lightwood Herondale Owl.
Side effects of angelic resurrection may include: insomnia, night terrors, confusion, distorted reality, increased anxiety, and in severe cases, dressing up as an owl-faced creature in order to possess innocent mundanes. Ask your doctor if angelic resurrection is right for you (Dr. Charlie, care to supply your input?). Book fans may have seen this twist coming, but many were shocked by this revelation. Now we know why Jace kept imagining killing Clary and why he was so afraid of his own bloodlust. We hope he tells Clary about his dreams in full, and pronto. Lilith really could not have dreamt up a more damaging punishment, what with the amount of guilt Jace will no doubt be feeling once he realizes he is the one behind all this. But we have a feeling this is just the beginning.
Shadowhunters airs Tuesdays 8/7c on Freeform and Wednesdays internationally on Netflix.
