Basic Superlatives: “Dead Man’s Party”

This episode of Freeform’s Shadowhunters featured our squad coming together on a rescue mission that ended up being quite the revealing experience all around. Check out some of our bite-size bests from episode 1×03.

 

1: Most Extra:

Alec truly outdoes himself this episode.

From accusing Jace of helping Clary just because he was “desperate to get laid” to sassing Isabelle about her interrogation tactics, Alec was truly doing the most this episode. Not to mention all the stumbling and fumbling he did around the Institute in a poor attempt at stealth (that boy is a terrible liar). While Alec Lightwood is basically always an open book, this episode was definitely one of the times he was Most Extra.

 

2: Steamiest Interrogation:

Izzy and Meliorn dance around each other.

When Isabelle Lightwood announced that she was going to find out how to get into the vampire lair, we didn’t expect this. Just was interrogating who in this scene? This was the Steamiest Interrogation we’d ever seen! We got to see just how sexy and confident Izzy can be, as well as her close working relationship with the Downworld. We also learned that seelies are incapable of lying, but Meliorn proved that seelies are a clever people who know how to manipulate their perceived weakness – and they look pretty good while doing it, too!

 

3: Best/Worst Pep Talk:

Hodge gives Alec some tough love?

Seeing as how Alec used to hold the rules in such high regard back in Season 1, we think it would be safe to assume that at this point, he was not accustomed to being caught red-handed. In hindsight (armed with the knowledge of Hodge’s subsequent betrayal), we are now wondering how much of this Best/Worst Pep Talk he actually meant. Did he let Alec off the hook because he figured these meddling kids were his best chance at eventually getting his hands on the Mortal Cup? He even used one of Alec’s biggest insecurities against him in an apparent display of tough love, we guess? And was that weird neck-slap (for lack of a better word) supposed to be fatherly? Threatening? Flirty? Creepy long game is creepy, Hodge!

 

4: Most Sychronized Squad:

The squad finally come together as a team.

When Clary Fray first arrived on the scene, not everyone (and by “everyone,” we just mean Alec Lightwood) was exactly on board with her joining the team – or even existing in his general vicinity (jeez, Alec). This episode was the first time we saw our four Shadowhunters working together on a mission. Everyone had their part to play in “Operation: Rescue Simon,” and once they set aside their differences in favor of playing to each other’s strengths, it became obvious that this crew had major squad goal potential.

 

5: Episode MVP:

Raphael Santiago: vampire with a conscience.

We got our first look at the character of Raphael Santiago this episode, and he proved himself to be a vampire with a conscience – something that has since been explored and expanded upon throughout the series. He showed off snark as sharp as his fangs when Camille Belcourt kidnapped Simon Lewis and held him hostage for the Mortal Cup, and he realized that the cons in the situation far outweighed the pros. In an episode that was basically “Operation: Rescue Simon,” Raphael deserves to be Episode MVP for actually pulling it off.