Following last week’s packed episode, Shadowhunters brought the tone and pace right back down to something a little more intimate. Despite a few main plots in play, “Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen” was essentially a love letter to Malec’s story so far, and it provided some gorgeous, long-awaited insight into their connection and how star-crossed in nature it can be.
Jonathan attacked Max and left him for dead, but when Max was discovered, Jonathan had to cover his tracks and retrieve the Mortal Mirror before he could be identified. It didn’t prove easy with the residents of the Institute closing ranks around him, especially when Clary followed a hunch and set a trap to single him out. His failed attempt had him running, and Clary deactivated the Mirror’s power, only to realize it was a ruse for the real thing – Lake Lyn.
Magnus and Luke aligned with the Seelie Queen’s plan to unite the Downworld, though developed cold feet over her desire to break allegiance with the Clave. Luke correctly put the blame of their recent hardships where it’s due – with Valentine – while Magnus took personally the Queen’s message about the importance of his people over the importance of his own heart. After reliving prominent memories of his time with Alec, Magnus ruled in favor of being the dependable Downworld leader others need him to be, and effectively broke up with his Shadowhunter love.
Meanwhile, Luke had to deal to a former wayward pack member following an attack on a young mundane man, Bartholomew “Bat” Velasquez, and Maia and Simon returned from their paddle boat date and spent the remainder of the night learning more about each other as they tried to help Bat through his first full moon.
The Seelie Queen seems to be getting a tad impatient, and it’s starting to look like whatever she has in mind isn’t the diplomatic solution Downworlders like Luke and Magnus are looking for. Her outright manipulations and her easy dismissal of the Accords smell of a power play in the cards – and I have a sneaking suspicion that it isn’t going to benefit anyone but herself.
Against all canon, Max survived his confrontation with Jonathan. It’s a little disappointing (I kinda wanted to see him go), but had he been killed off, that would have been way too much drama for one episode and might have upstaged the perfect beauty of Magnus’ story this week. And I wouldn’t change that for anything.
Watching Jonathan having to quickly adapt and work on the fly as he was hunted within the Institute was exciting to see. Getting to see him panicking was fun, and a healthy reminder than he’s capable of feeling fear. The tentativeness and sensitivities Will Tudor portrayed last week were completely gone, and as soon as the truth came out, he seemed to morph into this in-between being – the slithery, vile monster wearing Sebastian’s face. Dude gave me the creeps.
Simon and Maia’s side of the story had a Monster-of-the-Week vibe, which I believe the show’s overall timeline could benefit more from. Their recent pattern of getting substantial screen time away from the Shadowhunter side of things also gives me hope that we’ll see more Downworlder plots. *Cough*LukeandMagnus*cough*.
Alisha Wainwright effortlessly portrayed Maia’s complexities once again as she took a leap of faith and opened up to Simon about the harrowing story of how she became a werewolf and why she has major trust issues – her ex-boyfriend Jordan, someone she loved and trusted, was responsible for her turning. Alberto Rosende softly shined as Simon did what he does best – listens, sympathizes, and supports – and his unconditional acceptance encouraged Maia closer. He also seems to be moving on from Clary quite successfully. She, in turn, hasn’t had any contact with him for a couple of episodes now. I’m gonna assume some time has passed.
We got to see Luke kind of finally embrace his Downworlder title. To me, he’s been almost resistant to the natural order of pack life, possibly due to viewing them through the lens of his Shadowhunter upbringing, or at least through the lens of the betrayal that put him here in the first place. The animal nature of his peers and the absurdity of rules like ‘fighting to the death’ are things he’s been continuously trying to redefine, and his humility this time earned him the acceptance and respect of those who deemed his leadership weak for the same reason. It was great seeing that family mentality of the pack be restored and I’m looking forward to the great things Luke will be able to achieve now that his pack stands loyal behind him.
Magnus went down memory lane to one of his first interactions with Alec (the morning after their night of cocktail drinking) and remembered the unexplainable trust they had in one another – despite their differences, despite knowing nothing of each other – and how that unexpected connection was the catalyst from which they grew. Seeing Alec again as a guarded, wary, closeted young man was a bit of a shock, as was Magnus’ former prickliness. The use of the word ‘Shadowhunter’ emphasized the racial line between them and the opposite sides they were on, but it contrasted wonderfully with how far they’ve both come since and how their individual presence in each other’s lives has gently guided them toward that transition.
Their first (I say “first” because it shouldn’t be their last) long-awaited love scene – a flashback to their first time together – was giddy, giggly, and warm with mutual happiness at getting to explore their physical connection. Magnus clearly expected that the reveal of his warlock mark would give his Shadowhunter love pause – that they only endeared Alec further reaffirmed him as someone Magnus could safely give his heart to. Getting to see them just be in a way we haven’t before was absolutely magical. The overwhelming joy of this scene made my heart so incredibly full. This is what we’ve been waiting for.
In the morning after, Magnus confessed in part what he fears most – having something, someone to lose. That wistful, beautiful, music-framed transition between offered comfort, sunny optimism, and cold truth brought home the realization that the blissful naivety they experience alone together isn’t sustainable, and that despite how in love they are, they have their own responsibilities. Magnus recognized Alec’s own ability to retain his duties as a son, brother, Shadowhunter even when they’re in their own bubble. In doing so, Magnus realized he hasn’t been doing the same. And in their current climate of possible war, that’s something he can no longer afford to do.
The choice between selfishly keeping hold of something he wants for himself or doing what needs to be done for the good of his people is a tough one. What makes the choice hard is that Alec means so much more to him than he originally bargained for. That they love each other deeply and don’t wish to separate makes their breakup all the more heartbreaking. That there were no lies, secrets, or petty mind games involved for drama’s sake, I am eternally grateful. No one wants to see these two part ways, no matter how temporary (and it is temporary, y’all know this shit is endgame), but the issue of being on different sides of a divide is a big one that the show has touched on more and more recently, and they’ve been too busy falling in love to address it. They’ve acknowledged before that they are different, that it would require effort to make it work, and they’ve hit road-bumps since then that they’ve steamrolled with the power of their feelings for each other. But this is a snag that love alone can’t fix – it needs patience and time to figure out. If you’re gonna break up Malec, this is exactly the way to do it – respectfully, maturely, lovingly, reluctantly. This side of the story was devastating and stunning in its beauty, and it broke me in the best way.
We’ve had bits and pieces of Malec’s journey ever since they met in Season 1 – important bits and pieces of course – but they’ve been scattered like crumbs on a path. I’ve been a little hard on the portrayal of this relationship because, up until this point, while it has been building healthily, it’s felt more like a series of political statements and less like two people simply falling in love. This episode showed us clearly why they fell in love and gave us something relatable to connect with – the very human hope of being accepted as we are, and the freedom that comes from that. This part of their story has been prominent for a while, but the screen time they’ve had so far simply hasn’t allowed the room to explore that connection outside of their big statement moments. “Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen” filled that gaping hole.
The show produces its best episodes when it’s emphasizing the emotional journey of its characters, and this episode got deep. The Lightwood family coming together in a time of need provided multiple windows for emotional performances – Emeraude Toubia’s helpless Isabelle as she held Max’s hand, Dominic Sherwood’s shaken Jace as he received that awful text message, the way Matthew Daddario made Alec seem so small and young as he panicked over Brother Enoch taking the reins. Seeing the Lightwoods waiting outside the infirmary in tatters brought a very real human element to these – oftentimes – dutiful, emotionless soldiers of the Clave.
Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario really stole the show and proved how capable they are at pulling off the deeper connection of Magnus and Alec’s love when given the time and space (and writing) to do it. Their chemistry shifted to suit their multiple settings – electric during their Season 1 flashback, sparkly in the others, and well-worn in their present time troubles. Not an easy thing to achieve. Harry’s gradual descent into Magnus’ dawning heartbreak throughout the episode brought wonderful swells of sorrow, and Matthew’s devastation as Alec felt Magnus slipping through his fingers really brought Harry’s work home in that final scene. This was a big, big step in the right direction for how the show presents this relationship and one I hope they’re invested in pushing. There’s never been a safer television network to do it for.
I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that Jamie Gorenberg has a knack for writing characters in very human ways. Her dialogue is the most organic on this show – effortlessly charming, powerful, biting, and full of heart – and it strips away the frame of the show and allows us to connect deeper with our characters. The visuals she presents know how to push the right buttons and her writing is so fearless in how it goes for the emotional jugular. I particularly loved the detailing of the precious things Magnus held in his hands over the course of the episode and the memories they triggered – the rose, his omamori charm, Alec’s hands themselves. This was a beautiful episode and a deeply personal exploration of human vulnerability. It will be incredibly hard for the show to beat, but boy, do I want to see it try.
The show’s most recent directors have produced some snappy visuals, but Amanda Row’s work here felt intimately focussed on the emotions of the story, something that had me holding Joshua Butler’s wonderful work in “By the Light of Dawn” in high regard. Sure, she did all the cool things, but her framing of each face and their emotional beats helped drill home the heart of it. Her use of color to set the mood and the way she gave emphasis to the smaller movements of the performances deepened the tone of each scene. She has a fabulous eye for saying the unsaid. Malec’s flashbacks weren’t rushed, and with the information of the scenes being largely dependant on the emotions and visuals, seeing them receive the time to let them play out was liberating. The way she let the camera soak in each touch gave the emotion of their moments greater impact – another luxury they haven’t really been afforded before. The importance of Malec’s story here was clearly filmed by someone who cared for them and I couldn’t be more thankful. I can’t wait to see her return.
I hope what this episode has achieved here becomes the standard because when the show really digs into the human stories beneath its supernatural elements, magic happens. This was a wonderfully envisioned chapter of Shadowhunters, one I connected with deeply and will return to and enjoy for seasons to come.
Shadowhunters airs Mondays 8/7c on Freeform and Tuesdays internationally on Netflix.
