The innate simplicity of love: an intense feeling of deep affection. When broken down, however, love becomes a little more complicated.
The Greeks categorized love in four different ways: philia was friendship, expressed variously as loyalty to friends and brotherly love; agápe was the selfless, altruistic love often experienced by a parent, and was considered the purest form of love as it is used by Christians to express unconditional love of God for his children; storge was an affectionate love that grows slowly out of friendship and is based more on similar interests and commitment to one another rather than passion, and can be considered for relationships within the family; and eros was romantic, passionate love with strong physical and/or emotional attraction and feelings of euphoria. Plato does not talk of physical attraction as a necessary part of love, and the modern Greek word erotas means intimate love.
When considering a show like Shadowhunters where they convey the varied simplicities and the complexities of love, we can see that no type of love is stronger than the other, and that all love – in any form – is a powerful force.
It’s love that makes you fight harder for what you want, and in Shadowhunters, nothing exemplifies this more than the varied facets of familial love. Through the character of Valentine Morgenstern, we see a twisted monster trying to wipe out a race of people. His biological children, as well as the adoptive one he raised, mattered little to him except to serve a certain purpose. In comparison, Lilith, the Mother of Demons and Queen of Edom, was prepared to raise hell for her chosen son. She is perhaps one of the more recognizable mother figures on the show from the moment we meet her.
Lilith vows to resurrect her son. (Freeform/Ben Mark Holzberg)
When we first meet Maryse Lightwood, she is a firm and distant mother to her children who believes in duty above all else, even her children’s lives. However, as her marriage breaks down and her children begin to push back, we see her transform into a loving mother with a much closer relationship with her children. Alec Lightwood’s coming out was the water that got the wheel rolling, and from there, her walls fell down around her children. These three parents also expose a more real-world interpretation of parenting – Valentine is selfish; Lilith is determined; Maryse is changing.
Shadowhunters also explores the bond between chosen family, too. With the Lightwood siblings – including their adopted brother, Jace Herondale – we see possibly one of the strongest bonds in the show. The three revolve around each other, and their relationship transcends childhood and adulthood with the defining phrase, “Three go in, three come out,” perfectly summing up the bond. The idea of having a chosen family is also explored in Luke Garroway, Simon Lewis, and Clary Fairchild’s relationship; Magnus Bane and Raphael Santiago’s; and even Magnus and Catarina Loss’. The bonds holding them together do not break when times are tough, and it is a nice reminder that family can be found and relied upon to stand by you whether bound by blood or not.
Magnus and Alec embrace. (Freeform/John Medland)
Between Magnus and Alec, we see a powerful connection, communication, and acceptance. Over time we are shown how deeply they love each other and the difficult process you go through when learning to accept yourself and your partner. Malec not only serves as a brilliant example of LGBTQIA+ representation but also of one where honesty prevails and ultimately makes them stronger because of it. For Magnus, his shame about his cat eyes and his parentage are openly embraced by Alec and done so in such a way as to make Magnus feel comfortable being himself. Alec’s, “They’re beautiful, you’re beautiful,” provides the reassurance we often find ourselves wanting from a partner. Alec has spent his whole life hiding and feeling like he’s never good enough, and Magnus gives him the confidence in himself and in the strength of his will. The honesty between the two is admirable in a relationship.
Clary and Jace together define the undeniable spark and attraction of discovering love. This spark is intertwined into the fabric of their relationship, even as “siblings” they continued to fight for one another. They love each other deeply and unconditionally. They embody the Grecian idea of eros as a passionate attraction; but we have yet to really see the deeper, everyday aspects of their relationship (a.k.a. not life or death). This is something we do see with Simon and Maia Roberts, which serves as another example of the various valid presentations of love. Their relationship developed out of friendship, as they found understanding and reliability with one another when times were difficult – like with Simon’s Yom Kippur family meal. The pair truly look after each other – the scene where Maia was kissing Simon’s Mark of Cain (and then his entire face) was incredibly sweet and tender.
Clary and Jace. (Freeform/John Medland)
With Raphael Santiago, we see a rare representation of asexuality on television. Raphael’s revelation to Isabelle Lightwood is simple and straightforward, he isn’t ashamed. Isabelle doesn’t initially understand, but later on, we see her realize and understand what he meant; it’s a wonderful moment for those who identify as asexual due to the lack of representation the orientation faces. The different variations of love allows viewers to enjoy each individual relationship for its quirks and not get bored by any similarity. It also serves as a reminder that there is no one way to love: any version is as valid and is just as special.
On Shadowhunters, we also see the development from a friendship to a more intimate, romantic love. In the context of Simon and Isabelle, we can perhaps consider them a blossoming love – quite like Luke and Maryse. We know they are poised to develop into something more, but for now, we have seen them as reliable, self-assured friends. Throughout the past three seasons, we’ve seen Simon and Isabelle supporting each other through kidnappings, family drama, and catastrophe. The seeds for something more are buried, germinating in a long winter, and the sprouts are just beginning to emerge. A vibrant green, coming more and more alive with every passing day. They’ll be worth the wait.
Shadowhunters, instead of presenting love through rose-tinted glasses, shows us a rich tapestry of which we are all familiar. Some pure, some ugly, and some genuinely beautiful. The shapes muddling into a fantastic blur of color the way only love can make them do. What we ultimately see is love in its truest form; it’s varied, layered, complicated, and messy. Love is imperfect, but still, it transforms and shapes us. We hope that when people look back on Shadowhunters and what it stood for, they’ll think about the reminder it served that love makes you stronger.
Shadowhunters returns with Season 3B starting Monday, February 25, 2019 on Freeform.
