For anything to stand the test of time, the foundation needs to be strong. The same can also be said for relationships. Simon and Isabelle’s relationship – we use this term loosely – has evolved gradually over the last two seasons of Shadowhunters. From the first moment they met each other in episode 1×02 “The Descent into Hell Is Easy,” we immediately wanted our One True Pair “Sizzy” to start dating and live happily ever after. However, as the saying goes, all good things come to those who wait. As much as we want these characters to become a canon couple on the show, Sizzy’s slow burn journey may be vital in ensuring that they are a couple who will be able to survive anything that gets thrown at them and stand the test of time.
Building a Genuine Friendship
Simon and Isabelle have built a supportive, healthy, and non-judgmental friendship over the last two seasons. Despite all they have gone through separately – from Simon becoming a vampire to Isabelle’s yin fen addiction – they’ve made the choice to reach out and be there for one another. Whenever one of them needs advice or help, they don’t hesitate to call on each other: when Isabelle needed advice about throwing Alec’s bachelor party or needed help training her little brother, Max, Simon was right there lending a helping hand, as well as mutually benefiting from Isabelle’s willingness to be a confidant.
In episode 2×12 “You Are Not Your Own,” we were lucky enough to get a few Sizzy moments – and boy, oh boy, did it hit many of us right in the feels. We got to see Simon and Isabelle spend the entire day together – just the two of them taking long walks through the park and roaming New York City! Granted, they were trying to get information to blackmail Raphael, but that’s besides the point. It was something out of a romance film.
Giving these two characters time to build a friendship where they are able to be honest, open, and rely on one another has given them the opportunity to create a strong foundation, one we hope the show will continue to build from.
Exploring Other Relationships
Despite being insanely flirtatious with each other at the beginning of Season 1, Simon and Isabelle have had their eyes too much on other people to be involved romantically with one another. The fact that they have dated or are currently dating other people might also not be a bad thing. Before beginning a new relationship, both individuals have to be single and emotionally available to make it work. From the moment we met Simon, we could all see that he was head over heels in love with his best friend, Clary. Although it started off very one-sided at first, the stars aligned and the two began dating. But after a heartbreaking ordeal in the Seelie Court, Simon and Clary both realized that they were better off as best friends. In the end, their breakup allowed Simon to move on from a very big part of his life and open himself up to meeting new people, like the beautiful Maia Roberts.
For Isabelle, her dating life has been often riddled with messy obstacles. After she broke things off with Meliorn, she soon met new Clave-appointed Head of the Institute, Victor Aldertree. After being injured during a demon attack, Aldertree deceived Isabelle and got her addicted to yin fen, causing Isabelle to spiral out of control. As her need for yin fen continued to intensify, it led her right into the arms of Raphael Santiago, the leader of New York’s largest vampire clan. Despite the fact that Raphael started off trying to help Isabelle deal with her withdrawal symptoms, they both soon fell into their addictions and began a very unhealthy relationship. Isabelle and Raphael’s dangerous co-dependency quickly became detrimental to them both. After receiving help from their loved ones, they both realized that even though they have feelings for each other, it was best for them to go their separate ways.
It is true when people say that the individuals we meet or fall in and out of love with help shape us into the person we are today. The same can be said for Simon and Isabelle. The trials and tribulations they have faced have allowed them to grow and become stronger individuals – all the better to be stronger together when the time finally comes.
Finding Themselves
As we grow older and have new experiences, good and bad, we all start to figure out who we are and who we want to be. Unfortunately for Simon and Isabelle, the road to self-discovery has not been an easy one. Currently, on her journey to recovery, Isabelle is taking time to find herself again by focusing on work, reconnecting with her loved ones, and training her little brother, Max. With the help of attending mundane AA meetings – a suggestion from Simon, having previously dealt with his mother’s alcoholism – Isabelle even found the courage to open up about her battle with addiction to her brother Jace and her mother, Maryse. All the adversity Isabelle has faced over the last two season has definitely shaped the person she has become. But it also speaks volumes to the fact that she is a survivor and a force to be reckoned with.
At the start of the series, Simon thought his biggest worries in life were missing a financial analysis class and booking gigs for his band. But shortly after being thrust into the Shadow World, Simon’s life was turned upside down when he was killed and made into a vampire. This event deeply affected how he saw himself, and it distanced him from his family. After Simon awoke in his new vampire existence, he immediately saw himself as a monster, one who wouldn’t be able to stop himself from hurting those closest to him. With time, Simon found his place within the Downworld, surrounded himself with good friends, reconnected with his Jewish faith, and rebuilt his relationship with his family over a Yom Kippur dinner. Simon has grown tremendously over the last two seasons and never fails to be the guy who will go to the ends of the earth – and the Seelie Court – to help those closest to him.
Since Isabelle and Simon’s first meeting, these two have evolved and changed as individuals. And the fact that Isabelle and Simon have gotten the time to build a genuine friendship and rediscover who they are as individuals has given Sizzy a wonderful foundation to start with. Heading into Season 3, Simon and Isabelle are currently in two different places emotionally, but hopefully, these two find their way to one another. Fingers crossed. That being said, we have a strong feeling that the slow burn of Sizzy will most certainly be worth the wait.
As we wait for the premiere of Season 3, what are some of your favorite Sizzy moments? Let us know over on Twitter!
Shadowhunters is available for streaming via Freeform for U.S. residents and internationally on Netflix. Shadowhunters returns with Season 3 on April 3rd, 2018.
