I will be completely honest and admit that villainous characters in TV and film fascinate me. Everything they do and say is with complete conviction because, in their minds, they truly believe they are doing the right thing. Since we always see them through the eyes of our heroes, we immediately start rooting against them.
Don’t get me wrong, some villains are just pure evil. However, others are complex individuals with their own set of morals. One such villain that exemplifies this is none other than Valentine Morgenstern.
Over the last two seasons of Shadowhunters, we have gotten to see the man, the myth, the legend Alan Van Sprang bring Valentine Morgenstern to life. Yes, I know what you are going to say, “How can you possibly like someone who wants to destroy the entire Downworld? ” Believe me, I’m right there with you – I will protect Magnus Bane at all costs. But I must give credit where credit is due.
With that being said, here are just a few of Valentine’s most memorable moments.
Alternate Universe Valentine
In 1×10 “This World Inverted,” we got a glimpse into an alternate dimension. A world where our OTP’s Sizzy and Clace are full-on canon, Alec is chasing Magnus, and Valentine is…a great dad. In this dimension, the grass does appear to be greener on the other side. We get to see him happily in love with Jocelyn and being a supportive father to Clary. Not to mention that this version of Valentine throws great themed parties!
This alternate dimension allowed us to see the possible man Valentine could have been. I will admit, it was strange to see the good man that lies deep, deep beneath the surface. But I can also see how a few wrong choices could turn this normal guy into the Valentine we have come to know today.
Valentine Confesses to Jace
In the mid-season finale “By the Light of Dawn,” Valentine faced off with Jace after activating the Soul Sword. During this intense showdown, Jace confronted Valentine and got more answers than he bargained for. With the Mortal Sword in both of their hands, neither was able to tell a lie. Jace was immediately taken aback when Valentine decided to confess that Jace is not his son and that Clary is not his sister.
Even though he did confess the truth to Jace, you know there had to be some alternative motives behind it. Valentine is the king of psychological warfare when it comes to his “children” and his loyal followers. One can only assume that this truth bomb was dropped to cause a rift between Jace and Clary – which we got to see play out in episode 2×11 “Mea Maxima Culpa.”
The Valentine and Magnus Body Swap
When it comes to a character like Valentine, one feeling I never thought I’d feel for him was sympathy. However, in episode 2×12 “You Are Not Your Own,” many of us caught ourselves feeling sorry for him. Sort of. Before the greater demon Azazel escaped the Institute, he decided to have a little fun by body swapping our beloved Magnus Bane and Valentine.
Alan Van Sprang and Harry Shum Jr. were superb as they embodied one another’s characters and mannerisms. The amazing performance of Magnus Bane inside Valentine’s body made us feel something for the villain. The real Valentine, however, was trapped inside Magnus Bane’s body. I’ll admit it was pretty funny seeing the real Valentine being cradled by Alec. Talk about awkward.
Some might say that this could technically be considered a “Magnus Bane moment,” but Alan’s performance was absolutely incredible. And because of that, this moment made the list.
Valentine Spends Some Quality Time with Jonathan/Sebastian
When it comes to Will Tudor and Alan Van Sprang in a scene together, it’s incredibly hard to choose just one moment. But if there has to be one that stands out above the rest, it would have to be in episode 2×16 “Day of Atonement.” This face-off between Valentine and Sebastian/Jonathan was definitely one for the books. Jonathan captured Valentine and held him captive in the basement of his childhood home, a cabin deep in Idris’ Brocelind Forest. Throughout this episode, we see Valentine play a psychological game with Jonathan.
Jonathan is hell-bent on exacting revenge on his father for sending him away to Edom as a child, but by the end of the episode, he’d let his father live. It’s no coincidence that every time Valentine’s back is up against the wall and his life hangs in the balance, he always seems to find a way to turn the tables. Bravo.
Valentine found a way to tap into Jonathan’s need for approval and took on the proud father role. In the end, his ability to adapt saved his life and allowed him to gain his son’s trust.
Valentine Kidnaps Simon
In the mid-season finale “By the Light of Dawn,” Valentine infiltrated the Institute and held Simon hostage. In an attempt to motivate Clary to come to the Institute to activate the Soul Sword, Valentine threatened to kill Simon (when he grabbed that sword and did that to Simon…oh, I screamed). His ruthlessness only proved that Valentine will go to any lengths to get what he wants – no matter who gets caught in the crossfire. Poor Simon.
The Fall of Valentine
In the epic Season 2B finale “Beside Still Water,” Valentine killed Jace and used the Mortal Instruments to raise the Angel Raziel. He asked Raziel to destroy all Downworlders and all Nephilim who protect them. Thankfully, Clary freed herself just in time to stop him before it is too late. Blinded by being so close to achieving his mission, Valentine came to the conclusion that he had to kill Clary, too. However, Clary put up one hell of a fight and before Valentine knew it, Clary grabbed his knife and killed him. At the hands of his beloved Clarissa, Valentine finally met his end…hail and farewell.
With an incredible actor like Alan Van Sprang as Valentine Morgenstern, I’m sure there are a lot more creepy, badass moments that made you say, “Damn.” So let us know what your favorite Valentine moments have been!
Shadowhunters will return with Season 3 in early 2018.
