Clary and Alec are still not feeling each other at all. When Alec learns that Clary communicated with Valentine through the portal shard that her mother gave her, to say that he's not impressed is to state it lightly. Alec demands to know the details of what Clary found and when she cannot remember much, he is quick to state that they will never get anywhere with only 3 1/2 Shadowhunters. Yep, that's Alec making sure that Clary knows that she isn't one of them. This is also particularly important because he clearly feels that Clary is coming between him and his one true love Jace.
Alec is still very upset that the memory of the one he loved the most is Jace and when he tried taking it up with Jace, Jace naturally assumed that it's because they are parabatti. It's clear that Alec is trying to tell Jace that there's more going on but he never quite builds up the courage. Not to worry though, Clary takes time out in search for the Mortal Cup, to inform Alec that she knows he's gay and is in love with Jace. The confrontation in the book is actually far more horrible than that portrayed in the television show, so I suppose I should thank someone for small mercies. Alec may be in love with Jace but clearly Magnus Banes has plans for Alce, though he believes that Alec is playing hard to get.
This episode we meet Maryse, Isabelle and Alec's mother. Clary is stunned when Maryse doesn't greet her daughter with a hug but embraces Jace with complete warmth. It quickly becomes clear that Maryse doesn't approve of Isabelle's relationship with a seelie. It very much reads like slut shaming. It seems that dating a downworlder is not approved of and Maryse makes sure her daughter knows it. Even though Isabele's relationship means that she can learn more about what is going on in the seelie court, for Maryse, that's no excuse to colour outside of the lines. People apparently need to know their place and keep their knees together.
This week Luke finally gets into the mix. At the station Alaric and Luke realise that humans with the sight are seeing vampires and werewolves. They interpret this as Valentine building an army to get the Mortal Cup. Here's the deal, everyone that Valentine has sent after Clary thus far has failed miserably therefore, I'm still not buying the idea that Valentine is to be feared. He hasn't found anyone competent to hire yet as far as I can tell. It seems the werewolves want the cup because they are tired of the Shadowhunters throwing their supposed superiority around. Given what Alec and Jace are like, I kind of side with the werewolves on this point. At any rate, the werewolves kidnap Clary and Simon, who has gone all super powered nerd because he's clearly becoming a vampire. Luke arrives and finally gets Clary to trust him by taking on the alpha and winning. Unfortunately, the bite of an alpha is deadly and so Luke's life is in peril.
Luke claims that he made a promise to always protect Clary. Jace breaks all kinds of rules to help Clary and by extension, Alec and Isabelle. There seems to be nothing that Simon won't do for Clary either. It's only five episodes in and we have people endangering themselves and sacrificing themselves for Clary left right and center and the writers have not bothered to explain to us what makes Clary so special. Yes, she might know where the mortal cup is but beyond that why exactly are all these people invested in her? I had really hoped that this was one part of the story that the show would move away from but apparently it's full speed ahead. Super special protagonist is super special just because doesn't work in any story, no matter how many times they try to sell it.
Nothing much happened in this epsiode. Clary remembered a box possibly containing her father's things and the Mortal Cup. They manage to get it from the floor boards of her now burned out home. We spent an hour watching for that. Nothing even remotely forward moving happened this episode. Clary and Simon got kidnapped again, Alec still cannot admit his love for Jace, Jace is in denial about Alec's feelings for him and Isabelle got slut shamed. Nothing happened. Not even a little deviation from the original source material to make the show slightly interesting. Five episodes in and this was basically a filler episode.
The ratings continue to dip for this show and really, it's not a surprise. The acting continues to be horrible and the whole thing just feel dialed in. If this actually gets a second season, I for one will be shocked.
