Let’s look at the Downworlder’s first - Luke and Magnus go to the Seelie Queen to agree that, yeah, the Clave is the Worst in every way and we totally can’t trust them. Downworlders need to unite to face off against Valentine because the Clave absolutely cannot be trusted to do the right thing and they do evil all the time
Also the Seelie Queen thinks that the Claves rules are terrible and they should ignore them.
Luke says hell no and asks to back off a little because uniting and war against the Clave are two different things. I would consider this if it weren’t for the fact that Luke has never ever ever ever ever ever thought of his Pack first, second, third or, hell, is it even in his top 10 priorities? If he had to murder every last member of his Pack so Clary can be slightly happier? He’d do it.
Magnus is more torn - basically he pretty much agrees entirely with the Seelie queen but he also loves Alec. His entire species vs his love life: the Seelie Queen gives him some time to decide. Also you’re with her or against her. Also she’s a creepy child.
Why wasn’t Raphael invited? Don’t they want the vampires on side as well?
Maia and Simon are having a really sweet romantic date involving paddle boats and duck murder when they run across a guy being attacked by a werewolf. The werewolf leaves and they get his victim, Bartholomew Valasquez who, for some gods unknown reason which may just be summed up as Shadowhunters goes by the name Bat. He is really bad injured and would quite like a hospital and a rabies shot, with option for a priest.
Instead they take him back to the Chinese restaurant and meet up with Luke (who runs into his partner Ollie and her partner - romantically - Sam who are checking out the restaurant. I hail the same sex couple, hope they actually get a storyline and not dead. I’m less convinced on the latter because they bug the place so they can hear Luke talk about werewolves). Maia tells Luke that Russell is back in town - the werewolf who took half the pack with him to Philadelphia after Luke go so many of them killed - and Luke goes to find him leaving them to deal with Bat
Bat is obviously freaking out a little but he does start changing. Maia and Simon lock him in when restraints don’t seem to work and get a whooooooole lot of food ready for when he changes. Maia also tells Simon the very emotional story about how she was turned including how it has left her with a lot of issues about trusting people and relationships. Simon understands but is still continuing the relationship and they have more sweet fun couply stuff
While Luke goes and hunts down Russell and says nope, no rule breaking recruiting humans and they will fight for leadership of the back. Luke wins, and decides to change the rules so he doesn’t have to change Russel and it’s almost hilarious that he says this no 10 minutes after arguing in favour of rules. Everyone hails Luke and the new pack leader and he has a big speech for them.
Ok, but is this it? Ok Luke can fight. But the issue has never been about Luke being tough or dangerous or strong. The issue is whether he gives a shit about the Pack. This is why Russell left. This is why Maia called him out on multiple occasions: Luke has shown zero investment in his own pack and an outright willingness to ignore or sacrifice them in favour of the Shadowhunters. Defeating Russell doesn’t actually change that.
I suppose we need to catch up on the Clave
So Jonathan smacks Max down but doesn’t kill him because he’s interrupted. It would have taken him 5 minutes to snap the kid’s neck.
Instead he hides him and attends a briefing while Alec tells everyone that they have the mirror and it is well guarded. Jonathan, posing as Sebastian asks where it is but Alex continues to have the show’s one brain cell and decides not to do that.
Izzy finds the injured Max and everyone rushes him to the infirmary. They also find the box used to track Jonathan so realise he’s in the institute, possibly hiding in plain site in disguise! Time to put the institute on lockdown and search it. Jonathan also checks in with Clary about how much she wants him dead: it’s now very very very much
Ok I’m not sure how they plan to search it given they’ve just acknowledged he’s in disguise, but at least he can’t leave.
Jonathan does question the guards, using nasty threats and distractions and lots of killing and does manage to get his hands on the mirror. As he tries to leave he finds Clary has figured out a test for everyone leaving the Institute - she remembers Valentine’s journal saying Jonathan can’t stand the touch of electrum because of demon blood and he’s burned to the bone because of it - so everyone has to handle some electrum to get out
Jonathan seems to pass the test, holding it in a closed fist and not showing any reaction but Clary, showing a shocking level of sense, finds it odd he doesn’t show his hands and chases him to see the burn he was hiding. Busted. Jonathan rants about Edom and how he’s totally into pain but not explaining why his glamour can hide his flayed skin but not a burn. He and Clary fight but she manages to use a super rune to escape - he also flees but without the mirror.
Back to Max, Alec and Magnus. Magnus has been having flahsback memories to Alec all day which is nice because it shows us parts of their relationship- well, any of their relationship - which we haven’t seen before. The director needs shooting though - so much space between them all the time, and there’s a making out scene which seems to involve more time pushing foreheads together than it does kissing
Dear writers, gay men are not bighorn sheep.
It would also help if it wasn’t a sign of yet another rift between them.
Magnus comes when Alec asks for help with Max and warlock and Silent Brother woo-woo is used. Of course Max survives.
After which Alec tries to apologise to Magnus noting that whatever happens they always come back together - which would be more romantic if it didn’t underscore that they’re always being driven apart. Magnus acknowledges his love- but walks away, holding the Seelie Queen’s flower. He loves Alec but he is the leader of the Warlocks and his love for Alec is getting in the way of that
Aaargh I’m torn. On the one side I’m really annoyed that Magnus and Alec’s relationship has constant barriers, is rarely seen and then briefly and has terrible direction when it comes to actual affection and would love to see it actually become a thing. At the same time, Magnus the servile warlock is up there with Luke throwing his pack under the bus with things that annoy me.
Back to Clary who decides to use her mega runes to depower the mirror so it can’t be used - and it turns to dust. Everyone frowns because this doesn’t make sense- sure Clary is this specialist special one who ever wore the Mary Sue crown, but destroying angelic artefacts is a bit much.
But then she remembers visions she had (because of said specialist special one) and realises that the most obscure and hidden of the Mortal Instruments, the mirror, is Lake Lin in Idris.
Can I just say that they just said that the mirror is the most hidden of the Mortal Instruments. It’s a lake. It appears on maps. The others are a cup and a sword but the most hidden is a map. It has GPS co-ordinates. Clary fell into it by accident. Valentine has property on the banks
