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I did six posts comparing Freeform’s Shadowhunters to every single book of The Mortal Instruments and a lot of my thoughts were already shared in those. But considering I’ve been rewatching it over the last week, ’cause I’m addicted to the show even though it’s over… I thought I would just share some random thoughts or questions I have while watching the show.
- How does Clary end up forgetting about the other dimension not even a few hours later by the show’s timeline? Valentine doesn’t recognize Jace, why would he not recognize his own son? Answer: he’s not your brother. Valentine is lying to you. She remembers immediately afterwards what happened between herself and Jace in that dimension. So why wouldn’t she connect the dots? It’s not like Valentine was honest to begin with to Jace by pretending he was Michael Wayland using a glamour. And again it was only a few hours later, not like a long passage of time.
- The show makes it way more believable that Jace might have demon blood. I mean not really, but more so than the books. The books it basically screams to me “No, you’re foolish to even think that” granted it was only for like a day or so plot wise and no one else knew besides Clary. The show makes it the plot of half a season, everyone just goes with it, and punishes him for it. But still would a demon blooded child teach a falcon using love? No, Jonathan Morgenstern would’ve killed it as an experiment.
- How did Isabelle not hear the real Sebastian Verlac when she spent the night in that apartment in his bedroom where the closet was that Sebastian Verlac was kept? There’s no way he was unconscious that entire time and silent.
- This one isn’t a show thought but I always have it while watching season 2. What was Jonathan doing those years after Jace was brought to the Lightwoods? In the show, he was sent to Edom. But in the book, he wasn’t so what was he doing? There’s no way Valentine just waited around another six years with his son for Jocelyn to appear. Also Valentine used to track members of the Circle with a rune according to the books so why couldn’t he find Jocelyn it’s not like she was behind the wards all of the time? Did he spare his wife of that miniature rune? He didn’t with Jace. So what were they doing? It’s hinted at traveling using pocket dimension apartment, but six years’ worth I don’t think so. What horror did they get involved in?
- Similarly what was show Valentine doing during those eighteen years? We know the first ten he was raising Jonathan and Jace before sending the former to Edom and the latter to the Lightwoods. So there are still eight uncounted years and he didn’t have a pocket dimension apartment to hide in.
- Max should be understanding and loving all of Simon’s nerdy references instead of looking at him blankly. Then again, Max also survives Jonathan’s attack.
- Alec and Magnus have a way better relationship in the show. I mean they still broke up twice but it was sweeter.
- Jace and Clary were not nearly clingy enough towards each other as compared to the books. And take way longer after learning they aren’t siblings to get back together than the book ones did… then again the book Jace and Clary didn’t learn the truth until Valentine raised the angel whereas in the show they learn after Simon is kidnapped by Valentine. But didn’t get together for many episodes, even after the Seelie Court kiss and Clary and Simon break up. Book Jace and Clary would’ve instantly gotten back together. Granted in the books they were also making out when they thought they were siblings, where that didn’t happen in the show.
- The Clave is way worse in the show, I’ve re-read the books twice now and torture or execution of Downworlders is not at all mentioned. Like Aldertree in the books just tries to get Simon to lie, there was no torture. In the show, it’s extremely shown. Including a program where they turn Downworlders into mundanes and Aldertree burns Raphael with concentrated UV light as “motivation”.
- Why were the Seelie Rings not invisible when first used by Hodge and Valentine then Jace, but were invisible when used by Izzy and Simon then Jace and Alec as long as they were alert and conscious? What are the rules of the Seelie Rings in the show?
- Jace is a terrible spy, he is caught on the first day of being with Clary. Book Clary made it like a week before she got caught and wasn’t sent home. Granted Book Jace is “possessed” way longer than show Clary was. So in comparison equal times compared to how much time the other individual was possessed.
- It’s hard not to be a little sympathetic to Jonathan in the show, they paint him way more as a tortured soul rather than as a monster. The books it was easy not to like him, but the show there are points where you just want to give the guy a hug.
- I am extremely glad in the show Jonathan never tries to rape Clary, he might try to kiss her but that’s it. I’m glad they didn’t go there as it happened in the books during City of Lost Souls.
- How in the world did Clary get her childhood sketchbooks? Jocelyn burnt her entire room and the apartment was basically destroyed. She didn’t have any of her things and it wasn’t an object Luke took so just how? It’s great to give Clary more of a connection to Jonathan, but like how did she get her own sketchbooks that were destroyed back?
- Why wasn’t Clary infused with Heavenly Fire as well as Isabelle since they both had the sword stabbed in them at one point? The strands infused Izzy so why didn’t the initial stab infuse Clary? Not that it makes that much of a difference, but still how?
- I’m sad we didn’t get more time in Edom including the cave scene. Not just for Clace but for one of my favorite Alec salt lines as I love some good Alec sass: “I did not make a pie,” Alec repeated, gesturing expressively with one hand, “for three reasons. One, because I do not have any pie ingredients. Two, because I don’t actually know how to make a pie”… “And three?” “Because I am not your bitch.”
- Seelie Jace is everything. 100% love that and the “Boop, Boop” moments during the final training scene between Jace and Simon. Not a question, just a general statement.
- Where is Helen’s family and Emma Carstair? We never see them in the show, but in the books they live at the LA Institute. So did they survive the LA Institute attack or were they not there? Robert and Max were the only survivors in the show. So what happened to those guys?
- The angels are the worst for punishing Clary. In the books, she only had resistance for the necromancy rune. The Alliance Rune the angels didn’t care about at all, nor was she punished for making them… using them. So the angels in the show are just jerks, since they strip her of her runes and memories.
- I think the reason Clary remembered Jace upon seeing him after losing her memories was not only the angels slightly forgiving her, but because Jace technically drank some of her soul thanks to Lilith back at the beginning of season three. So being close to him, like when Jace saved Alec with the parabatai connection, helped bring back that part of her soul that was missing and allows her to start remembering little details. I could be wrong but that’s what I like to think.
- What does the rest of the world think happened when Jonathan literally killed everyone walking down the streets? Did the warlocks wipe their memories of the Shadow World or is everyone aware and just cool with it now?
- Where are all the demons? Like honestly, Raphael in the show is right “For Shadowhunters you don’t seem to do a lot of…Shadow hunting.” In the books, there were a lot of demons. The show you might get one every few episodes if even that. I get CGI budget but come on bring on the hordes of demons.
- Speaking of Raphael, I’m glad he’s mundane at the end of the show and is going to become a priest. That seemed like a great character arc for him. And more than just “kill the daylighter” as he was in the books.
I could probably go on all day, but I’m going to cut myself off there. I swear I’ll hold off on more Shadowhunters or Mortal Instrument related posts for a while. And go to some of the other shows that I love watching as well. As well as other types of posts.
IF YOU’VE SEEN THE SHOW, WHAT ARE SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS THAT YOU HAD?
Love ya,
Mae Polzine
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