Shadowhunters 3×07, “Salt in the Wound,” does exactly what the title promises — adds that extra bit of hurt in an already brutal season.

The writers have not been holding back when it comes to ensuring that the gravity of this season is felt. And in Shadowhunters 3×07, “Salt in the Wound” the cinematography, direction, and episode structure all come together to deliver what is perhaps the heaviest episode of the season thus far.

Opening on the heels of the events from 3×06, “Window into an Empty Room,” Clary and the Owl, in the form of Jace, come to throws. In the season premiere we saw Clary and Jace training at the Institute. Music backing the scene was light, but carried an edge. It flowed with their perfectly timed moves, but also allowed for Jace’s mishap — when he accidentally nicks Clary — to invoke silence.

That silence is employed here in a much more powerful way. Edited without a backing track, every blow lands that much harder. Clary’s plea for Jace to come through, even for a second, makes you feel some semblance of hope as the Owl holds Clary of the ledge of the rooftop.

So as the music swells, Shadowhunters reminds us that this is no longer forgiving, it is not easy, and it is not stepping into the light any time soon. Clary must hear the words from Jace, “I don’t love you, not anymore.” There isn’t a light in his eyes, no glimmer of hope, not even an flicker of recognition. Just emptiness.

Good on Dominic Sherwood. It’s impeccably acted and he plays off of Katherine McNamara‘s desperation so brilliantly. The scene sends chills down my spine.

And what really drives the moment home is the knowledge that even if Jace were able to come through in that moment, overpower the Owl, those words are still true.

All of that happens in the first minute (YES MINUTE) of the episode. Writer Celeste Vasquez and director Joshua Butler are not messing around.

Responsibility and guilt are two huge themes looming over this chapter of the Shadowhunters season. At some point in “Salt in the Wound” nearly everyone entertains the thought of, “What if I were never in this person’s life?” Clary says it aloud. But I’m sure that Luke feels that pull of responsibility when he sees a possessed Ollie. Jordan, certainly feels it when he looks at Maia.

From the reveal of Jordan and Maia’s origin story, Magnus and his relation to his own powers, Clary and her actions at Lake Lyn, it appears that everything comes to a head in this episode.

While it seems like a lot, “Salt in the Wound” is able to strike a balance where each of the stories not only is told, but felt.

Transformation: A retrospective

As a lifetime resident of the Jersey shore (no, not that Jersey shore… but not too far from it), let me first say that surfing any major waves is not exactly a hobby one can sustain for long. So, Maia and Jordan’s romantic plan to run away and surf elsewhere is well founded.

Moving away from my own personal love (and qualms) about their residency choices, how beautiful and touching was their relationship? Long days on the shore, dreaming of life far, far away.

Of course, becoming a werewolf will put a damper on any relationship. Jordan tries desperately to translate his Downworlder struggles into mundane issues as to not reveal his new nature.

Maia’s decision to stay around New Jersey, go to college (RU!), and build her career sets him off. What about the life they dreamt about in Fiji? How dare she use logic and reason against him!

Maia is all he has, so to him, losing her is the equivalent of losing everything. But keeping her in the dark proves to be worse than trying to explain his actual condition. Without a pack to help him, one of Jordan’s turns results in Maia’s own transformation.

We see him in his most exposed for, looming over her body as he takes him what his actions resulted in. Fear envelops him and instead of sticking around to help her through this new and confusing life, he runs.

There is a parallel that exists here that adds an extra layer to Jordan fleeing Maia. Not two scenes before, Maia leans into the new life Jordan was paving for her in the wake of her brother’s death. One that allowed her to imagine possibilities and a future. It is one that is blissful and a little scary.

But then when everything shifts and that future becomes challenging and scary, Jordan runs. He has seen the future he just accidentally gave Maia and cannot bare to witness the consequences of that.

If we know one thing about Maia, it’s that she is fiercely loyal and a fighter. With Luke’s help, she took control her new life, went to school, learned to understand the power that a protector and family offers her. And with that empowerment, she faces Jordan.

It’s great that you found a version of redemption for you, But if you’re here to ask me for my forgiveness, that’s not something I can do. — Maia

I’m so grateful that Jordan and Maia have this moment together. Too many times, situations like these fester, turn into a sob story for the man who did something wrong and runs. Typically, all is forgiven.

But we have Maia, a heroine for herself. She takes this moment not to say all is forgiven and not to issue penance, but to speak her truth and leave it at that. Sometimes sorry and actions are not enough to right a wrong immediately.

Magnus Bane (and Jace) must break free of the box

I touched on the gutting direction of the opening scene, but there is one more that comes in a close second — Jace’s murder of Imogen. The only living family Jace has left now lies in a pool of her own blood.

Again, I’ve talked about this before in last week’s Worry Report, but should Jace comes out of this, should they get him detached from the Owl, what is going to be left of his character. It is going to be a long, hard road ahead for our dear Shadowhunter.

While Jace needs to break from the Malachi Configuration, Magnus needs to break from the box he’s trapped himself in. Taking on the blame for Jace’s current love-lacking predicament, Magnus lets that overpower his ability to see a way out.

It’s not exactly comforting to see Magnus in this type of funk, but considering the events that are weighing on him right now, it’s a miracle this spiral hasn’t come sooner. Think about it — losing the position of High Warlock, Alec going off like a loose canon, greater demons the likes of which he cannot recognize entering the city — he has a lot piling up.

He hasn’t had much time to process the first event, let alone the most recent realizations of the last 24 hours. But now, with the Owl in his living room thanks to a timely portal creation by Clary, perhaps thinking on the fly will help his cause. Less dwelling, more action.

A life for a life

Jace may have thrown Clary off the roof at the top of the episode, but she throws herself into prison for even the chance to save his life. In a way it feels like Clary been’s trying to get herself imprisoned for the entire season.

Bearing the secret behind Jace’s return has been exhausting, especially as she watched Jace spiral into a being beyond recognition. And now, she’s seeing that her wish, her choice, has resulted in Jace being used as a weapon against everything she wanted to bring him back to.

Now a prisoner, Clary’s choice to isolate herself from the situation gives Jace the best chance for survival. She is fully entertaining the idea, “What if I was not in Jace’s life?”

—

Stray Observations

1. Simon and Luke playing Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard is an AU episode I’d sign up to watch. I love the callbacks to their long relationship with the take your kid to work day line.
2. While I don’t exactly buy that Izzy is over Clary using the wish, her ability to push that aside and be there for Clary is quite touching.
3. Clary calling Simon to come help her ?. I miss these two, but I’m also enjoying how Simon is currently handling everything being thrown at him. The jokes are still there, but it is in his insistence that he can stay with Clary or simply sit quietly and listen to Maia, where his full character comes to light.

‘Shadowhunters’ 3×08 preview

What was that teaser? Jace may not feel anything for Clary anymore, but breaking him free from the Owl will still leave the core of his person in tact. And that person loves his only remaining family — Alec and Izzy. But will they kill him?

Shadowhunters season 3, episode 8, “A Heart of Darkness,” airs Tuesday, May 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET on Freeform.