For book fans watching the small screen adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, there were some noticeable changes in tonight’s episode of Shadowhunters. While most of the changes worked within the framework of the established series, some left us asking, “Where does it go from here?”
Given the change in the timeline for some characters, it is obvious that certain aspects of the story will be changing. The first sign of this was when we were introduced to Dot as a clerk in Jocelyn’s store. In the novels, Dot is Clary and Jocelyn’s neighbor, who holds an important item as well as hides a portal in her apartment.
In this episode, we see Dot open a portal that takes Clary to Luke, much like in the novel, and we do get a glimpse of the item that is hidden. However, Dot is killed in this episode, not once but twice, as she comes back as a demon. Most of the important things that happen with Dot in the novel are somewhat covered in the episode. The only thing missing is a scene in which Clary and Jace visit Dot and travel through a portal to Luke’s shop, which doesn’t exist in this adaptation.
Another interesting change was with Valentine, the show’s big bad. In the books, Valentine is a fairly elusive character and the Circle is not working out in the open. They were dismantled long ago and several of the Circle members were punished. Both the Circle and Valentine live in the shadows until late in the first novel and Valentine is scary as the villain. From the few scenes we get with Valentine this episode, he seems a little like a mad scientist with idiotic lackeys. Seriously, could they be any more incompetent?
Given that the Circle is known from the beginning, it will be interesting to see where Shadowhunters takes this plotline. There is also the fact that Circle members are collecting mundane (human) blood, which is not something they do in the novel. It seems Valentine is keeping something captive in his lair, which, oddly, is in Chernobyl. Our guess would be Valentine is trying to create an army in more than one way and is somehow using mundane blood to feed them. Hopefully in the next few episodes we will get more information about his devious plan.
What do you think will happen with Valentine during this season of ‘Shadowhunters’?
And what did you think of the series premiere on a whole?
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.