Shadowhunters season 3, episode 16, “Stay With Me,” offered the cast and creative team a platform to showcase why these characters mean so much to them and the audience.
It takes a village to put together Shadowhunters. From pre- to post-production there are hundreds of hands touching the script, footage, music selections, props, etc. But somehow it all comes together at the end of the process, offering fans a series that has nothing but love and care in every nook and cranny.
Take a step back and focus on Shadowhunters’ serialized arc for a second. There’s a bit of a hero’s journey complete with an overarching villain (be it physically manifested, or an emotional battle). Who you choose to fill the shoes of the hero can differ as the season unfolds.
But there is something about Shadowhunters that I love more than the larger story — how the series ties together every individual story under the unity of an episodic themes.
With a leading ensemble of upwards of eight people, it can be hard to get everyone’s storyline touched on each episode. Group scenes, especially ones where everyone comes together are fantastic, but the journey to get them there is where you’ll find the most rewarding elements of the series.
Season 3 in particular has leaned into pulling out more and more specific themes that encompass the episodes. It’s not just “loss” or “grief.” There is a sense of collaboration across departments – wardrobe, lighting, directing, set decoration, writing – to draw out a response to the central question each episode tackles.
Take Shadowhunters season 3, episode 16, “Stay With Me,” for example. Each character featured in the story is ultimately tackling the same question – what happens when you lose a part of yourself?
While what is said on screen and the interactions between characters is an important piece of what will drive the episode, the direction of “Stay With Me” illuminated the undertones. Under the direction of Amanda Row, the script penned by Aisha Porter-Christie brought the reflections of these characters to life.
The shot of Clary in the hallway outside of Magnus’ recovery room, where her reflection splits her in two, another scene where Magnus is getting dressed and looking at himself in the mirror, are great shots of these two characters. In terms of refracted characters, Clary and Magnus are certainly the two strongest examples.
The episode takes us through summoning enemy number one, losing a valuable ally, and shuffling allegiances.
Clary, Lilith, and the monster in between
With the Silent Brothers providing little to no help, Clary is staring down a dark path. Her options include do nothing until they can make a move against Jonathan event though the rune keeps bringing them closer together or summon Lilith from Edom and figure out how to remove the mark. Neither of these options are great, but when push comes to shove, summoning the only person who can provide any context for how Michael and Lucifer were separated is the path the team rallies behind.
Clary’s rune creating ability is tapped into here, in a scene that I think highlights the heart of her story since season 1 – her ability to lean into the unknown. Clary has never once been thrown off course because of uncertainty. She is curious, decisive, and though it sometimes gets her in trouble, she is passionate about moving forward at all costs.
Luckily, she has people around her who are there for her when the boundaries she tries to cross push back. We’ve seen her changing over the last few episodes. Watching her lose control when sparing with Aline and burning her hand in the fire, were nothing compared to the flip in my stomach when she snapped at Simon.
This loss of self and the gap she is falling into is the void that everyone wants to save her from, especially Jace.
Jonathan, traveling to Edom on his own accord, is making an attempt at bridging the gap between himself and the Morningstar Sword. But in order to do that he must face a part of himself that he does not accept – his demon “mother.” Clary may be the life force keeping Jonathan alive, but Lilith’s blood is what brought him to life.
But the scenes between Lilith and Jonathan are awkward, volatile, and certainly unsettling. Jonathan needs to kill Lilith to get the Morningstar sword from the Seelie Queen, but in order to do so, we must watch him play into her hand. But before Jonathan can betray her, Lilith is summoned by Clary.
Unsettling as it was to watch Lilith face Jace again, her precious owl, it was a tad bit uneasy to watch Isabelle twist the blades to torture Lilith into answering questions about the rune. Alas, they get some information, but Jonathan’s arrival sends everything into chaos.
Jonathan is a terrifying force of nature, imagine what he would be capable of with support? Luckily, Clary is able to get him into the Institute, feeding into Lilith’s point about her never loving him or seeing him as her equal. After he is Hannibal Lecter’d up, Jonathan no longer poses a threat to himself or Clary. But his eyes are open and we know exactly what he can do with them.
Malec versus magic
The title of the episode, “Stay With Me,” belongs to the everyone’s favorite couple. While the episode was a tumultuous journey for both Alec and Magnus, it was Matthew Daddario’s vulnerable performance as someone faced with losing his one and only love that stole the episode.
Alec has always felt behind when it comes to keeping pace with Magnus. Second to find love, second to all the firsts of a relationship. And yet, when Alec faces Magnus lying in recovery, he apologizes for being selfish. When Magnus lost his magic, Alec was, of course, concerned for what that meant for his partner. But he also recognized how their partnership settled onto an even trajectory in that moment.
Alec saw a future for them, one where they can grow old and share all the milestones that happen along the way. They could have pancakes and waffles and dancing while realizing together that their bodies might not be able to handle such a lavish lifestyle forever. I do believe that they will be dancing for as long as they are able to. Though I wonder how much Magnus has to teach Alec outside of that fantasy.
I was super excited to write an Alex monologue. And @MatthewDaddario and @AmandaMRow brought it to life beautifully. 😢 I’m not crying — you’re crying 😭 #shadowhunterschat https://t.co/81al89dJX0
— AishaPorterChristie (@NappyThoughtz) April 2, 2019
Beyond Daddario’s smooth moves across the apartment, his best moments in this episode are when he confronts Lorenzo and tries to talk Magnus down from using his magic. He is still portraying Alec the defender – anyone else a bit taken a back (and slightly into) the fact that Alec called Lorenzo a “son of a bitch” when talking to Caterina? – but he softens it to reveal his breaking heart and appeal to the compassion in his enemy.
Kudos to the set decorators for adding elements into Magnus’ former abode (the painting!!) that highlight the parts of Lorenzo we are meant to be put off by, namely his self-serving attitude. And that is exactly what Alec hones in on when he confronts the current High Warlock of Brooklyn. Has Lorenzo ever felt the need to sacrifice for anyone he loves? Has he ever loved?
Lorenzo and Magnus’ rivalry stems from jealousy, it’s purely competitive. Alec finds a way to seek out what little empathy exists in Lorenzo, which comes as a shock to Magnus. Of course, Magnus is going to feel that Lorenzo is coming to take the magic as a power play. Lorenzo likely does feel good about taking away Magnus’ powers, but I’d like to believe that deep down he does feel sorry for Magnus and jealous of what he has waiting for him on the other side of magic – a person who cares so deeply about him.
Magnus is going to need a place to recover, to unwind, and a space to redefine what his life is going to look like in the coming years. There is a sense that his magic will return, especially with the several mentions of his father and his magic in Edom. If Lilith is freed from the prison of Asmodeous’ design (using Magnus’ magic) is there the possibility of its return?
There is no sugar-coating the Malec path that lies ahead. No matter what family ring Alec brings into this scenario, Magnus is in a dark, dark place. Time can heal most wounds, but patience and timing have never been Alec’s strong suit.
Heavenly fire
Off the books of the Clave and into the books of the Cassandra Clare, Heavenly Fire comes into to play quite literally in season 3, episode 16. Whatever is on the drive that Izzy took from the body of the deceased century is going to be the launchpad for the hunt for Glorious, the celestial blade used by Michael.
Isabelle will likely be leading the charge here, which I am greatly looking forward to as she steps into a new phase of her life. With Raphael gone, Isabelle can shed the weight of that phase of her past and move forward empowered by that relationship. Hopefully, this opens the door to a budding friendship with Simon. I think the two of them need each other right now in a way that the people they usually turn to – Alec, Jace, Clary – simply cannot provide.
Simon’s impassioned plea to Cain should not go unnoted in this review. Alberto Rosende’s performance as he gave into everything that Simon has been carrying around – the grief of losing his connection to his family, the memory of feeding on his sister, the pain and sacrifice it took to overcome to Mark of Cain – was incredibly cathartic to witness. Isabelle was in the wings to have his back, but it was Simon who stood up and took stock of the sacrifices he has made and accepted.
“To overcome your demons you have to face them, dead on,” he says to Cain. And Simon definitely took steps here to carry on.
Stray Observations
- Shout out to the fight choreography this episode, the battle between Jonathan and Jace was so great, I had to watch it twice.
- I was pretty pessimistic about the proposal, but I’m not made of stone. That scene of Alec asking Maryse for the ring GUTTED me.
- After centuries of living with the weight of what Lilith forced him into doing, we are supposed to believe that Cain would just go? He must have no time for meddling kids.
- I know I didn’t expand upon it much here, but Luke heading to the Praetor is going to be far more interesting than keeping him locked up talking through the glass. Give us the Maia, Luke, Jordan scenes we deserve!
- “Are you kidding?” – Simon and Jace working together is a gift.
- Sizzy is coming… I pinky swear.
Shadowhunters season 3, episode 17, “Heavenly Fire,” aris Monday, April 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET on Freeform.
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