#sh s2b

Shadowhunters Season 2b:- Alec Lightwood and Isabelle Lightwood

Hello all, I’m bored doing housework today and recently I’ve seen a lot of discussion around the final Malec arc in s2. The main issue seems to be whether or not it would have been appropriate to have Magnus apologize to Alec… Now, I already put my 2 cents in on this. I think Magnus should have at least expressed regret for walking away from Alec, twice, but I also get that in the heat of the moment, sometimes it’s best to just walk away.

However, I would like to point out that this whole thing was done conveniently from a writer’s stand-point to create a bit of drama for our boys at the end of the season. It wasn’t done with a ton of care, and this is why I think it’s hard to know what “the right thing” would have been when shit goes down in this way.  “the right thing” isn’t always “the same thing” for two people… so let’s break this down… (if I missed anything important to this plot, please let me know)

At the end of 2A we, as the audience, see Clary deactivate the Soul Sword but in the ensuing battle with Valentine, the sword is lost. The Audience then sees a dark, hooded figure walking away with the sword.  (210)

The next we hear about the sword, if I remember correctly, is a sideway comment about how the Clave recovered it after Valentine was brought in. (211?)

At the end of (2.16) Alec is informed by his father that the Clave lied, the Soul Sword is still lost

In (2.17) we see Magnus bring dinner to Alec’s office, they enjoy a meal together - Alec doesn’t share the new information regarding the Soul Sword, though he clearly knows he should - Magnus spent the day in Downworlder meetings defending Alec as the new Head Of the New York Institute and his promise of “total transparency”

Next we see Magnus at his loft where Luke is waiting with the fire message from Cleophas informing her brother that the escaped Valentine possess the Soul Sword

Prompt the fight:: at first Magnus seems certain that Alec doesn’t know about this but he quickly changes his tune and confronts his boyfriend. Alec uses all the same excuses we’ve heard from the Shadowhunters before (didn’t want to create panic, didn’t want the downworlders to cause chaos, didn’t want to appear bias, didn’t want to put his boyfriend in this position, etc.) these are all valid reasons from the standpoint of a leader. But not a partner… Magnus has every right to be upset. This information threatens his entire world, his life and the lives of all the people he’s sworn to protect. Also, the Shadowhunters are once again insisting that they need to protect the Downworlders from themselves, which is never ok.

However, this is the part where it gets dodgy for me (much like the vampires being able to hold Magnus back just by holding his arms in 2.10 or the circle members in 1.13, but I digress) Why did Magnus NEED the Seelie Queen to protect his people? One of the first times we saw him he was portaling his people away from Pandemonium, to protect them from Valentine… so why does he suddenly NEED the Seelie’s protection now? (Spoiler: He doesn’t, this was bullshit)

Anyway, Magnus is given an ultimatum by the Seelie Queen and a time limit to decide, support me and protect the downworld or stand by your shadowhunter boyfriend while your people die.

During this time Max is attacked at the institute and Alec seeks out Magnus’ help, although he knows he has no right to ask for it. - Magnus is distracted by memories of Alec and their time together

Once Max is woken up, Magnus goes to leave and Alec follows, they have a short conversation in which Alec pleads with Magnus to give him another chance but Magnus feels he must sacrifice his personal happiness for his people’s safety. Magnus leaves Alec, though it’s clear he doesn’t want to.

Then we get 2.19 which was just a disaster of petty scenes that make very little sense… The Seelie Queen demands to speak for all the downworlders, but only Magnus follows that. Luke talks to Alec, Raphael talks to Izzy. They all want to help stop Valentine, except for the Seelie Queen, who refuses to help the New York Institute with Magnus playing her lapdog…  Magnus and the warlocks create wards to seal the city, thus preventing Valentine from portaling to Idris to get to Lake Lyn. The Seelies kidnap Maia to get to Simon and the Queen meets with Valentine, portals him to Idris despite her deal with Magnus and the warlocks.

In 2.20 Magnus is once again written as petty,  ignoring Alec standing at his door is not funny or anything expect petty. Clearly he’s being betrayed on all sides right now and he’s pissed but it still wasn’t needed… however, he agrees to help Alec. They fight together to seal the rift, thus protecting the city… then they go to Idris together to find Jace and Clary… then they reconcile  at the after party. The only thing that actually changed since their fight is that Valentine is dead and the mortal instruments are out of action…. (did they leave them in the lake? Did the angel take them? Is there a lady in Lake Lyn who got some cool gifts?)