I’m very happy we got a character like Lorenzo in the show. He fulfills an important role, which is the peer and yet antagonist warlock to Magnus. But his envy and misperception of Magnus as a person also do wonders to show us a wrong, and yet realistic take on Magnus within the universe of the show.
We, the audience, know all the hardships Magnus went and still goes through. But Magnus makes a point of covering that all up, of putting up a façade of easiness and constant happiness to the world. He only lets his closest friends and chosen family in. We’re used to seeing people love and admire Magnus. Even fear him. The ones that didn’t, until now, were Shadowhunters: biased, self-aggrandizing Shadowhunters.
This is the first time we’re getting a Downworlder that doesn’t like Magnus. Lorenzo looks at Magnus and sees the façade Magnus has built. He sees Magnus Bane, the confident, carefree, powerful warlock who has it all and will drink to it. Oh, Magnus Bane? Of course he will help you, he has all the answers, all the contacts. Wanna know a secret? His demonic father is a Prince of Hell, the strongest of them! That’s why Magnus is so powerful! Isn’t it amazing?
Lorenzo resents that. Of course he does, Lorenzo doesn’t have it “easy”. He wasn’t born with stronger-than-average magic. He can’t afford to drop everything and help everyone that comes to him. It’s the classic case of someone dismissing a person’s success because “they were born with a gift. I got to the same position because I worked hard, they just had to show up.”
Lorenzo doesn’t see all the hardwork, all the struggles. And he shouldn’t. Magnus’ life is none of Lorenzo’s business. It’s great that Alec doesn’t deal with Lorenzo by saying “oh, no. Magnus struggles too” or lists all the instances when that happened. No. Instead, what broke through Lorenzo’s envy was Alec equating himself to Lorenzo in a different regard. It was finding common ground not in a competition of who suffered more, but in how devastating it is to lose the person you love.
Lorenzo might never find out just how much Magnus worked for and struggled with to become the person he is. But it doesn’t matter. Magnus doesn’t owe Lorenzo, or anyone, an explanation. He also doesn’t need Lorenzo’s admiration or admission of error. What Magnus needs from Lorenzo are basic respect and fair treatment. They owe to each other that, regardless of their misperceptions or opinions.
That’s an interesting storyline.
