In this week’s episode of Freeform’s ‘Shadowhunters’, Downworlder-Shadowhunter relationships were tested when Jace put his trust in the Clave’s orders.

Photo credit: Freeform, acquired from Freeform Press Site

It was impossible to ignore the political themes in Season 2, Episode 13 of Shadowhunters, “Those of Demon Blood.” Despite the urban fantasy elements and fictitious groups within the Shadow World, the parallels to our current political climate were both relevant and appropriate. In the show’s universe, tensions have been high between Shadowhunters and Downworlders for centuries, and even the name “Downworlder”, which groups Seelies, warlocks, vampires and werewolves together, carries a negative connotation.

More recently in the series though, Jace Wayland/Herondale was manipulated into activating the Soul-Sword, making him responsible for a massacre amongst the Downworlders who had come to fight in the Institute. In “Those of Demon Blood,” one of the Seelies took it upon herself to get revenge for the loss of her brother and murdered several Shadowhunters, torturing them and leaving them to be found in the streets. Aware of the message she wanted to send, she framed various Downworlder groups in the process, causing the Clave and other Shadowhunters to stereotype, profile, and dehumanize Downworlders, with Shadowhunters using self-defense as rationale for their actions.

It was no coincidence that the relationships shown in the episode were all Shadowhunter-Downworlder. Alec and Magnus are in a steady relationship, as are Clary and Simon, but we also saw Izzy reunited with Raphael, and the somewhat shocking hook-up between Jace and Maia (I’m here for it while we wait out #Clace tbh). Luke was blamed by the Inquisitor for Shadowhunter murders, and when Jace and Alec arrived at the Jade Wolf to bring Luke back to the Institute, Jace made it clear that he would obey the commands of the Clave to help protect Shadowhunters (even though he completely mistrusted the Clave’s intentions only one episode ago).

In the episode, Alec, Clary, and Jace were each confronted by Downworlders about the true intentions of the Clave. The initial reason the Shadowhunter group wanted to collect DNA samples was to prove innocence amongst their friends and lovers, but Simon’s speech to Clary about his Bubbie Helen and her survival during the Holocaust in occupied Poland prompted Clary to understand the significance of what she had asked Simon to do. Magnus complied when Alec asked for a strand of hair, but it was clear that Magnus felt betrayed. And when Jace informed Maia that he would be planting a GPS tracking chip in her neck, she made his intentions public and used physical force to protect herself and fight against the GPS implant, a symbol of her inferior status.

Yes, Jace was torn between “following his gut” and earning the respect he craved from his grandmother, and yes, he was unsure of how to be a proper leader after being appointed as Head of the Institute, but his elitism, profiling, and lack of empathy was surprising, particularly when he allowed Simon and Maia to be put in a jail cells just because of their blood, when they hadn’t done anything wrong. Maia had even confronted Jace about his racism, voicing the parallel between how she’s treated by mundanes for the color of her skin and by Shadowhunters for her status as a werewolf.

After “evil grandma” returned to Idris, Jace did start to gain back his ethics and sense of integrity, promptly naming Alec Lightwood as his successor to lead the NY Institute. Jace went to Maia to remove the GPS tracker, and things got steamy fast, but it seems as though Jace’s loyalties have been reset. Alec also apologized to Magnus for having asked for DNA, and they shared a sweet scene together on the balcony in Brooklyn. The episode ended with Simon paying tribute to the Downworld in his first solo Rock Solid Panda performance (and we caught another glimpse of Sizzy).

The political and social statements presented to the audience in “Those of Demon Blood” felt timely and purposeful. Some of the arc was rushed, and we weren’t aware that the removal of a dehumanizing GPS tracker could be a turn-on, but the episode’s themes were significant and we hope that the series can continue to address relevant social issues in future episodes.

Shadowhunters returns Monday, June 26 at 8/7 on Freeform and on the Freeform App with “The Fair Folk.” Be sure to follow Shadowhunters on Twitter to join in the #ShadowhuntersChat each Monday.