Vampires, seelies and hook-ups, oh my! Shadowhunters delivered these and so much more in its epic third episode, appropriately titled “Dead Man’s Party”. Once again, this episode was a fast-paced blast full of supernatural intrigue and revelations. This time, it’s all about Operation Save Simon, who, in the last episode, unwittingly found himself in the hands of a clan of vampires out to get the Mortal Cup. In an effort to rescue him, Clary, Jace, Alec and Isabelle have to utilize all of their resources. As a result, new layers of the Shadow World are exposed. We learn about vampires, seelies/fairies, all of whom are apparently half-angel and half-demon. We also finally learn that Shadowhunters themselves are part-angel, something that will prove to be very important later on in the show.

In addition, we are introduced to some new and exciting characters, in particular the seelie Meliorn (Jade Haussone), the vampire Raphael (David Castro) and the vampire Camille (Kaitlyn Leeb). I have to commend the casting directors for their choices in regard to these characters, as each of the actors managed to capture the essence of their characters brilliantly. In particular, I loved every scene with David Castro, whose boyish good looks combined with his dangerous edge was truly a sight to behold. I really hope that we see more of all of them in future episodes.

As a whole, this episode was a fitting follow-up to the two previous ones, further expanding the Shadowhunters universe while also adding more depth to the relationships between the characters. The best words to describe this episode is emotionally charged; the tension between the characters, and in regard to the outcome of the mission, was palpable in nearly every scene. In fact, there were so many emotionally charged scenes in this episode that it’s almost impossible to pinpoint the five best ones. However, in the sections below, I’ve endeavored to do just that. Here are my choices for the Five Best Moments for the third episode of Shadowhunters, “Dead Man’s Party”.

Simon Throws Knives like a Ninja (And Ruins Raphael’s New Jacket)

This scene features everything that I love about Simon, especially Alberto Rosende’s portrayal of him. He is nervous yet still sarcastic, even in the face of danger. In addition, his scenes with David Castro are pure gold. You can sense Raphael’s exasperation, annoyance and amusement toward Simon, as well as a potential fondness which could lead to interesting things in the future. Is it wrong to ship these two? I’m asking for a friend….

Jace Helps Clary Harness Her Inner Shadowhunter (And Sexual Tension Ensues)

Watching Jace begin to teach Clary how to be a Shadowhunter made me swoon for more than one reason. For starters, the chemistry between Kat McNamara and Dominic Sherwood is incredible, and there is an intimacy about this scene that foreshadows things to come. Moreover, we get to see Jace let his walls down a little more, something that he has a difficult time doing. Given that Clace is the OTP of The Mortal Instruments—and are destined to be the OTP of Shadowhunters—this scene is incredibly important, since it showcases just how much they are drawn to each other. More importantly, however, we see Clary begin to grow into the badass Shadowhunter that she’s destined to be.

Jace Reveals that He and Alec are Parabatai (And Shippers Squeal)

So, this was actually a moment that I had been waiting for since the premiere episode. Jace and Alec being parabatai is the most significant facet of their relationship and helps explain why Alec has such a hard time accepting Clary into their lives. Being parabatai means a closeness that few relationships can rival. As Jace says, “In battle, our hearts beat as one. If one of us were to die, a piece of the other would die as well.” With this in mind, it’s no wonder that Alec resents Jace’s attachment to Clary; even if he wasn’t in love with Jace, he probably wouldn’t be so keen on the idea of someone infringing on that bond. Furthermore, Clary eventually uses the fact that Jace and Alec are parabatai as a way to help Jace understand her feelings toward Simon.

Izzy Interrogates Meliorn (And Gets Up Close and Personal)

I first want to say that Emeraude Toubia perfectly embodied Isabelle in this scene. She’s sexy, confident and completely in control, which is how I always imagined Izzy to be. In a lot of ways, she reminds me of Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer; her beauty has an edge to it, both alluring and dangerous. In her scenes with Meliorn, she uses it as a weapon, enticing him into giving her information. She’s completely in charge of her sexuality, a fact that is refreshing even in this day and age. I hope we see more of this Izzy going forward.

Jace and Clary Steal a Vamp Bike (And Go for a Joyride)

I thoroughly enjoyed all of Clary and Jace’s scenes in the vamp bar, but this one stood out from all of the rest for several reasons. First, my heart skipped a beat when Jace called Clary “his girl”; that’s not a moment that I’ll be forgetting anytime soon. Second, watching Jace punch out the vampire flirting with Clary gave me a thrill because, well, OTP. Lastly, the special effects used for the bike ride were impressive without being overdone. I especially liked the use of blurred lights to indicate that they were going at warp speed. In all honesty, Jace being on a motorcycle would be reason enough for this scene to be featured on this list, but add in the special effects, and it’s truly a magic moment.

Honorable Mention

Simon Babbles (And Ends Up Frozen)

In all truth, every scene featuring vampires in this episode was excellent, but this scene really showcased the chemistry between Alberto Rosende (Simon), Kaitlyn Leeb (Camille) and David Castro (Raphael). They play so well off of each other, infusing humor into this scene without compromising the fact that Simon is clearly in danger. In addition, we get a sense that, for all of his babbling and fidgeting, Simon fascinates the two vampires—something which doesn’t bode well for Simon’s future as a mundane.