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In “Those of Demon Blood ,” a serial killer aims for revenge

A serial killer is targeting Shadowhunters all over New York. Dead Shadowhunters were found in different parts of the city and the main suspects were the Downworlders. Without having any proof against anyone specific, the Clave decided that they have the right to track down their every move from now on. This decision was not well received by the Downworld, who showed how much they wanted to start an uprising. We saw our favorite characters dealing with the situation in different ways. Alec visited Magnus and asked him for a piece of hair as he needed his DNA to register him as a Downworlder that could be trusted. This, as expected, was taken as an insult by his boyfriend who, after giving him what he wanted, threw him out of his house.

Imogen Herondale told Jace she wants him to be in charge of the New York Institute, but he insisted that Alec was a better fit for the position. And after his grandmother went back to Idris, he gave up the position to Alec. After Clary was almost a victim of the killer, Simon refused to leave her side at the Institute, which was not well received by the Inquisitor. Simon was thrown into a cell in the Institute as a punishment for his behavior. And after Maia was seen as a suspect of a Shadowhunter’s murder, they imprisoned her too. Things definitely started to get out of control as many people acted by their impulses and by fear. Let’s not wait any more time and discuss the main events from “Those of Demon Blood.” But first, meet the people composing this week’s roundtable:

Stacey (@StaceyONeale) – YA Fantasy Author and Writer for TVAD.

Devanshi (@NephilimUpdates Twitter / Instagram) – Admin for Shadowhunters Updates

ShumDario News (@shumdarionews) – Update account about Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario.

Ana (@baneandlewis) – Graphic Designer, Shadowhunters fan, and Contributor for TV After Dark.

1. Jace struggled to distinguish between making the right thing and disappointing his grandmother. Is disagreeing with the Clave’s way of handling things going to create a problem for their relationship?

Stacey (@StaceyONeale): Definitely! Jace doesn’t follow the rules. That’s bound to create friction. He’s always going to follow his gut, and his new relationship with Imogen isn’t going to change who he is. Grandma has her work cut out for her.

Devanshi (@nephilimupdates): Jace was giving a new leading role, it seems that Jace wasn’t very comfortable with making the hard discussions and works better when he has to rely on pure instinct. He is a soldier, not a leader. Imogen and Clave are set in their ways which need to evolve with time. It will create problems with Imogen, but then again maybe her grandson may be the only person who can convince her that her ways are wrong and outdated.

ShumDario News (@shumdarionews): We feel Jace will probably face some amount of backlash from the Clave by going against their orders, which in turn will probably cause some friction in his relationship with his grandmother. Although she seems so enamored with him at this point she might be willing to overlook his rebellious nature. She appeared to be quite proud of the fact that he was stubborn like his mother. Jace might be given more slack as far as any insubordination goes just because of his name and how happy his Imogen seems to be to have him in her life. Hopefully, he can use this position to increase awareness of the injustices being shown to Downworlders and also help Alec lead the way for the younger generation of Shadowhunters who want to see the old prejudices end.

Ana (@baneandlewis): Seeing how Imogen behave, their difference of opinions is going to surely going to affect their new relationship. Clearly, the Inquisitor is someone who believes that her opinions are the ones that should be followed, no matter what. We’re not sure if she could ever change her way of thinking, no matter if her grandson is the one trying to change it. Hopefully, we’ll see them talking things out in future episodes.

2. Magnus and Alec seem to be learning that talking is key in a relationship’s success. But we can’t help thinking that they still need to have a conversation to hash things out. How do you feel about how things worked out at the end?

Stacey: I don’t feel like they’re in a good place at the moment. Magnus is still recovering from the torture and Alec isn’t doing much to help him. Insisting that he gave the Clave a hair sample only made things worse. Alec eventually came to his senses, but I don’t feel like he’s a good partner. You could argue it’s his lack of relationship experience. I can accept that argument. But at this stage in their relationship, I’d expect him to be more in tune with what Magnus needs.

Devanshi: There is a lot Magnus and Alec need to talk about, and it feels like their conversations haven’t had enough time. The Valentine Swap and the past were just ignored by Magnus. I personally feel that though we know they are in love, we still haven’t been shown that they are in love and are falling in love more with every day. I would love to see the trust and relationship grow, see more casual (domestic) and passionate interactions. Magnus was angry with Alec’s request and maybe a little more dialogue would have helped subside the anger and resolve the issue better.

ShumDario News: We think Alec realized that the way he handled things with Magnus and the whole DNA debacle was wrong. They’re both still learning to trust each other and this was the type of argument that will only make their love stronger. So in the end, we think things turned out great and we got a really lovely moment between the two, which we absolutely loved. Especially since it was the only Male scene in the episode that had not been spoiled before it aired. However, we still think that there will be more trouble coming their way as the season progresses. They will definitely have to talk about what happened to Magnus when he was tortured as well as deal with these horrible memories of his past that he’s kept buried for such a long time.

Ana: I feel like there is still so much that hasn’t been discussed between the two of them. Magnus is clearly still affected by what happened when he was tortured and he is trying not to show it. Magnus needs to express himself, his worries and why he feels the way he feels. Disagreements can’t be easily solved with a few sentences, they need to have a proper long conversation. I still feel they are both closed off in some ways. Hopefully, we’ll see them open up with each others more, before things start to get more complicated.

3. Simon realized that vampires are starting to look up to him, believing that being a Daylighter shows he is worth being the leader of a vampire clan. How do you think Raphael will take this?

Stacey: Not well. LOL! Raphael has had problems with Simon since the moment they met. And I’m pretty sure he’s the last human he wanted to be a vampire. Simon’s new fame is only going to add additional tension to their relationship. Poor, Raphael. I feel for him. I love Simon, but he can be a pain in the butt sometimes.

Devanshi: Raphael cared about the fledgling but he doesn’t like Shadowhunters and it seems that the more Simon is around, the more his life gets entwined with them. He also feels that Simon doesn’t care about vampires just about Shadowhunters (or rather Clary). Raphael is angry with a literal newbie who comes out of nowhere and gets powers that every vampire wants. He somehow feels that Simon didn’t deserve the “blessing” he has been given. To add fuel to the fire, Simon approached Rosa. Raphael will not be happy about it.

ShumDario News: Raphael probably won’t be pleased when he learns about all of this extra fame and attention Simon is getting, even though he knows Simon has no interest in challenging him for leadership. But there’s little doubt Raphael will be jealous and possibly threatened by Simon’s growing popularity. Raphael may decide to take matters into his own hands, which could turn very bad for Simon in the end.

Ana: Raphael is probably going to be hurt by this. He has been their leader for years now. How can someone who doesn’t really follow the vampire lifestyle be worh of following? Raphael and Simon already have problems, they don’t need to add any more. I think it’s time for both of them to really talk things out. Hopefully Simon can make it clear letting him know being a vampire leader is not on his plans. I don’t expect them to be friends, but it would be nice if they could make amends at least for a few episodes.

4. Maia is slowly learning that not all the Shadowhunters are as bad as she thought they were. After seeing her and Jace hooking up at the end of the episode, what do you think is in store for both of them? Is this the start of a relationship or it’s more like a fling?

Stacey: Don’t bother shipping this one, folks. Jace and Maia were a one-time fling. Maia knows that Jace wants to be with Clary. And I think she still has feelings for Simon. I honestly don’t see either character wanting to pursue a relationship. But who could blame her for wanting to hookup with Jace? I mean, come on. That guy is seriously hot. 😀

Devanshi: It seems more of a fling as we know Clace will happen eventually (soon). Maia and Jace both hold a candle for Simon and Clary who seem to be blind to anyone else but each other. It felt like a good way for them to blow off some steam. Jace can’t be expected to wait around forever, can he? At the same time, the “sexy” scene seemed too much as it seemed it’s there only for the sake of a need for a “sexy” scene. (Why isn’t the other couple getting one instead? *cough* Malec *cough*) I loved Jace and Maia bantering through the season. Their scenes have been hilarious and wish that equation doesn’t change much and we see more of them.

ShumDario News: We don’t feel this hook-up between Jace and Maia will lead to any significant relationship between the two. Although it might bridge a bit of the gap between Jace and the Downworlders who don’t really like or trust him. Maia might be able to influence the other werewolves and paint a better picture of Jace in their eyes. Hopefully, this leads to a nice friendship between them because Maia could be a great asset to the Shadowhunters as the story progresses.

Ana: I think it’s just going to be a fling. They do seem to have chemistry but I wouldn’t say it’s a chemistry that can transform in something romantic. It’s clear that both of them have feelings for someone else. But since they can’t be with that person they turned to each other. It will be nice to see them not fighting but I don’t think there is a future for them as a couple.

5. Izzy, Raphael, and Meliorn ended up working together to save Max, proving once again that Downworlders and Shadowhunters can get along and even work together to achieve a common goal. Do you think the Clave will see this as an example of that?

Stacey: Nope. I have zero faith in the Clave. They can’t see anything past their agenda. No matter what the Downworlders do, they will always believe they are superior.

Devanshi: Don’t we all wish the Clave was that smart? Downworlders and Shadowhunters work amazingly well together and both the Shadow World and Downworld function better when there is mutual respect, but the Clave needs something more intense than this to wake them up. Like a knock on their head with a boulder? Or perhaps a new leader.

ShumDario News: We don’t feel it will be easy for the Clave to recognize how great Shadowhunters and Downworlders can work together. They’ll probably only focus on the fact that Max, a student, was put in danger. Isabelle might be reprimanded since she was in charge of his care. We did enjoy seeing this trio though, they were amazing together. And we hope this is only the beginning of Shadowhunters and Downworlders teaming up.

Ana: No matter how many times it’s proven that Shadowhunters and Downworlders can work together, the Clave just won’t listen. It’s hard to change the opinion of a group that acts on traditions and law that is years old. It would take something big for them to realise that they need to be a open minded if they want to really achieve peace.

6. It’s easy to see similarities between what happened in this episode and the current state of the world. Downworlders being judged simply because of being what they are and the Clave wanting to have control over their every move. These events seem a little too familiar, don’t they? What are your thoughts about the writers’ decision to add this to the show?

Stacey: I was very pleased with this episode. The Holocaust story Simon told was a necessary history reminder. I believe the writers wanted to show the correlation between those events and the Muslim registry debate going on right now in the United States. Also, what Maia said about being harassed by the police because she’s black likely resonated with a lot of POC fans. We need more of this writing on television. Media can be used to help people understand and relate to one another. I hope the writers pursue this style of storytelling further.

Devanshi: The episode showed that if the decisions are left to the wrong leader (Imogen/ Clave) the consequences can be dire. The right leadership is very important for the proper and healthy functioning of society. But it also showed that actions of a few can impact the society. When individuals (Alec, Clary, Simon, Maia) voice their opinion and speak up about what’s wrong, it gives the society hope and a wake up call. It’s nice to see that the writers are trying to relate to the current situations. I hope the message is conveyed to those who it needs to be.

ShumDario News: It was a really great choice by the writers! It immediately made the show feel more grown-up, and more grounded in reality. It can be difficult to identify with the problems character’s face in supernatural TV shows like Shadowhunters. But this is something we see every day in the real world and we feel like bringing it into the script makes the show more relevant. Addressing real issues and shining a light on social and political injustices that younger audiences can see and learn from. We felt this was the best episode of the season so far and we hope the writers continue to bring real world problems into the shadow world.

Ana: I think it was a very smart way of merging the worlds together. Sometimes, fiction is so close to real events that it’s scary but worthy of showing. The writers did a great job by translating this in the show. And I’m sure that it made an impact in the viewers already. The way of showing how the situation affected the characters in different ways made it more relatable. And this is a topic that can still be explored way more. I hope the writers continue showing us more of this as the story keeps going on. I’m looking forward to it.

Final Verdict: Episode 2×13 proved just how similar the Shadow World can be to the real world.

This episode touched a topic that is currently very relevant in the world right now, and did it in such an elegant and clear way that we are sure it’s going to impact it’s viewers. That’s what we love about Shadowhunters. Even though it is a supernatural show and talks about many things that don’t exist it also touches topics that are relevant to so many people, people who feel neglected or judged just because of their religion or color of their skin. For an audience that is mostly composed by young people, the show has a great impact. Showing the different ways the characters reacted also proves how these type of situations affects everyone, witness, outsiders and victims. We know there are still so many things the show can work on with this topic, and we sure hope they continue doing so.

We still feel like there are many unfinished things left in each episode. For example, even though we see Magnus and Alec talk in this episode we still feel there is so much more needed to be discussed. Maybe there is an issue with distributing time between so many characters, but we hope the writers can find a way to handle this so that every character can have a proper closure in the problems or situations they experience each week.

The show keeps delivering surprises and jaw dropping moments. With so much still in store, we just know this will continue to be a rollercoaster of emotions for all of us. Next episode promises to include many book references, introducing the Seelie Queen for the first time. Make sure you join us next week and we discuss the most memorable moments from Episode 14!

Shadowhunters airs Mondays at 7/8 on Freeform.