Shadowhunters: Iron Sisters Recap

Synopsis of 02×06: To help get answers to what Valentine may be planning, Isabelle and Clary are sent on a mission to visit the Iron Sisters. On a mission of their own, Simon and Maia are determined to find Luke who is still missing after the demon attack at the Institute. Meanwhile, Magnus and Alec finally go on their first date.

Can we talk about that moment before the twist, when I almost thought we were going to get another disguise rune reveal? I was so ready to see Cleophas turn into someone else but turns out she’s just a circle member.

I’m curious as to what that means for The Clave and for the shadowhunters because Cleophas was the one who revealed the background of the Soul Sword to Clary. Cleophas didn’t betray the Iron Sisters until after she saw Clary draw that sunshine rune so we can assume that something big has been discovered that requires her to leave the sisterhood and join Valentine again. Man, the Greymark family is not doing too hot this episode.

So again, this episode was divided nicely into three separate plotlines, the main one surrounding Clary and Izzy’s trip to the Citadel, the home of the Iron Sisters. I enjoyed that opening sequence of the Iron Sisters sparring, though the wire work might have been a little bit much. It was a nice look at the Citadel as well as a change of scenery for the show. The arrival at the citadel for Clary and Izzy was definitely a beautiful shot of visual effects.

After beginning to use yin fen last episode, it seems like Izzy’s fallen down a slippery slope. She’s clearly addicted to the drug and shady Aldertree just happens to be her supplier. Clary and Jace search the books for the sunshine rune that Clary drew, but don’t come up with anything and have a hard time hiding it.

Clary decides to go on Izzy’s mission with her and they arrive at the Citadel only to be surrounded by the Sisters who want them to go through a purification test. They know Clary is Valentine’s daughter and suspect her of having demon blood inside of her like Jace does. They put her in a pool of angelic water and she passes the test no problem. But, when Izzy steps in the water turns black and starts turning into a roiling bubble. One of the sisters reveals to Izzy, once Clary is gone, that she knows Izzy is using yin fen. She then reveals that it is vampire venom and that it definitely doesn’t help people, it’s a poison.

Great.

Because Izzy can’t go through the Citadel, Clary must take her place. She is escorted through by Sister Cleophas, who is also Luke’s sister. Cleophas reveals that the Soul Sword has a second secret property in that it can purge the world of demon blood with heavenly light, this basically means genocide. Bye bye, downworlders. I loved the visual effects in this scene as well, when Cleophas revealed the story of the angels on the dome of the citadel.

Clary asks Cleophas about her rune and whether it’s a sign from her mother, but unfortunately, Jocelyn’s no actual angel and Clary doesn’t get what she needs. However, Izzy comes in just in time with a plot-device better hearing rune that lets her eavesdrop on the conversation. She finds out about the rune that Clary drew and sees the effects. However, upon returning to Aldertree and confronting him about the yin fen, she doesn’t reveal to him what she saw. God damn it, Izzy, YOU NEED TO STOP TAKING THIS STUFF.

Meanwhile, after being caught with a rat in hand, Simon has Raphael wipe his mom’s memories. He then goes on the hunt for Luke, who has been missing since Jocelyn’s death. His pack has seemingly given up on him, but Maia hasn’t. She teams up with Simon to go looking for Luke. In the process, the two have some bonding time.

I really like Maia and Simon together, the two of them seem to have a lot in common and in a world where Clary is too preoccupied with the drama of her world and being a shadowhunter, Simon needs someone who won’t toss him aside the next time something incredibly dramatic happens with Valentine. Simon and Maia both lament their downworlder woes and talk about Clary and Jace like old friends while trying to figure out where exactly Luke is. We learn about Maia’s past and how Luke came to help her when she needed him, and we also get another look into the domestic life of Luke, Jocelyn, and Clary from the past when Simon confronts a wolf!Luke with a memory of the four of them camping in the woods.

After the loss of Jocelyn, Luke lost control and let him sadness consume him which ultimately lead him to change without being able to control it. It isn’t until Simon stands in front of him and recalls that memory that he is able to pull Luke back from his wolf form. They head back to the Jade Wolf and Clary comes to reunite with Luke while Simon looks on wistfully. But it looks like Clary’s in for some emotional competition with Simon since he and Maia were looking real cute this episode.

But you want to know who won the cuteness award? That would be Magnus and Alec. Yes, world. We finally got our Malec date and it was AWESOME. I’m not even going to hold back on this, that date was adorable and it was perfect. Magnus emergency calls Alec over but reveals that he had the best intentions and that Alec needs a little R&R, so the two of them go on a date to Hunter’s Moon.

The date starts off a little awkward, with the two of them trying to find their footing around one another in the date. Magnus gets a cocktail, Alec gets an IPA (which, can we tell if he likes them? Because it seems like he hates them, which I will say, same, Alec. Same.) Then the two of them start playing pool. It’s definitely one of the cuter scenes of the episode. Alec starts playing and is naturally pretty good at it because of his archery background. Afraid that he might be showing off a little too much, he misses a hit. It’s great that Magnus then takes over and shows him that he’s not the only one in there who’s good at a game of pool.

It’s all heart eyes and casual drinks until they start talking about their exes. Alec with his one brief ex, Lydia, and Magnus with his exes, all 17,000 of them. And that’s probably a rounded down number. It quickly becomes obvious that they have a big difference in experience. The conversation was inevitable, but the way they played it out was perfect. In what seems to be a ruined date, they walk back to Magnus’ apartment and it seems like the date is over for good.

But of course, things are never that simple and Alec doesn’t care about the past. The two of them share a sweet kiss and accept that their relationship is going to take effort, and they’re ready to make the effort. Guys, let’s just all take that moment and enjoy that.

Enjoy it because Jace is about to interrupt it. That’s right. Our favorite prodigal son has been kicked out of the Institute by Aldertree. He’s spent the episode cleaning off ichor covered shadowhunter blades and getting dirty looks by the other shadowhunters in the Institute. He won’t tell Aldertree about Clary and her runes, and it seems like he’s just about had it. By the end of the episode, he’s turned up at Magnus’ looking for a place to stay.

And if that wasn’t surprising enough, we get hit with the double whammy of Cleophas’ betrayal. What is happening in this show!? Any notion where the season is going as we pass the midway point of the season? Post it in the comments below!