The series finale of Shadowhunters aired last night, and boy was it an epic one! This is a great case of the writers listening to the fans while also staying true to the source material! Spoilers ahead, so don’t read further if you’ve for whatever reason not watched it yet.
We left off with Magnus going to Edom to close the rift. Down there, he runs into Lilith, who tries to get Magnus to let her go back to earth to “kill” Jonathan. He refuses, so she starts building a demon army to destroy him. Meanwhile, Alec is tirelessly trying to find a way to get to Magnus or bring him back because he’s got a wedding to plan!
Sizzy finally happens, but the Heavenly Fire shrapnel Izzy took to the back last week has infused her body with it, so she literally burst into flames when Simon kissed her! She decides with this ability to go to Edom herself, since the others would die. Naturally, everyone was upset when they found out, so Clary comes up with an “Alliance” rune so that downworlders and shadowhunters can bond and travel to Edom together. That means we get a rag-tag team of Alec and Loenzo(?!), Clary and Simon, and Jace and Meliorn (hilarious truth-telling ensues).
They finally locate Magnus and Izzy, then band together to wield the Heavenly Fire and destroy Lilith. All that Heavenly Fire starts to destroy Edom, so they manage to portal back to the Institute just in time! While all that is happening, the Sealie Queen decides to side herself up with Jonathan as he transforms into “a God.” With his newfound demon powers he is able to destroy all living things with the switch of his black eyes.
Some very side story lines include Maia being pack leader and leaving to go connect with her family. Also, Luke injects himself with the Heavenly Fire and ends up reverting back to his old Shadowhunter self, rather than full human. The Preator wants to use him as a spy, but he shuts them down real quick. Sort of blah story lines, but a nice and necessary way to tie up their journey.
A smooth transition into the next, and final chapter is Malec finally planning their wedding…for that very night! But so much can happen in a day! Clary gets a visit from her mother with a message from Raizel: stop making up runes or she’ll be stripped of them. A tough ultimatum considering Jonathan has begun his wrath by killing all shadowhunters at other Institutes, including LA, where Izzy and Alec’s father and brother reside.
Clary decides that only she alone can defeat Jonathan with a showdown, or talk down rather, in the streets. He finally hears what he’s been waiting to hear from Clary all along: that she loves him. And I truly believe she meant it, but she also knows he needs to be stopped. In one final act of bravery, or as Raziel would see it, defiance, she draws a rune that gives her wings that ultimately kills Jonathan.
All is well in the world now, so the wedding goes off perfectly without a hitch! But while all that is happening, Clary’s runes are starting to disappear. In a tearful farewell to Jace, she then voices over a letter to him telling him that her memories of the Shadow World will be gone soon, but she will always love him. Wow! Did not see that coming!
The very last bit is a one year flash forward, seeing all Shadowhunters and Downworlders working together seamlessly. Alec is now the Inquisitor while Magnus’ business is booming; they have a sweet call back scene to the first season. Maia is opening her own restaurant, Simon and Izzy are still going strong, and Simon has been training with Jace. Meanwhile, in his spare time, Jace stalks watches Clary live her life at the Brooklyn Art Institute since she can no longer see him. But in the best way possible it ends with Clary recognizing Jace and being able to see his runes. Love conquers all people!
This show is too good to not be a show any more, but if I can’t have it, I’m glad with how Shadowhunters wrapped it up. So long and farewell, Angels.