'Shadowhunters' | 'Stronger Than Heaven' S03E05
This episode of 'Shadowhunters' will have you yelling at your TV screen, demanding to know why there is no trust between the team, keeping you on edge until the very end. Safe to say, it is one of the series' best.
SPOILER ALERT!
In 'Stronger Than Heaven', Jace - after admitting he’s in serious trouble, considers visiting the Silent City to get treatment for his psychological issues. Clary is understandably worried, but wants to ask for the help of the angel Ithuriel first, because she still suspects it has something to do with the fact she brought Jace back from the dead. She’s not wrong. Clary then spends the majority of the episode trying to figure out how to summon Ithuriel - without Jace.
Meanwhile, Jace is trying to feel useful and decides to help Simon on his day off, to figure out why someone keeps cancelling his music gigs, and also to find out what that thing on his forehead is; this leads to Simon’s new roommate, Kyle, being outed as a werewolf because, well, that is Simon’s life.
Our big baddie Lilith wants to destroy the hold Clary has over Jace so that she can complete her evil deeds with more success. Going undercover, Lilith visits Magnus to ask for a potion to make someone fall out of love, and it is as ominous as it gets. But she needs a sliver of Clary’s soul to complete the spell, and so is on the hunt for the rest of the episode.
Finally, Alec is struggling with his and Magnus’ relationship after he asks to move in. Magnus asks him to slow down a little, so Alec decides to go through Magnus’ box of memories of past loves. Here he begins to realise the complications in dating someone who is immortal; this of course, leads to a fight, but fizzles out before anyone can really feel comforted.
A highlight of this episode is seeing Jace become the voice of reason, pointing out how convenient finding Simon’s new place was, and telling him to accept all the help he can get. Simon is understandably angry at Kyle for lying to and manipulating him, so he tries to move out. It is also nice to see Jace validate Simon’s feelings, letting him know that he can still be mad about the tactics of which Kyle used. One hopes Jace will use this new found wisdom for his own problems from here out (though it seems unlikely).
Lilith’s evil plan to develop a potion to have Jace fall out of love with Clary had our minds spinning. Would the writers actually go there? What would the consequences be if Lilith pulled it off? All the little moments that built tension in this episode were subtle and brilliant - such as the minor demon accidentally tracking Izzy down because she was wearing one of Clary’s dresses. And of course leaving Lilith’s success over Jace to the very end of the episode, leaving us all on not quite a cliff-hanger but definitely with a sense of dread, is a testament to excellent writing.
Speaking of demons against angels, the scene with Ithuriel is intense and beautiful. Well, until the ripping his heart out as he is about to reveal the name of the big threat of the season and his killer. How does an angel not know he is being snuck up on? Shouldn’t they be able to sense demons and know how much danger they are in? Visually, the special effects are pretty amazing - especially the 360-esque tilt screen moment for when Ithuriel landed near Clary. Subtle but very effective.
Seeing Izzy on her date with the mundane doctor is sweet but a little uncomfortable. We realise just how hard it is for the Shadowhunters to date outside their tribe; and maybe despite the writers' best efforts, there is a huge sense of dread and danger surrounding the doctor. The fact we barely hear his name throughout the past few episodes is a big warning sign, but it is nice to see Izzy being worshipped and cared for outside of her chosen family.
Finally, Alec and Magnus. These are probably the two characters you want to yell at the most during this episode. There is so much tension, and although there is healthy discussion, both are holding back. Watching Alec decide to go through Magnus’s memory box is frustrating and cringeworthy.
It is wonderful to see Alec confess his 'crime' to Magnus and admit how wrong his actions were. It is heartbreaking to see an emotional tug of war between the two, with Alec being serious and Magnus holding back to spare hurt feelings, and then for that dynamic to swap.
Although this hiccup is great in developing their relationship, it is so bad for our hearts as fans. It’s difficult to believe all this actually overtakes the fact Alec wanted to move in with Magnus and he said no. What an episode!
New episodes of 'Shadowhunters' Season 3 air weekly on Netflix.
