A barrage of truth bombs were dropped throughout Monday’s midseason finale of Shadowhunters, leaving no character — or fan-favorite couple for that matter — unscathed.
Let’s start with a quick recap the biggest moments: Valentine revealed to Jace that he’s not really Clary’s brother, Simon gained the ability to walk in the sun, Alec and Magnus declared their love for one another, Izzy realized the error of her addictive ways — and in the episode’s final moments, someone made off with the Soul Sword!
Below, showrunners Darren Swimmer and Todd Slavkin answer TVLine’s burning questions about the midseason finale, then preview what’s still to come when the Season 2B premieres on Monday, June 5 (8/7c):
TVLINE | There’s so much to talk about, but for some reason, I want to start with Madzie. How did you manage to turn this adorable child into one of the scariest characters on TV?
[Laughs] Oh, sweet Madzie. I think she’s only four years old! The notion that she’s doing all of this just to be reunited with her nana — the lengths a child will go for a mother figure — was interesting to us. Plus Valentine’s manipulation, that he’s such a sick you-know-what that he’d actually exploit a child’s fear to get what he wants, was super creepy. The Omen is one of our favorite movies, as you can probably tell. … But she did save Alec’s life this week, too. They had a nice moment when they first met, and she remembered him. If you’re nice to her, she remembers.
TVLINE | You mentioned Valentine, so I have to ask about the big Jace-isn’t-his-son reveal. How long will we have to wait for Jace to tell Clary?
Well, it’s complicated. Clary’s in a great relationship with Simon right now, but Jace is Jace, so those feelings that he has will be really hard to contain. The triangle gets super juicy in 2B. … We take the book adaptation super seriously. We know that’s where it goes, but we wanted to give Clary and Simon their time and really dig into it. They’ve got great chemistry. It’s a little sexier with Jace, whereas it’s more sweet with Simon. But it’s two different spices, and we love them both.
TVLINE | And what’s on Simon’s to-do list now that he can walk in the sun?
I think he wants to spend more time with Clary, to do the things they didn’t used to have to think about doing. He can live a normal life now, or at least more normal than before, so you’ll see him going back to his old life. You’ll see Simon Lewis the musician, but you’ll also see that being a Daylighter isn’t without its drawbacks.
TVLINE | I loved Magnus and Alec swapping “I love you”s, but I got the feeling that Alec meant it more than Magnus. Please tell me I’m crazy.
Oh, it was definitely reciprocal. We were intrigued with what happens when someone you love is in grave danger and you think they’re gone, that you’ve lost them. Then, when you realize they’re alive, it shines a light on your true feelings for that person. We thought it was a beautiful moment. Both actors just crushed it together.
TVLINE | Izzy, meanwhile, can’t catch a break in the romance department. Will she be taking some time for herself in 2B?
She definitely has to heal, and we explore that road back in 2B. She becomes the warrior that she always was. … She’s this strong, fierce woman who everyone believes is so tough, so to see addiction from that perspective was interesting. It could happen to any of us. Combining her with Raphael and that strange disfunction in a way brought out the true feelings they have for each other. In 2B, that girl gets her jam back and becomes the Izzy that we know and love.
TVLINE | Lastly, since we know Sebastian is coming in 2B, it is safe to assume he was carrying the Soul Sword in that final shot?
[Laughs] It’s not safe to assume anything! You’ll have to watch 2B to find out the mystery of the sword.
Your thoughts on Monday’s finale? Hopes for 2B? Grade the episode below, then drop a comment with whatever’s on your mind.
