Adding memory loss to the mix, Jace’s current state leaves him no choice but to admit that it has turned into something beyond his control

In Shadowhunters 3×04 “Thy Soul Instructed,” Jace’s (Dominic Sherwood) condition keeps getting worse by the minute. While he and Clary (Katherine McNamara) are still denying anything is wrong to others, Alec (Matthew Daddario) keeps insisting they tell him the truth and doesn’t believe them when they don’t. Jace keeps blaming his tiredness on the hard work he is doing trying to find the Owl. But Alec does make Jace wonder if he could have inherited a mental illness from his birth mom, and to get some answers, he goes to Luke (Isaiah Mustafa) to learn more about her last days.

Simon (Alberto Rosende) starts off his search for a new apartment. And while doing it, he meets Kyle (Chai Hansen) who seems to appear at just the right moment. After accompanying Kyle to his place, Simon learns that he is currently looking for a roommate. Although he is not sure of going for it because of his current Mark of Cain problem, after talking with Maia (Alisha Wainwright) he decides to move in and give it a go.

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Meanwhile, at the boat house, Raphael (David Castro) finds Heidi (Tessa Mossey) checking out Simon’s stuff. But when he tries to kill her, she is faster than him and drugs him, leaving him unconscious. Heidi then takes him to a rooftop where he chains him. Which means that when the sun comes up, Raphael will probably die, unable to move and get cover from the sun. Clary and Izzy (Emeraude Toubia) go on a mission of finding the vampire that attacked a mundane in the city, but who they end up finding is the mundane, now a turned newborn vampire, who refuses to tell them where his sire is. After killing him, they hear Raphael screaming for help, and thanks to their Shadowhunters abilities, they are able to find and release him before he gets burned by the sun.

Back at the Institute, Jace wakes up and realizes he doesn’t know how he got there. He tells Clary that he thinks he is losing his mind and both of them realize the situation is beyond control at this point.

The episode ended with an unexpected scene, Lilith (Anna Hopkins) paying a visit to Magnus (Harry Shum Jr). Lilith is obviously up to something, and we are very concerned about what role Magnus has in her plans.

A very eventful episode, as always. Here to discuss the latest episode of Shadowhunters are our roundtable guests:

María (@ShadowhuntersJA) - Shadowhunters Spain Administrator

Sonia (@Shadowhunters.Blood.isnt.Love) - Tireless reader, Fantasy lover, Founder of Shadowhunters “Blood isn’t Love.”

Megan (@TMIronSisters) - prolific reader, aspiring writer, amateur photographer, lover of theatre and a fan of Shadowhunters.

ShadowhuntersLA (@ShadowhuntersLA) - Update/fan account of shadowhunters Latin America.

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

1. In this episode, we met Kyle and Simon ended up moving in with him by the end of the episode. What do you think of this new character so far?

María (@shadowhuntersja): First of all, I really wanted to see him in the show, especially see the chemistry between Simon and him, and I have not been disappointed. I want to see how the relationship between these two develops. I hope that Kyle is a support system for Simon and that he becomes a good friend to him. Although I imagine that Kyle’s past will complicate things, at least at the beginning. We will have to see what are the plans that the Praetor has with Simon and what role Kyle will play in them.

Sonia (@Shadowhunters.Blood.isnt.Love): I really like Chai Hansen as Kyle. He’s a character I was expecting a lot to see in the TV Series and until now he hasn’t disappointed my expectations. The first impact was decidedly positive.

Megan (@TMIronSisters): I think he seems really chilled out - that might have something to do with the fact he’s Australian but if it weren’t for the secret he’s hiding then I’d say he was a pretty sound guy. I’m already really excited about his friendship with Simon. As a reader of the books, I hope they distance show Kyle from book Kyle. Unfortunately, I found it hard to dislike Kyle when I read the books; his past actions and his personality never seemed to align so I hope the show writers can use some of their magic to tweak the story in his favor.

ShadowhuntersLA (@shadowhuntersla): We really love Kyle. He seems to be so sincere and friendly, and the kind of relationship that Simon was waiting for. Also, he can bring some of the normal life that Simon is searching right now. To be honest, after what happened with him on the last few episodes, finding his perfect roommate at the time he needed it the most should make him suspect that it may not have been a simple coincidence. We believe that Kyle is keeping a dark secret related to the Downworld and probably even with the mark that Simon has on his forehead. He seems to be a very charismatic character, but he may be hiding a dark past.

ShumDario News (@shumdarionews): We have some mixed feelings about Kyle. Obviously he is not mundane given the fact that he miraculously healed after crashing into a bunch of trash cans. He also seems really nice and Simon is very happy with his new friend. This is the most normal thing he has had since becoming part of the Downworld. Now whether Kyle actually likes the same stuff Simon does, we don’t know for sure but they seem to get along. Either way we’re excited to see the development and finally some normalcy for Simon – even if it’s not real.

2. After seeing Kyle and Luke talk on the phone, it doesn’t look like bumping into Simon might have been an accident after all. What do you think Kyle meant by saying that Simon “belongs to the Praetor now”?

María: For me, that sentence can have two meanings. One of them is that maybe the Praetor will now be in charge of protecting and caring for a Simon. The other is that Kyle is now in some way responsible for controlling Simon, everything he does, where he goes and with whom he relates to, to prevent that Simon hurts someone again. We have to remember that Simon just hurt a werewolf and a vampire and nobody really knows how that happened, or if that new ability can be controlled. So I think the second option is the most likely because right now Simon and his powers are something unknown, and as it often happens, what is unknown tends to be scary.

Sonia: It’s difficult to answer this question without being influenced by what I know from books. The meeting wasn’t random, it was clearly all planned. I think Kyle means that he’ll take care of Simon, now the vampire is the Praetor’s business and he is no longer a responsibility of Luke.

Megan: Simon’s basically been adopted by a new pack. Kyle basically told Luke that Simon is no longer his problem and that a new group of downworlders will now be looking out for him. From what I know of the Praetor that should be a good thing but Kyle made it sound a little bit intimidating. Whether that was intentional remains to be seen.

ShadowhuntersLA: It was not a coincidence and that call raised too many questions about the real identity of Kyle. We don’t know with certainty why Luke make that movement with Simon, we know that it must be for his own good because Luke is always trying to protect the ones he loves, but can we trust in others to do the same? “The Praetor” sounds like an organization responsible to help downworlders with their problems but Luke should have said something about it to Simon and not kept it a secret. We think that Luke not telling Simon about “The Praetor” and Kyle’s real role might damage the relationship between them because Simon trusts Luke over everything. So this decision might lead to bad consequences.

Shumdario News: It definitely sounds like some kind of downworlder group. The Praetor in the books has a meaning and we don’t know if the writers are following the same storyline as the books, so we can’t be sure of what Kyle is hinting at. What we can say though though, it doesn’t sound like the friendliest group of people but maybe this might be good for Simon. Luke does seem to trust Kyle and Luke usually knows good from bad and we trust Luke.

3. No matter how many times his Parabatai denies it, Alec still suspects that something is wrong with Jace. Seeing how things keep getting worse and worse, should Alec take some desperate measures, like following Jace around, to see what is wrong with him?

María: Well, the situation with the Parabatai is quite complicated. We’ve seen how Alec keeps thinking that something else happened in Lake Lyn with Clary and Jace but nobody confirms or denies anything, and that’s why he still has the feeling that something is wrong with Jace. For his own peace of mind perhaps it would be the right thing to take extreme measures to see what is happening with Jace, but doing that could be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it would help him discover the truth, but he would have to deal with the consequences of that truth. What can he do if he learns that Jace and the Owl are the same people? How can he kill him? Would he hand him over to the Clave? Would he try to find out how to undo the possession? On the other hand, knowing what Clary did by bringing back Jace with the wish of the angel Raziel would put him in trouble, because he would have to decide between confessing everything to the Clave and turn them over, or staying silent and being an accomplice. Hopefully, we’ll see what Alec finally does and how he discovers the truth about everything.

Sonia: This situation is difficult for Alec. He knows that there is something serious with Jace, but he feels powerless because Jace keeps him out (and he isn’t good at lying to Alec). I don’t know, maybe he should put him in a corner, don’t give him peace until Jace speaks.

Megan: I think, knowing Alec, that would be one of his next steps. He knows something suspicious went on at Lake Lyn and he suspects both Clary and Jace are keeping secrets from him. What’s the point of being Head of the Institute and Jace’s Parabatai if he can’t exercise a bit of authority and have Jace followed? It’s for his own good anyway because once Alec finds out his Parabatai is the Owl Demon, he can take steps towards protecting Jace as well as tracking down whoever is possessing him.

ShadowhuntersLA: Alec might reach that extreme because on the last episode he showed us that he has a lot of unresolved questions about what happened in Lake Lynn. He is very concerned about his Parabatai and the explanations that Jace and Clary have given him do not explain why his Parabatai rune disappeared, and that is what makes him so distrustful. In addition, Jace’s mother’s mental illness antecedents can be a reason for Jace’s behavior and that only increases Alec’s concern. We think that he is truly worried about his Parabatai right now.

Shumdario News: Even if Alec were to follow Jace around to find out what exactly is wrong with him, we don’t think that Alec understands how to help him. He’s desperate to help Jace but he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do and it’s eating at him. He wants Jace to talk to him and let him help but he might be afraid that even if Jace says anything, he won’t know what to do. Also, the forces that seem to be working against them this time is infinitely stronger and darker. Alec might not actually have the resources to help Jace.

4. In the last two episodes, we’ve been seeing Izzy and Clary work on missions together. What do you think about this team dynamic?

María: I just love it. It’s something I was looking forward to seeing this season because I love the chemistry that Eme and Kat have, and of course seeing them working together is a great thing. I love watching them form the Badass Girl Team of the show. I also think that it is something that both of them need in their different circumstances, and it is always good to have a friend or almost sister to support you, listen to you and advise you on what you should do. I hope we see them working together more or sharing scenes for the rest of the season.

Sonia: I like the duo. Isabelle and Clary are two really strong girls. I love how their friendship is developing in this series.

Megan: I love seeing Izzy and Clary work together. They’re fantastic as a team and there’s never any animosity between them, never any doubt that they’re not strong enough or that they need a man to step in and help. They’re badass and they get the job done. There wasn’t enough interaction between Clary and Izzy in the books so it’s so good to see them fighting together, gossiping together, sharing advice and in some cases, outfits. They’re doing a great job of representing strong women who have each other’s backs. It’s also great to see that even though Clary now has a boyfriend she’s not permanently wrapped up with him. She still makes time for Izzy and that’s a mark of a good friend.

ShadowhuntersLA: As usual, it’s a pleasure to see them working together. It is important that they continue to show what union and strength among women can achieve, so to see them in action is undoubtedly a pride and an example to follow. Of course we are not going to hunt demons in real life but the important thing here is to see the mutual support, the confidence among them not only in the battlefield but also in their personal lives Their fighting styles complement each other, forming a beautiful and lethal dance, and now you can see that they are in a synchronicity worthy of being best friends.

Shumdario News: We love our badass girl duo and it’s been awesome to see them shine together these last two episodes. They’ve always had each other’s back since they met and they’re one of our favorite friendships.They always talk things out and catch up on what is going on even when they aren’t near each other. Clary is now officially a Shadowhunter and they can go on this missions together and even though they’ve seen some bad stuff, they’re there for each other. We loved the little moment where they were talking about Izzy’s suitor. It was nice to see them bond on a personal level as friends and not just two colleagues.

5. Did Izzy do the right thing by making Raphael leave town after what he did with Heidi, or was there another way they could’ve handled the situation?

María: Personally I think Izzy made that decision because she knows that the other option would have been to hand him over to the Clave for what he has done. And although she is hurt by Raphael’s actions, she prefers that he goes far away and not seeing him again, then seeing him in the hands of the Clave. Izzy (and I think everyone) knows exactly what they would do with Raphael, and I don’t think Izzy wants to see him go through something like that even though his way of acting wasn’t the right one. The question now is whether Raphael will listen to her or if he’ll stay trying to finish what he started with Heidi.

Sonia: Izzy didn’t have much choice, she was in a difficult situation. My doubt is that with Raphael away… who will try to take command of the vampire clan?

Megan: I think Izzy felt it was her only choice. After her talk with Clary, I think she was considering trying it again with Raphael which could’ve lead her back to her addiction. So sending him away was as much for her benefit as it was for his. You could see that Izzy’s actions hurt him but I also think he’ll grow to understand why she made that decision and that it was for the best.

ShadowhuntersLA: I think it was an emotional decision given that he disappointed her. But there are very important factors that Izzy did not take into account at the moment. For example, who will be the new leader of the NY vampire clan? The departure of Raphael leaves an open position but in all ascension to the power there can be spills of blood which could have been avoided if Raphael had left a successor. Another option could have been to let Raphael help in the capture of Heidi and then make a decision for his impudence and crimes once the major problem is solved. Izzy probably knows that the Clave’s punishment would have been too hard and since she still cares for him, this is the less painful solution.

Shumdario News: As much as we enjoyed seeing Izzy being there for Raphael, it was dangerous for her and potentially other future vampires and she made the right call. She still had his back by not telling the Clave what he did but she knows he needs to get himself in check because he knows what he’s done is wrong. Sending him away is definitely what’s best for the Shadowhunters of New York especially with Heidi on the loose now. We’re nervous to see Magnus’ reaction to Raphael leaving, though!

6. Seeing how things are not getting any better with Jace, do you think he and Clary will finally consider telling someone else about Jace’s situation?

María: With Jace I have doubts because he is afraid of the punishment they can impose on Clary for asking Raziel for his wish. But Clary is seeing that Jace isn’t well and she thinks that the reason he is like this is because of what she did, and there will come a time when the guilt and concern for Jace will weigh so much that maybe they will make her tell someone the truth, because she is clear that she doesn’t want to lose Jace again and she’ll do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening.

Sonia: The situation is at the limit, I don’t think it can remain secret for long. Jace and Clary should trust the people who they love and tell them what happened at Lake Lyn. They don’t have to face the possible consequences on their own.

Megan: Jace is cracking and Clary is ready to tell someone and I think it can’t be long now before something slips or they agree that they have no other choice. Considering how long they’ve been back from Idris and how many mundane have been killed, it doesn’t look as though the situation is getting any better so hopefully sharing the problem will yield some new strategy on how to deal with it.

ShadowhuntersLA: They’d better be considering it. The situation is escalating quickly and dangerously, and Jace’s fear of being declared unfit for the field and Clary’s naivety in the Shadowhunters’ protection rituals is a bad combination. It’s time to make Jace’s health a priority and face the consequences of what they did before it’s too late. Both of them are afraid of what might happen, but I think that in the end the love Clary feels for him will be stronger and she will do whatever she can to help protect Jace.

Shumdario News: We sure hope so! People can only handle so many secrets before exploding and the secret they have is too big and there are too many possible outcomes, many of them bad. At a certain point they will both realize that the information they are keeping from others could be a vital part into discovering who is messing with the mundanes and how they can stop that. Clary is definitely increasingly concerned for Jace as well and is starting to realise the gravity of bringing Jace back to life. We hope that she makes the decision to finally allow others to help.

7. At the end of the episode, we were surprised to see Lilith arriving at Magnus’ loft. Do you have any idea what Lilith might be planning that requires Magnus’ help?

María: I have to say that I didn’t see it coming. At the same time, I loved seeing these two characters interacting. In the episode, Lilith told Jace that she would take care of Clary, so I guess she’s going to ask Magnus something related to that. I would say that her intention is to somehow end the bond that binds Jace and Clary to be able to control him completely so that he can complete his mission of getting the 33 disciples that she needs. We will have to wait for the next episode to see if this is true or if Lilith wants something else from Magnus.

Sonia: “I’ll take care of Clary.” I think it might concern Clary. I’m worried about what Lilith could want from Magnus. I didn’t want Magnus to let her in. I need to see the next episode!

Megan: This is a bit trickier. I think it’s going to be something new the writers have slipped in because I don’t recall anything like this happening in the books. By the looks of next week’s stills, however, Lilith is willing to pay a lot of money for Magnus’ services. I just wonder whether Magnus won’t sense something untoward about her. He’s a descendant of a prince of hell after all…

ShadowhuntersLA: Given the conversation she had with Jace and the preview for the next episode, it looks like she’s looking for some ingredient to summon this new demon to go after Clary, or maybe she’s looking for some spell to get total control over Jace. But thinking of the worst, she might want something of Magnus because having him on her side is like having a powerful and lethal weapon. With Lilith there’s no knowledge of how far she’ll go to resurrect her son, and since she doesn’t really have any limits, that makes her dangerous and unpredictable.

Shumdario News: Magnus has his own history with Edom and we’re sure Lilith is aware of that. Whatever it is that she needs she’s sure Magnus will be the one to handle that kind of power. Lilith is very enigmatic so we honestly can’t come up with an explanation as to what she is planning other than another step to bring her son back since it’s the only thing she seems to want. Either way, we hope to see more of this interaction in the next episode because that ending left us asking so many questions.

Final Verdict: The importance of honesty and trust is something that all of the characters in Shadwhunters need to remember if they want to succeed and solve their problems

In every episode of Shadowhunters, there is always so much going on and this week’s episode was not an exception. New problems seem to surface every week, wrapping our favorite characters and making their lives even more complicated than before.

Jace is finally realizing that he is at a point where he can no longer deny that what is happening to him is scaring him and now out of his control. Not remembering where you were or what you were doing moments earlier is a big sign that things are turning worse and whether he believes that he has a mental illness or that something demonic is going on, he will need help either way. We just hope that in the next episode, both Clary and Jace seek help with someone else. They can no longer keep this secret between just the two of them.

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We like the friendship we are already seeing forming between Simon and Kyle, and let’s face it, after everything that Simon has been through lately, he could use a friend whom he can relax and have a piece of his mundane life back with. And although Kyle might be involved in the Shadow World, we do think that they can form a good bromance. We’ll just have to wait and see what this Praetor thing is about…

We’re concerned about what Heidi might do now that she is free. She doesn’t know about the Clave and she doesn’t really seem like someone who will be willing to follow any rules. We know for a fact that she is getting herself in trouble and with Raphael out of New York, we don’t know who is going to be on the lookout to stop her. Will she try to get close to Simon again? Is she going to turn more mundanes?

After that ending, we are concerned about Magnus’ safety. What is Lilith planning with him? Did she go to him planning on hurting him or does she really need help? We’ll have to tune in next week to find out!

Shadowhunters airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Freeform.