In “Mea Maxima Culpa,” the Shadow World is getting more interesting by the minute

“Mea Maxima Culpa” kicks off a few days after the Downworlder massacre at the Institute from episode 10. Every character is dealing with the consequences in their own way. We see Izzy trying to beat her Yin Fen addiction. Clary learning she and Jace are not actually siblings after all. Simon is enjoying and taking advantage of the benefits of going out into the sunlight. Jace is having a hard time facing how guilty he feels about being responsible for so many deaths. Valentine is being tortured as he is held prisoner at the Institute. Luke, on the other hand, is facing the rejection of his pack, who is questioning if he is the right fit to be the their alpha.

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Not only are our favorite characters dealing with their own battles, a greater demon gets in the picture as he causes trouble by letting everyone know that he is willing to do anything to get the Mortal Cup in his hands. And thinking that one of their own is in trouble, Jace, Magnus, Alec and Clary confront him not knowing what they are truly getting themselves into.

So much is going on in the Shadow World, and so much needed to be discussed. Let’s meet our roundtable and find out what they thought about the episode:

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

Blaire (@theshadowhunterscodex) – Reader, Author and all round Fangirl.

Emmanuelle (@shadowhunters_news IG) – Shadowhunters Fan and Fan Account Owner

Stacey (@StaceyONeale) – YA Fantasy Author and Writer for TVAD.

Ana (@baneandlewis) – Graphic Designer, Shadowhunters fan, and Contributor for TV After Dark.

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1. We were finally introduced to Sebastian, and although he seems to be a very charming Shadowhunter,  he also seems to be hiding something. What were your first impressions of him?

ShumDario News (@shumdarionews): Will Tudor definitely brought a version of Sebastian we weren’t expecting to see. His overly nice, perfectly likable, knight in shining armor façade wasn’t fooling us one bit. It’s hard to understand why Isabelle was so quick to trust him, apparently her judgement isn’t the best due to coming off of her yin fen addiction. By the end of the episode we felt vindicated to see Sebastian’s truly evil side begin to shine through. We wonder how long he’ll be able to fool everyone.

Blaire (@theshadowhunterscodex): I was so excited about finally meeting Sebastian. I anticipated this event for a long time, and actually seeing him in action was a really fantastic moment for me! I can’t help but like him, despite the fact that I know what’s to come. He just seems so innocent, so casual. I really admire Will as an actor and look forward to seeing him continue to bring this character to life.

Emmanuelle (@shadowhunters_news IG): Obviously he would seem like someone you could trust. The way he helped Izzy out with her little situation, made her some food. He’s also a very skilled shadowhunter. But as we saw from his last scene, he seemed a little…off. And I have a feeling this will play a big role in future episodes.

Stacey (@stacyjdksdja): He seemed to show up at the exact right time. That makes me nervous for Isabelle. What he was doing by the oven also leaves me with concern. That didn’t look like a rune power. At least not one I recognized.

Ana (@baneandlewis): My first impression was that he is a very charming guy. He radiates confidence and can easily get your affection. When you think about it, what are the chances that he, a Shadowhunter with knowledge about Yin Fen, would be the one saving Izzy? It’s a very big coincidence don’t you think? He clearly has something dark going on and I’m sure we are going to see more about that in the future.

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2. Thanks to Sebastian, Izzy seems to be slowly getting back to her normal self. Do you think it’s going to be easy for her to get back to work and in what other aspects do you assume this experience is going to affect her?

ShumDario News: Isabelle seems to have jumped from the frying pan into the fire, trading her yin fen addiction for some sort of mystery drug provided by Sebastian. Whatever is going to happen between them next is surely going to be anything but easy. He’s obviously got a plan to separate her from the other Shadowhunters, probably a divide and conquer approach. It seems she’s going to blindly follow him at least for now, so it might be a while before we see Isabelle back to work and back to her old self. But she’s strong, we know she’ll get there.

Blaire:  I actually was very worried for Izzy. I know she is strong, but seeing her in that episode, a complete mess, really upset me! I still worry for her because, well, even though Sebastian is helping her, I feel like it can’t be as easy as that. This is a TV Show! Nothing is ever that easy. So, while I think Izzy will definitely recover eventually, I feel like there will still be some ulterior motive or long lasting effect that will hinder her ability to return to the badass Shadowhunter she was. For a time, at least. I also worry that her ability to trust will be lost. Trusting people led her to her current predicament, and I fear she will struggle to let people in again, more so than she already does.

Emmanuelle: Knowing Izzy, she won’t have a problem integrating herself back into the group. It helps that only Alec knows about the yin fen too. But, I also feel that her trust will forever be impacted. If she couldn’t trust the Head of the Institute (Aldertree at the time) to help her heal, who can she trust in the future.

Stacey: I wonder if she’ll ever be normal. The addiction in the books is devastating. And as we’ve seen, nothing is ever easy for any of the Shadowhunters. I have a feeling other Shadowhunters will look down on her, especially the members of the Clave. They already don’t care for her.

Ana: It’s definitely not going to be easy for her to go on with life. I think this whole experience is going to mark her as a Shadowhunter, but I believe that she is going to end up stronger after this. We saw her defending herself against Azazel, even at her weakest moment she still fights back and gives it all.

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3. Luke’s new partner, Ollie, appears to be quite interested in Luke’s relationship with Maia. What are your thoughts on her? Do you think her suspicions are gonna cause some trouble in the future?

ShumDario News: Ollie definitely seems to be way too curious about Luke’s personal life. Her invasive questions and constant spying gives us the feeling she’s up to something. We wouldn’t be surprised to find out she either knows Luke is a werewolf, or was placed with him to find out his secrets. Either way, it looks like trouble for Luke.

Blaire: I’m suspicious about this new partner in general. Like I said, this is TV. No one is innocent, no one just shows up for no reason. She’s gotta have some kind of motive or plan. I’m not entirely sure what yet, but she’d definitely up to something. Perhaps she’s spying on Luke? Perhaps she’s a downworlder herself, or working with Valentine, or is a human who has seen too much and is now investigating Luke because she thinks he will lead her to the proof she needs that the Shadow World exists. Maybe she just has the hots for him? Who knows? I’m interested to find out.

Emmanuelle: I find Ollie very interesting, not only does she bring more representation for the LGBTQ side of the show, but she also gives our Alpha a new storyline; handling both his Shadow World issues and his Mundane World ones too. But who knows, those two might merge together because of Ollie. As for her suspicions, it might be a thing added in there by the writers to trick us into thinking she’s gonna cause some problems,  but this is Shadowhunters, no character comes in without a good reason. 😉

Stacey: Oh, she’s definitely up to something. I don’t trust her at all. I think she’s part of an internal investigation. That, or she’s working for another wolf pack.

Ana: I think she is gonna be fun to watch, she is definitely going to make Luke’s life more interesting. She has her reasons for being suspicious. Ollie is a detective after all, it’s gonna make her curious seeing her partner acting strangely around her. Who knows, maybe she is part of the Shadow World already and we just don’t know it yet. Or maybe she has the sight and is easier for her to see things in a different way. Guess we’ll have to wait and see!

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4. It was finally revealed that Clary and Jace are not siblings. How do you think Simon and Clary’s relationship is going to be affected by this?

ShumDario News: We feel it is inevitable that Clary’s relationship with Simon is going to change pretty dramatically now. We suspect she’ll begin to pull away from Simon, which hopefully doesn’t adversely affect their friendship. We’ve always been in favor of them as being best friends and not as a romantic couple. We look forward to seeing them back where they should be.

Blaire: Look, it’s no secret that Jace and Clary were pretty drawn to each other. And despite the shock revelation that they were siblings, those feelings wouldn’t have just disappeared overnight. Clearly Jace still cares a great deal for her, regardless of his attempts to ignore it. While I don’t doubt that Clary will try to make it work with Simon, I think in the end the gravitational pull between she and Jace will prove to be too much. And I think Simon will see that, and being the wonderful guy he is, he will let her go, telling her he want’s her to be happy.

Emmanuelle: As much as Clary believes nothing will change, it will. Clary and Jace have always had this great connection together ever since they met. Clary thought she had everything under control with the sibling reveal, but now that it’s gone, I think we will see her old feelings for Jace resurface and with that; a love triangle. I also believe that we will see Simon fighting harder for her but slowly finding out that going from best friends to girlfriend and boyfriend is not as easy as it seems.

Stacey: Let’s be honest; she’s only with Simon because she couldn’t have Jace. I’m sure she cares for him, but I don’t feel the chemistry between them. It’s a rebound relationship. I don’t believe she ever fully got over Jace, especially after her reaction.

Ana: Jace and Clary have a connection, that has been clear since the moment they met. Clary might have not shown how much this news affects her or her relationship with Simon, but she knows it changes everything. She isn’t going to jump on Jace’s arms and restart their relationship because she is on a good one with her best friend, and she is happier than she has been in a long time. Knowing that she and Jace are not related might give her a clearer picture of what she is feeling and how to act on it.

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5. Magnus and Alec’s relationship looks stronger than ever after episode 10. How do you think saying their ‘I love yous’ has shaped not only their relationship but each one of them individually?

ShumDario News: Watching Magnus and Alec work together in this episode with their individual confidence, as well as strength in their relationship with each other, was a breath of fresh air. We are ready for them to be seen not just as a romantic story but also the power couple using teamwork to go on missions and solve problems related to the main plot. Of course we still love those beautiful Malec kisses and casual moments of intimacy, but it needs a good balance with their professional lives so their characters can be better integrated into the show.

Blaire: The way Alec casually strolls on into Magnus’ loft and kisses him is a clear indication of how their relationship has blossomed. They’ve reached a point where they are comfortable with one another, where they are happy, and where they know that they can trust each other. I think Alec has finally found his true self, and it’s easy to see he is happy that he can actually be himself, that he doesn’t have to hide anything. As for Magnus, well, it’s clear he is smitten with Alec. And I think it has allowed him to open up himself to Shadowhunters, both in making an effort to help them and understand them better.

Emmanuelle: Their “I love yous” were a very important and very necessary moment in their relationship, I cried when I saw it. It seems that those three words have finally assured both of them that they know where they stand as a couple and that there is nothing to worry about, even when they have little arguments (like all normal couples do). I know it has shaped Alec a lot. He is finally 100% true to himself and he has what he always wanted. As for Magnus, there is some sort of relief that we were able to see in episode 10. I think we will witness him drop his barriers that he’s kept up for centuries and open up more about his past to Alec.

Stacey: Absolutely! Alec is finally happy. And he’s proven to Magnus that he cares for him. They have the best relationship in the series. I ship them. 🙂

Ana: Alec and Magnus have reached a point on their relationship where they are more relaxed around each other. The feelings they have for one another are clearer than ever and knowing how the other feels about them is only making them much more stronger individually and as a couple. I can’t wait to see how this relationship keeps unfolding and how it keeps on creating a huge impact in all of us.

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6. Jace finally broke down after Valentine’s massacre at the Institute. Do you think the guilt he is feeling is going to keep affecting him? Is he going to find peace with himself any time soon?

ShumDario News: We knew Jace would have to break down eventually due to the crushing guilt he was faced with after activating the sword. Now that he’s let Alec support him we think he’ll slowly bounce back and begin to heal from the tragedy. His new angelic powers might help him feel like a more effective Shadowhunter which could allow him to replace some of that guilt over time.

Blaire: I think the guilt will stay with him. Like all terrible events and losses, it stays with you, you just learn to come to terms with it. I think his guilt will drive him forward in helping find the Mortal Cup and making things right with the Downworlders, but at the same time I think slowly he will find peace. I feel like he will battle with the turmoil for a few episodes yet, but in time we will see him come to live with what happened.

Emmanuelle: Jace, my precious boy, needed a good cry. And Clary kind of forced him to let whatever he was feeling manifest, not that I really enjoy the way she said it (Jace is my favourite and I’m very protective of him. After sharing this moment with his parabatai, I think we will finally see him start to heal. He has accepted what he’s done and that it was not his intention at all. At this point, I think we will see a stronger, fiercer Jace. He’s going to start to discover his new abilities while trying to find ways to somehow repay the Downworlders for what he’s done. Like it was once said: “Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up.” We shall see a hero rise.

Stacey: No, he’s too broken. He doesn’t know who he is, the depth of his new power or (what I believe) Clary’s true feelings. Jace is nowhere near peace. And I have a feeling things aren’t going to get better any time soon.

Ana: From the beginning of the series we have seen Jace keeping his emotions in. I think he reached a breaking point where either he lets them out or they’ll start eating him slowly, making him unable to function. Jace needs to find a balance between being a warrior and letting his ward down. He already dominates his fighting skills, he needs to learn that coping with his emotions is also essential for being a good Shadowhunter. Only then, he will finally have what he needs to move on.

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7. Simon is learning that with the gift of being able to go out in the sunlight it also comes the big responsibility of trying to keep it hidden from other vampires. Do you think he is going to face more problems as other vampires learn of his condition?

ShumDario News: We feel Simon is definitely going to face a world of problems due to his new Daylighter status. They laid the groundwork in this episode already, showing Maia and Raphael’s reactions. As the word spreads to other Downworlders it’s only a matter of time before they’re all hunting Simon and demanding answers. Especially jealous vampires who will do anything to learn his secret.

Blaire: Most definitely! He’s basically a walking target. He can’t go anywhere without someone seeing him, and then that someone reports back to someone else, and they pass on the news to three more people, and suddenly the world knows he’s a daylighter. Unless he basically stays out of the sun and continues on like he is still a regular Vampire, I don’t think there is any real way he can conceal what he is. The domino effect is already happening, as we saw in episode 11. More Vampires will find out, and they will hunt him down looking for answers.

Emmanuelle: Simon has a lot resting on his back every since he became a Daylighter. Not only for his own safety but for Jace’s too. He has what every vampire wants; the ability to walk in the sun and live during the day. If more and more of them discover this, his life is at risk. Simon seems to have a lot of respect for Jace in the sense that he’s thankful for what he did and keeping it a secret shows that In future episodes, I believe we will see Raphael start to get even more suspicious of Simon and this will cause some issues. With great power comes great responsibility.

Stacey: Simon is always in trouble. LOL! We can always count on that. I have no doubt that things are going to get sticky for him. Other vampires will find out, and he’ll be forced to reveal Jace’s secret or they will torture him. Probably both. Poor guy.

Ana: Simon needs a little lightness in his life! He just can’t keep himself out of trouble. I think being a daylighter is going to make his life as a vampire much more normal and enjoyable. But as Maia said, it is also going to make everyone, Shadowhunter or downworlder, curious. Why him? Vampires are not going to rest till they know what made Simon be how he is right now, and probably some of them will go as far as biting a Shadowhunter. Which will probably just complicate the Downworlders and Shadowhunters relationship even more.

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Final Verdict: One thing is clear, Shadowhunters just keeps getting better and better.

The first episode of the second half of season two did not disappoint. Every character seems to be going through a thing of their own and at the same time they are all facing battles together. This episode teases what’s to come in future ones: a darker and richer show with strong characters that keep on growing each day.

We still don’t know much about Sebastian yet, but one thing is for sure: he is planning something. We are going to see him meeting more characters next episode so we’ll have to keep an eye open in case something looks suspicious with him again. Luke and Maia have to find a way to unify what’s left of their pack, especially at this time of grief and crisis. And after that ending with Valentine and Magnus, we know we are in for a treat in next week’s episode. Is Alec going to figure out that’s not really Magnus? We’ll have to wait and find out next week. Feels good to have a reason to be excited for Mondays again!

Shadowhunters airs Mondays at 7/8 on Freeform.