Shadowhunters Review: Blood Calls to Blood (Season 1 Episode 11)

“Blood Calls To Blood” turns out to be a very important (and relevant!) episode title for the latest Shadowhunters, as a shocking discovery puts the kibosh on Clary and Jace’s burgeoning romantic relationship.

They’re siblings! Well, half-siblings… but still. They’ve done a lot of heavy making out. Gross.

As expected, Michael Wayland is not Michael Wayland. After last week, I’d been thinking it was far too convenient that Clary and Jace landed exactly in front of Jace’s dad’s locker-prison. My shapeshifter theory was close to the truth, but not quite it.

The truth is actually way more complicated. Apparently, there never was any “Michael Wayland” to begin with. Valentine posed as Michael Wayland, fathered and raised and falcon-trained with Jace as Michael Wayland, and re-assumed the Michael Wayland persona in order to get close to Clary and Jace to steal the Mortal Cup from them.

First of all, holy crap. The idea that the Clave really thought Valentine was dead makes a lot more sense now that we know Valentine was “hiding” in plain sight, living as Michael Wayland. This twist is admittedly very soapy, but I love it unabashedly. So much drama. Also, Jace’s destroyed reaction at hearing Valentine’s news is the first and only time I’ve felt emotionally connected to this character at all, so it’s a win there too.

Also, MAJOR props to Clary for accurately pinpointing that something’s not quite right with Michael Wayland in record time, all while they’re allowing him to help them find Jocelyn. Switching out the Mortal Cup with a decoy (a “World’s Greatest Dad” mug enchanted to look like the Cup) is genius and a fantastic gag. Leave it to Clary to inject some oddly-placed humor into a distressing situation.

Of course, Clary clearly thought that Valentine had killed the real Michael Wayland and was now posing as him. Not that there is, apparently, no Michael Wayland at all. Regardless, Clary’s reveal that she’d tricked Valentine is enormously satisfying, even set next to Jace’s increasingly nauseous-looking reaction. Sassy Clary is best Clary.

The Jace/Clary/”Michael Wayland” plot in this episode is a winner on all counts. Two particularly strong scenes are the brief conversation between Clary and a recently healed Jace that devolves into making out (ew, in retrospect) and Valentine’s reveal at the abandoned hospital. The show does best when it keeps its SFX minimal, and the swarming demons right before Valentine reveals himself are well done, too.

Meanwhile, languishing in the B-plot, Izzy’s trial for high treason commences and to be honest, it’s sort of boring set against the Jace/Clary/Mutual Dad/finding Jocelyn storyline. This is partially because I don’t really care for Izzy, so her fate isn’t much of a real concern. The bright spots of this storyline are the Magnus/Alec interactions and Lydia’s change of allegiance. Sure, Lydia’s 180 is a little bit quick and easy, but I appreciate it. It feels relatively in character for what we’ve seen of and heard from her so far in her limited appearances.

It’s been clear since she was introduced that she’s not against the Downworlders just for the hell of it. She truly believed that the Clave knew best. Of course, with her outburst while on the stand at the trial, it’s made clear that she’s fully aware that the Clave sticking to “the rules” is to the detriment of actual justice. Go Lydia! She really tells that sour-looking Clave lady off, and I love her for it.

Also fantastic: Magnus begrudgingly admitting that Lydia is a cool chick and he likes her. Actually, all of Magnus in this episode is great. He puts aside his hurt to help Alec’s sister, but he’s not ready to give up on Alec yet. The best part of the Malec interactions is seeing Magnus’ showy facade begin to crack when he’s with Alec. There’s real emotion, not glittery bug-eyed overacting, in the scene post-trial when he claims his “payment” (Alec’s bow and quiver), only to give them back to Alec, so Alec can “hold onto them” for Magnus. It both establishes that Magnus helped Izzy just for the sake of helping her AND lets Alec know that, no matter how much Alec insists he’ll marry Lydia, Magnus knows he’ll make the right choice in the end and call it off.

Plus, the title of the season finale is “Malec.” So, yeah, I totally have faith in these two working it out.

Other thoughts:

• After all that hassle and Izzy almost being exiled, Clary and Jace give the Cup to the Clave. Really?! I guess I understand that they’re thrown by Valentine’s “Surprise! Incest!” reveal, but how has it actually changed anything? They still need to defeat him, and they still believe that the Clave is going about it all wrong. Why give them the Cup now?
• The Clave still sucks, but that line about Jace, Clary, and Izzy’s actions in disobeying the Clave’s orders being similar to the behavior by Circle members prior to Valentine’s initial rise puts it in perspective a bit better.
• Simon doesn’t have a lot to do in this episode, other than stand up to Raphael again, impressing the vamp leader and getting himself further embroiled with the vampires.
• That “I got you, bro!” moment exchanged between Luke and Simon when Luke clues him in on the whole “Clary and Jace are siblings” tidbit is hilarious. Like, I know it shouldn’t be hilarious because Jace is utterly destroyed in that last scene on so many levels, but YAY SIMON–he just looks so happy to hear that news and to know he stands a chance with Clary, with Jace now a non-option.
• Jocelyn is found! A major step forward, though of course she’s still unconscious and no one’s quite sure how to fix her.

What did you think of this episode of Shadowhunters? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Shadowhunters airs Tuesday at 9/8c on Freeform.

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