#SH 3x14 Review

[hiddlesgirl]

SH 315: To The Night Children

This was a great episode and I am glad that the show has got back into its stride after 313; the scenes were full of emotion and there was definitely a theme of conflict between doing what you feel is right and abiding by the system/laws. Magnus is receiving a far from warm welcome which while not surprising is disappointing given everything he has done for Shadowhunters, especially the NY Institute; Maia is struggling with her loss and wants justice for her pack; Clary is battling with the darker urges that the twinning rune is feeding.

We begin the episode with Heidi making a speech to the New York clan about it being their time to rule; what I really don’t understand about this entire situation is that although Heidi is charismatic and manipulative how they hell is she getting all the vampires to go along with her? I know that some will be fed up at how they are treated by the Shadowhunters but surely there are some who don’t want to cause a war or break the accords like Griffin, so why are they not speaking out? It just seems unrealistic that an entire clan of vampires are willingly following the orders of a baby vampire, following her like sheep.

I absolutely adore the Malec morning scene, such a sweet and domestic little moment. Magnus tells Alec that he slept like a rock, this is another indicator of how much not having magic affected him that as soon as he has regained it he is able to sleep. He feels so much more in his own skin and secure when he has magic, to know that he can protect himself and others, and to feel like himself gives him the ability to relax enough to sleep.

It’s very sweet that Alec fetched orange juice and coffee for Magnus so that he could have those extra few minutes of sleep because he knows how little Magnus has been sleeping. Also, the fact that Alec is getting dressed when Magnus wakes up suggests that he went to get the coffee in his sleepwear. I love that Magnus is lying on Alec’s pillow, stretched across the bed, implying that they sleep cuddled together and on each other’s chests (like in the 218 morning flashback).

Magnus is concerned about being at the Institute because he knows that Downworlders are not permitted to live there and the unrest that would cause with the other Shadowhunters. Not only is he worried about causing any trouble for Alec with the Clave or his subordinates but he is worried about their reaction to him. He knows that he is probably not going to be warmly welcomed by the majority of the Institute and he feels very out of place.

Alec wants Magnus to feel welcome and comfortable, he is so happy to be able to provide Magnus with somewhere to live and that they are living together at last that he is not willing to let anything get in the way of that. He isn’t going to let some rules stop his from helping his boyfriend and he will not tolerate anyone treating Magnus poorly, he dismisses Magnus’ concerns about the other Shadowhunters because he is confident in his position of leadership. Plus, I think that he hopes that they have adapted more opens minds when it comes to Downworlders because of his relationship with Magnus and their (Alec, Izzy, Clary) efforts to undo the prejudices.

Unfortunately, it is clear from the moment they step into the cafeteria that the Shadowhunters are not happy with Magnus’ presence, even Underhill who seemed very accepting of their relationship and didn’t seem to have any bias towards Magnus as a warlock. Magnus is clearly very uncomfortable but he stays because he doesn’t want to give them the satisfaction of driving him out, also because Alec seems so confident.

Clary, Jace and Izzy are all happy and welcoming towards him; they all love him in their own way and have not objections to him living with them. When Izzy toasts him Magnus doesn’t drink from the glass, looking around at all the other Shadowhunters who are clearly not as happy as his friends. It seems that he didn’t drink not only because he felt under scrutiny but maybe because he felt out of place, like he didn’t belong. When you toast and drink with someone it is an act of solidarity and togetherness, but Magnus does not feel that in this moment, despite his friends and Alec’s reassurances.

We find out that Luke is going to be pleading guilty to the murders of the pack; you can see that he is so consumed by his guilt that he is willing to do what he deems necessary to atone for what he feels is his fault. He believes that he is responsible for their deaths because he left the pack, that he could have prevented it; now he is willing to face prison to alleviate that guilt. Fortunately for us, the sergeant knows Luke and does not believe his capable of that amount of violence.

Maia seems trapped in the trauma of the massacre which is completely understandable; she witnessed the brutal and unprovoked murder of her pack, she is trying to process what happened while dealing with her grief and anger. They were her family and she needs to make sure Heidi pays for taking them from her. Simon understands some of her hurt and anger after everything Heidi put him through, but he knows he cannot grasp the entirety of it; he wants to help her get the justice she and her pack deserves, and he knows that Heidi needs to be stopped.

Heidi shows up at the Institute to give them the names of the vampires who attacked the Jade Wolf, her entire demeanour is cultivating sympathy and putting up a front of the helpless victim. She is blaming her victims on being a new vampire and her crimes against Simon on Lilith, then bringing up Raphael to cause discourse between Alec and Izzy. Not only is she trying to get the Institute on side, to get a clean slate, but also to get rid of the current clan Leader in order to insinuate herself into the leader position in the clan.

Luke tells Clary that he is pleading guilty because he wants to keep the Shadow World secret and atone for abandoning the pack; he doesn’t want the police to dig deep because when he told Ollie it ended with more people dying and her in danger. He cannot feel responsible for any more suffering or deaths. Through the entire conversation with Clary he can barely look her in the eye, he knows that by doing this he is leaving her behind and cannot bear to watch her cry; he knows that his decision is not completely right and he might break under the pressure of Clary’s upset.

Clary is distraught that Luke seems to be making the decision to leave her, to abandon her; she needs all the support she can get right now and cannot bear the thought of being without her dad, the person who has always been there for her (I admit that I was crying, especially when she called her dad).  Although she might understand why he feels guilty, she does not understand his decision to take the punishment and abandon her.

Alec is debriefing the team who are going to be arresting the vampire and wants it to be carried out by the book because they cannot afford an incident like Jordan assaulting the clan leader; and I admit that I wanted to smack Underhill for turning the another Shadowhunter and snidely remarking ‘Now he wants to do thing by the book’ referring to him letting Magnus stay at the Institute. Not only did it annoy me but it also seemed out of character because he professed his respect for Alec in 3A and now he is making scathing remarks and openly disrespecting him to others.

Alec informs Izzy that Raphael needs to be brought in despite her protests and reference for his character, not matter what she feels about him he violated the accords and needs to answer for it. Just because they have a personal connection doesn’t mean the he gets a free pass when he breaks the law, Izzy understands Alec’s view and probably agrees with him, she is just torn because she has lingering affection for Raphael.

Aline is back! And she is not happy. She is furious that they let Jonathan escape when they had such a good opportunity to not only capture him but kill him; she understands the rune but knows how difficult it is going to be to capture him. She is still angry and hurting over Sebastian’s death, she wants justice for his murder; not only that but many Shadowhunters are dying in the pursuit of Jonathan. She is resentful that people are being allowed to die to protect Clary, she feels that her cousin doesn’t matter when compared to Clary.

Maia and Simon are angry at Alec for pardoning Heidi of her crimes; they know that she is the one behind the attack, they had put their hopes on the Institute bringing her in but instead they have fallen for her lies. Alec needs proof before being able to arrest her because she wasn’t at the scene of the crime, he is willing to bring her in but he needs to be able to justify it so that she can’t wriggle out of it later.

Again I am mad at Underhill, he is being very dismissive and rude to Magnus despite him being Alec’s partner, someone Underhill professed to respect and feel gratitude towards. He is taking out his frustration on Magnus which is not right, if he has an issue with the situation he should have spoken to Alec about it instead of becoming disrespectful towards him and Magnus.

Magnus definitely feels uncomfortable because he feels like he has done something wrong just by being there, he is at the Institute out of necessity not choice and he is being treated like a leper. He doesn’t want to live their permanently anymore than they want him there, and after everything Magnus has done for the Institute in his lifetime (including taking in one of their own, Jace) it is disappointing that they cannot even show basic decency towards him.

He seems very surprised and taken aback by Underhill talking about his and Alec’s relationship issues, this is understandable because literally 30 seconds ago this Shadowhunter was telling him he doesn’t want him to live in their building and now he is discussing his relationship issues. It has to be very disconcerting to have someone you don’t know, know about your relationship issues.

Raphael is very happy to see Izzy, despite the circumstances; he understands that he has to answer for what he did and atone for those crimes. He has been trying to atone in his own way by helping at the centre and we saw him burning himself with holy water at the beginning of the episode. He knows that he did some terrible things and is prepared to pay the price for that.

Izzy is clearly upset but she knows that she has a duty to uphold the accords no matter who broke them, she seems a little relieved that Raphael isn’t resentful and understand her position. I like that she helps him finish cleaning up before they leave; they do have good chemistry and many sweet scenes but for me it is all tainted by the toxic past they have shared. Although I do think that they have genuine affection for each other I don’t think they could have a healthy functional relationship because of their previous dual addiction.

I really enjoyed the sparring scene between Clary and Aline, the choreography is fantastic and the actress’ carry the emotion behind the scene brilliantly. Aline’s anger at Clary, and Jonathan, really comes through in not just her moves but her words too. You can feel the tension and hostility rise throughout the scene, keeping you on the edge of your seat until that final moment.  

Aline is completely provoking Clary by talking about Jonathan, their connection and not holding back when she strikes her; she wants to hurt Jonathan via Clary but she also wants Clary to understand why she’s angry. Clary is trying to understand but Aline is definitely getting to her and you can see her lose her patience little by little, but her beating of Aline is completely over the top and you can see that in that moment she is acting almost out of body. When Jace breaks them apart you can see how horrified at her actions and the level of violence she has inflicted.

The exchange between Magnus and Alec about Underhill being handsome is hilarious, most especially Magnus’ expression and Alec’s bafflement. Magnus voices his concerns about Alec talking about their problems ‘to the entire Institute’ I think he words it this way because to him Underhill is just another Shadowhunter and he didn’t know that Alec might consider him a friend, which is why it was so out of the blue for him, and why he is a bit uncomfortable. Plus, he was not expecting Alec, who is not known for opening up, to have spoken to anyone outside his family about their relationship.

Alec is confused about Magnus’ feelings because he didn’t see talking to Underhill as an issue because he views him as a friend and because he is the only other gay Shadowhunters that he knows of. But once Magnus begins explaining he understands why he’s upset, he knows that maybe talking to someone who was a completely stranger to Magnus might not have been the best thing, or he should have at least mentioned Underhill to Magnus. Especially when he knows they were bound to interact during Magnus’ stay; he didn’t think it was a big deal but can see why Magnus would be unnerved.

I cannot help but laugh when Alec remarks about Magnus’ being jealous, he is so happy at the possibility because jealousy means that Magnus doesn’t want to lose him and is nervous about Alec finding someone else. He has never had anyone love him that way, and treasure him so much that they are scared of someone else taking them away. Matt played this brilliantly.

I don’t think that Magnus was really jealous though, I think that he was surprised by Alec opening up to someone who wasn’t family and for that person to be good looking too. He wants Alec to have friends, but with his reserved nature Magnus wasn’t expecting him to have spoken to another Shadowhunter about their relationship. I think that there might only have been the slightest bit of jealousy because Magnus knows that their difficulties was caused by their differences in age, experience and culture; and to be faced with a handsome Shadowhunter, who is the same age as Alec who he feels comfortable talking with must be a bit scary.

The rune is continuing to pull Clary and Jonathan together, strengthening the bond between them as time passes because even though she threatens to call the Institute she should have already done it. It seems that although she cannot explain it and despises it part of her cares about him or at least doesn’t want to kill him.

Jonathan is determined that they will be together, convinced that part of her loves him because he is her brother; he so desperately wants her to love him that he is projecting that onto her and he will do anything he can to convince her to join him. It’s a great little scene and they both do a great job of creating tension and showing the push and pull of the twinning rune.

Maia confronts Heidi, determined that Heidi will either turn herself in or die for what she has done; Maia is not going to let her get away with killing her pack. Heidi is convinced no one can touch her, she conveys a real sense of invincibility and is under the impression that she is untouchable, this only makes her more dangerous because if she thinks she is free of consequences she will do anything she wants to.

It was very clever of Maia to use Holy water against Heidi and a vindictive justice that its effects are similar to silver poisoning, which she inadvertently inflicted on Jordan. I am so glad that Heidi is dead, with all the hurt she has caused and all the trouble she was bound to cause everyone is better off with her gone, and if anyone deserved to be the one to kill her it was Maia. But I almost wish that she hadn’t because whether you want it to or not, whether it was deserved or not, murdering someone changes you as a person. I don’t like that in order to get justice for her pack Maia had to become a killer.

Clary goes into some sort of trance and burns herself in the fire, it is obvious that the rune is influencing her behaviour and it would be interesting to find out just how this occurs. Jonathan is pleased that Clary seems to be getting closer to coming to him, that she is being affected. When Jace grabs her she seems to come out of a kind of trance, not aware of what she was doing or the pain until that moment.

The scene of Izzy and Raphael saying goodbye if very sweet, there will always be a part of them that will care for the other. Emeraude and David have great chemistry and they almost portray these emotional moments between these characters really well, but as I said for me their scenes are always shadowed by the past addiction.

I was slightly disappointed that we have had no scenes between Magnus and Raphael, they have both been through so much in Season 3, and they have this wonderful familial bond yet we haven’t has a scene between them or them talking about the other. It would have been nice if we could have seen more of their relationship because they are both at a point where they need more support than ever. Plus, why would Magnus (if he had known) not come to say goodbye to Raphael especially if he doesn’t know when or if he will see him again.

Also, it seems a bit bad that they are sending Raphael to the Gard when they suspect Downworlders are being tortured there, but without proof they can’t do anything and when a crime is committed they go to the Gard. They would not have had any grounds to keep Raphael at the Institute.

Simon is disappointed in Maia, he wanted so much to bring Heidi in the right way and to get justice lawfully; he put everything into getting the proof they need and he probably feels a little bit betrayed that she went behind his back. He hated Heidi but he believes that you should always try to do things in accordance to the law, not take it into your own hands, because by doing that how are they better than her.

Maia is confused by Simon’s behaviour, she thought he would just be glad that Heidi is gone and understand why she did it. Everyone is better off without Heidi and she believes that she has done the right thing by killing her, and she doesn’t understand why Simon doesn’t see it this way.

I know that there has been a lot of talk about Simon being a hypocrite in this scene because he killed another vampire in 2B and I completely understand that. However, from what I remember in that scene the other vampire attacked Simon first when he confronted him about killing that mundane and Simon acted out of self defence. Afterwards he was upset about what he had done, he hates hurting people and it horrified him that he had killed someone.

Whereas with Maia she intended to kill Heidi, yes she gave Heidi a chance to give herself up but Maia knew that she wouldn’t do that. Maia acted in revenge, she goaded Heidi into a fight and when into it with the intention of killing her. Afterwards, she felt no remorse for what she had done and was glad of it; she doesn’t think that what she did was wrong because of all the hurt Heidi caused.

So, I understand why people are upset and think that it looks like people are condemning Maia for killing when most of the other characters have killed too, but all situations are different. Do I think Maia was wrong to kill Heidi? No, Heidi was evil, killed many people and was only going to cause more harm. Was there a better easy to deal with her? Yes, they could have brought her in legally and that way everyone would have been aware of her crimes. As with many situations in Shadowhunters there are lots of sides, opinions and interpretations of scenes; but I do not think Maia is wrong or bad for killing Heidi, was there a better way yes, but I do not blame her for wanting to avenge her pack.

Alec tells Magnus that him living here isn’t a good idea because it is against the rules, throughout the episode with Izzy and Maia he has realised that he cannot forsake certain rules for his own gain; and how can he expected others, especially his subordinates, to abide by the rules if he doesn’t himself. As much as he wants to help Magnus and to live with him, to be a good Head of the Institute he needs to adhere by the protocols. Magnus completely understands, he knows how much Alec values his position and integrity; he would not want to do anything that would cause Alec problems.

Matt portrays Alec’s nervousness in this scene brilliantly; Magnus rebuffed his offer to move in once so he is unsure about asking again. But he loves him so much, wants to be with him and wants to share the same living space as him that he is willing put his heart and pride on the line in the hopes Magnus may have changed his mind.  I could scream with happiness when Magnus says yes, you can see the relief and happiness on Alec’s face and it is just such a sweet moment between them.

Then it all snowballs downhill when Magnus’ nose starts bleeding, he turns away from Alec in a attempt to hide it and not worry him; but Alec is scared, he has seen the blood and Magnus is not answering his multiple calls of his name. Magnus collapses, muttering something as Alec very gently lowers him to the ground after catching him.

I found out afterwards that Magnus is mumbling in Indonesian and it translates to ‘My head. Please help me. It hurts’ and I absolutely sobbed when I read this out. Not only is he is so much pain that he has reverted to his mother tongue but he is actually asking for help which we know he doesn’t like to do.

He starts shaking and Alec is panicking, calling for a medic. He is completely shocked about what is happening, scared because he doesn’t know why it’s happening and is desperate for help. I am an absolute sobbing mess. I was so emotional and full of adrenaline after this scene that I literally didn’t stop trembling for about 30 minutes.

So, I did really enjoy this episode; there were some fantastic emotional scenes, we finally got rid of Heidi and I am emotionally destroyed.

In 316, Clary is trying to get rid of her rune and Alec is desperate to save Magnus. We have been repeatedly warned that we are not prepared for the Malec scenes and Matt’s acting, I am screaming at just seeing one screenshot from the Malec sneak peek that I haven’t watched because I don’t watch any sneak peeks. I have stocked up on tissues but I know that there is nothing I can do to prepare myself for this episode. Help.

[cozyforjate]

MacGyver 5x03-Review

MacRiley fam, this will be my last MacGyver review. Thanks for the support and the great feedback on my reviews so far. You guys are awesome! But i’m taking a looong break from this show. I’ll be watching the Jack episode and if we get a Bozer, Matty or Riley centric i’ll tune in to watch. But my passion and excitement for this show is mostly over now.

I have so many things to say about 5x03 but if i start to express all my feelings i’m afraid i might break Tumblr. LOL 

This probably wouldn’t feel like a proper review coz i’m gonna focus on the RETCON that the writers pulled out of their asses to keep MacDesi together.

Ok so for people who are not familiar with the word “retcon”; it means changing an aspect of a fictional work by introducing a piece of new information, typically used to facilitate a dramatic plot shift or account for an inconsistency.

The writers usually pull a retcon, when one aspect of an already canon plot isn’t working well. You can call it a “fix-it” method.

In terms of MacDesi, they retconned some moments from season 4 that defined this relationship. I think the new showrunner and the writers team realized that MacDesi has become quite “toxic” during season 4. But because the additional episodes kept them together, they needed to at least fix this relationship.

From their POV it’s understandable to a degree. But from a viewers POV it’s total BS. Because what we watched in season 4, can’t be changed.

We remember the unhealthy dynamic between them, we remember the lack of trust between them, we remember how incompatible they were, we remember how they couldn’t communicate with each other, we remember Mac not letting her in emotionally, not opening up to her at all, we remember how much they BOTH hurt each other, we remember Mac’s own words on their relationship.

Most importantly we still remember 4x12. How quickly Desi turned her back on him, how she brought his mothers and aunts names into their ugly fight, how Mac said he’d say anything to get her off his back, we remember how she and Russ left Mac no choice but to improvise a plan to save lives, we remember Riley risking everything to protect him and be there for him. WE REMEMBER.

So when you dismiss all of that and re-write MacDesi as if they’re this great couple, it’s not going to work for people. And when you tease MacRiley the whole week with promos, exclusive pictures, articles, SM promotion; promising progress between Mac and Riley only to walk over everything that made them special, you get a lot of NEGATIVE reaction from the fans. With good reason.

* * *

Episode started with Mac and Riley on a picnic mission. The scene was amazing in every sense. The colors, lighting, the conversation between them, the almost kiss, the way Mac held Riley and they lied down for a while, the smug smile on his face and the looks he gave to Riley were all awesome! The car chase was super fun too!

But then everything went down the toilet. Coz in the next scene Mac was complaining to Bozer about how Desi wasn’t spending time with him and avoiding his date attempts. In this scene they retconned Bozer too. For the first time, Bozer encouraged Mac to go ask Desi out and fix their relationship.

Normally Bozer would never do such a thing. Why? Bcoz he’s been against a romantic relationship between them ever since Desi first showed up in 3x14. Bozer thought it was a bad idea from the start, called them Mesi (messy), he didn’t think it was a good idea to bring Desi back on the team in 4x01, coz MD break up was NUCLEAR. So up until 5x03 Bozer was never on Team MacDesi. Lets also remember this exchange between them:

In 4x12 when Bozer was trying to save Mac and Riley’s lives, he turns to Desi... 

Bozer: Desi, back me up here.

Desi: Sometimes we need to sacrifice the things we love for the greater good.

So after 4x12, one would only expect that his thoughts on MD would get stronger. But guess what? Bozer is now supporting MD. Just like that. I don’t buy it writers, sorry.

Back to the scene… Mac wants to go on a date with Desi. And he is so desperate about it. We had to witness one of the most awkward scenes between them. Not only that but we had to sit through Riley throwing smiles at MD, saying her feelings for Mac was just Codex adrenaline. Riley, who couldn’t watch any interaction between MD, is now totally cool with them!

And lets just say that Riley was pretending she’s over Mac, that she lied to Bozer bcoz she’s trying to move on. We already watched her having feelings for Mac, hiding those feelings and pining for him. Her one-sided love can’t drive the plot anymore. 

Besides she didn’t need to give her blessings to MD. It was an overkill. I really hated the scene where she says “Don’t screw up this time” to Mac…That was totally out of character for Riley.  

Riley who reminded Desi that Russ & her were gonna nuke them,

Riley who said she went after Mac coz she trusted him &asked Desi "Why didn't you?",

Riley who risked it all to protect Mac, tells Mac not to screw it up with Desi.

By saying those words, Riley makes it known that Mac was the one screwing up his rl with Desi. Desi had no fault. Once again the writers used my favorite character to prop my least favorite character. Shame on you!

***

I’m not gonna talk about every MacDesi scene in this episode. But let me just say that the writers turned Mac into a desperate, begging, lovesick puppy. He asked Desi for a date like 5 times, apologized twice. Kissed her out of the blue. Bcoz lets face it, that scene was so unnecessary. Nobody was onto them, the police car was passing by slowly and if the police were really suspicious, why would they look at the couple kissing instead of checking who’s in the car? So stupid. Oh and while they were kissing for minutes with great lighting and all, General Ma escaped. Mac acting this stupid, is not something we are used to see. But what you gonna do? I guess love is not only blind but also destroyes brain cells in the process.

Anyway, Mac literally begging Desi to go on a date with him was agonizing to watch. Every time he offers a new dating idea, Desi’s answer is NAH. Back in the picnic scene she made it sound like she wanted to date Mac, but of course she needs to make him suffer first!

I only like to point out the scene where Mac –finally- opened up to Desi about the fishing trip he and his father went together. This story is obviously precious to him. He called it a happy memory. Clearly he misses his father, still mourning for his loss. So he shared his happy memory and asked if she would like to go fishing with him. Desi’s answer? “Not gonna go fishing with you as our first date!” You can read the dissapointment on his face. And my heart breaks for Mac but this kind of treatment is something he’s asking for.

He is desperate to get Desi back. The fact that they are the worst match ever, doesn’t change sh*t. Mac wants Desi and he loves Desi for god knows why.

***

Btw- the whole “lets blame only Mac for Codex and ignore Desi’s wrongdoings” plot is disgusting. Yes, Mac suffocating Desi and Russ to escape Phoenix with Scarlett was wrong. Yes he hurt her, yes in a sense he betrayed her. AND HE APOLOGIZED. But what about Desi? What about her betrayel? 

First they made Riley apologize to Desi for following Mac and now they made Mac apologize… But no apologies from Desi. The writers are obviously worshipping Desi and they’re ready to sacrifice every character to make her look “perfect”. I’m sorry but i’m not here to watch the Desi show, or more MacDesi nonsense.

***

Mac said Desi is the woman he loves… but not only that, she is also the woman who guided him back. And the RETCON is really strong with this scene.

Lets remember…

In 4x08 Mac loses his father, at the end of the episode Desi wants to go with Mac but Mac stops her, telling he’d see her tomorrow.

In 4x09 Desi says he can share his burden with her, Mac’s not interested, he says what he needs is to stop Codex.

In 4x10 Mac makes apocalypse kits for Riley and Desi. Desi’s so happy she got a crossbow and didn’t think those kits were a bad sign. But Riley notices that Mac is not in a good place, he needed help and support. Riley shares her concerns about Mac with Desi. She probably thinks it’s not up to her to be the one doing that when Desi is the girlfriend. So after her conversation with Riley, Desi makes soup and gives Mac a compass. Saying he’s not lost (he clearly was tho). She askes if everything’s ok, he looks different but Mac says, he’s just tired.

In 4x12 Mac is lying in bed, lost in his own mind, he gets up, leaves the compass on her side of the nightstand… On the run he ignores Desi’s calls.

Then things get really ugly for MacDesi. Desi says “You are so drunk on somescrewed-up cocktail of your mom, your aunt, Codex science...”… She says “You're compromised”…  Mac was just trying to get Scarlett on their side to stop Codex but Desi couldn’t see it. She thought Mac was losing it!

And then Desi sides with Russ and turns her back on Mac. Russ dismisses Mac from the Codex mission. Mac's forced to improvise. Bcoz he wants to stop Codex without bloodshed.

So as you can see they completely re-wrote the events of 4x12 to fix MD.

Desi says: “I had front-row seats to the war that raged in you last year, and I can't do that again. Lose you.”

She was ready to sacrifice him for the greater good. But yeah, sure! Why not.

Mac says: “Des, I know it looked like I was lost, but you were there the whole time, guiding me back home.”

THE WHOLE TIME.

In 3 times she “tried” to be there for him, Mac didn't let her in emotionally but lets just say that she brought him back to his senses.

Lets just say that the compass he left on her side of the nightstand represents that it guided him back. (btw lets also ignore that the compass Mac gave Desi back was a different one. Who knows, maybe he threw it in the garbage during the pandemic and bought a new one)

Lets just forget who really brought him back. Lets just ignore what Riley did for Mac. How she saved him, how she was the one who risked everything for Mac. How she was the one there by his side when they were facing a missile.

Only if we forget and retcon history we can all buy MacDesi. 

But i can’t… I can’t forget, i’m not ok with a retconned half-ass love story that they want to sell with MD. I can’t sit through the episodes and keep watching the “flawless Desi” show.

This show isn’t entertaining to me anymore. I can’t recognize Mac, i’m pissed that my fav characters are being used as tools to prop Desi.

One last thing before i say my final goodbyes:

The lighting in this episode was so weird. In almost every scene, heavy light effects distracted me. Usually they use it when they show you a flashback, a dream or a hallucination to seperate the real-time scenes from others. But this episode had them from the start to the end. So i don’t know what to make of this.

Some of the dialogues had subtexts…

Leland to Russ: Now, I know you don't care about much in this world, but even the best of us can be blinded by those we love.

General Ma to Mac: I was blinded by him (Leland) once. I-I won't be blinded again.

Mac: Many things blind us. Anger, betrayal, even love. But sometimes, a little blindness can work to your advantage. You can create a fog that will cause the world around you to disappear.

Normally i would dive deep into the subtextland. But i don’t think the writers were trying to give some deep message or anything. 

I do believe that Mac is totally blinded by his “idea” of love… But i’m done waiting for him to open his eyes. The Mac i watched in this episode is not My Mac.

Writers made their choice. They made Mac's feelings crystal clear. He's all about Desi. At this point, Desi breaking up with him would mean nothing to me. Just like Riley still having feelings for Mac means nothing anymore.

Official accounts tweeting “There’s more to come for MacRiley” means nothing to me anymore.

Noone wants a rebound plot but unfortunately it's the only possibility they left to MacRiley. My ship is tainted forever. 

And as a Riley stan, i don’t want this Mac with my girl. She deserves better.

[marierosejosephtascher]

Shadowhunters 3x14 Review

Oook, Jonathan getting that Seelie to glamour as Clary and role play with him as SUPER creepy, but extremely in character. Before realizing what was going on, I thought Kat's acting was just bad, but it does make sense that the poor Seelie would have trouble acting like Clary.

Alisha's acting was impressive. I don't care about Maia, but as an actress was amazing.

Jace and Clary have no romantic chemistry. Like, none. Them trying to fact like they're in love results in cringe.

Well, that was easy. I was expecting the process of Magnus getting his magic back to be a little more...grand, if that makes sense. Especially since it was the prince of hell who took it from him. But it look like 30 seconds to have it back. Weird. But I do suspect that nosebleed Magnus got means there will be some consequences.

Lorenzo had a point in this episode. Whether Magnus (and his fans) like it, he's Lorenzo's subordinate and he still attacked him. It's only natural that Lorenzo would want something in return and Magnus is right, the apartment is a small price to pay for his magic.

Okay, can someone explain to me why Magnus's tons sounds the same all the time. Whether he's happy, sad, angry, horny, it's the same low tone that makes me feel like he has a stick up his ass and he's trying not to let it show. Very disappointing.

Aaaand Magnus didn't even bother telling Alec he was trying to get his magic back. Seriously, these guys are always going behind each other's backs, lying to each other's faces, fighting and fucking. Is that what a healthy relationship looks like?

So Alec felt a cut on his hand from another dimension, but he couldn't feel Jace being knocked out from a distance of 10 kilometres at best? Okay....

Clary figured out she was with Jonathan instead of Jace through a kiss? Understandable. It was Dom who was kissing her and not Will, after all.

I'll give it to Clary, tho, she was smart to check if that was Jonathan with the rose. Though, I find it hard to believe a rose would elicit such a strong reaction from a man who is able to burn himself without making a sound.

How long were Jonathan and Clary walking to that "gallery"? It was still day when they were at the flower place and when Izzy and her squad found them it was already dark.

How does time even work in the SH universe? Jordan has been bleeding for almost a day and he's not dead while that other guy last episode died in the 2 minutes. How did he and Maia not run out of oxygen in that tiny space? I will say, though, they were my favourite part of the episode.

"I've watched a lot of movies." Same, Simon, same. Seriously, Simon is me if I was a mundane who learned about the Shadow world.

Aw, Luke :((( poor guy. He's always getting the short end of the stick. I can't wait to see where this is going, tho. I'm glad he's getting something resembling a storyline.

I was so disappointed with Alec in this episode. Did he really just threaten the High Warlock of Brooklyn openly? Wasn't he the one who set up that Council and said they had to be allies? If he keeps mixing up his personal and professional life, he needs to step down from his job.

That last Clace scene that was taken out of the books would have been nice, if it wasn't delivered in such a monotone voice and emotionless expression from Dom. Yikes.

Overall, another meh episode. All of the episodes this season seem to be like that. Filler, filler, filler. Nothing that impactful. Very little Jalec. Hopefully next week will be better.

[hiddlesgirl]

SH 314: A Kiss From a Rose

This week’s episode was definitely an improvement on last week, although it is not quite as good as 311 and 312. The flow felt better, there were a few great scenes and we are seeing the real beginnings of some major plotlines appearing. However, there was one major issue I had which pertains to the Maia and Jordan scenes; and I will be discussing it. I loved protective Alec and Magnus is making my heart ache; the Clace date was adorable and Jonathan is creepy but that’s no surprise to anyone.

The fact that Jonathan had a Seelie glamoured as Clary is several levels of creepy, but I found it really interesting that his perception of her is virginal. We know that Clary is not a virgin; we know that she had sex with Jace in 313 but I’m almost 100% sure that she and Simon had sex while they were dating in 2A and she may have even lost her virginity before that; we can’t know for sure. But the fact that Jonathan sees her as pure and untouched is rather fascinating; he is clearly putting her on some sort of pedestal, seeing her as this pure angel who can save and redeem him.

I really did not like that Maia was trapped in the same storage room that Luke locked her in, in 209; we know how terrified she is of being trapped in small spaces and I kinda hate that they did that too her again. Surely there was another way out, I mean the back door was right there which leads into a dock full of storage containers which while not great they would have been a little bigger and wouldn’t have brought back those memories from 209.

My heart really goes out to Maia because her phobia is clearly very present and distressing for her; I think that portraying phobias this way is good because it shows the reality of it and also brings panic attacks into the conversations Shadowhunters is often so good at starting. I liked that Jordan stayed calm and helped her through her panic attack, keeping her calm in a situation that causes her great distress.

I thought that the Clace morning scene was very sweet, they don’t often have these moments just to be with each other and it’s great that they are getting that now. Clary is clearly concerned about Jonathan and their bond, the message on her arm has disturbed her and has once again reaffirmed that no matter how hard she tries to forget or ignore Jonathan, he isn’t going anywhere.

It’s a little strange to see Jace so insecure and vulnerable, but in a good way; he hardly ever really opens up, especially romantically. To see him be vulnerable with Clary shows how far he has come since season 1 and how much her loves her to let her in, to let her know how important she is.

Izzy is determined to get to the bottom of what is happening at the Gard, even more so after Greenlaw’s death; she knows that it must be important if the Clave are willing to kill their own to keep their secret. Since season 1 she has loudly advocated for the rights and against the bad treatment of Downworlders and I love seeing that side of her again. Also, I am loving that she has her own, very important, storyline which is extremely relevant; she has a strong moral compass and she is not going to let fear for her own well being get in the way of doing what’s right. I am very excited to see where this storyline goes.

In case you haven’t read my 311 review, my loose theory at the moment is that they are somehow trying to purify the demon blood in Downworlders as a way to get rid of them because they know they cannot just keep killing them without backlash from the younger generations. By purifying the demon blood they would presumably just become mundanes, therefore the Clave can eradicate Downworlders without committing mass murders. This theory started because a while ago I heard theories and rumours that Luke may be becoming a Shadowhunters again (I think this started because there was a picture of Isaiah on set with runes applied, the crew said it was just a bit of fun but who knows); paired with the footage of Luke from the Freeform trailer in one frame of which he has the same glowing veins and eyes.

We learn that Lorenzo has forbidden all warlocks in New York from helping Magnus (which is so freaking despicable); I did see a few tweets wondering why Magnus didn’t contact one of his warlock friends from another county to help him. My opinion is that he didn’t because that warlock would have to travel to New York to help him (NY warlocks are not allowed to help him in anyway which would presumably include creating him a portal to someone who would help him) and in doing so would be in Lorenzo’s territory, and therefore (presumably) have to abide by his rules. Even those who come from somewhere else have to respect and obey the local High Warlock; so Magnus cannot portal to help and help would have to abide by Lorenzo’s rules if they came to him.

I cannot stand Lorenzo, he is revelling in Magnus’ situation and the pain it’s causing him; and is loving being able to hold power over him by making sure that Magnus would have to come to him for help. I hate that Magnus feels so lost and desperate that he is willing to ask Lorenzo for help, but I also understand it; you can see how severely losing his magic has affected him, he feels stranded and hates not being able to help people. Unfortunately, we all know that this isn’t going to end well as Lorenzo warns; and I am terrified. The thing is that this isn’t Magnus’ true magic it is a supply of Lorenzo’s, so he is still mortal and has a magic that is not his own. His body is going to start rejecting it and is unable to sustain the power of it, especially because it is not the magic he was born with.

Even though I was a little annoyed that Maia’s happiest memory was of Jordan I can understand why, in that moment obviously her memories that involve him would be at the forefront plus it might not be just because it was Jordan, but to have someone to rely on who will come to help you when you call.

I really like that Jace took Clary ice skating because it was something she used to do with her mum, to help Clary relive those memories and create new ones. The tone of the scene was very sweet, tender and joyful; I love seeing them having fun with each other and being able to enjoy something mundane together. Also, Kat actually learned to ice skate for this scene and I am in even more awe of her because she looks very at ease; plus, Dom can actually ice skate and had to pretend he couldn’t, it can sometimes be difficult to pretend to not know how to do something because your body automatically wants to do it from muscle memory.

When Jonathan turned into Jace I was literally screaming ‘no’ at the TV because you know that it is not going to end well, especially knowing the very skewed way he sees love and that he has kissed Clary in the past while glamoured.

I absolutely loved the looks of confusion on both Alec and Underhill’s faces when Magnus’ comes in and is using magic to sort through the documents; I was thinking that this was when Magnus and Underhill were going to meet but unfortunately not. But it is coming next week (if they haven’t cut it), hopefully we will finally learn Underhill’s first name and I am so hoping it goes really well. I also love Magnus’ look to Alec to make sure he is watching and looks appropriately shocked.

I love that Harry is keeping consistency with Magnus’ tendency to just throw things on the floor when he doesn’t need them or something else catches his attention. He is clearly trying to avoid telling Alec the full truth about how he got magic and what the consequences of it are, he feels so happy to have it back and knows that Alec would worry if he knew the details so has decided to not tell him right now so they can both enjoy the moment.

Alec knows that something is wrong and wants to know why Lorenzo was willing to help Magnus; he doesn’t trust Lorenzo and wants to be able to support Magnus. He knows that Lorenzo wouldn’t do something for Magnus’ without asking for something in return and he is worried about what that might be. Plus, surely he recognises that it isn’t Magnus’ true magic from the colour and is already scared about what might happen to Magnus if the situation goes badly.

I like that Clary is being honest with Jace about what happened, she knows that nothing good comes from keeping secrets and that he would want to know, to help and be there for her. She is confused with Jace’s replies of Jonathan being crazy about her and kidnapping her out of love, she is definitely put off by this but she doesn’t click.

Jonathan definitely looks angry, annoyed, put out? I can’t quite describe the exact emotion but he definitely is not happy to hear the implication that Clary and Jace have had sex, I’m not sure if this is some form of jealousy or if it is just because it is shattering his pure visage of her. I liked the scene and Dom does a really great job of acting as Jonathan, but you feel a bit annoyed that Clary didn’t get more of a sense that something isn’t right because Jace’s whole demeanour is off and she is smarter than falling for the thinly veiled deceit.

I really did not like that Jordan kept trying to talk about what he did to Maia, by turning her and abandoning her, despite the fact that she tells him twice (in slightly different ways) to not talk about it right now. He just carries on and it’s not even about how she feels, it’s about his feelings and self pity “I’ll never forgive myself”, instead of making the conversation about Maia, acknowledging that he wronged her and all her feelings about that are valid, once again it is about his need for forgiveness. The whole scene feels so Jordan orientated, getting him his redemption before he might die and I hate that because Maia is the person who was wronged.

Then it gets worse when she says “I forgive you”, I hated that because she is saying that because she is scared he is dying and that is the only reason. It has only been a week since he talked to her about what was going on with him back then and suddenly she is ready to forgive him when not a few days before she couldn’t bear to be in the same city as him? Also, if she is going to forgive him then it needs to be for her, because she is ready to move on and let go of the anger and upset; not because he is hurt and she wants to make him feel better.

Maia then goes on to say that she was feeling a lot of emotions because of what happened but that it doesn’t matter now, all this implies that she is the one at fault for feeling angry that he did terrible things to her and almost perpetuates victim blaming. By saying that the negative emotions she was feeling doesn’t matter implies that those feelings are invalid and sends out a potentially harmful message; Maia has every right to feel those things because she was attacked by someone she loved and trusted. Just because he was going through something difficult and is sorry doesn’t change what he did or how it made her feel.

Another thing (sorry I know I’m ranting but I do not like Jordan as a character and I don’t like how this situation has been handled), despite his constant insistence that he is sorry he has not shown development or change in his behaviour. He still insists on being heard whether the other person (Maia) wants to engage in that conversation or not, putting himself and his feelings first; he has not sort any help for his clear anger control issues (evident with him losing control with the vampires) which you think he would have done after his loss of control causing this entire situation in the first place; and he is still abandoning people, he was ready to just up and leave Simon now the mark is gone, granted that was the reason he was there in the first place but surely (with the Praetors job being to make sure new Downworlders adjust to their new lives) he would stick around for a few more weeks for make sure Simon is dealing properly; he was just going to leave without giving Maia full closure on their past, letting her work out her issues while he kept a slight distance but being available should she want to talk; and he was going to leave the Praetor without saying anything to them as we know from their phone call to Luke they think he has gone awol, so obviously he hasn’t spoken to them about taking some time away from them.

I saw a poll on Twitter the other day where they asked what people’s options were on why Jordan attacked Maia, and the three answers were ‘Abusive’, ‘First time wolf out’ and ‘Don’t care’; but I think that the situation was too complicated to just peg it down to one or the other. Yes, Jordan was turning so his emotions were heightened which caused him to lash out or react badly to a situation. However, him turning did not make him stalk is ex-girlfriend; he made the decision to follow Maia and watch her while she was on a date with someone else knowing that it would make him jealous, then he decided to follow and confront her about it. So, him turning caused the heightened state which led to his loss of control and turning her, but it was his own decisions and actions in stalking her that led to that incident; if he had left her alone then it would not have happened.

Some may argue that many wolves attack people when they turn for the first time, Maia did too; and yes, that happens, but from what I understand it is usually a stranger that just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when someone is experiencing that first turn.

I still find it hard to believe that Clary doesn’t figure it out until Jonathan kisses her, his behaviour and speech is very different from Jace’s that she should have known something was wrong before then. Plus, it just made me cringe because for one incest, ew, but also we already suffered through one incest kiss between them, did we really need another one? I know that it’s because Jonathan doesn’t understand the lines between sibling, platonic and romantic love and how to show it, plus probably some effort of putting a claim on her; but it just freaks you out. The only solid reason why I think they did another incest kiss is because he was disguised as Jace, and that this is the start of a wedge developing in the romantic side of Clary and Jace’s relationship, this is the only story relevant reason I could think of as to why they would do that again.

Magnus is enjoying having his magic by creating a portal, lighting the torches and removing the lid of the sarcophagus; but Alec is worried about Magnus over doing it, telling him to take it easy. He has no idea what this new magic, or the overexertion of it, could do to Magnus. We learn that the Morningstar Sword was stolen about 20 years ago and that it has the power to call an army of demons from Hell. Well, that kinda solves the mystery of the demons flying around in the trailers, shit.

Magnus finally tells Alec that Lorenzo asked for his apartment in return for the magic, Alec is absolutely fuming and ready to attack Lorenzo. His distrust has been proven right and he is furious that Lorenzo has taken advantage of Magnus’ situation and has taken his home from him, especially at a time that Magnus has lost so many other things. Plus, it has become home for Alec too; it hold’s almost all of his memories of his relationship with Magnus and he hates that Lorenzo is taking that away from them both.

Magnus explains that he willing gave up his apartment for the magic and why; magic is more important to him than the apartment, which at the end of the day is just a thing. This scene makes me cry, listening to Magnus describe how without his magic he feels cut off from the world, disconnected and that he doesn’t matter; I think that it is very easy for a lot of people to identify with those feelings, I know that I really identified with feeling those things in my darkest times and it is so refreshing and validating to hear a character talk about it.

Magnus is making Alec understand how being without his magic has completely changed how he connects with the world and with others, in Season 1 he told Clary that he thought Dot dead because he couldn’t feel her magic anymore. So not only did he lose a part of himself but he also lost his connection to his friends, his people; there is no wonder he feels so separate and adrift. Magnus reassures Alec that having him and his magic is enough for him to happy; you can tell that Alec isn’t happy with the situation and its consequences but he smiles because he can see the difference in Magnus and appreciates why he has done this.

I love seeing Luke and Simon scenes, I love their relationship; my heart aches for them because you can see their devastation upon finding the massacre at the Jade Wolf, Luke’s especially because you can see he is swimming with guilt as well. We know that Luke is going to blame himself for this, thinking that if he was there or if was still Alpha then they would still be alive. Luckily, Simon hears Maia and helps her escape the storage room.

When Izzy and Jace come to help Clary escape, Clary is unable to draw the sedative rune on Jonathan, she looks confused and horrified in the moment and after that she was unable to make herself incapacitate him. Personally I think that this was for a couple of reasons; firstly, in that moment Jonathan does appear vulnerable in his expression and that causes Clary to just see her brother, in that second she doesn’t see the murderer she just sees her brother, her last remaining blood relative; secondly, I think that the rune and their connection is going stronger, and that is causing them to not want to cause harm to each other or in this case cause their capture. It would make sense that the rune would grow in strength over time and that is going to cause behaviour changes, possibly feeding Clary’s darker impulses.

Simon helps Maia get Jordan to the Praetor while Luke allows himself to be arrested; it hurts because you know that Luke let that happen because he felt guilty, responsible for their deaths and didn’t just want to leave them. I know that he is going to keep feeling guilty about this but I hope that Maia, Simon and Clary will help him deal with it.

My absolute favourite scene of the entire episode, Alec confronts Lorenzo! I love it, Alec calls out Lorenzo for taking advantage of Magnus and wanting to humiliate him; he knows that Lorenzo dislikes Magnus and would not let this opportunity to get back at him pass him by. He despises him for hurting Magnus, for taking advantage of someone in a clearly vulnerable position but also because Lorenzo is supposed to be a leader and is abusing his power to get what he wants. He doesn’t allow Lorenzo to mock him and reasserts his power as the Head of the Institute; making it known that Alec will not tolerate any back talk or disrespect from Lorenzo.

He is willing to make a deal with Lorenzo to get the apartment back, he knows how independent Magnus is and despite what he says Alec knows that losing his home is going to hurt him. He is willing to do whatever it takes to protect Magnus. I absolutely love Matt’s acting in this scene, the distain in his expression and the little twitch of his face when Lorenzo talks about putting Magnus in his place. Matt is so fantastic at conveying so much in small movements and facial expressions, and you can tell that in that moment Alec wanted to rip Lorenzo limb from limb.

I love that Alec makes his distain of Lorenzo as a person and a leader clear, he hates how Lorenzo conducts himself as High Warlock and doesn’t respect him as a leader at all; a good leader supports those under their care and doesn’t take advantage of them for their own gain and petty vendetta. He makes it clear that he is going to be keeping an extremely close eye on Lorenzo and is waiting for him to slip up, Alec is going to bide his time so that he can punish Lorenzo when the time is right and in a situation that no one can refute his decision. I was literally laughing, hollering and clapping throughout this entire scene; it reminded me of 210 when he told Aldertree to stay away from his family, I love seeing him in hyper-protective mode.

At this point I cannot see any redemption arc for Lorenzo because he takes credit for Magnus’ achievements (the purified ley lines from 302), enjoys causing suffering and revels in humiliating Magnus in any and all ways possible. He may have some past with Magnus that caused his hatred, but we don’t know what that is, maybe Magnus did something to him or maybe Lorenzo is just jealous of him; jealous of his power and how many people like him, he knows that Magnus has the support of a lot of warlocks and that clearly rubs him the wrong way. But no matter their history, Lorenzo has acted despicably; especially as High Warlock, his job if to lead and protect no matter his own grievances and he has shown that he is incapable of putting aside petty rivalries to do that.

And I’m crying again; Magnus looks so happy enjoying a cocktail in Hunter’s Moon, you can tell that he feels so much happier and like himself now. I love his interaction with the bartender and seeing him smile so broadly. Then I breakdown when his head starts ringing and nose starts bleeding after he opens the portal, we know that this is the beginning of something horrifying and we are not ready. His symptoms are only going to get worse with time and continued use of the magic, but he is not going to willingly give it up because he has experienced living without it and cannot go back to feeling like that.

I love seeing Izzy back in the lab, and she finds a USB drive inside of Greenlaw; I need to see what is on there! Plus she looks gorgeous in these scenes, especially with the lighting.

Clary is angry with herself for not being able to detain Jonathan, she knows that he needs to be caught and poses danger to them; she feels like she failed and doesn’t understand why. Throughout the whole scene it appears that she has difficulty even looking at Jace which is understandable but also hints that my theory of a wedge between them may be right. She tells Jace about the kiss, she needs to be honest and to be able to express her feelings about it; she feels violated, she was kissed by someone under false pretences and that person was her brother. You can see the distress she feels at being kissed without her consent, I am glad that they addressed her feelings about this.

I really liked Jace’s ‘swear on us’ line, it shows his strength of feeling for her and how much he believes in their relationship; he believes that they can survive anything, together. It is clear that what Jonathan has done is going to have a lasting effect because Clary turns away from Jace’s kiss; it is completely understandable because all she will be able to think about is Jonathan taking advantage of her. I hope that they can move past this but that remains to be seen.

Jonathan is very pleased with the fact that Clary was unable to capture him and is sure that they will soon be reunited; I wonder if he knows the real strength and effect of the twinning rune.

But what I did find very interesting, and looking back you can kinda see it in 313 too, is the continuous reappearance of fire with Clary and Jonathan. Plus, in that last scene it was fire that transitioned their scenes; I thought it was very clever and interesting. I wonder if it is because of the twinning rune, Jonathan’s demon blood or because of Jonathan’s experience being burned and burning himself.

Okay, I really liked this episode and it was definitely an improvement on last week. Yes, I did have issues with the Jordan and Maia scenes, but hopefully I have explained them in a way in which you can understand where my opinion comes from.

In 315, Magnus is now living at the Institute, he meets Underhill, they are dealing with Heidi and we might be seeing Raphael return!