#The Immortal Instruments

[babswings]

Parabatai love: platonic, romantic ou something beyond?

You know, there's something that's been bugging me ever since I joined the TSC fandom in 2017, which is the way some fans get outraged when someone ships parabatai as a romantic couple. I know there are high controversies of what exactly the parabatai bond is all about, so I decided to give my opinion on it.

First of all, I'm not here to force you to like them romantically (because I myself am PASSIONATE about platonic connections), but rather to try to understand together how their bonding works. 

There is a law that forbids them to love each other romantically, as old as any other Shadowhunters' law. And where there is a law, there are reasons. Jem explains a bit in TDA about the reason, and that the connection that exists between parabatai unleashes a man-made power, with no direct relation to the angels, which makes parabatai magic dangerous. In this case, it gives the pair such incredible power that it can turn them into either true nephilim (giants) or great mages. But since there is the corruption, in both cases where this happened there was chaos and destruction. 

But while reading all of Cassandra's sagas, we come across at least one parabatai duo, from Robert and Michael to Emma and Julian. Several examples, several couples, and the most common thing about them is that one of them falls romantically in love with the other. Not in all, but so far in most cases.  For me the reason is simple: the parabatai connection involves both platonic and romantic love. 

Almost every time, it is mentioned that the connection is soulful, as if a part of their soul intertwines with their partner's, creating a kind of bond that simply does not exist in the world of men, mortal or immortal. It was a rune created by David and Jonathan with the intention of binding their souls to each other through the love they felt. A soul love is something beyond what we know. 

Imagine loving a person so deeply, loving them more than you love your own soul to the point that it is impossible to compare even with lovers and children? Imagine feeling the presence of this person as a part of you that lives outside of your body and brings you peace and happiness? The way Cassandra wrote both Will and Jem and James and Matthew shows that deepness, that overwhelming affection. It is a love that blends the platonic and the romantic, where the characters love each other not as brothers, but beyond that. 

So for me it is natural to read the books and feel the platonic affection that made us fall in love with the parabatai bond (and many of us, like me, have someone we consider our parabatai in real life) and also feel the vastness of the romantic love that exists between them. They love each other both ways and are not ashamed to admit it, it is so clear and at the same time a kind of love that those outside the parabatai bond would never understand in the TSC universe.

They love each other more than they love their own souls and that, to me, is the most beautiful kind of love there is. 

So yes, do ship them romantically if you want, ou platonic if you prefer. By all means, the parabatai is just the BEST thing Cassandra Clare ever created in the TSC word, so enjoy it the way you want!

[itsnani07]

Ok ok hear me out. Yknow how several times in tmi they always say the stores are true? And yknow how several times CC make references to Greek mythology? So technically in their universe the PJO universe exists too they just never crossed paths

[boldlyhappydreamland]

Thank you for being such an inspiration to me. Every battle u face. Every struggle you tackle like any other human. Everything you ever overcame and will continue to overcome. Thank you for helping me. And so many other lovely human. Thank you for giving us that space to feel safe. Comfortable and content. Thank you for being one of my reasons I still even breath. Thanks for everything. Sincerely. You will never truly know your impact. I’m in awe of you daily, princess La. 🤍

[bonniebirddoesgifs]

Bonniebirddoesgifs:

Simon Lewis' vampire bite (TMI) - Credit if using

[7sweater-weather7]

i’m reading the second book of the immortal instruments. i’m almost done.

simon can never catch a break can he😭

[illustratinghan]

Acorn ~ Immortality 🌞

- a recreation of Magnus Bane’s flower card -

characters by @cassandraclare 🤍

[carebooks]

you know what’s funny?

if the mortal instruments movies had continued for five more sequels— and were faithful to the books— eventually, we would have gotten not only vampire simon, but mark of cain!vampire simon.

meaning that robert sheehan would’ve ended up playing not one, not two, but THREE characters that were immortal and the source of comic relief

[brothersnackariahsbitch]

TSC addresses the concept of immortality in a superior way, and you cannot convince me otherwise. The fact that we’ve gotten to see lifetimes of love and loss with Magnus and Tessa is so uniquely beautiful and heartbreaking. They’re not surrounded by other immortals to live out long immortal lives together. We’re not seeing just a glimpse of their lives that makes things lose context. It’s so special because we’ve seen them falling in love with mortals over the course of multiple lifetimes, but also seen the ruin of the loss of multiple lifetimes. We feel the dread of knowing their current loved ones will one day be just another memory. It is just so compelling and so well done.

[potato-jem]

is this just me or...?

[petratherrock]

Sizzy 🤝 Jurdan

Couples with the immortals but the immortals are as silly as their age,

which is 18

[payasita]

playin with clip studio filters

[aprill-99]

The thing I find most interesting with immortal fictional characters is when the narrative does not also establish that they have some kind of magically gifted memory because on the one hand you have the comedy potential of:

“This was a major defining traumatic life event that took 3 years for you. Personally, I’m having a fucking stressful Spring Break. Trust me, this is nothing compared to the 50 year siege of the lost empire.”

And on the other hand you get the pure existential horror of:

“I know that I have loved many people. Some of them I remember perfectly, some I have forgotten, and I dread the day when the ones I can recall inevitably fade like all the others. I am sometimes furious that time has ripped them from me and sometimes so very relieved that the pain has dimmed with the centuries.”

Anyway, probably this is just creators not considering it, but duality of character etc etc. I just think it’s neat…

[clownsuu]

Gotta love that Omega has a new bitch to show off and flex about (yes I am referring to video game anon)-

They will be forced to listen to omega sing, for several hours, songs from his favorite movies (like from nightmare before crimmis smhhh)

[bonniebirddoesgifs]

Bonniebirddoesgifs:

Simon Lewis (TMI) - Credit if using

[boldlyhappydreamland]

New theme. A deepish purple because life be feeling like that lately hehehehhehe

[eskel-loves-lilbleater]

Putting this here now so I don't forget later, because I think I LOVE this idea.

So, hear me out....actor Harry Shum Jr as live action Kerry Eurodyne. He's young enough to play Samurai Kerry and can look mature enough for '77 Kerry. (I think I NEED to see him with a mullet and bandana 😂)