In this Shadowhunters “Rise Up” recap and commentary, we see how Simon takes to being turned into a vampire, how everyone is dealing with Alec’s engagement, and if Clary cares about anything
We return where we left off with Simon as he’s running from the cemetery when Raphael intercepts him. He sees his reflection a truck window, but Raphael just says he has a lot to learn. He tries to calm Simon down, but mentions getting him into his new home at the Hotel Dumort. Simon is clearly not pleased with that idea and throws Raphael against a food truck before running off again.
Yeah, that probably wasn’t the best thing to say to Simon, but it’s not like Raphael has that kind of tact. Or any, maybe.
Clary and Jace find Raphael and he explains that Simon will come back. Clary is perturbed, of course, blaming herself and not caring about vampire politics. She wants to find Simon, and Raphael just tells them to call him when they find him.
Yeah, I’m not liking Clary too much here, which is no surprise. She has this knack about not caring about anyone else’s business but her own. I didn’t like her in the first book for that same reason.
At the Institute, Robert is putting a healing rune on Alec after his fight with the Forsaken. Jace calls Alec, but Izzy takes it. She tells him about the attack, stating that the Forsaken had Seelie blood with Angel properties in it, which was how he was able to get in the Institute. They know he was looking for the Mortal Cup.
Jace starts running back, but Clary says she can’t go because of Simon. They part ways, but not before they get in one more hot kiss.
Magnus is at the Institute adjusting the wards to protect it from another invasion while Robert and Alec watch. Robert leaves when Magnus is done, however, Magnus offers to heal the wound on Alec’s arm, free of charge. Alec refuses his help, though. Magnus is even about to open up to him about how he feels, but Alec stops him from saying more, but he definitely looks a bit saddened at Alec’s brush-off.
Meliorn arrives for some kind of conference and Isabelle is surprised, but happy, to see him. However, he reminds her of her fire message to him, and he knows her parents despise Downworlders. Izzy tells him she’s not like that, but he’s not having it. When Lydia arrives, they arrest Meliorn for soliciting secrets.
Izzy has it out with Lydia, but Lydia needs proof and says that she didn’t want this, but Isabelle doesn’t believe her.
Clary goes to the Jade Wolf for Luke’s help in finding Simon. He tries to assure her that Simon will see that Clary was trying to help, but she’s frustrated.
Izzy is venting to her brother, but he tells her it was the Clave who gave the order. Jace finally gets back to the Institute and tells Alec and Izzy that their parents are being called back to Idris. Izzy is upset, but Alec thinks that maybe the Clave is right. He then reveals to them that Robert and Maryse are ex-Circle members, and even he’s suspicious of them, but Jace and Izzy don’t agree with him. Lydia enters and tries to introduce herself to Jace, but he’s not happy. Alec then reveals that he and Lydia are engaged. Surprise! Izzy’s pissed, of course. Jace is disgusted.
Yeah, no. He won’t be getting a “congratulations” anytime soon.
Simon is back at home in his still-mangled bedroom when his mom greets him there with a hug. He almost takes in his first victim when Clary appears, able to stop him in time. Simon’s mom is suddenly wondering what is going on and Simon almost confesses to her something, but Clary interrupts, saying she needs his help. He heads out with Clary after much pleading from her.
Robert has a talk with Alec about the engagement, since he hadn’t spoken to his parents about it. He reveals that he knows about him and Maryse being in the Circle. Robert looks horrified, but tries to explain that they wanted him and Izzy to be better than them. Alec just tells him he’s going to fix it what they messed up and do it on his terms.
Man, talk about a temper tantrum. Gets engaged to a person he barely knows and treats everyone he loves like crap. Bad Alec!
As Luke and Clary try to help Simon, Clary confesses that she chose to make him a vampire, but it just pisses him off, telling her to stay away from him.
Izzy is frustrated they aren’t doing anything to stop Meliorn’s interrogation, but both Jace and Alec agree there’s nothing they can do about it now. Jace suggests to let it play out and see if Meliorn has information they can use.
Plus, Jace Wayland is Switzerland, and I love that! Even though he really isn’t.
In the interrogation, Lydia is trying to find out how the Forsaken had Seelie blood in it, and Meliorn suggests that maybe it came from the dead Seelie scouts, which is what Izzy had also told Lydia. (Which we know is what happened.) Meliorn informs Lydia that Clary has the Cup. Izzy has her “I told you so” moment.
So, now there are people searching Clary’s room for the Cup. Jace is frustrated with Alec for allowing this to go on, but Alec says they need to turn the Cup over to the Clave. He tells Jace that he’ll give the Cup over if Clary doesn’t do it. Jace says he’ll get Clary to come back, but he tells Alec to let Clary do it herself. Alec agrees. When Alec leaves the room, Jace takes a picture of one of his runes and sends it to Clary.
While Luke and Clary try to get Simon to drink a packet of blood to stave off his hunger, Clary gets a call from Jace about the rune picture. He tells her it’s a Blocking Rune and that she needs to put it on now to prevent anyone from trying to track her. He tells her that the Clave thinks she’s in with Valentine because of the Cup. He tells her to hide. They end up at the Hotel Dumort. Raphael reluctantly lets them stay there, except for Luke.
At the Institute, Lydia and Alec are preparing to take Meliorn to the Silent Brothers, but Izzy and Jace disagree with this tactic as it could kill Meliorn and also start a war against the Downworlders. Despite trying to get Lydia and Alec to change their minds, Alec says they don’t have a choice.
Jace and Izzy turn to Magnus for help. They want him to steal Alec’s stele to get the Cup – in the tarot card – from the safe. Magnus at first rejects them, but they convince him that the Clave’s approach is wrong. Of course they owe him, and he tells them that Alec can never know.
The more I see Harry as Magnus, the more I enjoy it.
Raphael locks up Clary and Simon in his own cell, for their protection and the protection of his own people. Raphael tells Simon to call him when he’s hungry. Clary tries to talk to Simon, but Simon finally calls Raphael back for blood, finally giving in to his hunger.
While Alec is in his room changing the dressing on his arm, Magnus, who is standing outside his room, is able to get the snag Alec’s stele and transport to Jace, who’s at the safe. Jace takes the Cup and Clary’s necklace and Magnus is able to transport the stele back to Alec’s jacket pocket just in time.
Alec exits his room and Magnus, already being out there, says he came to see how he was doing. Alec thanks him for his “follow your heart” advice and tells him he’s getting married. This, of course, stuns Magnus, and he’s clearly not pleased about it. Alec explains that it’s a “solid partnership,” which Magnus laughs off, then congratulates Alec not so happily before saying goodbye. Alec doesn’t say anything back, but he doesn’t look too happy, either.
This was a great scene for both Harry and Matthew. Matthew is able to show Alec’s interest in Magnus but only just enough since he’s doesn’t want to give into his feelings for the warlock. And though a very sad moment for Magnus, it was a great moment to be able to see the controlled emotion on Magnus’ face. Loved this scene!
Jace and Izzy are about to leave, but are intercepted by Hodge, who already knows they’re about to lie to him. Jace then tells him the truth, that they need to help Clary, and Hodge tells them they should leave now before they get caught.
Alec is about to take Meliorn to the Silent Brothers, but asks Lydia if she’s sure about this. She tells him how her fiance died, and apparently her hesitation of torturing a Downworlder for information was part of the reason he died. She doesn’t want to make the same mistake again.
“We rule with our heads. Not with our hearts.” Alec suddenly agrees, and goes with her plan.
Now wait a minute, didn’t Alec just thank Magnus for suggesting to follow his heart? What is this, Alec?!
Clary and Simon are finally released as Jace and Izzy have arrived. Jace and Izzy explain they have to save Meliorn from being brought to the Silent Brothers. Luke says he can call his pack to help, and Clary says she’ll talk to Raphael to get the vampires to help. She does so by convincing them they can be equals, but they need to work together to stop Valentine. Raphael agrees to do so only if Simon accepts to follow his new vampire leader and clan. Simon agrees to it.
They gather up at the Downworlder entrance to the City of Bones. But the tension is high between the vampires and werewolves. Clary yells at them. They cool down. The groups go to their assigned areas, and Jace gives Clary the Cup and the necklace. Clary and Jace notice that Alec has arrived with the Shadowhunter security to bring Meliorn. Alec sees trouble with the werewolves there. And the vampires nab the Shadowhunters that are keeping guard, with Izzy’s help.
Just as Alec is about to bring Meliorn through the entrance, he’s confronted by Jace and Clary. Clary is again not caring, this time about orders.
Okay, so maybe she has a point, but honestly, she needs to be more reasonable to what other people do care about.
Jace knocks Alec down, telling Clary and Meliorn to go. Jace tells Alec how he’s changed, getting engaged, knowing that it has to do with his feelings for him. But Alec fights back before he’s able to say the words. Jace and Alec fight! They fight!
Dude, they’re fighting! And it’s pretty wild and I freaked out a little because parabatai shouldn’t be fighting, and yet, here these two are. And I don’t care if this isn’t in the books, this was really cool.
Surprisingly, Alec has Jace with a seraph blade to his neck. Jace tells him to do it because he doesn’t want to live in a world where they’re on opposite sides. Alec releases him. Jace pleads with Alec to join him, to fight Valentine together, the right way. But Alec says no. Jace leaves nearly in tears, devastated with his parabatai.
Yes, my heart broke here. I loved how Dominic was able to convey Jace’s heartbreak at Alec rejecting him.
Clary gives Simon a hug, as Simon has to stay at the Hotel Dumort, while they have to bring Meliorn back to the Seelie court. Jace is still reeling from his fight with Alec, but Clary talks to Simon. Simon knows he has to learn to control himself, but also knows he’s still himself and Clary’s still herself.
Outside the Hotel, Meliorn and Izzy have their moment and kiss/make-out/make-up. Izzy leaves to get back to the Institute and probably reason with Alec and whoever else. Meliorn plans to offer Clary a gift for what she’s done to rescue him.
He says he’ll help them find Valentine.
