'Shadowhunters' recap: 'Rise Up'

Buckle up, downworlders. If you aren’t for the shadowhunters, then you are against them. Clary has decided to take control of her life, and she’s implementing major changes. Luke is a werewolf, Simon is a vampire, Alec is acting weird, and Izzy’s boyfriend has been arrested. It’s time to band together as one supernatural force and beat Valentine once and for all. Don’t mess with the chick who holds the Mortal Cup. Well, she’s technically holding a tarot card with the Mortal Cup magically embedded inside, but you get the drift.

The most immediate problem child is Simon. He’s covered in grave dirt and blood and has little patience for people like Raphael telling him to embrace his new identity. After tossing Raphael into a truck, he books it home. Clary is mortified. Simon has no idea that it was her decision to turn him into a vampire. Raphael peaces out, warning Clary that she needs to let Simon go through this particular hell as Jace calls for reinforcements.

Izzy grabs Alec’s phone and scolds Jace for not being at the Institute when Alec was attacked by the forsaken. Jace wants to be by Alec’s side. Clary wants to be by Simon’s side. Which BFF will win? Jace suggests that Clary ask Luke for help tracking Simon so he can check on the Lightwoods. They seal the deal with a steamy kiss on the sidewalk. Good talk.

Back at the Institute, Meliorn is escorted into the command room. Izzy is livid. Lydia explains that he is under arrest for soliciting secrets from a shadowhunter (she’s looking at you Iz) on behalf of Valentine. Izzy contemplates ripping a slit in her practical work skirt so she can have the freedom to kick Lydia in the teeth. Instead, Jace walks in.

Jace can’t believe that Alec is calm. Is the Clave asking for a war? Not only have they no reason to arrest Meliorn, but they are sending Robert and Maryse back to Idris. The Lightwood kids need to retaliate! At this news, Alec explodes. Robert and Maryse are former Circle members. They made a deal before the uprising (hence the reason they don’t have the Circle runes) to follow the law without question. It’s all very suspicious.

Jace defends his adoptive parents. Izzy nods along. Lydia walks up and smiles as Alec introduces her as his fiancé. Worst engagement announcement ever. Alec remains stoic. This is the best decision for the family. He’s going to use this marriage to save the shadowhunter world and restore the Lightwood name. He and Lydia are going to fix what his parents broke as they open lovely gifts from Bed Bath & Beyond. It’s a win-win.

Meanwhile, Simon’s mom finds him in his room. It’s been days since she’s seen her son. Why does he look so pale? Where are his glasses? Simon hugs his mom tight. He hears her heartbeat and decides that a little taste of his mother’s blood wouldn’t hurt a thing. He opens his mouth wide to take a chunk out of her neck when Clary shouts at him to stop. She convinces Simon to leave with her to help with a case of identity theft. Simon’s mom believes this lame excuse and pleads for Clary to take care of her boy.

Outside, Simon begins to melt down. He feels sick. He’s a monster. He almost ate his mother for dinner. When does it stop? Why did Raphael do this? Clary clears her throat and comes clean. Instead of staking him in the heart and killing him forever, she chose to bury him in a deep grave as her sort-of boyfriend and the new vampire leader watched. She calls this love. Simon calls it unforgivable.

Simon isn’t the only one on the unforgivable train. Izzy is dumbfounded that Alec and Jace won’t help her put a stop to Meliorn’s interrogation. The boys suggest that Meliorn may have some information about Valentine that could be useful. But instead of ratting out Valentine, Meliorn tells Lydia that Clary has the Mortal Cup. Jace’s tune suddenly changes when Clary’s name is mentioned. He thinks they need to protect the cup. Alec thinks they need to turn it in. Jace agrees because of the parabatai code. They work better when they are on the same page.

Except this time, Jace is lying. He and Izzy convince Magnus to steal Alec’s stele for them so they can grab the tarot card out of Alec’s magical safe deposit box hidden in the training room floor. He calls Clary to tell her that she needs to get somewhere safe. She chooses the Hotel DuMort. This decision is both brilliant and ridiculously stupid. No one will ever find her there — if she makes it out alive.

NEXT: Day savers

Raphael locks Simon and Clary up in a cage to keep them safe. If Simon gets hungry, he can snack on Clary. Problem solved! Simon looks miserable as Clary explains that she turned him into a vampire because life without Simon just doesn’t work for her. He’s going to have to get used to being a downworlder, even though she’s a superior being. Besties forever? Simon yells for Raphael to bring him something to eat. Raphael appears with a whimsical Mason jar full of O negative blood, complete with a lime wedge. Presentation is everything.

Over at the Institute, Magnus magically transports Alec’s stele to Jace and returns it before Alec even notices. Jace grabs the card and Clary’s “daddy locator” locket. Lydia makes arrangements for Meliorn to be escorted to the Silent Brothers for holding. You see, once upon a time, Lydia took the emotional route and wasn’t hard enough on an informant. Her fiancé died as a result. She’s not taking any chances this time. Izzy freaks out for a third time. She and Jace agree to find Clary, give her the Mortal Cup, and rescue Meliorn. Hodge unofficially approves of this plan and wishes them well. It’s search-and-rescue time.

The calvary arrives at the Hotel DuMort. Clary runs into Jace’s arms, and everyone feels weird when they seem them embrace. Jace gives her the short story: Meliorn is headed to the Silent Brothers. Alec can’t come because he has no idea what they are doing, plus his fiancée wouldn’t let him if he did know. The wolves and Izzy are going to create a diversion so Jace can swoop in and save Meliorn. Clary convinces Raphael to ask the other vampires to come along. She recites a beautiful speech about equality and the regime of the new breed of shadowhunters who don’t want to repeat the same mistakes as the Clave.

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Raphael agrees to help on one condition — Simon has to pledge loyalty to his leader. Simon agrees because he can’t very well go home and fight the urge to attack his mother. Clary looks sad, but there’s work to be done. Once they get to the City of Bones entrance, the vamps and the wolves are already at odds. Equality Clary steps between the two groups and recites another soliloquy about saving each other from Valentine. Downworlders unite!

Unfortunately there was a little kink in the plan. No one expected the shadowhunter delivering Meliorn to the Silent Brothers to be Alec. The wolves attack. Alec runs with Meliorn by his side. Clary grabs Meliorn, and Jace attacks Alec. Mid-fight, he begs Alec to be true to himself. The fight is really about his feelings for Jace, isn’t it? This makes Alec M-A-D. He pretty much kicks Jace’s butt, and when he pins him in a submissive hold with a blade to his neck, Jace begs for death. He doesn’t want to be alive if he’s on a different side than his best friend/brother. Alec backs away with a hopeless look on his face. Jace invites him to fight beside him so they can beat Valentine together. He even pulls the parabatai card. Alec gives him a blank stare and simply answers, “No.”

Moments later, we find Meliorn and Izzy making out like two kids under the bleachers at a homecoming game. Jace and Clary have offered to take him back to the Seelie Court. Meliorn thanks Clary for spearheading his rescue. He offers her a gift for her sacrifice. If she’s ready, he can help her find her father.

Does this mean that Meliorn was working with Valentine the entire time? Will Alec and Jace make amends? Will Magnus stop hanging around now that he knows Alec is engaged to Lydia? Is Simon just as handsome with pale skin? I hope turning into a vampire didn’t affect his abs. That would be a shame.