Ragnor Fell is John Shade?
The earliest date of Ragnor fell is 1791, when he went to Peru with Magnus. He also went to Peru in 1885 and 1890. Ragnor Fell became the High Warlock of London sometime in the mid 1800s and later helped the infernal devices gang in 1872 and again six years later. He kept an eye on Will’s family and collected information for them.
The earliest date of John Shade is during the crusades when he traped Ithuriel in the clockwork angel for Anne Shade. Then in 1752 he got the Book of White so he could bind demon spirits to automatons to protect Downworlders from Shadowhunters. This was before the Accords so I can understand why he would feel the need to have protection. It was never confirmed that Shade intended to use the automatons to purposely attack Shadowhunters.
With all of that information we know that Fell/Shade would have to had met Anne Shade during or before the crusades. There is a gap of, at most, almost 100 years of unknown time for Ragnor Fell during which Axel Mortmain was born, in 1803, and John and Anne Shade died, in 1815. But during that time Ragnor Fell also became the High Warlock of London. So he would have had to switch between being Ragnor Fell and John Shade, living a double life from at least 1791 to 1815. In 1815 he would have had to fake his death (which we all know he’s good at). But the bodies were seen and when Tessa turned into Aloysius Starkweather, one of the shadowhunters that helped take down the Shades, she knew he helped but never saw Fell/Shade die. So we could be dealing with another Wayland Valentine switch the bodies type of thing. But I can’t see Fell/Shade killing someone in order to accomplish this.
Above is what Tessa describes when she turns into Aloysius Starkweather.
Above is how Tessa describes Ragnor Fell when she first sees him. Almost as if she subconsciously recognizes him. Hmmmmm.
Above is Ragnor Fell telling Charlotte what he knows of John Shade.
So are they the same person? I don’t know. It’s a little bit of a reach but Cassandra Clare has done bigger plot twists before.
