Rewatch 105: Moo Shu to Go
This is a noticeably more enjoyable episode than the ones before it. The characters seem more rounded, the actors seem comfortable in their roles. The production as a whole is getting better.
Teaser
I know Alec has the people skills of a particularly dry raisin, but he continues to be the most sensible character. Finally we get someone thinking strategically and prioritizing the greater good instead of one person’s interests.
And, once again, Alec doesn’t underestimate other people: unlike Jace and Clary, he doesn’t think they can outsmart Valentine. He will be proven right when, in a few episodes, Valentine reveals that he has been using the portal shard to lure Jace and Clary to him.
Act One
More Clary and Izzy talking. Always noice. Unlike Alec, Izzy has great people skills: they are saying the same thing, but Izzy is able to communicate it in terms that appreciate Clary’s feelings but also makes her understand that her actions inevitably put other people at risk no matter what she says. This is why Alec will ask Izzy to be present at his first Cabinet Meeting in 214: Izzy is a great conciliator.
Maryse’s entrance is so effective. She berates Izzy and Clary, acts with authority, and goes straight to the point. We know she’s mean, tough, and straight to the point. To add to that, we get Izzy trying (and failing) to minimize how hurt she is by the way Maryse treats her and Maryse being affectionate to Jace, who Maryse deems worthy of love because he fits her ideals of what a shadowhunter should be. All great writing.
Maryse’s harshness also serve to humanize Alec. We finally see why he’s so worried about following the rules: if he steps out of line, he’s disappointing his mother and putting his family at risk. The matter goes beyond simply looking good in front of his bosses, as Clary assumed.
Yes, finally! Clary protests to the way Maryse refers to Downworlders. Show me why you are different from the shadowhunters, Clary. Step up as the heroine people keep telling me you are. She is also starting to realize her actions have consequences – especially to the people helping her.
I have totally and utterly forgotten that the victims of the Demonic Murders were mundanes with the Sight. Like, you guessed, Clary! Now I want a parallel show where Clary finds out about the Shadow World because the demons try to kill her, but she escapes because she’s not a mundane; she’s an actual shadowhunter.
Clary drawing! I like it when they show her drawing.
Alec and Jace talking! This episode is full of scenes I like. And they are really communicating. Still a little badly and not exactly being honest with each other, but at least there is no shouting. Also, omg, Jace loves his brother? So, he knows what love is? Will the show also stop pretending Jace only found affection and support once Clary showed up and never with his family?
See what I did there? I refused to talk about Alec being disappointed that Jace isn’t in love with him because this incest is making me uncomfortable.
Incidentally, Raphael is also bad at communication. He says he’s not interested in saving Simon’s life again and then immediately scares Simon away from the DuMort, effectively saving his life. In the most douche-y way possible.
The bonding moment between Alec and Clary is great. The fight-choreography says just as much as the character do: Alec has the clear upper-hand while until Clary thinks outside the box. When Alec does the same, he wins. Also, they are actually listening to each other, working together, smiling. This is how you build-up their relationship. No by shutting up Alec after he feels guilty about Jocelyn’s death.
Magnus’ look this episode is one of his most iconic. It is softer and more colorful when compared to his other two looks, which fits Magnus camouflaging tendencies when it comes to presenting himself. He’s flashier so the clothes and makeup will draw attention away from anything he doesn’t want to show.
Funny how Alec was afraid Jace would think Alec is gay/into him, but he’s willing to go out for drinks with Magnus. Alec doesn’t want the shadowhunters to know about his sexuality, but he’s not rejecting this side of himself when he gets the chance to act on it.
Act Two
It’s funny how the music is ominous as the werewolf leader speaks, but nothing he says is wrong. The Clave is just marginally better than the Circle when it comes to Downworlders. We know that because Jace said it himself: if they have an excuse, the Clave will just give them a lecture if they disobey the Accords and attack the vamps. Clary and Jace themselves don’t want to give the Mortal Cup to the Clave. Why are the werewolves saying the same framed as bad?
I like the idea of Clary longing for what her life could’ve been. I just don’t buy that a Gen Z would have her phone on anything else than silence mode.
Simon is also very sensible. Killing demons, wanting to go to her old house: none of that sounds safe, the presence of a trained shadowhunter notwithstanding.
And now Clary is at her most unlikable. She’s berating Alec for being gay and in the closet, and thus doing exactly what he fears others will do if they know about his sexuality. And it’s not that Clary hates gay people; she literally says “what’s the big deal?” and that they have a “real problem” to solve. The issue here is that she’s unable to relate to a reality different than hers.
Izzy and Meliorn continue to be a cute couple. Unfortunately, another pattern is Izzy referring to Jace as her brother while the episode forces the idea that Alec, their brother, is in love with Jace.
Valentine is so good at speeches, he convinces this random dude to become a seelie-forsaken hybrid with a couple of lines. I know Clary is branded as a Mary Sue, but Valentine is the biggest Villain Sue of all.
Act Three
It’s funny how Simon has been around supernatural creatures - literally vampires, warlocks, and half-angel warriors -, but he still thinks tracking is not of their skillset. He has also been hallucinating, strangely attracted to the DuMort, averse to sunlight, and super strong. Now, Alec points out he just developed the Sight. Simon shrugs it all off. I take it back about the “sensible” thing.
The dynamic between Clary, Simon, and Alec is amazing and it’s a damn shame it has been so underused throughout the series. Simon is much more confident around Clary and Alec than he is around Jace and Izzy. Alec isn’t bothered by Simon’s remarks and he focuses on protecting Simon and Clary. Clary feels at ease with Simon there and she seeks Alec for guidance.
Alec recognizes Jocelyn’s actions in burning down Clary’s possessions so she wouldn’t be tracked. It’s a shadowhunter thing.
I wish we’d seen how Alaric and the wolves got to Clary and Simon. Did they resort to strength right away? Did he use the fact that Clary knows him to approach her first?
Act Four
Izzy implies that Jace also hooks up with seelies from time to time. We know he does because we meet Kaelie (<3) and the other seelie girls in season 2.
This Izzy and Jace vs Meliorn scene is very interesting. Izzy sounds very naïve; is she really surprised that Valentine killed the seelie spies? Regardless, both Izzy and Jace get defensive when Meliorn indicates the Accords are unfair to the Downworlders. Jace makes veiled threats, Izzy can’t even look at Meliorn.
Both Clary and Alec seem to think Clary and Simon were taken by the police. I really want the scene of Alaric taking Clary and Simon to understand why. Apparently, he didn’t even say what he was arresting them for.
Jace freaking out because Clary was taken is one thing. Jace attacking Alec where he knows it will hurt is another. It seems this Parabatai thing isn’t such an unbreakable bond after all.
Act Five
Gretel! Long time no see.
I love when Clary is smart. She sends the werewolves back to where she left Alec. If Alec can identify them, he can find out where Clary and Simon were taken to. Simon is equally smart: he knows they left the backpack at the loft; if Alec took it, he has Clary’s phone.
Luke couldn’t be more dramatic.
Act Six
Feisty Clary and Impatient Luke should have their own show. I like that each of them takes their share of the blame once things are sorted out.
It’s cool that the shadowhunters keep pulling the mundanes behind them every time danger appears – no matter how much they dislike Simon, especially.
And, with that, we are done learning the basics of every race in the Shadow World. Seelies and Vamps in 103, warlocks in 104, and now werewolves in 105. Check and check.
I’ll have more to say about it in the next episode, but it really makes no sense that a new alpha would need a warlock’s help after challenging the former alpha. It also makes no sense that the werewolves would let the shadowhunters take their wounded alpha away.
This time, the rift between Alec and Jace is not resolved in the same episode. They are drifting apart.
