Five Best Moments of “Shadowhunters” Episode Six, “Of Men and Angels”

In the sixth episode of Freeform’s hit supernatural drama Shadowhunters, Clary, Jace, Alec, Simon and Magnus race against time to save Luke. Titled “Of Men and Angels,” the episode effortlessly transitions from the past and the present, allowing viewers the chance to learn more about the events surrounding the Uprising as well as Valentine’s relationship with Jocelyn and Luke. In addition, Clary finally learns the location of the Mortal Cup—as well as a devastating family secret that will change her life forever.

I admit that this episode was a little less action-packed than previous ones, but it was nonetheless satisfying. I appreciated the opportunity to learn some more backstory since it helps viewers connect the dots between the past and the present. I also liked the fact that this episode really focused more on the characters’ relationships rather than their adventures, which is an important aspect of building a three-dimensional world. Going forward, I predict that the show will begin to pick up pace, again and start to reveal even more mysteries.

As a whole, this episode contained its fair share of memorable moments, although some stood out more than others. In particular, the flashbacks were expertly done and, in some ways, more engrossing than the events occurring in the present. Here are my picks for the Best Five Moments of Shadowhunters episode six, “Of Men and Angels.”

Young Valentine Turns to the Dark Side (And Tries to Steal the Mortal Cup)

I loved the flashbacks in this episode for several reasons. First, I think that they chose excellent people to portray young Valentine (Owen Roth), Jocelyn (Susanna Fournier) and Luke (Nykeem Provo). Second, many of the fight sequences were impressively choreographed and the special effects were brilliantly used. One of the most remarkable examples of this was the scene in which Valentine went full Anakin Skywalker and murdered a horrifying amount of Shadowhunters in an attempt to seize the Mortal Cup. Not only did we get to see Valentine in action fighting-wise but we also had the pleasure of watching Valentine break the Mortal Cup out of its icy prison. Combined, these things made this moment especially magical!

Young Luke Confronts Young Valentine (And Young Jocelyn Shows Off Her Fighting Skills)

I can’t even express how much I enjoyed this scene. Getting to watch young Luke and young Valentine duke it out would’ve been enough, but then they threw young Jocelyn into the mix, who is a force of nature by the way, and this scene quickly became one of my all-time favorites. I especially loved that Jocelyn was the one who saved Luke and not the other way around. The only thing that I’m curious about at this point is how they are going to explain the rest of the Jocelyn-Valentine storyline. There is still more to tell—more that the audience needs to understand—and I’m anxious as to how the writers will flesh it out.

Magnus Tries to Heal Luke (And Gets a Boost from Alec’s “Virgin Shadowhunter Energy”)

Harry Shum Jr, have I mentioned how much I love you as Magnus? He brings so much nuance and depth to the character, and his charisma brightens up every scene that he’s in. This one was no exception. Getting to see Magnus work magic is always a treat, but in this instance, we saw how draining it can be. In an effort to save Luke, Magnus tapped into every magical resource within him, but even that proved to be not enough. Luckily, Alec rushed in at just the right moment to lend Magnus some of his Shadowhunter energy. Together, they were able to stabilize Luke long enough for Clary to administer the potion. Go Team Malec!

Alec Helps Magnus Tidy Up (And the Two Indulge in Some Celebratory Drinks)

I think that we can all agree that Alec can be a little dense, especially when it comes to his feelings. In this scene, however, we saw that Alec was also oblivious to Magnus’s interest in him. I don’t know whether this stems from a lack of self-confidence (poor Alec) or just naivety, but either way, it’s adorable. I feel like Magnus can help Alec in this regard, however. He forces Alec to confront his feelings and grow more comfortable in his own skin, which is one of the reasons why Malec is my favorite ship in the entire Shadowhunters universe.

Clary Learns the Truth about Her Mother’s Box (And Discovers a New Ability)

This was quite possibly the biggest reveal of the entire episode, so if you’re not caught up, I suggest that you stop reading now to avoid spoilers. As fans of The Mortal Instruments book series already knew, the “JC box,” contains the personal effects of Jocelyn’s first child, Jonathan Christopher, who died in a fire before Clary was born. Alone, this reveal would’ve ensured that this scene made the list since it was such an emotional moment for both Clary and Luke. But then, things took an interesting turn: Clary, who was still shaken up from learning that she had a brother, placed her hand innocently on the box (which was conveniently placed on top of a piece of paper) and unwittingly pushed the box into the paper. This, in turn, led to Clary realizing that she knew where her mother hid the Mortal Cup—and what a glorious moment that was! With this newfound knowledge, I hope that Clary is able to keep the Cup out of Valentine’s hands and save her mother.

Honorable Mention

Isabelle Quizzes Max on His Runes (And Has a Semi-Decent Conversation With Her Mother)

I can’t be the only one who is bothered by the way that Maryse Lightwood talks to her daughter. She’s beyond stern; she’s condescending to the point of being deliberately mean. Watching her insult Isabelle over and over in this episode grated on my nerves. So, when Maryse walked into the room while Isabelle was quizzing Max on his runes, I was prepared to be annoyed once more. Much to my surprise, their interaction in this scene wasn’t nearly as cringeworthy as some of their other scenes. While Maryse wasn’t exactly loving or affectionate toward her daughter, she did explain a little bit more as to why she is so much harder on Izzy than she is on Alec or Jace. Maryse sees herself in Isabelle, and that scares her enough that she feels the need to stamp that part of Isabelle out. This makes me curious as to Maryse’s background. What happened to make Maryse so rigid? Hopefully, future episodes shed light on this, because I for one need some help figuring out Maryse Lightwood.