Over the last few months, Shadowhunters has intrigued, delighted and emotionally traumatized the die-hard fans far and wide with its thrilling mix of humor, magic, action, love and drama by the bucket-load. With Shadowhunters having closed its first season with a rather solid ‘what will happen next?’, fans were rampant in immediately getting into the re-watching and reliving of their greatest moments with their favourite characters. But what about those we lost along the way?
There were those who were dear to us, others we were kinda glad to see the end of…and then there are some we still can’t entirely be certain about. We got to talk to a few of our deceased faves and hear what they had to say.
Dot (Vanessa Matsui)
Jocelyn’s dear friend and employee was a regular part of the Fray household, but we soon learned she was actually a warlock who had taken it upon herself to keep the Fray women safe, should the threat of Valentine and his Circle ever come down on them. In trying to do so, Dot was attacked and captured by Valentine’s minions and taken to the man himself, where she was tortured for information she refused to give. She later met her death, tragically, in an attempt to escape.
Dot’s unwavering loyalty, determination, and bravery in doing the right thing made her a character we were sad to lose. She was portrayed by actress Vanessa Matsui.
What is your fondest memory of being Dot?
VM: It’s tough because although Dot wasn’t around for very long, there was a lot of action packed into the episodes she was in! I think one of my fondest memories of being Dot is everything I got to do in the pilot. It turned out really well and I had a blast shooting it. Dot begins very normal, wishing Clary a happy birthday, by giving her a sexy gift, saying she loves her etc., to full speed warlock mode! Warning Jocelyn, giving her the potion, then fighting off the bad guys, getting thrown out a window and then acting like a demon acting like Dot! What a gift to be given as an actor! Thank you Shadowhunter writers!
What do you miss about your time on the show?
VM: I loved playing Dot! She was such a badass and she was really fun with a big heart. I miss it all! It was really exciting to be a part of such a big show with such a perfect cast with a wonderful crew and creatives. I had no idea what I was getting into when I was first cast, as I wasn’t familiar with the books by Cassandra Clare. And then I got to the first table read, and was like, oh, this is a big deal!
Any final words you would say to Dot if you had the chance?
VM: You fought the good fight Dot! You should be proud. You died for your cause.
Boy, did she ever. Rest in peace, Dot.
Pangborn (Curtis Morgan)
One of Valentine Morgenstern’s loyal followers, it was Pangborn’s duty to do his boss’ grunt work, which included tracking Jocelyn, finding her, recovering the Cup and bringing them both home as ordered. As an agent of Valentine, Pangborn may have been prepared for certain hazards of the job, but he certainly wasn’t prepared to lose a fight to warlock Dot, who injected him with a vial of demon blood in her fight to escape his clutches. With no way to reverse it, Valentine added another shot to the cocktail and made him into a mindless, poisonous gas-bag, literally, which he later unleashed on the Seelie scouts who had infiltrated his Chernobyl lair. Pangborn did not long survive.
This Shadowhunter, whose only real fault was choosing to hang with the bad crowd, was portrayed by Curtis Morgan.
What is your fondest memory of being Pangborn?
CM: My fondest memory of being Pangborn was the scene where I throw Dot onto the table – that was a fun stunt for me, but the fun didn’t last long as Dot got her revenge. Also, obviously, working with a stellar cast and crew. Just today, someone asked me what it was like to be on set with Matthew’s eyes. I told the young lady that if you look directly into them, for a brief moment, you hear colors and smell burnt toast. Not sure if that’s a good thing. Oh also, Jordan Hudyma.
What do you miss about your time on the show?
CM: What I miss is the daily interaction with the fans. I love them all. We had some fun. They really made my day. So much love in the Shadowhunters world. Shout out to my honorary Circle members that still ride with me. I loved tweeting as Pangborn. Who knows, maybe Pangbreezy will live on in the Twitterverse.
Any final words you would say to Pangborn if you had the chance?
CM: Do not call Valentine when you are in a jam. He may not be trustworthy.
Definitely not trustworthy. Hindsight is such a drag, huh? Rest in piece, Pangborn.
Theo (Ari Cohen)
Theo was an allusive unnamed presence for a few episodes while he pulled the strings that kept Alaric and Luke in line, until we finally met him as the unforgiving Alpha of the New York Werewolf pack when he had Clary (and Simon by association) kidnapped and brought to him as a means of getting his own hands on the Mortal Cup. He was an honorable, steadfast leader, holding the welfare and future of his pack in high regard, but taking Clary hostage and threatening her didn’t go over too well with her self-imposed father figure Luke, and Theo met his grisly end when Luke killed him to gain control of the pack in order to call their attack off.
The abrasive, unyielding power of Alpha Theo was portrayed by Ari Cohen.
What is your fondest memory of being Theo?
AC: I spent quite a bit of time in the makeup chair with Isaiah. He’s a really great guy. The entire cast was extremely nice and very welcoming. Most of my time was spent with Kat and Alberto and Joel (Alaric) and they were all great.
What do you miss about your time on the show?
AC: It’s always really fun playing bad guys and Theo was no exception. To be honest that was shot quite a while ago and I’ve been lucky enough to move on to other things. So, I don’t really miss Theo.
Any final words you would say to Theo if you had the chance?
AC: I suppose I would say, “tough break, pal. Can’t be the Alpha forever. Live by the fang, die by the fang. “
Rest in pieces, Theo.
Captain Vargas (Lisa Marcos)
Vargas wasn’t just Luke’s superior down at the precinct. She was a woman who prided herself on good, strong, respectful relationships with her colleagues, and she was also a giant softie who took it upon herself to look out for the wellbeing of others around her. More than once she displayed concern and protectiveness over Clary and whatever dilemma she happened to be facing whenever their paths crossed, and she cared about Luke enough to be his very own cheerleader in both his work life and in regards to his feelings for Jocelyn. But when a shape-shifting demon got its way into the precinct in pursuit of the Mortal Cup, it decided to take her place in the office – which meant Luke inevitably found her dead body stuffed carelessly inside her office closet.
Hers was a pointless death that left zero time for mourning, and it was disappointing to see her go so soon. The compassionate, respectful and sometimes adorably goofy Captain of the NYPD was portrayed by Lisa Marcos.
You deserved better, Vargas. Rest in peace.
Michael Wayland (Adam Harrington)
Shock and intrigue erupted in most corners of fandom when Jace and Clary stumbled across a man trapped in Valentine’s lair – who just so happened to be Jace’s long-believed dead father Michael. His return meant the world to Jace, but it also meant his renowned tough-love criticisms weren’t too far behind either, and while he inspired sympathy by flashing those baby blues around, his story wasn’t adding up for the likes of Clary. Rightfully so, too, as Michael was soon revealed to be the result of a shape-shifting rune worn by Valentine himself. Jace was devastated to learn that the image of the father he’d loved and idolised as a child was the face of a dead man he bore no relation to.
Michael Wayland may have been a false pretence, but it was possibly Valentine at his most honest – free to be a harsh but loving father behind the curtain of a kind face. Michael’s affable charisma and Valentine’s sly calculation was portrayed by Adam Harrington.
What is your fondest memory of being Michael?
AH: Fighting off bad guys alongside Dom and Isaiah.
What do you miss about your time on the show?
AH: The laughing. The cast are all total pros, but get them laughing, and they’re gone.
Any final words you would say to Michael if you had the chance?
AH: To Valentine/Michael, I’d say: “Dude, that was low“. To the real Michael: “Wherever you are out there, be patient. You never know what’s possible in the Shadowhunter world!”
Rest in peace, Michael. Oh, how we literally never knew thee.
Ragnor Fell (Adam Kenneth Wilson)
If there was going to be one character fans would want to see return, it would be the grumpy, dry delight that is warlock Ragnor Fell. Living by his lonesome in his country home in England, Ragnor Fell was tracked down by Jace, Clary and best friend Magnus Bane when he was suspected of being the one responsible for making the potion that dropped Jocelyn into her coma. After turning the Shadowhunter kids around in circles with his mind games, he dropped everything to do what he could to aid them in their hunt for the Book of the White – unfortunately for Ragnor, a Shax demon was waiting in the wings and attacked him before he could defend himself. He succumbed to his wounds before Magnus could save him, and died in his best friend’s arms.
But that wasn’t all. Post-mortem, Ragnor – or at least a vision of him – remained close to Magnus to help his friend work through his grief and the past issues that were keeping his future happiness at bay. His presence in Magnus’ mind was a great comfort, and it was his advice that nudged Magnus into following his heart to Alec Lightwood. Ragnor’s debonair charm and gruff, dry humor was portrayed by Adam Kenneth Wilson.
What is your fondest memory of being Ragnor?
AKW: That’s a tough one since I loved every minute of it. I guess the most fun I had was taking posthumous Obi-Wanesque jabs at Magnus.
What do you miss about your time on the show?
AKW: The people! Those with whom I shared scenes – Kat, Dom and Harry – and everyone I encountered in this production, were delightful. This is the kind of set actors hope for. Also, the awesome outfit. If I could pull that off in my day-to-day, I’d currently be a fugitive wardrobe thief.
Any final words you would say to Ragnor if you had the chance?
AKW: All of us weirdos are deserving of love, and people can surprise you. Keep better track of the Book of the White. And chin down, eyes up for photos; no one wants to see a squinty toad.
Here’s hoping for Ragnor flashbacks in the future! Rest in peace, dear little cabbage.
Blackwell (Jordan Hudyma)
As another of Valentine’s main men, Blackwell was a search-and-destroy kind of guy who managed to outlive many of his cohorts, including his Circle-bestie, Pangborn. He was one of Valentine’s biggest loyalists and one of the very few who managed to fulfil his duties successfully, while doing it all with that sexy, evil smirk of his. Blackwell didn’t come off as a righteous dude that believed in Valentine’s vision; he seemed more like a guy who enjoyed rattling people’s cages and delighted in being at the top of the food chain. Almost every fight he walked into involved a haughty quip of some kind, and he was doing exactly that when we saw him last – outside Renwicks, about to face off with Luke.
Jury is still out on whether Blackwell survived that battle or not, so viewers will have to wait and see what becomes of him. But for all intents and purposes, Blackwell’s calculating, mouth-running, get-it-done mentality was portrayed by Jordan Hudyma.
What has been your fondest memory of being Blackwell so far?
JH: Season 1 held many memories, but I would say the one that most comes to mind involved a late night (early morning) day on set followed by some stunt training. Curtis and I had just finished filming a scene in Chernobyl, and we were prepping for our fight scene that took place in Jocelyn’s apartment. This was the first chance I really got to get my hands dirty working with Steve Lucescu and his stunt team and let me tell you, when you step into their training room, you had better be ready to sweat. Drill after drill after drill, engraining the combinations into your muscle memory, then doing it again, but faster! All this while in Blackwell’s suit! While the episode has long since aired, I’ll let the fans be the judge of whether we got it or not. Leaving set exhausted, early in the morning, both of us driving back downtown with the sunroof open, the sun coming up. Yeah, that’s the stuff of memories.
What will you miss about your time on the show?
JH: I’ll miss the camaraderie the most. Being able to come to work every day with a group of dedicated and passionate people is truly humbling. You come to rely on each other and build a support network. Together you create, through many memories, something that others can enjoy. That is what I loved, and what I would miss the most.
Any final words you would say to Blackwell, if indeed he is dead?
JH: Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.
Here’s hoping he’s alive and kicking somewhere, ’cause let’s face it: He single-handedly held up Team Villain for the majority of the season.
Do you have any messages for our be-loved and be-eviled deceased? Leave them for our cast to see below! Shadowhunters will return to Freeform in 2017.