Five Best Moments of “Shadowhunters” Episode 2.03, “Parabatai Lost”
Warning: This article will contain spoilers for Shadowhunters’ episode 2.03, “Parabatai Lost.”
I don’t think it would be off-base of me to say that “Parabatai Lost” was the most jarring episode of the season so far, if not the show as a whole. From open to close, it took me on a roller-coaster ride through various emotions, making me anxiously bite my nails one moment and throw my hands in the air in elation the next. More than anything else, however, it made me excited to see what happens next because I’m sure that the writers have more thrills and chills in store for us down the road.
Let’s talk about what happened in this episode first, though. “Parabatai Lost” picked up where the previous episode left off: with Alec trapped in a sort of limbo after his failed attempt to track Jace through their parabatai bond. His situation is dire, and the only person who can save him is Jace, who is facing obstacles of his own—because, as it turns out, jumping into the ocean to escape from a lunatic isn’t exactly smooth sailing. Who knew?! In the meantime, Magnus is doing all he can magic-wise to keep Alec stable, but the clock is ticking.
To complicate matters, members of Luke’s pack are convinced that Jace killed the werewolf Gretel and are out for blood, and the Clave is still as dedicated to capturing Jace as they were before. As a result, Jace finds himself facing adversaries at every turn as he tries to make it back to Alec. On the plus side, we are introduced to Maia (Alisha Wainwright), the feisty werewolf with an ax to grind who promises to shake things up in the world of Shadowhunters. Will she prove to be a friend or foe? We’ll all have to wait and see!
Overall, this episode included such an array of enthralling moments that it made it difficult to select the best ones. Nevertheless, I managed to narrow my extensive list down to the ones that I think stood out the most. Here are my picks for the Best Five Moments from Shadowhunters’ episode 2.03, “Parabatai Lost.”
Young Jace and Alec Meet
One of the things that I enjoyed the most about this episode was that it gave us an opportunity to see how Jace and Alec’s relationship developed through a series of well-constructed flashbacks. The best of these, in my opinion, were the ones that featured Jace, Alec, and Isabelle as young children. The young actors that they picked to play young Jace and Alec—Tomaso Sanelli and Leonidas Castrounis, respectively—were a particular pleasure to watch. I was impressed with how well they captured the characters as we have come to know them through Dominic Sherwood and Matthew Daddario. Hopefully, if the show does any flashbacks involving Jace and Alec in the future, they call those two back to reprise their roles.
Jace Meets Maia—and Runs into Trouble
I can’t be the only one who fell in love with Maia at first sight, can I? Alisha Wainwright brought such fearlessness to the role that, even in the moments that I knew that I shouldn’t be rooting for her, I was kind of still rooting for her. The scene in which she first meets Jace was one such moment. Not only did we get to see her sarcastic, take-no-BS attitude but we also got to see a killer fight sequence, one which will stick in my memory for a long time.
Magnus and Raj Butt Heads
Never underestimate a warlock under stress, especially one who is anxiously trying to save someone that they love. For the majority of the episode, Magnus’s magic is the only thing keeping Alec from slipping away entirely, but his magical skills can only do so much. What’s worse, Aldertree isn’t the kindest person, especially regarding Downworlders. While he needs Alec to lure Jace back to the Institute, he doesn’t want Magnus there, and he makes that clear at every opportunity. It’s a sentiment that’s reiterated by the Shadowhunters faithful to Aldertree, including Raj, who is left to guard Alec. However, Raj gets more than he bargained for when he pushes Magnus too far. In a moment of epic awesomeness, Magnus shows Raj exactly what a warlock is capable of and reminds viewers why he’s one of the most badass characters on the show.
Maia Shifts in the Hospital
What do you get when you mix a persistent werewolf, an injured Shadowhunter, and a busy hospital? A whole lot of mayhem, that’s what! When Maia finally finds Jace at the hospital, my first thought was that she would let him get away because a mundane doctor accompanied him. However, to my surprise, she shifts right then and there, and Jace is left having to defend himself as well as the startled mundane. It was a moment that could have been cheesy—after all, how many programs have we all watched where the werewolves look unrealistic as well as overdone?—but it ended up being exactly the opposite. Kudos to the special effects department for making the werewolf transformation look so genuine!
Jace and Alec Renew Their Parabatai Bond
This was the scene that viewers were waiting for throughout the entire episode: the scene in which Jace is finally reunited with Alec at the Institute. In a moment of exceptional rawness, Jace endeavors to save Alec’s life by renewing their parabatai bond. At first, you think it’s unsuccessful, and the resulting outpouring of grief is almost too much to bear. However, just when you think that Alec has slipped away for good, he begins to come to and everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
Honorable Mentions:
Magnus Tries the Sleeping Beauty Solution
It was the moment that undoubtedly made Malec fans everywhere squeal with delight: in one last desperate attempt to wake Alec up, Magnus tries the Sleeping Beauty solution, kissing him softly on the mouth. Sadly, it’s unsuccessful, but it does demonstrate just how much Magnus has grown to care about Alec. I predict that their bond will only grow stronger as the season and the show progresses.