#Always with memories/lack of memories being distressing! How memories shape action interests me quite a lot

[sysig]

The familiarity is not very comforting (Patreon)

[jaythelittlegay]

Photographer Megumi x Model Yuji AU

➳ CAPTURED HEART

Click, click, click.

"Alright, these seem pretty decent. You can take a break while I go through the pictures." Megumi informed the peachy haired model as he lazily made his way to the laptop, loosely gripping the camera from its sling strap as it slightly shook with each step blue eyed took.

"Thank you for your hard work, Megumi!" Yuji smiled at the photographer, his loud but cheerful voice echoing in the empty studio.

"Yeah, it's my job after all." Megumi reminded while he connected his camera to the laptop before he continued talking dryly, pressing his lips to a thin line to suppress the forming smile. "We still have photoshoot to do, so please make sure to be here within 45 minutes."

"Don't worry! I got this~" Yuji laughed, leaving the studio to get some food suitable for his diet.

He didn't really do dieting quite often since he worked out ever day to keep his body shape; but, this time was an exception, due to the criticism he received after the hiatus he had taken. Yuji was hurt by the comments he saw, but knowing that famous people had no time to relax from society's eyes, he shrugged it off. He didn't hide a lot from media as well; he was indeed one of the most honest and genuine models you could see. He had tons of articles about rescuing or helping people, another reason his popularity heightened. Which is why Megumi was take aback when he first saw Yuji, as he thought the model would drop the nice and polite act.

Megumi chose the pictures he liked, moving them to another folder to discuss it with the model once he came back. Megumi truly felt weird about the model: he actually had never taken pictures of models.

The young professional photographer was known for his photobooks consisting of unique and creative scenery, contemporary works as well as each of them had different concepts, usually related to feelings. He had gotten job requests from models all around the world only to reject them all that he didn't do portraits nor any photoshoot related to humans.

Models would fake the emotions Megumi wanted to portray in his photobook and he detested the idea of having an artificial expressions in his works. Until, Yuji had contacted him. He was going to reject him once he saw the email with Yuji's portfolio attached to it. He didn't even want to check the portfolio however the caramel eyed boy's email had caught him off guard. He apparently was a big fan of Megumi. He had asked whether it would be alright to, at least, watch Megumi work even if the photographer refused to work with him. Megumi got curious of the boy and the moment he checked his portfolio, he was stunned. For the first time, he found someone who could reflect the emotions. Those poses and expressions...just a touch away. Megumi could feel what Yuji did. The boy was a pure artwork in the photographer's eyes, although, he refused to say it out loud.

After their first photoshoot was published and got a lot of attention from the public, Megumi lost his interest in photography. It was confusing and weird. He couldn't create emotions through sceneries anymore; he felt useless as though everything had lost meaning. Yuji on the other hand would always contact him like a friend and blabber about random topics comfortably with him. It almost felt like one sided talk he was having with Megumi but both of them were fine with that. Unadmitted, Megumi enjoyed his company. His stories were intriguing for the latter. However, the lack of motivation in Megumi wasn't unnoticed. Yuji was so concerned about Megumi that he canceled the show he had and visited the sleep deprived Megumi, He forced the words out of Megumi's mouth, he had already created a soft spot in Megumi.

"You have to open up so we can find the cause, Fushiguro!"

"There's nothing to talk about, really." Megumi sighed, feeling guilty once he saw the concern filling Yuji's eyes.

"Are you sure? Are you being honest with me, right now?" Megumi stayed silent, not daring to stare at him. Yuji gripped his hands and pulled him closer, lifting his head by his chin with the other hand.

"Don't hide anything; your face is saying it all." The photographer felt his cheeks heating up as Yuji stared only and only at his deep ocean eyes and caressing his cheek.

"I'm sorry...I just can't find...any motivation to work. That's the problem." Megumi blurted, defeated by the puppy look Yuji f=gave him. Indeed Yuji already knew his place in Megumi's life.

"Hmm...must be hard on you...but don't you worry! I have an idea!" Yuji offered to model for him in order to find what was causing his distress.

Megumi's mood lightened up the moment they started the shooting. He was having fun taking his pictures, as Yuji radiated happiness through his angelic smile plastered on his face. Yuji was really talented with helping people; he was just like a medicine. He wasn't the smartest but his ideas always had a solution underneath them. Or maybe Megumi was exaggerating it. Either way his impact was really big on Megumi and people around him. A trait to be jealous of; not something Megumi wanted on himself but wanted Yuji to be al cheery next to him. He found it quite ridiculous but he couldn't hide the thought from his actions.

"You seem pretty happy and motivated to me!" Yuji laughed, looking through the pictures with Megumi.

"It's because you are with me, dummy." Megumi scoffed and slightly pushed Yuji.

Realizing Yuji was the only thing he wanted to capture with his precious camera, he only worked with him to a degree he released several photobooks which only included Yuji's pictures. Their bonds growing tighter and closer, Megumi felt as though he was incomplete without the model in his life.

"I think this picture looks good! What do you think?" Yuji exclaimed, pointing at a picture where his lips are curved upwards more than usual, shining like a sun.

"No." Megumi frowned, moving the picture to another folder.

"Eh?! Why?" Yuji asked, confused.

"Because I don't want to share how you shine when you smile with others. This is mine." Megumi proudly said, forgetting about who was next to him.

"Err, I mean y-you don't look...good here...haha..." Megumi raised his voice as he realized what he had said but it was too late to erase the smug smirk plastered on the model's face.

"Well, I'm all yours." Yuji open his arms, as if proving his own point before embracing Megumi, refusing to let go but the photographer didn't protest, instead, he came closer and hugged him back.

They never confessed any feelings, just to keep whatever relationship they had, scared of being rejected or maybe they were already aware of what was going on.

Megumi and Yuji would visit each other frequently, meeting in either of their houses, Megumi bringing him lunch during his breaks, partying and going on dates without admitting it was a date; otherwise why would you buy flowers for a friend?

Megumi smiled at the memories flooding at the back of his head as he sighed, checking the time; Yuji was, again, late. Megumi tilted his head once he heard the door being unlocked. He sighed and stood up, approaching the door.

"It's been an hour and a half. Any excuses?" Megumi sternly said, trying to hide his smile as he waited for another adventure that happen while Yuji was on his way. He would always find a person to help and prioritize it more than his actual job. He would totally forget about it and if his manager got mad at him he would defend himself by saying 'They needed my help.'

"Well...not really, hehe sorry." Yuji awkwardly chuckled, scratching the back of his head with his right hand and hiding the left behind his body.

"What was it this time, then?" Megumi watched the boy push him inside and kick the door shut as he moved closer to him.

"It's your birthday, Megumi." Yuji smiled at the photographer who had forgotten about it. Yuji handed Megumi the blue roses and wrapped the blue yang necklace around Megumi's neck as Yuji was already wearing the yin on his own neck. He continued:

"Aside from giving you a gift and eating a cake, how about I take you on an actual date to make us official?" Yuji pulled frozen photographer closer to himself by the waist, locking lips. He held him firmly yet so gentle as if he was scared to break the latter. Megumi wrapped his hands around Yuji's neck and kissed him back, tears of joy staining his porcelain face. Megumi opened his mouth giving enough space for the model to get in. Yuji couldn't get enough of the soft cloudy lips biting his, leaving traces of pleasure. Time lost its meaning for them, they were unable to see anything but themselves. Nothing mattered if they could be together in this world. But, they had to break their affectionate kiss once they were both out of breath.

"Sure, why not?" Megumi laughed, accepting the offer as he hugged Yuji one more time.

posted this on ao3 but also wanted to share it here! enjoy :)

[mediaeval-muse]

Video Game Review: Assassin’s Creed Revelations (Ubisoft, 2011)

Genres: action-adventure, third person, open world

Premise: Ezio Auditore travels to Constantinople to unlock the secret of Altaïr's vault in Masyaf, battling Templars who also want the vault’s contents. In the present day, Desmond Miles is trapped in the Animus and must find a "synch nexus", a key memory that links him with Altaïr and Ezio, to reintegrate his splintered subconscious and awaken from his coma.

Platform Played On: PC (Windows)

Rating: 3/5 stars

***Full review under the cut.***

I am evaluating this game based on four key aspects: story, characters, gameplay, and visuals. I will not be evaluating the multiplayer mode because I don’t like playing video games with other people.

Content Warnings: violence, blood

Story: The main premise of Revelations’ story is that, following the end of Brotherhood, Desmond has fallen into a coma. The stress of being controlled by Juno has splintered his subconscious, so in an effort to save his life, Rebecca Crane and a mysterious figure have placed him back in the Animus. In order to repair his mind and escape, Desmond must “play out” the remainder of Ezio’s memories, so he follows his ancestor as he travels to Masyaf in search of Altaïr's vault, which requires five “keys” to open. These keys have been hidden around Constantinople, and Ezio must race against the Templars during the political conflict between Şehzade Ahmet and Selim I.

Desmond’s plot follows a somewhat natural progression. Though I missed his interactions with the Assassin team, it makes sense that his next big adventure would involve being trapped in the Animus and learning more from Subject 16. I liked that gameplay in Ezio’s world unlocked some puzzles in Desmond’s world (even though he’s trapped in the Animus, he inhabits a little island where he can be himself) and that these puzzles told us more about Desmond’s past. I did not think, however, that Desmond’s past was related in a compelling way. Most of it is told to us through Desmond monologuing as the player completes puzzles that are somewhat reminiscent of Portal. I thought Desmond’s past could have been done better, perhaps by having flashback scenes like how Altair’s past is related.

Ezio’s plot felt like it was lacking, and I think the reason is that the past 3 games have focused on finding and controlling the Apple/Piece of Eden, whereas this game is about opening a vault/library.  Ezio’s story also lacks a strong antagonist to tie things together; instead of battling the Borgias, Ezio is competing with general “Templars,” and even though there are some prominent Templar figures, none of them had “stage presence” like Cesare Borgia did. Though I liked the political backdrop, I think Ezio himself was ill-suited for it. It sort of feels like the creators wanted to extend Ezio’s story rather than start something new with a protagonist who was more connected to the setting, and though recovering Altair’s library is a fun goal, I think the story should have revolved around someone who grew up in the region.

I did like that we got to delve a little deeper into Altair’s past and learn more about him. Unless you play the portable Assassin’s Creed games, you don’t get to learn much about what happened to Altair in ACII and Brotherhood, so it was nice to see some exploration of his life in a game that was centered on uncovering his work.

Characters: Ezio, our protagonist and player-controlled character, is a little older in this game, and while he’s still likable, he’s much more serious and down-to-business. I’m a bit torn as to whether his demeanor fits the setting of the game - on the one hand, I loved that the European character wasn’t presented as someone who comes to the Middle East and takes charge. Ezio definitely has much to learn, and his skills are seen as having value without being superior. On the other, I do wish the protagonist had been someone who lived in the area - I got the feeling that Ezio was made the protagonist because of his popularity rather than his suitability for the setting, and while I appreciate that Revelations closed out his arc, I don’t really think it was needed.

The major supporting character in this game is Yusuf Tazim, leader of the Turkish Assassin Order. He shows Ezio around and provides much-needed instructions and lore, and he’s incredibly charismatic and personable. Ezio also encounters historical figures such as Manuel Palaiologos and the future Suleiman the Magnificent, which were fun treats for history enthusiasts, but not extremely commanding personalities. Instead of courtesans appearing throughout the city, there are Romani people seen hanging about, and though I liked that they were included and talked about their oppression, I do think their visual design and function during gameplay were somewhat stereotypical.

Ezio furthermore gets a real love interest in this game in the form of Sofia Sartor, an Italian traveler and book collector who helps him locate the keys. I thought the interactions with her were sweet, but she was a kind of damsel in distress and she didn’t have much personality other than liking books for a large part of the game.

Desmond, for his part, doesn’t get a lot to do, despite this game being about reconstructing his psyche and digging into his past. I liked that we learned more about him, but I do wish the stakes of being trapped in the Animus were higher.

Gameplay: Revelations uses almost all of the same mechanics as Brotherhood. There are armor and weapon upgrades, treasure stashes, upgrades to the city of Constantinople (which stimulates the economy and earns the player more money), etc. Art merchants are replaced with book merchants, so instead of buying paintings, players can purchase codices, but functionally, they were the same. Similarly, instead of freeing areas from Borgia influence, players liberate “Templar dens” and turn them into “Assassin dens,” and while they’re thematically different from the Borgia towers, they’re functionally the same. Players complete assassination missions in which you kill the captain of the guard responsible for overseeing the Templar den, but instead of blowing it up, you trick your enemy by signaling Templar retreat, allowing the Assassins to move in and take over the area. You can also recruit assassins and make use of thieves, mercenaries, and courtesans much the same way as in Brotherhood, though courtesans are replaced by Romani people. There was a moment in Sequence 2 when Ezio had to defend the Assassin safehouse from a Templar attack, and gameplay involved placing barricades, commanders, archers, riflemen, and cannon fire. while balancing morale and damage. I kind of liked the strategy involved and it could have been an interesting mechanic for the rest of the Templar dens/Assassin safehouses, but alas, this moment only occurred the one time unless you’re not paying attention to your infamy meter (which was easy to take care of).

The major weapon upgrade in this game is the introduction of the hook blade and various types of bombs. Bombs ranged from simple noisemakers, to stink bombs, mild explosives, smoke screens, and other useful ranged attacks, while the hook blade enabled faster climbing as well as traveling along zip lines. These weapons were fun, but because so much of the other gameplay was the same as in Brotherhood, they felt like cosmetic patches to an otherwise repetitive gameplay experience.

Visuals: As always, I adored the look of the historical setting. The artists and developers beautifully rendered Constantinople, and I loved seeing more rich colors and details on the buildings and clothing of NPCs than when playing as Altair in the first Assassin’s Creed. I also really loved the look of Ezio’s armor, which forwent the classic white and red palette and opted for a more somber grey. The grey blended with the surroundings a bit better, in my opinion.

What really threw me off was that the facial models for some of the returning characters were altered. Both Ezio’s and Desmond’s face shapes are a little different from how they appear in Brotherhood, and though I do not doubt the change was in service to testing out advancements in graphics, I couldn’t quite shake the uncanny valley vibe.

Animations were up and down; upon starting this game, I encountered a horrible glitch that made the screen flicker and movement impossible, but luckily, I was able to fix it easily using instructions from other players who had the bug. There were some really satisfying combat animations, including finishing moves that upped the level of Ezio’s epic skills, but sometimes they lagged or a bug would make them not connect to an opponent. While not the end of the world, it was noticeable and sometimes took me out of the immersion experience.

Final Verdict: Despite repeating much of the gameplay from Brotherhood and unnecessarily extending Ezio’s story, Revelations presents a beautiful atmosphere and fun adventure to unlock some much-desired background to Altair’s narrative.

[pickyperkypenguin]

some reflections on mental health and public gatherings

Maybe there will be one day when I remember that I do need people, and I’m feeling much, much better after any kind of human contact. Well, not any as in not a negative one, but positive occurrences do snap me out of my general state of steady panic that grows on me like lichen and moss every time I stay in, and work alone for longer periods. That is the dire consequence of good home conditions for working, and living in a remote area, and generally not having to take as much of an interest in daily life management as a person who lives on their own. I just sort of marinate sometimes in my own intellectual juice enough to become a bog body. There’s that picture, you know the one: “When is it Safe to Leave the Bog? → Tuesday”. Sometimes I forget that the Tuesdays of this world exist.

That also makes me wonder, again, again, again and again, in a true Chidi Anagonye style: am I meant for this job? Will I be able to not only execute this four-year feat, but could I possibly exist like this, sustainably? Is a sturdy mental health required to be an academic? Will my mental health become better with time, with some adjustments that I am planning for this aspect of my life? Or will it be degrading, because this job will put a strain on me? (An asterisk here: will any job do that?) Is this the direction of that process, or is it going the other way: because my mental health has been in a rough place, this job is putting a strain on me?

Gods, I really hope it’s the second option, and I am, after all, if not “meant” for this, then at least able to function like that. I sort of really want to. I like my lifestyle that’s not the nine to five kind. I like having time.

And that is, for some reason, not really understandable for most of the people that I know. Not having time is equated to being an adult. Is that really the only way? Am I a worse, immature person, because I’d like my life to be slower than most that I know? 

(An asterisk here: when I am making time for a person, because they need to talk and I am their friend, and that’s how I express my feelings, by making time  – but they do not do the same for me, and (I assume) just think that I am that lazy of a person/have so much free time that I am always available  – am I allowed to be mad at that, or because their life is, in fact, busier than mine, I should not be expecting the same effort for me and not feel sad and disappointed that I feel like they do not value me as much as I value them? Or should I get over it, because actual adult people cannot make time as easily as they once could, when they had more time on their hands and less to care about? 

An asterisk to an asterisk: first, I do see all listed points of view as equal possibilities for directing my thoughts, and as much as it would be incredibly easy to just get mad/sad/disappointed, I do very seriously consider that I could very well get over it, because real life knows no mercy. Second, I need to check if I am communicating clearly enough that I need to talk to them and that them making the time is their language of love. To the last one, I think the answer is positive, to the first: entirely unclear, because I often am shit at communicating my distress. However, I’d like sometimes for people to figure it out on their own, when they’ve known me for literal years, so I don’t have to always be the one caring about proper communication. Also, again, I do like having unregulated time. Why should I be regularly busier just to be busier, so my time can be valued as much as anyone else’s?).

Of course, colour me interested in better time management than I have now. The truth I am a downright mess and suffering because of it. It is not that I do nothing, but for the last year I feel like I’ve lost all my ability to focus for long periods, to work in huge blocks of time. I was so efficient once. I knew how to be busy in a way that did not feel like a burden for me. I was existing like that, seeing no problem in it, and not asking questions. Maybe it was better for me, maybe it put the necessity to organise my time and execute things, because I simply had to – and maybe being busy again is the recipe to come back to myself again. If everything will go according to plan, I will be trying that.

Coming back to the starting point: contact with people.

Today, there was a demonstration in my city, in solidarity with the people who were at the march for equality in Białystok (and what they had to go through). There was one earlier this week, but I wasn’t there. I was scared to go, even though allegedly (for all that people are saying and for what I see) my city is considered (one of the) most liberal in whole Poland, and also I had no one to go with – I asked around, and nobody was available. I didn’t want to go by myself. With the fresh memory of the scale of violence that happened in Białystok, I didn’t want to risk – not only myself, but potentially making a target of my family. You never know how things will end and who will suffer. My mother was out of her mind just considering the possibility that I could go and something could, gods forbid, happen. She lived in the times and remembers vividly when going to any kind of demonstration executing civil disobedience was basically asking for trouble, not only for yourself (you could, for example, end up dead), but also for your family. I understand her fear. Times have, thank gods, changed so much.

(It’s the sudden reminiscence that scares.)

I thought, it’s different now. It’s allegedly still a democracy. I want to go. I am scared, but is it because I am always scared of life in general, or is it those particular circumstances? I’ve been on demonstrations before, wouldn’t be my first at all. So, was that the photos of people beaten up and spat at to the accompaniment of “God, Honour, Motherland, get the fuck out!”, or was that the fear of saying: yes, this is how I think, this is what I am convinced of – that all people have the right to love, regardless of orientation and sex/gender, and that nonheteronormative people exist and their existence should not be – not as much as political, because all our existence is, I personally thing – but should not be as politicised as it is.

I still don’t know. It’s not a question that can be answered just like that, ignoring all nuance. All those reasons are rooted in real problems, all are valid. It’s not a made up violence that made me feel fear and anger, it’s not a lack of years of repression of every divergent thought, that made me feel fear and consider things through weirdly shaped categories.

I went, and there was no violence. The counter-demonstration was about fifteen people, surrounded tightly by police cordon. Honestly, the behaviour of the police was so different from what happened in Białystok, and I was so happy it was the counter demo they were watching and keeping in check, not us. And that they were facilitating the “stroll” from one gathering to another – it was too little of a time for the organisers to register a march, so they could only do two separate public gatherings. We had to “stroll” to the next place, risking – because we were not formally protected, as a march would be. The police, however, was really nice about all of that – they were, indeed, doing things they didn’t necessarily have to, if they really didn’t want to. They were patrolling with the cars, stopping the traffic lights at some key crossroads. The friendly blinking orange light protected those, who could be potentially told they were committing an offence of sorts, if they went through, with the crowd, ignoring red lights.

Maybe it was the PR in shambles that the City Council was facing, after incredibly recent assault of an academic and a journalist, who said he didn’t like hate speech on the wall aloud. He got beaten to a pulp in your precious multicultural city, so tolerant for all minorities, welcome everyone! All citizens can feel safe! Ah, my dearest city, how wrong you are about that.

So maybe it was the potential PR disaster that made them make the police compliant, and the vice-president of the Council actually giving a speech at the demonstration. But you know what? I’ll take what I can. I don’t care about their reasons, I just care about support, and safety. It’s not the time to care about motivations.

I went there, and I saw people of many ages – not only young, but also older. People who care, who came here out of solidarity with the people in Białystok, who came because they saw hatred and felt the need to say “NO”. Even though they didn’t always felt it necessary before. The social mobilisation and reactions that I observed throughout this week made me feel something other than fear. When a friend, who could as well set his living up the way that he wouldn’t ever have to care about all of that, because for people like him there is a place in the society as it is, had said he cares about what happened, and he finds it all appalling. When my mother reacted to a person who was quite loud with their hate, when she didn’t have to, and usually just bore whatever was happening around her. When people marched the streets, knowing well they are against the current leading party and the Church hierarchs. What I was feeling was not exactly hope, but a certain bud of happiness that the hatred didn’t consume everything yet, and that for an action there is opposite reaction. Maybe not equal yet, but maybe some day.

[ketzwrites]

Rewatch 102: The Descent Into Hell Isn’t Easy

Written by Ed Decter (story) & Hollie Overton (teleplay) | Directed by Mick Garris

This is a poorly written episode. It feels like a filler rather than an episode: it exists only so Clary can find out Valentine is her father. Something Hodge could’ve told her in the first act. 

The consequence is that the characters run in circles and make nonsensical decisions to stretch out the storyline into implausible lengths. 

General Notes

The biggest problem with this episode is that the dialogues and actions don’t make sense. For example, Jace says Clary isn’t safe outside the Institute alone. But Alec wants to keep Clary in the Institute, not let her go on her own. This isn’t a logical conversation. Also, they are both acting as if Clary will get out no matter what, as if the Institute doesn’t have ways to just lock Clary inside, where she is safe. Like a holding cell or a room with a lock rune around it.

It’s not that the episode absolutely lacks good writing. Jace and Clary brainstorming and Jace coming to the conclusion that Clary’s memories were stolen works perfectly. But it all goes downhill from there.

Another thing that doesn’t make sense is the shadowhunters going to the Silent Brothers. None of the three highly trained shadowhunters present considers going to the High Warlock to get rid of a warlock-casted spell. They do not know Magnus went into hiding. That should be their first option before going to the Silent Brothers - a shadowhunter institution - while breaking the Clave’s orders - another shadowhunter institution.

But, all right, say they go to the Silent Brothers first because shadowhunters trust shadowhunters more than downworlders. Then, another problem arises. Alec thinks Clary is her father’s spy pretending to be a helpless girl in search of the Mortal Cup. It’s a fair assumption even though we know he’s wrong. But then, Clary’s answer is listing all the bad things that have happened to her. Alec should never have been shut down by that. A spy would have a sob story to gain sympathy. If only they had a way to know beyond doubt that Clary is telling the truth- Oh, yeah. The truth-compelling Soul Sword is right there.

But alas, Clary has made her choice between the Shadow and Mundane Worlds.  She is now a shadowhunter. Throughout the episode, Clary chooses Jace (Shadow World) over Simon (Mundane World). But this decision comes too quickly. It’s hard to swallow how okay she is with that idea after what happened in the first episode. The explanation that Clary always felt something was missing and now she’s found it notwithstanding (see: The Bad)

Again, Clary makes it clear. “I don’t care about your rules or what is forbidden.” But when offered the opportunity to leave the Shadow World, she doesn’t go. She wants to stay and be a part of it, but only as far as it helps her find her mother. Clary wants to eat her cake and have it too.

It’s convenient how Hodge doesn’t tell Clary about Jocelyn and Valentine being married. We need to stretch that secret for the whole episode, or we won’t make it to the 40-minute mark.

Why would the shadowhunters system even have a restricted file on Jocelyn “Fray”? For all that they know, she’s Jocelyn Fairchild or Jocelyn Morgenstern. Jocelyn used “Fray” to hide from the Clave; if they know about that, they could have found her.

Alec tells the Clave about Clary. As of episode two, the orders are to keep Clary in the Institute. Whatever happens next that isn’t that consists in Alec, Jace, and Izzy explicitly disobeying Clave’s orders.

The Good

Jace might be acting like a jerk to Simon, but he makes a point of warning him against Izzy’s cooking twice. It’s silly but that’s Jace in a nutshell: tough exterior hiding a soft heart.

Good for the show not to shy away from a male figure (Luke) fighting a female figure (Midori – Circle Member). In a world of supernatural beings, gender means nothing in terms of physical prowess.

We get the tiniest bit of complicity between Alec and Jace with the joke about the runes being lethal to Simon. Good. Show us they are friends and they enjoy each other’s company.

The Bad

The justification for Clary accepting the Shadow World with ease doesn’t convince me. Never once did I see Clary longing for adventure or something fantastical to happen in her mundane life. In fact, she refused and fled every time something extraordinary happened. I do not believe she was missing this part of her life at all.

Simon’s interest in Clary loses believability as he ditches her for the new hot girl. I no longer feel bad for Simon when Clary chooses Jace instead of him. Also, Simon has an older sister. Why would he compare himself to Alec, the oldest brother, when Izzy says “firstborn; heavy is the head that wears the crown”?

Why does Hodge look barely older than Alec and Jace? They went with an actor ten years younger than the rest of the adult shadowhunters (and didn’t age him as they did with Nicola - playing the severe and professional looking, Maryse). It’s confusing, especially since Hodge refers to Jocelyn as his best friend.

Shadowhunters has a tendency to go for badass lines in detriment of characterization. In the same episode Clary reacts to Jace’s suggestion that Dot might be working for Valentine with the sassy cold line “even better, she’ll lead us right to him” but then is distressed when Dot is taken by the Circle Members. Does she trust and care for Dot or not?

“Is this the least revealing thing you own?” It’s a top and pants. Clary was admiring much more revealing top just a few days ago. What’s up with the mismatched criticizing of Izzy’s clothes??

Why does Magnus have glitter on his forehead? No, seriously. Why?

The Interesting

Izzy doesn’t act like a human being around Simon. She is too alluring, like she is performing instead of just being. Izzy doesn’t think she’s ever going to see him again, so she’s having fun with him before it is time to discard him. That sort of aloofness gives the vampires a chance to kidnap him.

Jace says that “no training and no planning gets you killed”. He then proceeds to go along with Clary’s spur of the moment decisions for the rest of the season.

I get why Dot wouldn’t trust Luke. He was once Valentine’s Parabatai, he only quit the Circle after being turned into a werewolf, and, even as werewolf, he isn’t a part of any packs. But why would Luke distrust Dot?

22:48: Alec is worried about Clary’s safety, about the repercussions of what they are doing for all of them. He is thinking rationally about it and ignoring the emotional needs of everyone around him. Jace is willing to risk Clary’s safety to find the Mortal Cup before Valentine does because Jace sees himself in Clary and he would be willing to get hurt in order to find answers. He is focusing only on her emotional need instead of the real-life repercussions of what they are doing. This is a “mind versus heart” dilemma.

Jace and Clary cute flirting before entering the City of Bones is cute. Inside the City of Bones? Not so much. It is one thing to flirt over Jace’s personality; Clary and Jace are equal in understanding those. It is another thing to flirt over the Shadow World; Jace is the authority there and if he is not telling Clary how things really are, he is shaping her understanding to his liking. Here it’s harmless and Jace does tell her the real meaning of things, but the tendency isn’t as romantic as the writers think it is.

“No more ‘I’m sorry’s. You’re a shadowhunter now” and shadowhunters don’t make mistakes or aren’t held responsible when they do. Question him, Clary! This world view is wrong.