"Parabatai Lost"
Thoughts and Feels
This episode was so so so so much better than the others. The actors really fit with their characters, there were no majorly awkward lines, and the pacing was a thousand times better. Plus, we got to meet Maia!!! I love this character in the books and I really love how Aisha acted out the character in the show. This episode was so nice- it was like a blend of true TMI but also slightly different and headed in an apparently beautiful direction. Ok- spoilers ahead and this was stream of thought, so it might be a little jumpy!
When everyone thought Alec was dead..... I cried. I was not emotionally ready for that- I was not prepared- I could not understand- it was too much for me to even possibly consider!!! It was just so drastic, for them to kill such a main character that I loved, that I had no idea how to react. Part of me was like, "They can't do this, there'd be no recovery and they'd probably lose most of their viewers." Another part of me though was like, "Oh my god they have done crazy random crap before that I could totally also see them doing this." I'm not quite sure what that says about my faith in the show... but then, of course Alec isn't dead. He was only very close to death but ended up being ok. Phew- false alarm.
So Simon in this episode wasn't really a focus, which I think worked really well. I have to say though, that I actually really like the growing tension between Raphael and Simon. There was almost a mini verbal showdown between them while their in the coffee shop with Simon's mom, and I really liked that part. I'm interested though to see how their going to keep Camille in the plot line this early on in the overall arching plot, because she isn't actually corporeally present until book 4. Comprehensively, there are still quite a few whole and plot details that are wrong or off about the vampires in the series. For example, in the show Camille sired Simon, but in the book Raphael did.
Looking at the bigger picture though, it seems like we are mostly back on track with the books. Or at least, we are on our way of getting back to some of the original genius of the books. Of course there are a few differences, like I don't think they'd bring in Imogan Herondale, which would be sad but not totally necessary. Instead of her, they have Aldertree in charge already, and just like in the book, he is a complete and total ***. What I am really excited to see next week is Jace's imprisonment in the city of bones, because at that point, they really have potential to swing it back around to the books. In the preview they showed part of the break in, and I think it's happening! We're getting the TMI world that we love! The one concern on my mind that I think I saw (but hope I didn't)is demon possession? Umm.... I really don't see how that would be able to work..... but for now I'm going to look at the positive. This episode was really interesting because it almost seems like the show is backtracking and correcting its issues- as though it is redoing the beginning or first half of City of Ashes. It makes me so happy to see this and so SO hopeful for the rest of the season and show!!
There is only one other thing slightly bothering me: Jocelyn is awake. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, in the books she is not awake at this point. As of now, I think the show has done an OK job of her character, but I'm worried about how it will change the show equivalent of the beginning of City of Glass. The main reason why Clary wants to go to Idris is because she needs to get the potion from Ragnor Fell.... but that's happened already. I guess it won't really be a problem if she goes just for the political reasons? I don't know. It's probably only a minor problem, but it snagged my attention.
Wow oh wow did I like this episode! I think I can confidently say that this one was my favorite out of all of them, seasons one and two. Next week is season four with new showrunners! I hope that this episode was like transition of the two and that it keeps moving in this very nice looking direction.
Thanks for reading!