Alec and the shadow world causing trauma.

 ALEC GRUMPY-CAT LIGHTWOOD - YouTube - the hand movement is actually Matthew is a great portrayal from the books,  this is a great edit from the show and shows how Alec is actually the one who shoulders the responsibility of the Lightwoods, these are the family that run the New York institute. 

 This clip shows how Matthew Daddario the person who play's Alec nailed the role despite him not having blue eyes. He  notices that the  Shadow hunters are not very bright and their plans mostly fail and that this makes for great TV. 

He shows the role by subtle but noticeable movements, that are mentioned in the books, things that stand out to me and others are, 

• The rolling of the eyes. 
• The rational mistrust of Clary 
• That he says what the others are not game to say. 
•  Judging Mundane's, because they have a failure of imagination.

There are also habits that Dom Sherwood has mentioned  during a recent podcast, that are both Matthew and Alec however it is mentioned that Matthews personality is very different  from Alec as Alec is an introvert but it is mentioned that Matthew doesn't take life so seriously but knows when to focus on work. 

Return to the Shadows with Katherine McNamara and Dominic Sherwood on Apple Podcasts 

It is traumatic for  Alec being in Jaces shadow and running the institute. He supresses it until they go to the Downworlder rave and you can see him getting frustrated about how Clary and later Simon are threatening his world. He needs stability and I see that need for stability comes from a very difficult upbringing, and this is mentioned in the show.  How his mother told him he was never good enough and this is surprising to him when Magnus starts to flirt with him, it has been mentioned that the first time he smiles and lets his guard down is around Magnus. 

Yet as I have written about in other posts that Magnus and Alec have a very rocky road to their relationship in the show and in the books it is very different and Alec falls for Magnus first.

SHADOWHUNTERS 2x20 JACE DIES - ALEC'S REACTION (WITHOUT CLACE PARTS) - YouTube 

Magnus  despite  his reservation's with Alec at the time he  seems to always care for him. Alec doesn't seem to realise what Magnus has seen in the Shadoworld, given his involvement in rescuing Tessa and  Jem in London from the grips of the Magister, that gets her to do her bidding. 

In this clip that has been edited  you can see that Magnus is in the institute to but not as a couple, he is willing to help, and does understand  what is going on, as he has centuries of wisdom. 

They are distant towards each other  but he is willing to help as it would save lives as  Magnus still hasn't forgiven Alec for not telling him about the Soul - Sword. A  Shadoworld relic that forces people to tell the truth and that it can also cleanse the world of demon blooded creatures.  Given that Magnus has demon blood  realizing this puts the down world in danger and we do see an episode where this plays out. 

Shadowhunters 2x17 Magnus Mad at Alec Malec Fight "Season 2 Episode 17 - YouTube

We also see a move straight from the history books of the Shadow hunters wanting to collect DNA from the down worlders.  This also in context Magnus would have lived through world war II and seen what this type of thinking can do, to even mundane lives. 

In the last episode of season two they do end back up as a couple, and Magnus becomes a lot more involved in the Shadow hunters lives. I have noticed over the course of researching for this blog regardless of Magnus feelings for the Shadowhunter's in general he seems to be a soft place to land for Alec and cares for him even if they are distant at times. 

Malec 2x05 "Dust & Shadows" - YouTube  In this clip it seems to be that Magnus understands Alec and understands Alec's need for space and some kindness as he has been brought up to not express emotions and this we see has damaged him, yet we do see this improve in the show. 

We see that everyone else has a hobby in the show Clary with her drawing, Jace with the piano, Isabel with her various relationships ( in the books she try's to cook)  and we see that Alec doesn't see to have a hobby, as he is so focused on essentially what is work.  In this episode we also see that Alec seems to self harm as a way to cope and it is only Magnus that recognises this.  

This is just an introduction to the trauma that the shadow world can produce so I will continue this in a another post, as there is so much in this series that is an accurate trauma response that at first glance doesn't seem obvious because the show was at it's core tried not to be in your face about things.