Magnus and the down world. The introduction to the main down worlders.

 Shadowhunter's other relationships and how they relate to the real world 

Magnus and Alec, there has been a lot written about them both here and on other sights. And how it is a great portrayal of respect in relationships. Yet people have recently pointed out that at times there are other relationships that are real but not as healthy. Both in the books and in the TV series. 

So this leads to what is a healthy relationship? and what that looks like in reality. This is something that not a lot of people are taught about as we see relationships on screen that are filled with drama, but in reality, these aren't healthy. They are quite toxic and they can be quite abusive not just physically but mentally. 

A great relationship is based on respect, communication, and boundaries that keep evolving. One major part of a healthy relationship is consent. So what does that look like? This depends on the age of the person but not only the age but the capabilities of the person do they have the understanding of body autonomy and the mental capacity to consent to what is being done to them. I find some interesting parallels in some of the down-worlder relationship's to disability relationships, in finding freedom, standing up for yourself, knowing your values, and being willing to learn about different viewpoints. 

When we are talking about mental capacity generally it is when there is a difference between a person's physical age and mental age, there could be someone who has a slight difference in their mental age and physical age that until you are in a relationship with them, you don't notice it.  Someone with a brain injury might physically be in their 30s but their mental age is in their 20s. Or someone in their 20s might have the capacity of a 5year old.  

This is what leads to the question of what that relationship looks like in whether the relationship's parental, friends(platonic), professional, or romantic. How we treat each other in each relationship is different, and one can cross over into the others. For example, people who say you marry your best friend, or that you will find the right person for you, in the most unexpected way. In a relationship we also need boundaries, these are what you put up with in a relationship and how you allow it to grow or be seen, by others. We also need to point out that the internet has changed the way the world works. In very real ways, to the point that some people don't know how to have relationships. 

So Magnus has what starts out as a friendship with Alec that becomes a romantic relationship with Alec, this is the one that people focus a lot on but other characters show Magnus's complexity. These relationships are with: 

•  Camille  - that they were once lovers but looking at this relationship it doesn't seem like it was a healthy one at all, it seems almost like Magnus was under cohesive control at one point. 

• Raphael and it is mentioned that he practically raised him. So what is this relationship, it is mentioned in the books that he is sent back to his family when he can control his powers. 

• Simon who is essentially dragged into the shadow world by Clary is mentored by Magnus to control his powers and in the books, he becomes a Shadowhunter. However, the TV show shows a hybrid of both what Luke describes as down-world deputies.  

• Luke who in the books and in the show are very different characters, in the books he owns a rare book store, and in the show is a cop. 

All of these relationships have one person in common, Magnus as he has a lot of wisdom to give however in the books he seems to be somewhat complicit in either creating trauma or solving it.  I know  "that there is a core wish in Magnus to save every broken bird," to the point there is a line in the book about a clockwork angel, a series that is set before the mortal instruments. That is part of the Infernal Devices series.