Alec and Jace Parabatai bond; a lesson in Male friendship.
So this post is the start of another series looking at this relationship when I did the research for this post I found out that there are parallels in most religious communities to prevent social isolation. Not the supernatural bonds but people who have chosen to work together, to go to bat for each other as well.
This bond most similar is when Mormons go on missions, as they are together the whole time. Yet this bond in the show is quite complex as we see that it is a rare thing to have a Parabatai and something to be celebrated, yet like most religious communities and couplings they have rules around it, one of the most well-known is that they can't fall in love or else they can become too powerful and become the Nephilim of the old testament, the angels that carry out the wrath of God, yet it is an indiscriminate punishment.
Yet we do see that there is an argument over the translation of what this means and it could mean fallen warriors making the argument for the reality of historical beings that fought in the time of the old testament, very real. Most relics are being found from that point in time we see that most cultures alive at the time had a story about people who were protected by warriors that have god-like powers. In the time that the Nephilim in the bible are talked about.
I will do a brief overview of each clip and then do a deeper dive into the dynamics at play as the Shadow world has very high stakes at times and they seem to need the emotional support of a bond like this.
Shadowhunters | Season 1, Episode 5 Sneak Peek: Jace & Alec Talk About Clary | Freeform - YouTube We see that they are at a crossroads about what to do with Clary, and Alec for most of the first series is annoyed with her but we need to remember that she wasn't brought up in this world and to her, it is a massive change for her, yet we see that this bond between Alec and Jace can be stretched.
Jace and Alec try to track Clary | Shadowhunters 1x05 - YouTube When they are together they can be stronger they are better as a pair than as single fighters. They trained as a pair and were bonded from the age of 10, much like a confirmation into the Catholic or Anglican church we do see that there are a lot of parallels in this show of coming-of-age moments. As in the books that this show is based on we need to remember that they are mostly teens except for the warlocks and fairies. These are long-lived beings or immortal yet they can be killed.
Shadowhunters Reduced BGMusic 01x03 - Alec and Jace fight over Clary again. - YouTube Reminds Jace not to lose sight of them, it often happens when boys get their first girlfriends they ditch their friends. Jace is so infatuated and cocky he needs Alec to ground him but they are losing trust in each other as Jace is lying to Alec and him being bonded in a way that they are essentially part of each other's lives not only physically but emotionally as well, so Alec can tell when Jace isn't telling the whole truth.
Shadowhunters | Season 1, Episode 6: Alec Warns Jace to Come Back | Freeform - YouTube Alec knows that Jace isn't in the bed headspace and that they are needed as a pair yet he can't come back as he can't be trusted, as he has been convinced by Valentine that he is evil, yet the show shows that it is your decisions, not your core that makes you evil.
Shadowhunters Reduced BGMusic 01x09 - Jace finds out about the attack. - YouTube In this clip we are seeing how the bond can work and how they are making an effort to communicate with each other and how Alec can see that Jace needs help. Yet at the same time, we see that he isn't able to come back but he is safe as in the first season we see that when a demon is on the loss that is their first priory.
Shadowhunters | Season 1, Episode 9: Jace & Alec Fight | Freeform - YouTube This is just such a great clip and shows that Alec can really control his emotions but does have a streak that means he can be a loose cannon at times, we can also see that he can control it well but he is at the end of his rope, as Jace is so focused on Clary that he isn't seeing reason and she really upset the world that they lived in, Alec is also still coping the heat from the rash actions, and decisions that people have made.
Shadowhunters | Season 1, Episode 10: Parabatai Bond | Freeform - YouTube This shows the core of the bond in all of its glory as Magnus had tried everything to be able to wake Alec up and the only thing that worked was Jace being near him. We see that it shows how the bond works like an older Married couple one dying and then the other dying of a broken heart.
Shadowhunters | Season 1, Episode 12: Alec's Bachelor Party | Freeform - YouTube this is such an interesting clip as it shows a different side of Alec and Jace as at this point in time the bond between them has been strained and weakened to the point that they needed to have this talk we also see that Jace knows that Alec isn't being true to himself, and is still sacrificing himself to save the family and keep control of the institute. Yet it is a beard marriage and one that Alec wouldn't be happy in. We see that everyone but Alec knows this and yet he is still going through with it.
They are finally talking about how things got so messed up between them and how they can seek some resolution between them. It also shows that Izzy knows that they need to clear the air with each other and be able to seek clarity, to be able to talk.
We also see that Alec isn't talking about Lydia that Alec when talking about a plan for your life and knowing what you want need to do and being pushed off the path we see that he isn't talking about Lydia he is talking about Magnus and not realizing that he is attracted to the same sex, this is something that this show and the books were honest about where society is at with this.
However we still in some communities have a long way to go with this, but we can see how this is a good thing. As I am working on a post about Magnus and Alec's story arc around this and how this relationship fundamentally changes the shadow world. We see links in several sections of our reality of being pushed off the path for our life, and losing a job, the most obvious is Covid 19 and the way that we socialize and look after ourselves and our community's, having an illness that changes the way you live, meeting someone who is "forbidden," in your culture but not illegal, in Alec's case.
As we do see in season one how Alec was in love with Jace yet there is an interview with Harry Shum Jr and Matthew Daddario saying about how there are different types of love and this was the love of sibling's as they have grown up together. This is loosely translated from Hebrew to Phileo love the love of family and siblings yet Alec in the past has confused the two and we see is still confused and suppressing his true feelings.
Shadowhunters | Season 1, Episode 12: Magnus Stops Alec's Wedding | Freeform - YouTube sees the look on his face and he knows that this is what Alec wants. Was willing to stand as the "Best Man," for Alec. This was a Berd marriage and most of Alec's friends knew that he was gay but was suppressing it hurts him as well, knowing that Alec would be the sacrificial lamb to restore Honour to the family name, and restore honor to the family name as well as the plan was to keep the institute in the lightwood family control.
Reading for this series.
Parabatai | The Shadowhunters' Wiki | Fandom
The Council | The Shadowhunters' Wiki | Fandom
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