Wow. This was emotional.
Clary and Jace discuss the cup, and the "rules" of being a shadowhunter. Izzy makes sure to include her own rule, "There isn't anything a Shadowhunter can't do in heels." The four shadowhunters discuss what to do with the Cup now that they have it. Alec is of course all for handing it over to the Clave which Izzy supports. Clary disagrees and reminds them that this is her only chance to get her mother back and Jace takes her side. Alec knows there is no use in arguing with these 2, so he agrees. Clary puts the Cup back into the card and follows Alec. He places the card in a floor safe and Clary thanks him for all of his help. He still isn't happy about her being there.
They see a downworlder approaching the Institute so they head outside armed and ready. That's when they see Raphael (the vampire) approaching and carrying something- that something being Simon's body. Clary is shocked at what she sees and clearly upset. They all go to the basement and Clary demands to know what happened. Raphael shares that Camille did this to him and Simon is a fledgling or a newly transitioning vampire. He tells her that she basically has 2 choices: she can either bury him and allow him to complete his transition or stake him in the heart and let him die. If she doesn't stake him, then his soul will be trapped for eternity, and if she buries him there is a chance that he won't surface and he will be stuck underground and starving for eternity. Clary is repulsed by both choices and Jace and Izzy warn against changing him. Izzy leaves to join Alec for a meeting with their parents. Clary is told she has until that night to make her choice.
Alec and Izzy are informed that a representative from the Clave will be temporarily running the Institute as their credibility as leaders has come into question. Alec and Izzy are angry about this, but the Lightwoods promise it won't be for long. Alec heads downstairs where he runs into Max, and asks him to behave for the next few days. Alec promises that if he behaves, he'll get Max his steele back. As they talk, Valentine walks in through the front door and Alec shoots an arrow which he catches. Valentine takes out his steele and then it is revealed that it's not Valentine at all but a woman. She introduces herself as Lydia Blackwell and she's the representative from the Clave. She's upset by the poor reaction time from everyone except for Alec.
Clary, Jace, and Raphael sit with Simon's body as Clary thinks over what to do. She's upset with herself for not being there for Simon and for introducing him to the Shadow world. She takes a glamoured Jace to visit Mrs. Lewis to tell her that Simon won't be coming home. Jace asks if she can actually go through with this and she insists she can. When Mrs. Lewis comes in she is clearly worried about Simon and begs Clary for information. She says she doesn't know what she would do if something happened to him and her children are her life. She asks Clary if he's doing drugs and Clary promises he isn't on drugs. She can't bring herself to tell Mrs. Lewis so she says she saw him recently and he's ok. She and Jace go up to Simon's room and are shocked by the damage. Clary goes through his room and collects things. She still feels guilty and Jace tells her a story about a boy who got a falcon from his dad. The boy was told to make the falcon obey him, and when he brought the bird to his father and showed him that it came back to him, his father snapped the bird's neck. The boy was devestated and Jace says that the boy was told to make the bird obedient, not to love the bird. Emotions cloud judgement, he says. Clary tells him that goes against the first rule of being a mundane which is love makes you stronger and it makes you fight harder. She refuses to become emotionless just so she can be a shadowhunter.
Alec gets a call from Luke and Lydia is curious to know why he is getting a call from the local wolfpack leader. He says a Forsaken attacked their base and he wants Alec to take a look. Lydia insists on going with him. When they get to the Jade Wolf, Lydia apologizes for being so harsh but she takes her job seriously. She tells Alec about how she followed her heart once before and married the love of her life and they were all set to run their own Institute together, until he was killed. She says that in their line of work, it's best to just love the work. The are surprised by the amount of damage to the restaurant and Luke greets them. He says there was something different about this Forsaken- that it was a lot harder to kill and a lot more determined. He suspects Valentine sent it. Lydia looks it over and wants it sent back to the Institute for an autopsy. Lydia accidentally spills the beans that Alec's parents are former Circle members.
Clary and Jace pay a visit to see Luke and are concerned about what happened with the Forsaken. Clary tells Luke about Simon and asks for his advice. Luke is upset about Simon and says he loves him like a son, then shares what happened when he made his first transformation. He says the choice was his and Jocelyn stayed with him, begging him to live and go through with it even though he wanted to kill himself. In the end, he dealt with his new reality because he had Jocelyn and then Clary to take care of. He promises Clary that things will be horrible for Simon, but they will get better. He asks her to make sure that if she changes Simon, it is for him and not for herself.
Magnus checks the Forsaken for magic while Izzy works on it and he takes the results to Alec. He's distracted when he sees Alec boxing shirtless. They talk about duty and what you have to do. Alec is angry about being lied to by his parents and working for the Clave and following rules for nothing. Magnus encourages him to break the rules. Alec goes to talk to his parents, and overhears Lydia telling them that the Clave is taking over the Institute because they can't be trusted with Valentine on the loose. Alec walks in and gives his parents the results, even though Lydia says to give it to her. Mrs. Lightwood is clearly touched by her son's brave move. Once they leave, Alec and Lydia talk and he decides that it's time he follows his heart. He proposes to Lydia and reminds her they can run the Institute together.
Izzy finds something on the Forsaken and is shocked. She thinks it's part angel. She goes to find her family to let them know. Meanwhile, another Forsaken gets into the Institute and attacks Hodge. They battle and Hodge almost loses until Alec steps in. The two of them fight the Forsaken and finally take it down. Izzy is shocked at the scene and is grateful everyone is ok.
Raphael, Jace, and Clary head to the graveyard with Simon. Clary has made her choice. Before they can do anything, Camille shows up and demands Simon's body. She wants to get rid of him so there is no proof that she broke the Accords. Clary and Jace prepare to fight but Raphael challenges her and her authority. She brings out the other vampires, and he tells her that they are tired of her ways and don't want her to be their leader anymore. The vampires attack her and chase her off. Raphael is now in charge. Clary digs Simon's grave and sits and waits with Jace. Simon emerges and Raphael gives him blood bags to drink. Simon is horrified when he realizes what's going on and Clary tells him he's still her best friend, but Simon thinks he's nothing more than a monster and takes off. Raphael promises Clary he'll look out for him.
//Original air date 3/1/16
