Shadowhunters S03E05 "Stronger Than Heaven" Recap

Lilian pretends to be a friend of Ragnor Fell in order to gain Magnus' trust. She is searching for help in performing magic to make someone fall out of love. Magnus claims he can do this but recommends against it, saying that it's better to fall in love. She claims that it's for a former lover that's a soldier needing to stay focused on the task at hand. He gives her the elixir and says that it requires a sliver of her soul to be put into it an hour before it is administered as she is the supposed object of affection.

Jace tells Clary he's planning of going to the City of Bones for treatment from the Silent Brothers, as they have a history of helping Shadowhunters with mental health issues. She is concerned that if they can't help him that he is risking losing it all, including being a Shadowhunter. She wants to talk to Angels to ask for help with the situation, as she remains determined to help him no matter how difficult it may seem.

Alec asks Magnus if he can move in to his place. Magnus thinks it's a good idea for the future, saying they've only been dating for two months and that their relationship will change once they move in together. He says that one thing he's learned after being alive so long is to take your time in a relationship.

Simon has one of his gigs cancelled and doesn't know who sabotaged him by pretending to be his manager. Jace decides to help him to keep busy and also because Simon is important to Clary.

Izzy agrees to go on a date with the doctor and Clary encourages her to do so since having a few hours off from the investigation could be good for her well-being.

Clary confides in Luke about Jace dying in the battle against Valentine and using the wish from Raziel to bring him back. She is distraught at having to lie to everyone she loves and now Jace is struggling with something that she can't seem to help him with. She asks Luke to help her contact Cleophas in an effort to contact the angels for help.

Lilith summons a demon to go after Clary and retrieve a sliver of her soul.

Jace tells Simon that none of the werewolves from Luke's pack were the ones to cancel his gig. However, he becomes suspicious of his new place and how perfectly it seems to suit Simon's interests. He decides to snoop through Kyle's room and discovers a wolfsbane plant. When Kyle comes back and confronts them for going through his room, Jace forces him to admit that he's a werewolf. Kyle admits he's part of Praetor Lupus, a secret werewolf organisation that act as guardians. They only intervene in special downworlder cases. Kyle was sent in to assist the investigation into the blast Simon sent out. Simon is hurt at being betrayed and the fact that Kyle cancelled his gig. He is upset at being lied to yet again and says he is leaving.

Alec snoops through a box he had seen Magnus rifling through and discovers a photo of Magnus with an old lover, seemingly from the 1800s.

Clary and Luke visit Cleophas at a remote home in the woods and she finds out she has been unable to contact the angels. She is able to give Clary advice on how to contact Ithuriel herself since she has shown tremendous power and his blood already runs through her veins. Summoning an angel won't be without risks but it's up to Clary to decide if she wants to take it, which she decides to do in order to try to help Jace.

Izzy enjoys her date but has to take off when her amulet bracelet begins to glow. She follows the lead and encounters the demon in the alleyway that Lilith had conjured. When she tries to kill it by cutting it in half, they instead re-form into two that she still struggles to fight but still manages to kill. Lilith senses their demise and flies out, intent on getting the job done herself. Her date finds her in the alleyway and insists that she come to the hospital to get stitches on the cut on her forehead (which she was able to cover for by breaking her heel and pretending she tripped and fell).

Cleophus instructs Clary on how to summon Ithuriel. After the first steps are taken, Cleophus and Luke must leave Clary alone to complete the ritual or they risk being severely injured or even killed by any angels that may appear to her.

Jace tracks Simon down and advises him to accept Kyle's help since it's the best option he has at the moment.

Alec admits to snooping through Magnus' things, though Magnus already knew, and apologises for doing so. Magnus accepts his apology and tells him about George, who he says has been dead for over a century. He says that the rest of the items in the box aren't what belonged to George except for that one photograph. The other mementos are each from a loved one he outlived. Magnus is immortal which means that he is destined to outlive the ones he loves and he wants to be able to cherish the moments he does have with the ones he loves. Alec is more understanding after he gets all of the context, though the revelations are intense for him to process.

Clary successfully summons Ithuriel, who knows she's there because of Jace. She asks if Jace is struggling now because of her resurrecting him. He tells her that's not the reason but returning from death has left him vulnerable against a greater threat than they realise. He goes on to say that a great evil has arrived in the realm of the mundane who is the master of the Owl. But just as he's about to say its name, he is killed by Lilith. As Clary wakes to see the winged demonic creature flying over her, Lilith steals a sliver of her soul before flying away. Clary passes out and wakes in the cabin with Luke and Cleopha watching over her.

Simon agrees to let Kyle help him but only under the condition that he can continue to live his life, including performing at the gig that Kyle tried to cancel from him.

Jace visits Alec and tells him he will be going to get treatment for his mental health at the Silent City. Alec says he wants to come with him but Jace tells him this is a fight he has to face alone. He later meets up with Kyle and Simon at the bar where Simon performs his gig. While there, Lilith spikes Jace's drink with the elixir concocted to strip Jace of all the love he has ever felt for Clary. After he drinks from it, he goes back into his subservient trance.

Shadowhunters airs on Tuesdays on Freeform at 8/7c.