Well fans, things got real this week on Shadowhunters as Clary and Alec had some hard choices to make that could have some major consequences to come! Bad Blood was intense, unexpected and…wait, were those zombies? Yeah, that happened.

I have to acknowledge Alberto Rosende’s incredible performance in this episode. He really brought his A-game with the very last scene after Simon’s transformation and it was heart breaking! Bravo, Sir!

So, let’s get to the recap, shall we?

Clary puts the Cup back in the tarot card for safe-keeping while Izzy and Alec try to convince Clary to give it back to the Clave. But Clary argues that she needs the Cup for leverage to get her mother back. Alec gives in and allows Clary to hide the Cup within the Institute making it clear that his decision isn’t based in friendship. He blames Clary for turning their world upside down. Clary tries to call Simon but gets no answer. An alarm goes off in the Institute, warning them of a breach in the perimeter and when they go to investigate, it’s Raphael holding Simon in his arms – dead. 

Freeform/John Medland

Jace, Izzy, Clary and Alec hide Simon and Raphael in a basement room, away from the prying eyes of anyone in the Institute. Izzy accuses the vampires of breaking the accords and Raphael argues that it was Camille acting alone. Jace doesn’t completely believe him but Raphael insists he doesn’t want trouble with the Shadowhunters and the fact that he brought them Simon’s body should serve as proof. He says he warned Simon to stay away from the hotel but Simon returned anyway because Camille had given him her blood. Clary is distraught over Simon’s death and Raphael tells Clary that Simon is actually a fledgling; he can come back as vampire. But she has to make a decision by sunset to either stake Simon and kill him or bury him in a grave to complete his transition into a vampire.

Valentine is being all kinds of creepy talking to Jocelyn while she’s still unconscious. He receives word from a circle member that Clary found the cup and is at the Institute. He also learns that Luke aided Clary in her search for the Cup and he is NOT pleased.

Alec and Izzy’s  mom and dad are agitated that they can’t do more about the brewing fight with Valentine. When Izzy and Alec arrive, they inform them that they were denied a meeting with the Clave to warn them of the Seelies potentially breaking with the Clave to side with Valentine. Their parents warn them that the family is under close scrutiny by the Clave because of Alec and Izzy’s recent collaborations with Downworlders and they warn them not to do anything to make matters worse; a Clave envoy is coming to observe all of them.

Clary listens to her voicemail and it’s the urgent message from Simon saying he thinks he’s becoming a vampire. She blames herself and isn’t sure what choice to make for Simon. Raphael tells her that if Simon is buried and doesn’t emerge, he’ll be trapped under the earth – starving for all eternity. But if she stakes him, he’ll die a painless human death.

Freeform/John Medland

Max begs Alec to get his stele back for him but Alec is reluctant. But he promises to help once the Clave envoy leaves.

Valentine appears in the Institute and Alec jumps to action, shooting an arrow at his head, which he catches. He pulls out a stele and removes a rune from his arm. He shimmers and suddenly transforms into a young woman – Lydia Branwell, the envoy from the Clave. She tells them their response time was horrible, except for Alec.

Freeform/John Medland

Lydia strolls in and informs them that she is temporarily in charge at the Institute. She demands to know Clary’s whereabouts and is upset when they inform her that she is “out training.” It’s clear the Clave doesn’t trust the daughter of Valentine at all. Izzy points out that Lydia is Clary’s cousin. Hmm, interesting. Alec tells Lydia that Clary is with Jace (implying that she’s fine) but Lydia points out that it was Jace who led an unsanctioned raid against the vampires. 

The Circle guy shows up at the Chinese restaurant where Luke’s werewolf pack hangs out. He has two creepy zombie guys in tow carrying some wicked-looking maces. One of the zombies enters the restaurant and Luke transforms to fight it off.

Clary goes to see Simon’s mom with Jace (who is invisible to Simon’s mom). Clary is nervous and not sure what to say to his mother but Jace warns her not to tell her the truth. Mundanes cannot know about the Shadow World.

Back at the Institute Izzy admits to Alec that she’s a little jealous of Lydia…because she wants to know how Lydia managed to catch the arrow Alec shot. Luke sends Alec pictures of the dead zombie that attacked at the restaurant and Alec shows them to his mother and Lydia. And Lydia is immediately suspicious that Alec is friends with Luke, an ex-Circle member. Lydia and Alec go to the restaurant to investigate.

Clary and Jace are in Simon’s room and she is gathering some of Simon’s things in a bag. Clary is confused about the decision she has to make when Jace tells her the story of a boy and a falcon. His father told him to tame the bird but the boy befriended it and made it a pet. The boy took the bird to show his father and the father snapped the bird’s neck because he was told to tame the bird, not to love it. Jace tells Clary that she has to listen to her head and not to her heart. He says the first rule of shadowhunting is that emotions cloud judgment and Clary responds that if she has to be dead inside to be a Shadowhunter, she doesn’t want it.  

Freeform/John Medland

Lydia and Alec arrive at the restaurant and she tells him about all the girls in Idris clambering to meet him because there are rumors that he’s looking to settle down. He scoffs, telling her that’s not his idea. Lydia can relate and she tells him the story of how her parents tried to set her up but she made her own path and fell in love with someone else.  Then her Shadowhunter fiancé died, along with their plans to run the Institute located in Lisbon. She warns Alec never to fall in love.

Investigating the body, Lydia says the creature has characteristics of a Forsaken but that it’s different. Luke says it was tougher to take down than a normal Forsaken – that it took five wolves to bring it down. Luke thinks Valentine sent the creature after him and possibly other ex-Circle members. Lydia says they’ll put up extra wards around the Institute. Alec assumes it’s to protect Hodge, but Lydia says it’s to protect Alec’s parents too. Alec is shocked at the revelation that his parents were Circle members.

Lydia and Alec take the Forsaken body back to the Institute and Lydia calls Magnus in to help with determining exactly what was done to create the creature. Alec seems flustered that Magnus will be there but Lydia seems genuinely excited to meet him. 

Alec is angry that his parents never told him about being in the Circle but Lydia argues that people make mistakes.

Clary and Jace visit Luke and she tells him about Simon being dead and the choice she has to make. 

Magnus and Izzy examine the body and Magnus asks about Alec, trying to gauge Alec’s personal interest. Izzy tells Magnus that her parents are trying to find Alec a wife and Magnus seems a little upset. 

Luke advises Clary that if she brings back Simon, he will have a very tough road ahead. In a flashback, we see Luke just after Valentine trapped him with the werewolves. He’s on the brink of transforming but he wants to kill himself as Jocelyn argues with him to fight because she loves him. Luke says that having Jocelyn and Clary in his life saved him from killing himself. He warns Clary to make the decision for Simon and not for herself.

Freeform/John Medland

Alec is working out with a punching bag (shirtless) and Magnus comes to deliver the findings from the autopsy. They have a cute moment as Magnus is distracted by the sheer hotness of Alec. Alec opens up to Magnus about feeling conflicted about the Clave and the Institute. He says that he has done everything they’ve asked and Magnus advises that maybe it’s time Alec starts living for himself and to do what’s in his heart. Alec, surprisingly, says he’s right. 

In the cemetery, Clary is faced with her choice. But Camille shows up and demands they give her Simon’s body. Clary and Jace refuse and Camille snaps her fingers, summoning several other vampires. Raphael addresses them, saying Camille killed Simon, breaking the accords and putting them all at risk. Raphael argues that her leadership will only destroy them. Camille says any damage can be fixed by getting rid of Simon because as a mundane, he means nothing. Clary is instantly pissed and like the badass she is proving to be, punches Camille right in the face. The vampires turn on Camille, surrounding her.

Alec overhears Lydia talking to his parents saying the Clave will be taking full control of the Institute. Lydia argues that there’s nothing she can do with everything happening in New York, Valentine’s return and their history with the Circle. Alec enters with the autopsy report and as a show of respect, gives the report to his mother instead of Lydia.

Clary makes her choice for Simon, to bury him and complete his transformation into a vampire. She digs his grave and she wraps Simon in his Tallit, a Jewish prayer shawl given to him by his grandfather at his Bar Mitzvah. She says she knows how much it meant to him because it symbolized the moment he became a man. She says that no matter what he becomes, he will always be that man to her. Overwhelmed with grief, Jace takes the shovel from her and buries Simon.

Alec approaches Lydia and says he understands the law and what has to happen. But he says he has to listen to his heart. He proposes marriage to Lydia so that he can restore his family name and they can run the Institute together.

As they wait for Simon to emerge from his grave, Jace assures Clary that Simon is a fighter. And Clary says love is what makes people stronger and fight harder for what they want. And the capacity for love is the first rule of being human. The ground suddenly begins to tremble as Simon emerges from his grave. Simon is fully vampire, disoriented, his fangs out and he hisses at Clary. Raphael says that newborn vampires emerge hungry and tosses Simon some blood bags that he drinks down eagerly and Clary is horrified.

Freeform/John Medland

Izzy continues her investigation on the body of the Forsaken, trying to figure out why he has angel blood when the second Forsaken breaks into the Institute and attacks Hodge. Hodge fights back but the Forsaken is tough and doesn’t go down easy. Just when it looks like the Forsaken might win, Alec shoots an arrow in his back. When the creature comes at him, Alec shoots him a second time but it hits Alec hard with his mace, knocking him to the floor. Hodge attacks when the creature is about to finish Alec and kills him. 

In a heart wrenching scene, Simon asks Clary what’s happening and Clary explains that he died. He realizes he’s a vampire and he can’t even say the word, “God.” Simon is horrified and calls himself “repulsive.” Clary tries to convince Simon that he is the same guy he always was but Simon thinks he’s a monster and runs away. Raphael promises to look after Simon and runs after him, leaving Clary with Jace, questioning her decision.

And that’s the episode! So much happened! I can’t believe we have to wait until next week for more! be sure to tune in to Freeform Tuesday night at 9/8c for more!