Episode six, “Of Men and Angels,” might as well have been titled “Exposition and Flashbacks.” But great balls o’ fire, that elusive Mortal Cup finally showed itself! There was just one big problem: since it appeared in one of those endless flashbacks, we didn’t actually see the thing do any magic.
Fortunately, the episode also offered a hint that Clary and company might be slightly closer to finding the Mortal Cup in the present day. That said, given the pace of this show and the amount of kidnappings, silly disagreements, and werewolf/vampire interference that tends to get in the way of the main objective, nobody should hold their breath.
Still, it was a relief to finally see the MacGuffin Mortal Cup after all the trouble it’s caused—even if its appearance in the episode begat far less tension then that ridiculous fight between Jace and Simon. This is the essence of Shadowhunters: with Luke’s life, and ultimately the fate of the world, at stake, there’s always time for a chest-bumping match fueled by petty jealousy.
Top image: Freeform/John Medland
