Shadowhunters Season 3 Poster Reveal
It’s here folks, the Shadowhunters Season 3 poster. We figured we would take a look at the poster and see if we can find any hidden messages.
The poster was accompanied by the words “No good deed goes unpunished. 20 days until the premiere of #ShadowhuntersSeason3.”
Now, besides kinda looking like an album cover (which I’d totally be down for, is there anyone in this cast who doesn’t sing?) I think there are a few things we can look at. Now this is all going to be entirely speculative, and mostly based on my extreme paranoia regarding character positioning on posters thanks to Agents of SHIELD a few seasons back.
Oh and I’m collaborating on this with our newest writer, Elisheva. Elisheva will be joining the team here at FANdemonium Towers very soon and we decided to team up on this one.
Ships Ahoy
Lookit! The main couples are all positioned together, and I find Simon’s spot rather interesting.
He’s currently dating Maia, but we’ve been told Sizzy is coming. Is this a little nod at some love triangle type shenanigans to come in Season 3? We’ve already been told by Todd that the two-timing storyline from the books is not happening, but this little arrangement seems to point towards some kind of 3 pointed tension dynamic.
I do think his positioning is significant, because it throws out the otherwise symmetrical arrangement of the figures.
Speaking of Maia – SO COOL seeing her on the poster now that Alisha is a regular this season!
Body Talks
I’m no expert, but there are a few little body language elements that screamed at me when I first saw this.
First of all, I’m loving the mirroring going on with Alec and Izzy down in front – siblings that pose together, kick ass together!
Magnus’s posture is pretty confident, as we’ve come to expect from the High Warlock of Brooklyn. But I feel like there is something off. Is he holding something or is it just the way his hands are positioned? His hands seem like they are hiding/protecting something.
Once again this season Jace isn’t looking “at the camera” the same as everyone else. Last year I figured that was a metaphor for the fact that at the start of the season he was with Valentine and technically opposed to everyone else. This season I’m seeing the fact his head is tilted down as symbolic of the weight of the secret he is keeping. Although most of the fandom seems to think he’s just staring at Clary’s ass.
Background details
I’ve seen lots of comments since the poster dropped last night but I don’t think I’ve seen anyone pick up on the demon perched on the spire of the Institute. I’m loving that little touch. We’ve seen the huge winged demon in a few promo pictures/videos and it seems to be one of Lilith’s envoys. If so then Lilith is literally watching over all of our cast and no doubt plotting something nefarious.
Also does that cityscape backdrop remind anyone else of the one that phildrawsfanart did for her season 3 poster? (Phil also pretty much nailed Maia’s outfit in her poster.) Phil’s version just featured the Institute, whereas the official poster shows it nestled between the buildings of downtown New York City. I’m wondering if the Institute being overshadowed by skyscrapers is meant to imply that the two worlds are going to get a lot closer this season?
Elisheva’s Take
Jace
As soon as the poster dropped my eyes searched out Jace and I was taken aback. That isn’t Jace. That’s Jonathan. That’s the boy who lost his falcon friend. The boy who endured years of psychological abuse. The boy that only knows how to be vulnerable with his parabatai, and only when he’s pushed to the edge, and with Clary, the girl who saved his soul not just his life.
Jace isn’t prominent featured. He’s in the back looking as if he’s just been rebuked. This is the shell of the man we know and love.
Lilith and Sebastian/Jonathan will exploit Jace’s ability to love & his loyalty in season 3 and this poster shows him away from the people he loves the most save for Clary-secrets bring them together and tear them apart. This is a Jace we’ve only seen when tears are running down his face. This Jace will destroy the ground he walks on to protect his heart while losing his sanity and sense of reality in the process.
The Wolves
The second thing I noticed were the wolves. It almost seems as if Luke, our alpha is taking a step back and watching over his pack-metaphorical and real-and letting his second, his beta, take a more substantial leadership role.
Now that Maia is main cast she won’t just be relegated to hook up and love interest. We’re going to see this cub grow into her role within her pack of wolves and within the shadow world in general.
We know Maia will face her deepest fears this season and by the look of her here she’ll be the fiercest of them all.
Confirmed:
While we were putting this together Taylor Mallory, one of the writers on the show, confirmed that Jace’s head down positioning symbolizes the dark journey he’s going on this season.
Over to you guys
What do you think Shadowhunters fans and FANdemaniacs? Disagree with us on anything? Have we missed something? Let us know in the comments.
Don’t forget (as if you could) that Shadowhunters returns on Freeform, March 20th at 8/7c. It will be available worldwide on Netflix on the 21st.
