Mortal Instruments/Characters

A listing of characters that appear in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. Beware of unmarked spoilers!

Clare is also publishing a prequel series, The Infernal Devices. Check out that character sheet, too.

Clarissa "Clary" Fray
Clary's was perfectly content with living life with her overprotective mother and geeky best friend. But her normal life is turned upside down she starts seeing things other people can't. When she comes home one evening to find her apartment sacked, her mother missing, and a demon in the room, she is thrust into the world of the Shadowhunters. Which sucks, considering she was totally unprepared for it. And if that wasn't enough, she might be the only one who can stop the impending war.

Tropes that apply to Clary:
"Simon:"
 * Action Girl: She has her moments.
 * Faux Action Girl: More often than not, although this is because of her Naive Newcomer status.
 * Betty and Veronica: Simon and Jace respectively.
 * Bio Augmentation:
 * Brother-Sister Incest:
 * Subverted when
 * Played straight with.
 * Played straight with.


 * Cartwright Curse: The trope doesn't apply to her, although when she meets Sebastian/ for the first time she describes him as looking like a character from her manga who was this.
 * Demon Slaying
 * Damsel in Distress: So many times.
 * Fiery Redhead: Definitely.
 * Fish Out of Water: Clary is not a hardened Shadowhunter or a Downworlder like the rest of the cast, at least at first. She jumps right on the mundie racism bandwagon rather disturbingly fast, though.
 * Green Eyed Red Head
 * I Can't Believe a Guy Like You Would Notice Me: Some shades of this for Jace, although it isn't very blatant.
 * Idiot Ball: At the end of City Of Glass,  Real considerate there, Clary.
 * She usually grabs the Idiot Ball and runs with it whenever Jace is involved,.
 * I'm Not Pretty
 * Laser-Guided Amnesia: Jocelyn brought Clary to Magnus Bane every two years to have her memories of the Shadowhunter world wiped.
 * Like Brother and Sister: Simon and Clary come off as this at first, until Simon gains the status of Unlucky Childhood Friend before moving rather briefly into Victorious Childhood Friend and then going back to Just Friends.
 * Little Miss Snarker: Drifts into this sometimes.
 * Long-Lost Relative:
 * Luke, I Am Your Father:
 * Morality Pet: For Jace -
 * Not Blood Siblings:
 * Official Couple: With Jace.
 * Pettanko: Not as pronounced as some examples, but Clary feels insecure when she compares herself to the more traditionally beautiful, busty/curvy Isabelle.
 * Redheaded Heroine
 * Strong Family Resemblance: Like Maryse and Isabelle Lightwood, Jocelyn Fray greatly resembles her daughter, only with sharper features.
 * Tomboy and Girly Girl: Clary isn't exactly a tomboy, but fits the role in her relationship with Isabelle.
 * Will They or Won't They?: With Jace. Nothing much ever seems to happen
 * Tomboy and Girly Girl: Clary isn't exactly a tomboy, but fits the role in her relationship with Isabelle.
 * Will They or Won't They?: With Jace. Nothing much ever seems to happen

Jace Wayland
Sarcastic, cynical, and a ladies' man, Jace seems like the archetypal Byronic Hero. But it's not like that arrogance is unfounded - Jace is widely renowned as one of the best - if not the best - Shadowhunters of his age. He lives with the Lightwoods at the Institute, and is, for some reason, incredibly attracted to Clary.

Tropes that apply to Jace:
"Jace: "De ce crezi ca va ascultam conversatia?"/"Why do you think I was listening to your conversation?" Sebastian: "M-ai urmarit de când ai ajuns aici. Nu-mi dau seama daca nu ma placi ori daca esti atât de banuitor cu toata lumea.” / "You've been watching me since you got here. I can't tell if you don't like me or you're just this suspicious of everyone.""
 * Abusive Parents:
 * Action Hero
 * Anguished Declaration of Love: To Clary.
 * Betty and Veronica: For Clary. He's the Veronica.
 * Bio Augmentation:
 * Brother-Sister Incest:
 * Byronic Hero
 * Calling the Old Man Out:
 * Casanova
 * Cassandra Truth: His outright dislike and suspicion of Sebastian raises a lot of eyebrows
 * Cat Smile
 * Chronic Hero Syndrome: Especially when the end result will end up benefiting Clary.
 * Crazy Jealous Guy: Does have a tendency to lapse into this, especially when it concerns Clary and another guy.
 * Cunning Linguist
 * Curtains Match the Window
 * Hair of Gold: His hair is described as being like tawny like a lion's, and during scenes set in moonlight it's almost always described as turning nearly silver.
 * Eyes of Gold: As with his hair, they have a tendency to turn silver due to moonlight.
 * Dark and Troubled Past: He saw his father, Michael Wayland, murdered in a pool of his own blood.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Demon Slaying
 * Distinguishing Mark: The star-shaped mark on his shoulder
 * Does Not Like Shoes
 * Driven to Suicide:
 * Hollywood Atheist: He believes that there is a God, just not that God cares, after seeing his father murdered in front of him.
 * Ho Yay: With Simon and Alec. YMMV.
 * Idiot Ball: Grabs it with a bloody deathgrip when he refuses to tell anyone about the possible
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold
 * Jump Physics: He has the ability to jump supernaturally high, thanks to the
 * Ladykiller in Love: With Clary, naturally.
 * Lie Back and Think of England: Jace tells Clary to do this before they kiss in front the fairy court. More like "Close your eyes and think of England."
 * Like Brother and Sister: Arguably with Isabelle, with whom he has a purely platonic relationship.
 * Lightning Bruiser: Jace is very fast, very strong, and very enduring, thanks to 's training.
 * Luke, I Am Your Father:
 * Not Blood Siblings: Him and the Lightwoods,
 * Official Couple: With Clary.
 * Omniglot: Jace can speak a lot of languages, thanks to all the training his father put him to.
 * An example is when he speaks to Sebastian in Romanian in City of Glass.
 * Luke, I Am Your Father:
 * Not Blood Siblings: Him and the Lightwoods,
 * Official Couple: With Clary.
 * Omniglot: Jace can speak a lot of languages, thanks to all the training his father put him to.
 * An example is when he speaks to Sebastian in Romanian in City of Glass.


 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: A horribly serious example. He gives Clary one in the beginning of City of Glass.
 * Secret Other Family:
 * Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Manly man to Alec's sensitive guy.
 * Strong Family Resemblance:
 * Troubled but Cute
 * Two Guys and a Girl: With Alec and Isabelle.
 * What the Hell, Hero?: His treatment of Clary when they're not snogging.
 * Will They or Won't They?: Again, with Clary.
 * Winged Humanoid: In Clary's dream and sketch.
 * You Killed My Father: To Valentine

Simon Lewis
Clary's best (and probably only) friend, Simon, along with her, inevitably discovers the world of the Shadowhunters - something he then becomes a part of.

Tropes that apply to Simon:

 * Adorkable
 * Adrenaline Makeover:
 * The Archer: Simon is a fantastic shot, thanks to years at camp training.
 * Anguished Declaration of Love: To Clary
 * Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Jace's Veronica.
 * Birds of a Feather: Seemingly with Maia.
 * Boy Next Door
 * Deadpan Snarker: One of the snarkiest in the books. And that's saying something.
 * Distinguishing Mark: The
 * Fish Out of Water: Clary and Simon are not hardened Shadowhunters or Downworlders like the rest of the cast.
 * Geek: Big time.
 * In-Series Nickname: Daylighter
 * Jewish and Nerdy
 * Megane: Although
 * Muggle Best Friend: To Clary after she finds out she's a Shadowhunter.
 * Nice Jewish Boy: He has to be in order to be the Betty.
 * Not Listening to Me, Are You?: Often pulls this on Clary when she's daydreaming.
 * Operation: Jealousy: He hangs around Isabelle to make Clary jealous.
 * Only Friend: Possibly to Clary.
 * Only Sane Man: Recognized that loving Clary was a dead end, and had enough self-respect to let her go and move on to
 * Plot Armor:
 * Post-Kiss Catatonia
 * Romantic Runner-Up
 * Ship Tease: With Isabelle and Maia.
 * In City of Ashes,
 * Token Minority: He's Jewish.
 * Too Dumb to Live:
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: For Clary.
 * Victorious Childhood Friend: For a few days in City of Ashes, at which point he and Clary decide it's never going to work out.
 * In City of Ashes,
 * Token Minority: He's Jewish.
 * Too Dumb to Live:
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: For Clary.
 * Victorious Childhood Friend: For a few days in City of Ashes, at which point he and Clary decide it's never going to work out.

Isabelle "Izzy" Lightwood
Alec's younger sister, Isabelle is beautiful, confident, and dangerous - she is an accomplished Shadowhunter, after all. Being the middle child, Isabelle is rebellious and attention-seeking. The snobbish, Fantastic Racism she seems to hold against non-Shadowhunters, as well as the Ice Queen persona she upholds, starts to crumble once she meets Clary and Simon.

Tropes that apply to Isabelle:

 * Action Girl: Most definitely.
 * Bratty Teenage Daughter: She has some shades of this.
 * The Confidant: To Maryse.
 * Dating What Daddy Hates: Jace says it's to get attention. It works, in the wrong way.
 * Defrosting Ice Queen: Like her brother, she is not very fond of Clary at first. Later, though, she begins to open up to her.
 * Demon Slaying
 * Does Not Like Men: While she is not averse to dating them, she distrusts men in general (in contrast to Jace and Alec, who wear their hearts on their sleeves)
 * Fetish Fuel Station Attendant: Busty, fashionable Tall, Dark and Bishoujo Action Girl, often described as being barefoot who has a whip as her primary weapon? Bring it.
 * Foil: Probably Clary, arguably Aline.
 * Jerkass Facade
 * Kuudere
 * Les Yay: With Clary and Maia.
 * Lethal Chef: Boy howdy.
 * Like Brother and Sister: Her and Jace, who have a purely platonic relationship.
 * Middle Child Syndrome: Isabelle is always raring to go into fights, not to mention she consistently dates boys her parents would hate. Jace says she does it to get attention, as she is not only the only girl but also the middle child.
 * The Proud Elite: She has Raven Hair, Ivory Skin, is extremely cold and proud, and actively partakes in Shadowhunters' Fantastic Racism. She defrosts rather quickly, though.
 * Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Isabelle is very beautiful, with pale, clear skin and long dark hair.
 * Razor Floss: Edges her whip.
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: With Alec. Isabelle is not averse to showing off her beauty, is generally nicer, and like Jace, always rushing headfirst into demon-slaying.
 * Statuesque Stunner: According to Jace, Isabelle hates being taller than most boys her age and would rather be dainty and petite.
 * Strong Family Resemblance: Like Clary and her mother, Maryse Lightwood greatly resembles her daughter.
 * Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: Oh so much.
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Tap on the Head:
 * Tomboy and Girly Girl: Girly girl to Maia (and to a lesser extent Clary)'s tomboy.
 * Two Guys and a Girl: With Jace and Alec.
 * Whip It Good: Her weapon of choice is a long, silver-gold whip.
 * Whip It Good: Her weapon of choice is a long, silver-gold whip.

Alexander "Alec" Lightwood
The eldest Lightwood sibling, who is shyer, snarkier, and generally less welcoming, but his Ice Lord persona crumbles faster.

Tropes that apply to Alec:

 * Anguished Declaration of Love: Courtesy of
 * The Archer
 * Battle Couple: With . Isabelle, too.
 * Big Brother Instinct: He takes his job as the eldest Lightwood sibling very seriously. And he's also the only one of them to be at least eighteen, making him legally an 'adult'.
 * Blue Eyes: Clary describes them as being dark blue, like a bottle.
 * Demon Slaying: He's Nephilim. However, it's noted that up until late in the story he's never killed a demon because he's always looking out for Isabelle and Jace, who tend to do most of the dirty work.
 * Does Not Understand Sarcasm: Occasionally.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: He and Jace are parabatai.
 * Incompatible Orientation:
 * Literal Minded: He has a tendency to misinterpret sarcasm.
 * Nice Guy
 * Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Sensitive guy to Jace's manly man.
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: With Isabelle. Unlike her, Clary notes that he is shyer, easier to guilt, and tries everything he can to downplay the good looks he shares with his sister.
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome: He shares his mother's good looks.
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: With Isabelle. Unlike her, Clary notes that he is shyer, easier to guilt, and tries everything he can to downplay the good looks he shares with his sister.
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome: He shares his mother's good looks.
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky

Valentine Morgenstern
The Big Bad of the first three books.

Tropes that apply to Valentine:
"Valentine:"
 * Abusive Parents: Of the emotionally abusive variety.
 * He also beat  on alternate Thursdays.
 * Affably Evil
 * Be My Valentine: A villainous example.
 * Betty and Veronica: The Veronica to Luke's Betty.
 * Big Bad: Of the first three books.


 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He does seem to care for, in a way, as well as   and even Luke in his own twisted way.
 * Faking the Dead:
 * Happily Married: Surprisingly, to
 * Hannibal Lecture: Is irritatingly fond of this.
 * Shut UP, Hannibal: In the third book, he actually uses a rune to avoid this - ie. he can monologue without interruption.
 * Hunting Accident:
 * Magnificent Bastard
 * Meaningful Name: "Morgenstern" means "morning star" - signifying, of course, Lucifer.
 * Never Found the Body: After his ship is destroyed - which naturally means that he's still up and kicking. That is, until  Unlike his.
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Oh my god, Valentine gives so many of these during the series.
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist:
 * Never Found the Body: After his ship is destroyed - which naturally means that he's still up and kicking. That is, until  Unlike his.
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Oh my god, Valentine gives so many of these during the series.
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist:

Luke Garroway /
A close friend of Jocelyn's and Honorary Uncle to Clary, Luke might be more part of the Shadowhunters' world than he lets on.

Tropes associated with Luke:
"Clary: Disgustingly in love."
 * Battle Couple:
 * Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Valentine's Veronica.
 * Honorary Uncle: To Clary.
 * Hooked Up Afterwards: With
 * Meaningful Name: Luke Garroway sounds like
 * Megane
 * Mysterious Animal Senses:
 * Parental Substitute: Helped raise Clary along with Jocelyn. In a way, he was sort of a father figure to Simon, too, as the latter's father died when he was younger.
 * Second Love: For
 * Sickeningly Sweethearts: Clary sees him and  as this.
 * Second Love: For
 * Sickeningly Sweethearts: Clary sees him and  as this.
 * Sickeningly Sweethearts: Clary sees him and  as this.


 * The Starscream:
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: For Jocelyn.
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Gives Clary a nice talking-to in the beginning of the third book.
 * You Kill It, You Bought It: How
 * You Kill It, You Bought It: How
 * You Kill It, You Bought It: How

Jocelyn Fray (née Fairchild)
Clary's overprotective mother.

Tropes associated with Jocelyn:

 * Convenient Coma: Jocelyn
 * Comatose Canary
 * Fiery Redhead
 * Green Eyed Red Head
 * Hot Mom: Jocelyn is said to be beautiful: tall and willowy, with sharp features.
 * It Was a Gift: The tarot cards she gave Dorothea
 * Overprotective Mom
 * Hot Mom: Jocelyn is said to be beautiful: tall and willowy, with sharp features.
 * It Was a Gift: The tarot cards she gave Dorothea
 * Overprotective Mom

Maryse Lightwood (née Trueblood), Robert Lightwood, and Max Lightwood:
The Lightwoods run the New York Institute, where Clave meets are frequently held. Max is Isabelle and Alec's younger brother.

Tropes associated with the Lightwood family:

 * Action Mom: Maryse.
 * Annoying Younger Sibling: Max, who has no real purpose except to hang around and look cute
 * Battle Couple: Robert and Maryse, although they're not given a lot of screentime as such.
 * Everyone Went to School Together
 * Happily Married: Robert and Maryse.
 * Hot Dad: Robert.
 * Hot Mom: Maryse.
 * Infant Immortality: Horribly, brutally subverted.
 * Strong Family Resemblance: Maryse resembles her two elder children.
 * Supreme Chef: Maryse.
 * Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: Maryse.
 * Supreme Chef: Maryse.
 * Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: Maryse.

Hodge Starkweather
The tutor at the Institute, who taught Alec, Jace, and Isabelle everything they needed to know about Shadowhunting.

Tropes associated with Hodge:

 * Everyone Went to School Together: Was school friends with Clary's, Jace's, and the Lightwood siblings' parents.
 * Mr. Exposition: In the first book.
 * Mr. Exposition: In the first book.
 * Mr. Exposition: In the first book.

Magnus Bane
The campy, effeminate High Warlock of Brooklyn.

Tropes associated with Magnus:

 * Animorphism: He can morph into a cat.
 * Anything That Moves: He's been with men, women, warlocks, vampires, humans, fey, and the occasional djinn, which does show that he does go for anything. Except mermaids. They smell like seaweed.
 * Beta Couple:  Doubles as Battle Couple.
 * Bi the Way: He appears to be homosexual at first glance, but later books reveal that he dated Camille Belcourt and probably several other women.
 * The Dandy
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Eccentric Millionaire: He's the High Warlock of Brooklyn, darlings.
 * Interspecies Romance: With Camille Belcourt.
 * Laser-Guided Amnesia: He can induce it, such as his work on Clary. However, he can't undo it.
 * Let's Get Dangerous / Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: When shit hits the fan, you find how he ended up as the High Warlock of Brooklyn.
 * Noodle Incident: How exactly did he get himself banned from Peru?
 * Only in It For the Money:.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: He looks around nineteen, but is around eight hundred.

Maia Roberts
A member of the downtown werewolf pack, Maia's had a rough life. Her brother abused her, and her ex-boyfriend hit her and eventually turned her into a werewolf. She seems to be getting along fine though.

Tropes associated with Maia:

 * Cassandra Truth: Her parents never believed her when she told them her brother was abusive.
 * Birds of a Feather: With Simon.
 * Fur Against Fang: Dislikes at first. Very much.
 * Token Minority: She's biracial.
 * Tsundere: Towards Simon  in City of Fallen Angels.
 * Why Did It Have To Be Beautiful Men: She has a fear of guys that look like her deceased brother, who abused her as a child. There's also her possessive ex-boyfriend Jordan, who was mentioned as the reason she was turned into a werewolf.
 * Wolf Girl

Raphael Santiago
Current leader of the New York vampire clan (although he asserts that he's merely leading in someone 's stead.)

Tropes associated with Raphael:

 * Badass Mexican: He has his moments.
 * Consummate Liar
 * Irony: It's said that he puts on a cross and visits his family every Sunday.
 * Number Two: To Camille.
 * Older Than They Look: He is stated to look around fourteen years old. But then again, he's a vampire.
 * Our Vampires Are Different
 * Super Empowering: Like other vampires, he is capable of turning other people into vampires.
 * Super Empowering: Like other vampires, he is capable of turning other people into vampires.

Aline Penhallow
A family friend of the Lightwoods.

Tropes associated with Aline:

 * Heavily implied in the third book.  Confirmed in book five, where
 * Foil: To Isabelle.
 * Romantic False Lead
 * Romantic False Lead

Sebastian Verlac /
Aline's cousin.

Tropes associated with Sebastian:

 * Brother-Sister Incest:
 * Complete Monster
 * Cunning Linguist
 * Early-Bird Cameo:
 * : In the fourth book, it turns out that
 * Polyglot: Like Jace, he's also fluent in a variety of languages.
 * Romantic False Lead: We all know who's going to win Clary in the end.
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome
 * : In the fourth book, it turns out that
 * Polyglot: Like Jace, he's also fluent in a variety of languages.
 * Romantic False Lead: We all know who's going to win Clary in the end.
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome

Tropes associated with the Inquisitor:

 * Cool Old Lady ->
 * Break the Haughty: When she realizes that her plan to trade Jace for the Mortal Instruments wasn't going to work and she realizes that
 * Dead Son: She was deeply grieved over the loss of Stephen Herondale.
 * Manipulative Bitch
 * Smug Snake
 * Smug Snake

Amatis Herondale (née )
An ex-Shadowhunter residing in Idris,

Tropes associated with Amatis:

 * Happily Married: To Stephen Herondale, for like a few years, until...
 * Toilet Seat Divorce: Not played for laughs, and the divorce actually did happen.
 * Long-Lost Relative: To

Camille Belcourt
Magnus's vampire ex. No, really.

Tropes associated with Camille:

 * Cuffs Off, Rub Wrists:
 * Lady of War: Seemingly a trait carried over from the previous series.
 * Green Eyes
 * Knowledge Broker: Although she'll only share information with Magnus.
 * Our Vampires Are Different
 * White-Haired Pretty Girl: Her hair is described as being the color of spun silver.

Kyle
The newest member of Simon's band, Kyle seems like your typical nice guy (although Clary describes him as superhot).


 * The Atoner:
 * Crazy Jealous Guy:
 * Does This Remind You of Anything?: Simon says that he grows weird plants on his balcony. He then follows it up by claiming they aren't drugs.
 * Ho Yay: With Simon.
 * Nice Guy
 * Only One Name: Simon asks why his name is listed as just Kyle even on his apartment door.
 * Stalker with a Crush: Has some shades of this towards
 * Stalker with a Crush: Has some shades of this towards
 * Stalker with a Crush: Has some shades of this towards
 * Stalker with a Crush: Has some shades of this towards

Lilith
Yes, that Lilith. Big Bad of the second trilogy.


 * Big Bad
 * Chekhov's Gunman: Actually appears early in the fourth book as
 * The Dark Side