Shadowhunters’ Katherine McNamara on the rise of Dark Clary and the show’s final episodes

Now this is a story all about how the Shadow World got flipped upside down – and as the series finale nears, Katherine McNamara is loving it.

Clary Fairchild has been through a lot. When we first met her, she was newly 18, trying to celebrate her birthday at a club called Pandemonium, when mysterious, tattooed – and apparently invisible, according to her friends – fighters showed up and started killing monsters.

These days, she’s still hanging out at clubs, only this time they’re in Prague, and she’s one of those mysterious, tattooed fighters. A Shadowhunter.

Then again, some might argue Clary’s also got some monsters in her now too.

In the eighth episode of Shadowhunters‘ season 3B, the binding rune she shares with her brother officially took hold, compelling her to knock out Jace, murder a Seelie, and free Jonathan from his holding at the Institute.

This week, Dark Clary fully emerged, in all her demonic glory. For Jace, it’s heartbreaking. For Katherine McNamara, it’s just a lot of fun.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “The Beast Within”. Photo: Freeform/John Medland

Sitting down with Culturess at Heroes and Villains FanFest in Chicago, a smile immediately found its way to McNamara’s face when discussing “Aku Cinta Kamu.” Because, at the end of the day, this isn’t totally new territory for Clary.

“She’s always had a bit of darkness” McNamara explains. “She is a Morgenstern at her core. Yes she’s a Fairchild, yes she’s this beacon of hope and light, but she’s a Morgenstern. And that’s where she draws her strength from. It’s that darkness, that rage, that feral nature that just is in her inherently.”

But is she a monster now?

The word has become a bit of a relative term, especially when it comes to the Morgenstern family. Valentine? Absolutely a monster. Jonathan? Maybe not.

Many, including Luke Baines himself, would argue that he’s just misunderstood. It was near impossible to not feel his pain in “Heavenly  Fire.” And that’s the beauty of these final episodes.

“What I love about 3B is that we’re taking everything that you think you’re certain of, everything that you know, and turning it on its head” McNamara says excitedly. “[It’s] completely questioning everything that you know and love about the Shadow World, and that includes Clary.”

It also includes Jonathan. Credit where credit is due, he has been humanized by two incredible actors in season 3: Will Tudor and Luke Baines. Fans have fallen in love with the character – ironically, McNamara’s favorite from the books – on a whole new level.

Don’t worry, McNamara knows exactly how lucky she is to have spent just about everyday working with one or the other this season. “It’s just a blast, man” McNamara recalls happily.

Between Tudor and Baines, Clary’s had an incredible, albeit nefarious on-screen big brother. But by McNamara’s count, she had five big brothers off-screen on Shadowhunters, and with that came a bunch of exciting adventures (including impromptu tattoo sessions led by Dominic Sherwood).

Of course, this week’s Shadowhunters adventure came at the hands of the ladies on set. “Aku Cinta Kamu” was written by Jamie Gorenberg; McNamara made a point to double-check, so she could give the appropriate person their due.

“It was one of my favorites” McNamara said while searching. “It’s a great episode, and it’s really well done.”

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Aku Cinta Kamu”. Photo: Freeform/John Medland

For readers of the books, “well done” might be an understatement. The attention to detail was impeccable, particularly on the club scene.

I personally may or may not have definitely screamed when Clary seductively dropped “You can tell me to stop whenever you want. But you won’t.” This line – and really, the whole scene, right down to the Seelie drugs – was lifted almost verbatim from City of Lost Souls.

According to McNamara, that was likely because of Taylor Mallory, another writer on Shadowhunters.

“She was always the book authority in the writers room”  McNamara reveals “so I’m sure she had a lot  to do with this episode.”

In fact, Mallory was one of the writers on last week’s “The Beast Within,” along with an additional episode in season 2.

“It’s so cool to watch someone who’s read the books and was such a huge fan of them, work her way up and get such a cool moment” McNamara gushed.

The writers in particular hold a special place in her heart, heading into the series finale in a few weeks. It’s because of them that McNamara has really gotten a full run of the spectrum with Clary.

“Playing Clary has been so fun because she has constantly been developing, and growing, and learning something. There’s no stagnance” McNamara says. “And that’s the best thing about playing a character for so long, is that you get to take advantage of that growth. And I credit the writers absolutely for being cognizant of that.”

Of the series finale itself, McNamara couldn’t say much. She did make a promise though.

“It’s epic.  And it’s done right.”

Shadowhunters airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on Freeform.