Ghosts

By: Nanananana9 (edited by: Krisha G.)

All the stories are true, and we know that ghosts exist in the Shadow World. Ghosts are the crucial factors of the formation of the shadow world, just as the Downworlders and the Shadowhunters. When we think about ghosts, what are the things that pop up in our minds? Souls, spirits, hovering figures, ghouls, etc. All the stories of the lady in white and the lady in red, the Mariner-- though trust me, he was just a mad man (IMO); the wild hunt, (which is unlike TSC, but due to their duties, in literature, they are often compared to ghosts); the cock lane ghost, Hamlet's father, and many more mythological and fictional figures we know about through folklore, horror, and thriller genre of books and movies; but as every fictional universe has its own different facts and natures, the shadow world has its own variety of ghosts. Their whole existence is dependent on the fact if any of them cross over, or stay in the mortal world (in some cases, compelled to). However, we really do not know what exists on the other side, in the books it was also depicted as the Greek myth of passing a river with Charon -- the ferryman -- or not.

Here's the thing, in many other fictional universes, the key to immortality is a pretty big deal -- to rule the world, and an endless life; in a way, ghosts are immortal life forms. They live there after life with gaining energy from the surroundings -- which is immortality, many people would have planned deaths if that were the case -- which it is.

But as it goes, immortality has not been the base for anyone to run down the way causing chaos in TSC, there have always been other factors, love, destruction, to rule with power; combined with the limitations of being a ghost, not being able to easily travel farther than the death spot, their need to endorse themselves with the energy in the surrounding area to appear to those with the sight; and any connection with the mundanes is not anything yet shown possible except those with the sight; and, of course, every person's perception of what death is, differs. Some people would like to move on, as they have completed all their conscientious actions, they do not owe anyone, they may want peace, though every person's mindset might be different than the other, and we are not sure if it is peace nor turmoil on the other side, just as Jessamine Lovelace says. While others may want to, or are compelled to stay.

The friendly ghost you might yet find in the London institute, it was her wish to stay and protect it. She thought she was unyielding in her life and had not yet filled her duty as a Shadowhunter, as she had said to Will. And that was the base cause in saving the children and the institute in the Dark War -- we know she enjoys living in her after life.

"There was nothing terrifying about Jessamine. She seemed older than she looked, a little wistful, and not at all dead." -- Lord of Shadows

Now comes Old Molly, in some of the known ghosts, she dates back to be the most ancient, and the first ghost that we knew of. This provider of magical elements was compelled to stay bound. Her talisman was the ring long lost in the bed at the bottom of the Thames, but peace was what she craved and so Will was able to pay her. On remembering the clank of the rings in the bag in Will's hands, we might think it was... not the best tale ever? Her mind was stuck at the ring -- which best fits under the category of objects; it may have been possible, that if she wasn't so attached to that piece of metal, she may have moved on -- a want for many ghosts necessitated to stay; though there also might be something connected to that wedding ring, some memories that could have been near and dear to her.

"Ave atque vale, Will thought. Hail and farewell. He had not given much thought to the words before, had never thought about why they were not just a farewell but also a greeting. Every meeting led to a parting, and so would it, as long as a life was mortal. In every meeting there was some of the sorrow of parting, but in every parting there was some of the joy of meeting as well." -- Clockwork Princess

This man has always appeared at every place in all of TSC, fans want more of him and always will miss him. So, many of us are happy with the theory that Will will always remain with us in a ghostly form; his sarcasm -- demon pox and ducks and Parabatai jokes will never end. And we were both shocked and happy to see him reappear at Tessa and Jem's wedding at the Blackfrairs Bridge.

Other speculations tell us to focus on the part where ghosts receive peace; many want him to move on and stay content with the happy life he led. It surely was a cliffhanger Cassie left in that comic; but there are some things we are majorly sure about, when Jem says ,"For now, but not forever." to Will at his goodbye; we know that the chance of them to meet in another life is on the cards. But as the story yet goes on; not much can yet be prognosticated.

All we know is the trio is meant to unite, sooner or later; it's a single unit in the three. And it has various factors to be considered with Will's ghostly form. And as for years Jessamine thought that Will was dead; we were all led in different directions of belief.

Death and the afterlife are things that cannot be dissociated. Many writers of the past have depicted it. One particular view is sadness, or melancholy, whatever the way you prefer.

"Resignedly beneath the sky The melancholy waters lie." "While from a proud tower in the town Death looks gigantic ally down" --Edgar Allen Poe,"City in the sea"

This was the base for Queen of Air and Darkness, so a thought is this might be a possibility, but it is a fact she may want to restrain from trying to define something that big. Many other poems, such as the Raven and the Highwayman, are all poems that show the incomplete part of life. There is one more peculiar one, "Darkness" by Lord Byron in 1816, it was known as the Year Without A Summer, as Mount Tambora had erupted increasing the amount of sulfur in the atmosphere thus decreasing global temperatures. There were also many signs of the apocalypse generated that year, it gave people the reason to mock and inform about the situation of the world. People were in what was being informed through some as a corrupt period. Lord Byron described the apocalypse of earth in a number of ways. At last, the two major sides dying of seeing what they had done. No wonder it was printed here:

"Thanatos, Arthur would have called it, the human heart's desire for death."-- Lady Midnight

But many deaths are not deaths that were wanted; Robert Lightwood's parabatai's death probably wasn't one he wanted. So was Robert's; but when we see Michael returning at the funeral of Robert Lightwood through Kit's eyes; it was the variegated feeling of patches of grief and strokes of happiness. In the case of Will and Michael, the subject of 'returning' seems to be imminent. It's not very clear how coming back and forth works; but since both of these were not seen for a long time before... we could only guess. Livvy, in a way, could also be added to this list; she and Ty working to bring her back is only the restoration of the past; it's good to see it that way again, along with her ability to travel to places -- that's something unique only in her, and using it to hear talk about croissant and olive bread may not seem the best aspect of life to her, but we can only wait to find out what happens. And of course, Drusilla, it's ghosts we are talking about-- how can we forget her? There may be a chance we'll get to know that she'll be. All we do know is that it is not a dark nothingness. In a way; a person's death is like the death of a star, it has long gone into the void of the universe, but we still see its luminous light, as we watch it past (if we are from a faraway distance, that is.) George Lovelace was one such star that we'll always remember. Many deaths in the TSC universe seem unfair to me, such as Raphael; all these characters played important roles and did horrifying, serendipitous, and unexpected actions that are domiciled in our minds. I don't know if we refer to Simon taking up George’s last name gave him peace. Though I do not think a restless person as him is one who wants peace, the sheep and farm gave him enough time to do that. With there being enough importance to Shadowhunter names, I may as well agree that George was an outlaw, an outlaw in the weirdest of manners. And surely a quitter. As yet the writings are not complete, we'll come to know all about the ghosts and their quirks, for now we'll keep fascinating over the things that are.

By the way, guess who dated a ghost?