Isabelle Lightwood is a Shadowhunter and one of the main protagonists of The Mortal Instruments.

History

Isabelle was born to Robert and Maryse Lightwood. She was born two years after her brother, Alec Lightwood, and she was about seven when Max was born. Around this time, her father had an affair, later finding out when she was thirteen and keeping it a secret from most everyone since then.

She was about nine years old when Jace Lightwood was adopted into their family. Hearing from her mother that Jace had witnessed the death of his own father, she had expected the thin ten year-old boy to 'come to her tearfully' for comfort and advice, liking the feeling of being wanted. Instead, he seemed to not need anyone and seemed self-possessed, which was why it took Isabelle longer to warm up to Jace while Alec was immediately delighted with him. Even at ten years old he’d had a sharp, defensive wit and an acidic temperament which, in fact, reminded Isabelle of herself. In the end it was Shadowhunting they had bonded over—a shared love of sharp-edged weapons, gleaming seraph blades, the painful pleasure of burning Marks, the thoughtnumbing swiftness of battle. She eventually felt that she loved him as a brother, especially when Jace insists upon bringing her along with him and Alec on their hunting trips.

The Mortal Instruments

City of Bones

Isabelle is first introduced when trying to seduce a Ravener demon into following her into a supply room. The demon, oblivious to the fact that she is Nephilim as her runes are covered with the long sleeves of her white gown, follows her inside.

When Clary Fray later follows Jace and Alec into the supply room in pursuit of the demon, Clary stops Jace from killing the demon, therefore distracting him and giving ther demon and opportunity to escape. Isabelle, blaming her, ties Clary's wrists with her whip as she was about to leave and asks her brothers what she should do to her, and to her dismay, Jace tells her to let Clary go.

Clary later meets Isabelle again when she wakes up in the Institute after being attacked by a Ravener demon. She tells Alec that mundanes die easy and that she first thought that she was a pixie but realized she wasn't pretty enough to be one, and that Jace hasn't visited her yet for three days since he brought her here, not knowing that Clary was coming to her senses. They also talk about the Silent Brothers, with Isabelle saying that she is creeped out by them because they mutilate themselves. When Clary begins to move awake, she stays with Clary as Alec goes off to tell Hodge Starkweather, their tutor. She gives Clary Hodge's blended herbal tea and lends her some of her old clothes that is too long for Clary. She is also slightly amazed about how she was able to kill a Ravener demon, still assuming that she was a mundane. She also tells her a bit about Jace. When Jace and Clary bring Simon Lewis into the Institute with them, their cat, Church, brings them to Isabelle who rebukes Jace for bringing another mundane, knowing that Hodge will do the same. Simon is immediately attacted to Isabelle. They walk in on her making soup with weird ingredients and, when Jace insults her cooking, she is infuriated for a split second before he takes it back. She seems eager to give everyone the soup she had just cooked and Simon volunteers to try. Jace jokingly states that Simon just volunteered because he wants to sleep with Isabelle, who was amused. Once out of earshot, Jace tells Clary that Isabelle will just break Simon's heart, 'cutting and walk all over it in high-heeled boots'.

Isabelle goes along with Clary, Alec, Jace and Simon as they go to Magnus Bane's party to find out about the block on Clary's mind. Simon shows interest in her, however, Isabelle shows no interest back and basically ignores.

Isabelle is also present when Clary remembers where her mother hid The Mortal Cup and goes along with the group to Clary's apartment to retrieve it.

City of Ashes

Clary receives a text message from Isabelle, saying how the Inquisitor is coming to talk to Jace. When Clary arrives at the Institute, Isabelle and Alec explain to her that the Inquisitor threw Jace in jail as he angered her.Clary goes with Isabelle and Alec to save Jace after the Silent City was attacked and they find that all of the Silent Brothers have been killed.

City of Glass

Isabelle is meant to be leaving for Alicante with the rest of the Lightwoods, Jace and Clary. However, the Institute is attacked by a group of Forsaken and so they are forced to leave through the portal early. Taken Simon with them and leaving Clary behind. While in Alicante, Isabelle and the group meet Aline Penhallow and Sebastian Verlac.

Later on, Alec, Isabelle, Aline, Sebastian and Max are attacked by demons that take Aline. Isabelle goes to find out what's going on as Alec hides Max. Alec finds her and then goes out to fight as she, Sebastian and Max hide inside the house. Isabelle goes upstairs to get weapons, leaving Max with Sebastian, so that they can protect themselves if they are attacked. When she comes back downstairs she discovers Max is gone just before Sebastian hits her over the head with a hammer.

After the attack Clary and Simon go to visit the Lightwoods, who are grieving the death of Max, and discover that Isabelle has been locked in her room all day and hasn't been talking to anyone. She reluctantly lets Simon in when he goes upstairs to visit her and they fall asleep together.

The next day, Clary discovers Isabelle and Simon making breakfast together.

City of Fallen Angels

The book starts with Isabelle meeting Simon at Taki's, Simon reveals that they have been dating and that he couldn't believe a guy like him would attract a girl like her. Camille Belcourt sends her men to retrieve Simon so that she can make him an offer. Isabelle is uncomfortable with this and tells him not to go, he reminds her of the Mark of Cain and doesn't take up her offer to come with him.

Isabelle finds out later in the book that he has been dating both her and Maia.

When Simon receives a note saying that his girlfriend has been captured he calls Isabelle to check that she's alright, she tells him to leave her alone. He is just glad that she is okay.

Isabelle saves Clary when she attacked by a demon while she tries to find out more about the clan that has been giving demon blood to babies.

Isabelle explains what happened to the Clave at the end of the book.

Personality

Isabelle at first shares the Lightwood family's snobbish attitude toward mundanes and Downworlders. However, after meeting Clary and Simon, her attitude towards mundanes begins to change as she befriends them and forms a romantic relationship with Simon. Her distressed reaction when Simon was temporarily transformed into a rat, indicated the superficial relationship she intended to have with Simon would not be easily achieved. Despite maintaining a haughty attitude towards Clary and mundanes, she is seen to be somewhat affected by Clary's words at certain points in the book, suggesting she is not as cold hearted as she allows others to believe.

Isabelle has a great sense of style and is very fashion conscious. She is also somewhat promiscuous. After the death of her brother, Max, she lays down with Simon, but does not sleep with him. Isabelle is portrayed as haughty, but still a warm, loving individual. She is arguably the most mature of the Lightwood children and as such adopts something of a maternal role towards them, even her elder brother, Alec. Despite her narcissistic attitude, Isabelle is very loyal to her family, particularly Alec. She is one of the few people in the world to be aware of his sexuality and the two are very close. Isabelle also possesses a fiery temper which numerous characters are victims of. In spite of her mature and refined nature, she has a habit of throwing temper tantrums and locking herself in her room when things go wrong, flinging objects at people when they intrude on her solitude. While Clary at first finds Isabelle's abrasive nature disquieting, she soon grows to like her when she comes to know her warm side. Isabelle is a fiercely loyal friend but is volatile and prone to mood swings. Isabelle is described as very flirtatious. She dates many different boys, especially boys that her parents won't approve of. She later reveals that she does this to draw attention away from her brother Alec, who is gay, so that their parents won't become suspicious of him. This begins to show a much deeper and loving side of her that is often only revealed when around her family. She loves her brothers, being particularly close to Alec, and defends them passionately when threatened. Her brother, Max's, death hit her particularly hard, feeling that she failed him, because she ignored him when he said something was wrong. Her grief led her to skipping his funeral, as she felt that she didn't deserve to go.

Isabelle is later revealed to be cautious when it comes to love. This stems from her mother telling her to never trust men, because they will always hurt her. Though at the time she didn't understand the significance of it, she later revealed that she doesn't know how to truly love, though her passion for Simon certainly seems to be opening her up. She is baffled, looking at her brothers, to see them giving themselves to love. She doesn't understand how they can open themselves up to such sadness.

Isabelle also rather likes cooking, but is not very good at it. Her mother, Maryse, was always a good cook but she never taught Isabelle, fearing that she might be relegated to the kitchen forever, instead of being a great Shadowhunter she eventually grew to be.

Jace once described Isabelle as one of the best Shadowhunters he knew. She loves her life and the fight against demons. She greatly enjoys demon hunting. She is also often the 'bait' for demons that she, Jace, and Alec are hunting. She is a very free-spirited girl that enjoys partying, flirting, and clothes.

Isabelle is also very confident in her looks, this is in stark contrast with her brother Alec who isn't confident in his own skin. She frequently uses her looks to achieve her goals, wielding them in everyday life like she would her whip in a fight.

Physical Description

Isabelle is described as gorgeous. She has long, ink black hair and black eyes. She is said to greatly resemble her mother, so much that Jocelyn Fairchild-Morgenstern mistook her of her mother when they first met. She is quite tall, being taller than most boys, and very slim. Clary once stated that she never saw Isabelle in anything other then dresses. Despite her looks, Isabelle greatly envies Clary. She wishes that she were small and petite, though she is happy with her looks, because it is a hassle for her to be taller then most boys.

Powers

Nephilim Abilities:

§ Angel Blood: All Shadowhunters have some of the angel Raziel's blood in their veins. This gives Shadowhunters the ability to survive having runes marked on their skin.

§ Marks: Isabelle possess several combat marks, including healing and strength runes.

§ Superhuman Physiology: Shadowhunters have physical abilities superior to mundanes, which are separate from abilities gained from runes.

§ Superhuman Strength

§ Superhuman Agility

§ Superhuman Stamina

§ Superhuman Coordination

Paraphernalia

Equipment:

§ Stele: Isabelle has utilized a stele, mostly for healing purposes for herself and her family and friends.

§ Pendant: Isabelle's red pendant hung on her neck as a necklace and also serves as a sensor that senses the presence of demons

Weapons:

§ Electrum Whip: Isabelle uses her trademark silvery-gold whip as a primary choice weapon in battle. The whip was a birthday present from her father when she turned twelve. She has shown a high level of skill and proficiency wielding the weapon.

§ Daggers: Isabelle has also been shown to include a pair of daggers in her arsenal.

§ Seraph Blade: Isabelle once used an angel blade.

Relationships

Simon Lewis

Jace Lightwood

Alec Lightwood

Max Lightwood

Clary Fray

Trivia

• Isabelle's name means 'My God is a vow' in Hebrew.

Film