We've reached Day 5 of our Week of Clockwork Princess and with Clockwork Princess just 3 days away, we're feeling a bit nostalgic as the series is drawing to a close. So we're going to look back at some of the memorable moments (so far) in The Infernal Devices. We've enlisted the help of some of your favorite fan sites to reflect on our Favorite Infernal Devices Moments (so far). There are so many that we couldn't each just choose one! So we'll be bringing you Part 2 tomorrow. Let's get to it!

Favorite Infernal Devices Moments: Part 1

Alyssa, TMI Source: Infirmary Scene with Will and Tessa (Clockwork Prince, Chapter 17: In Dreams)

One of the more under-appreciated moments between Will and Tessa in the series comes in Clockwork Prince after the incident at the old tea warehouse with Nate and the automaton. Will threw himself on top of Tessa to protect her when the automaton was blown to bits (thanks to one of Henry’s inventions) and Will was badly injured as a result. Following the event, Tessa is in-and-out of consciousness in the infirmary and at one point witnesses Brother Enoch removing shards of metal that had lodged into Will’s back. Later on when Tessa wakes she sees Will sitting on the bed next to hers watching her. They talk about Nate; about losing a sibling. They’re opening themselves up to one another. What ensues is a moment that is so simple, so touching and so beautiful.

Will was still leaning forward, his arm extended; [Tessa] curled against him, her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. She felt him jerk with surprise.

“Did I hurt you?” she whispered, belatedly remembering his back.

“I don’t care,” he said fervently. “I don’t care.” His arms went around her, and he held her; she rested her cheek against the warm juncture of his neck and shoulder. She heard the echo of his pulse and smelled the scent of him, blood and sweat and soap and magic. It was not like it had been on the balcony, all fire and desire. He held her carefully, laying his cheek against her hair. He was shaking, even as his chest rose and fell, even as he hesitantly slid his fingers beneath her chin, lifting her face…

Both Will and Tessa point out the significance of this moment and how much more intimate it was than their heavily-heated moments, like the balcony scene and the holy water scene in Clockwork Angel. While those no denying those moments are sexy and full of heat and passion, there’s something that is even sexier in an intimate moment between two people.

In this moment both Will and Tessa have let their walls down—Tessa because she thinks she is dreaming and Will because he needs this moment, which is evident when he says, “I don’t care. I don’t care.” It’s not so much about the physical pain as it is the emotional pain he has put himself through denying himself to feel for Tessa. The consequences, whatever might happen after this, it is all worth it to Will just to have this moment with her. It’s a feeling he wants to hold on to forever before the darkness takes him again.

Megan, TMI Source: “It’s Too Late” (Clockwork Prince, Chapter 20: The Bitter Root)

This scene is probably my favorite and least favorite in The Infernal Devices. Will finally stealing Tessa away for the first time after finding out that he wasn’t cursed after all. Kissing her so hard he pushes her against a wall. You can feel the desperation in that kiss, the utter and pure relief it is for Will to finally hold the woman that he loves in his arms without having to hold back or close off at all, for the very first time Will could show the love that he felt. That moment that he yells at Tessa that he loves her and realizes what he has said… and then repeats it with all the gentleness he possesses. It is beautiful how before even his parabatai he tells Tessa of all people why he has acted the way he has.

And then the three little words that change him. “It’s too late.” Your heart breaks with Will’s because the thing that he loves the most in the world, the love that he has held back but has finally let encompass himself, is immediately take from him. The hope that he felt before telling Tessa… is shattered instantly. And all because he wants to give his best friend all the happiness that he can. That scene makes and breaks my heart. I love it that scene because it is the epitome of Cassandra Clare and her writing. She will let you feel that happiness and love, but it comes with a price. “To love is to destroy and to be loved is to be destroyed.”

Cat, TMI Source: Will and Tessa talk books (Clockwork Angel, Chapter 4: We Are Shadows)

Tessa’s love for books becomes obvious in the first chapter of Clockwork Angel. She is reading a book when Miranda tells her that the Dark Sisters want to see Tessa and when she looks into a mirror, she compares her hair color to one famous book heroine – Jane Eyre.

The day Tessa Changed for the first time, the Dark Sisters rewarded her with two books, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It is said: “Tessa hugged the books to herself and, alone and unwatched in her room, had let herself cry.”

The only things that give her comfort while she is a prisoner are books. When Will Herondale rescues her in Chapter 2, he promises “I’ll get you more books”. And by the Angel, he certainly lives up to the promise! Will gives Tessa a tour of the London Institute and saves the best for last: the library – “the largest in the West, at any rate.”

Tessa is surprised that he has remembered his promise but also horrified when she sees that the books are behind bars. Will tells her that books can be dangerous and “it’s wise to be careful”. Tessa answers with a sentence that is very popular among The Infernal Devices fans: “One must always be careful of books and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”

Will disagrees but it quickly becomes apparent that our Mister Herondale wasn’t quite truthful and that he is as much as a book lover as Tessa is. After all, because reading he is the demon pox ‘expert’ and is also often found quoting from books.

Books connect Will and Tessa and it always gives them something to talk about. When they are on their way to de Quincey’s Pandemonium meeting, Tessa is nervous and Will tells her “Sometimes, when I have to do something I don’t want to do, I pretend I’m a character from a book. It’s easier to know what they would do.” (Chapter 10)

So Will and Tessa’s book discussions in Clockwork Angel definitely are one of my favourite moments because let’s face it, which female bookworm isn’t searching for a male one to have endless book discussions?

Natalie, TMI Examiner: Tessa and Jem at Blackfriars Bridge (Clockwork Angel, Chapter 14: Blackfriars Bridge)

Though it’s hard to label any of Cassandra Clare’s scenes as being my “favorite,” if I had to choose then it would be when Tessa and Jem are at the Blackfriars Bridge in ‘Clockwork Angel.’ I’ve always loved how Clare weaves real settings into her beautifully develop world of the Nephilim. To me this scene is wonderful because of three reasons.

1. Chemistry

2. Compassion

3. Action

I love the tender and comfortable chemistry between Tessa and Jem. Often times people think of chemistry as being scenes such as Tessa and Jem in his room (Clockwork Prince.) As steamy as that scene was this scene showed me the believable chemistry that was developing between these two.

Jem’s compassion in this scene truly made me love his character. I’m typically a fan the sarcastic boys like Will and Jace but Jem is a completely amazing character. I love how he defends and talks about Will. You can really see the “bromance” here. Also, I love how he replies to Tessa when she says, “But you know you’re human.” He replies, “As are you. In all that matters.” I just love this line and the comfort he can give her when she is so lost.

Finally, the action. Who doesn’t love a good clockwork creature encounter? For me, this moment pulled together all that I love in The Infernal Devices. Now just sprinkle in some of Will’s wit!

Amber, TMI Institute: Fierce Midnight (Clockwork Prince, Chapter 8: Fierce Midnight)

There’s something about your very favorite scene of your very favorite book. It’s like all the good things in life. An ice cream sundae with extra gooey hot fudge and loaded with nuts. Being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket at home on a rainy day. Remembering the first boy you loved.

There are so many things I could say about “Fierce Midnight”, because every scene in the chapter is beautiful. From the carriage ride and a conversation shared with Jem and Tessa to the moment Tessa holds Will’s hand after Jem hits him to that reckless moment of abandon when Tessa and Jem share their first kiss, this chapter is like ice cream for my soul. The words are like diamonds. It only takes a few precious karats to make a priceless creation.

Beauty is harsh…
Ni hen piao liang…
Take them…

Those are the diamonds of this book. The little jewels that delight my heart and make me love this series even more.

The chapter starts with Jem and Tessa, accompanied by Cyril, heading to find Will after performing a tracking spell. Jem tells Tessa more details about becoming Will’s parabatai. It’s heartbreaking to me that Jem was hesitant to become Will’s fighting partner because of the rule that you can only ever have one parabatai in your life.

“You can’t have a second, even if the first one dies. I didn’t think I was a very good bet, considering.”

It’s so sad! However, what transpires next made my heart race.

So, Tessa says…. “That seems a harsh rule.”

Jem said something then, in a language she didn’t understand. It sounded like “khalepa ta kala.”

She frowned at him. “That isn’t Latin?”

“Greek,” he said. “It has two meanings. It means that that which is worth having – the good, fine, honorable, and noble things – are difficult to attain.” He leaned forward, closer to her. She could smell the sweet scent of the drug on him, and the tang of his skin underneath. “It means something else as well.”

Tessa swallowed. “What’s that?”
“It means ‘beauty is harsh’.”

This is the first moment when Jem seems more comfortable, even bold toward Tessa.

They talk a little more, going into a discussion about his native language, Mandarin Chinese. She asks him to say something.

“Ni hen piao liang.”

He tells her that it means her hair his undone, though we learn differently in a few pages, and he tucks a curl behind her ear, which takes Tessa by surprise and causes her to blush. It was so incredible to see Jem jump out of his shell a little and show Tessa that he wasn’t just a sick boy in need of a friend.

When they get to their destination, Jem even seems to flirt with her a bit, and reminded me that Jem could be a dashing hero who could sweep her off her feet.

Jem took her hand. “I can’t glamour you against the glances of mundanes,” he said. “So keep your head down and keep close to me.”

Tessa smiled crookedly but didn’t take her hand out of his. “You said that already.”

He leaned close and whispered into her ear. His breath sent a shiver racing through her whole body. “It’s very important.”

Don’t you just love his increasing boldness? When they find Will and Jem loses his temper by hitting him, I felt it was Cassie’s way of showing that Jem was not the delicate, sickly teen we first thought. You also see that he can’t hold all his emotions in anymore. They are spilling over, just on the verge of erupting.

When the trio gets home and Tessa gives up trying to find him in the Institute, she hears Jem wailing on the violin. She goes to his room and tries to reason with him, talking to him about Will and ultimately discussing his feelings for her. Jem feels like all Tessa has seen in him is a patient. In a heated moment, kisses her and she finds herself opening up to a new desire for a boy she didn’t see in such a light just moments before. They kiss so much and so wildly they stumble onto the bed. He once again says those words.

“Ni hen piao liang.”

“What does it mean?” She whispered, and this time he smiled and said:

“It means that you are beautiful. I did not want to tell you before. I did not want you to think I was taking liberties.”
She reached up and touched his cheek, so close to hers, and then the fragile skin of his throat, where the blood beat hard beneath the surface. His eyelashes fluttered down as he followed the moment of her finger with his eyes, like silvery rain.
“Take them,” she whispered.

That is the moment when I knew Jem and Tessa had to be together. What follows is a beautiful moment between the two, where the heat of their passion for one another almost becomes to much to stop. When Tessa knocks a pillow off the bed and spills Jem’s medicine all over the floor and he asks her to go, he again melts my heart.

“Please,” he said softly. His voice was husky. She recognized the emotion. It was shame. “I do not want you to see me on my knees, grubbing around on the floor for the drug that I need to live. That is not how any man wants the girl he—“He took a shaking breath. “I’m sorry, Tessa.”

In that moment, for that briefest of seconds, you know how much he loves Tessa. Even though she goes to bed that night with her heart in a whirl not knowing if she dreams of kissing Will or Jem, you know deep within that Jem has left a gift, a little diamond in her heart that won’t dull any time soon.

Tita, TMI News en Español: Tessa and Will meet at the Dark Sisters’ house (Clockwork Angel, Chapter 2: Hell Is Cold)

How exasperating and frustrating was Tessa’s situation in the Dark Sisters’ house?? I mean, she was kidnapped and forced to do things she didn’t want to, but then, suddenly, a handsome boy with a very bad vocabulary is there to rescue her.

That moment, the first moment we meet Will from Tessa’s POV was something fresh to the story and very necessary at that point. I started to feel claustrophobic and Will was a ray of light for me.

Will interrupted her in her room while she attacks him and the only thing he did was make me laugh so hard, he’s so funny even when he tries not to be. And yeah, of course the Herondale hotness helped quite a lot 😉

Did any of your favorite moments from The Infernal Devices make our Part 1 list? Check back tomorrow when we unveil Part 2!