July 10, 2024, 3:46 p.m.
Jace Wayland, a central character from Cassandra Clare's beloved "The Mortal Instruments" series, is known for his quick wit, charismatic personality, and profound insight. His memorable lines have resonated with fans, offering not just entertainment but also wisdom and humor. In this post, we've meticulously curated a collection of the top 54 Jace Wayland quotes, capturing the essence of his character and the magic of Clare's writing. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the Shadowhunter world, these quotes are sure to inspire, amuse, and perhaps even give you a fresh perspective on life. Dive in and rediscover the allure of Jace's unforgettable voice.
1. “Catching sight of himself in the long mirrors that ran along the walls, he stiffened in shock...His eyes were surrounded by black shadows, his shirt smeared with dried blood and filthy mud..."Admiring yourself?" The Inquisitor's voice cut through his reverie. "You won't look so pretty when the Clave gets through with you.""You do seem obsessed with my look...Could it be that you're attracted to me?""Don't be revolting...You could be my son.” - Cassandra Clare
2. “That does it," said Jace. "I'm going to get you a dictionary for Christmas this year.""Why?" Isabelle said."So you can look up 'fun.' I'm not sure you know what it means.” - Cassandra Clare
3. “My rapier wit hides my inner pain.” - Cassandra Clare
4. “Beautiful. He'd called her beautiful. Nobody had ever called her that before, except her mother, which didn't count. Mothers were required to think you were beautiful.” - Cassandra Clare
5. “Look, it's easy to outsmart a werewolf or a vampire," Jace said. "They're no smarter than anyone else. But faeries live for hundreds of years and they're as cunning as snakes. They can't lie, but they love to engage in creative truth-telling. They'll find out whatever it is you want most in the world and give it to you—with a sting in the tail of the gift that will make you regret you ever wanted it in the first place." He sighed. "They're not really about helping people. More about harm disguised as help.” - Cassandra Clare
6. “Don't tell me," Jace said, "Simon's turned himself into an ocelot and you want me to do something about it before Isabelle makes him into a stole. Well, you'll have have to wait till tomorrow. I'm out of commission." He pointed at himself - he was wearing blue pajamas with a hole in the sleeve. "Look. Jammies.""Jace," Clary said, "this is important.""Don't tell me," he said. "You've got a drawing emergency. You need a nude model. Well, I'm not in the mood. You could always ask Hodge," he said as an afterthought. "I hear he'll do anything for a -""JACE!" she interrupted him, her voice rising to a scream. "JUST SHUT UP FOR A SECOND AND LISTEN, WILL YOU?” - Cassandra Clare
7. “But unlike you," said Jace, "there is nothing of hell in us.""You are mortal; you age; you die," the Queen said dismissively. "If that is not hell, pray tell me, what is?” - Cassandra Clare
8. “As for this," Magnus said sliding the stele into Jace's jeans pocket, "keep it in your pants, Shadowhunter." - 219” - Cassandra Clare
9. “All right. Are you going to come back? Do you want any soup?""No," said Jace."Do you think Hodge will want any soup?""No one wants any soup.""I want some soup," Simon said."No, you don't," said Jace. "You just want to sleep with Isabelle."Simon was appalled. "That is not true.""How flattering," Isabelle murmured into the soup, but she was smirking."Oh, yes it is," said Jace. "Go ahead and ask her—then she can turn you down and the rest of us can get on with our lives while you fester in miserable humiliation." He snapped his fingers. "Hurry up, mundie boy, we've got work to do.” - Cassandra Clare
10. “Lost in thought, it took her several moments to realize that Jace had been saying something to her. When she blinked at him, she saw a wry grin spread across his face. "What?" she asked, ungraciously."I wish you'd stop desperately trying to get my attention like this," he said. "It's become embarrassing.""Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt," she told him."I can't help it. I use my rapier wit to hide my inner pain.""Your pain will be outer soon if you don't get out of traffic. Are you trying to get run over by a cab?""Don't be ridiculous," he said. "We could never get a cab that easily in this neighborhood.” - Cassandra Clare
11. “Isabelle took out her invitation and waved it like a white flag. "I have an invitation. These"—she indicated the rest of the group with a grand wave of her arm—"are my friends."Magnus plucked the invitation out of her hand and looked at it with fastidious distaste. "I must have been drunk," he said. He threw the door open. "Come in. And try not to murder any of my guests."Jace edged into the doorway, sizing up Magnus with his eyes. "Even if one of them spills a drink on my new shoes?""Even then." Magnus's hand shot out, so fast it was barely a blur. He plucked the stele out of Jace's hand—Clary hadn't even realized he was holding it—and held it up. Jace looked faintly abashed. "As for this," Magnus said, sliding it into Jace's jeans pocket, "keep it in your pants, Shadowhunter.” - Cassandra Clare
12. “It's Simon. He's missing.""Ah," said Magnus, delicately, "missing what, exactly?""Missing," Jace repeated, "as in gone, absent, notable for his lack of presence, disappeared.""Maybe he's gone and hidden under something," Magnus suggested. "It can't be easy getting used to being a rat, especially for someone so dim-witted in the first place.""Simon's not dim-witted," Clary protested angrily."It's true," Jace agreed. "He just looks dim-witted. Really his intelligence is quite average.” - Cassandra Clare
13. “But how do they get inside?""They fly," Jace said, and indicated the upper floors of the building.[...]"We don't fly," Clary felt impelled to point out."No," Jace agreed. "We don't fly. We break and enter." He started across the street toward the hotel."Flying sounds like more fun," Clary said, hurrying to catch up with him."Right now everything sounds like more fun.” - Cassandra Clare
14. “What would you know about it?" he said. "Love, I mean."Dorothea folded her soft white hands in her lap. "More than you might think," she said. "Didn't I read your tea leaves, Shadowhunter? Have you fallen in love with the wrong person yet?"Jace said, "Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself."Dorothea roared at that. "At least," she said, "you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland.""Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting.” - Cassandra Clare
15. “Magnus stood up and went to the window. He pushed the curtain back, letting in just enough light to silhouette his hawklike profile. "Blood," he said, half to himself. "I had a dream two nights ago. I saw a city all of blood, with towers made of bone, and blood ran in the streets like water."Simon slewed his eyes over to Jace. "Is standing by the window muttering about blood something he does all the time?""No," said Jace, "sometimes he sits on the couch and does it.” - Cassandra Clare
16. “You're a Shadowhunter," he said. "You know how to deal with injuries." He slid his stele across the table toward her. "Use it.""No," Clary said, and pushed the stele back across the table at him.Jace slammed his hand down on the stele. "Clary—""She said she doesn't want it," said Simon. "Ha-ha.""Ha-ha?" Jace looked incredulous. "That's your comeback?"Alec, folding his phone, approached the table with a puzzled look. "What's going on?""We seem to be trapped in an episode of One Life to Waste," Magnus observed. "It's all very dull.” - Cassandra Clare
17. “It's not funny, Jace," Alec interrupted, starting to his feet. "Are you just going to let her stand there and call me names?" "Yes," Jace said kindly. "It'll do you good-- try to think of it as endurance training.” - Cassandra Clare
18. “Yes," Jace said, unable to help himself, "I was trained to be an evil mastermind from a young age. Pulling the wings off flies, poisoning the earth's water water supply - I was covering that stuff in kindergarten. I guess we're all just lucky my father faked his own death before he got to the raping and pillaging part of my education, or no one would be safe.” - Cassandra Clare
19. “Then you're aping him. Valentine was one of the most arrogant and disrespectful men I've ever met. I suppose he brought you up to be just like him.""Yes," Jace said, unable to help himself, "I was trained to be an evil mastermind from a young age. Pulling the wings off flies, poisoning the earth's water supply — I was covering that stuff in kindergarten. I guess we're all just lucky my father faked his own death before he got to the raping and pillaging part of my education, or no one would be safe.” - Cassandra Clare
20. “I don't do what I'm told, but I might do what you want if you ask me nicely.” - Cassandra Clare
21. “If there were such a thing as terminal literalism, you'd have died in childhood.” - Cassandra Clare
22. “I can only assume," said Jace, "that mortal emotions amuse you because you have none of your own.” - Cassandra Clare
23. “I am one of the Clave. It's in my blood and bones. So tell me, if you're so sure this wasn't my fault, why is it that the first thought in my mind when I saw Abbadon wasn't for my fellow warriors but for you?" His other hand came up; he was holding her face, prisoned between his palms. "I know-I knew-Alec wasn't acting like himself. I knew something was wrong. But all I could think about was you...” - Cassandra Clare
24. “I figured all your classes were stuff like Slaughter 101 and Beheading for Beginners."Jace flipped a page. "Very funny, Fray.” - Cassandra Clare
25. “You could have had anything else in the world, and you asked for me."She smiled up at him. Filthy as he was, covered in blood and dirt, he was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen."But I don't want anything else in the world.” - Cassandra Clare
26. “Isabelle drifted over, Jace a pace behind her. She was wearing a long black dress with boots and an even longer cutaway coat of soft green velvet, the color of moss. "I can't believe you did it!" she exclaimed. "How did you get Magnus to let Jace leave?""Traded him for Alec," Clary said.Isabelle looked mildly alarmed. "Not permanently?""No," said Jace. "Just for a few hours. Unless I don't come back," he added thoughtfully. "In which case, maybe he does get to keep Alec. Think of it as a lease with an option to buy."Isabelle looked dubious. "Mom and Dad won't be pleased if they find out.""That you freed a possible criminal by trading away your brother to a warlock who looks like a gay Sonic the Hedgehog and dresses like the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?" Simon inquired. "No, probably not.” - Cassandra Clare
27. “Just take the weapon you hold in your hand and drive it through his heart," Valentine's voice was soft. "One simple motion. Nothing you haven't done before."Jace met his father's stare with a level gaze. "I saw Agramon," he said. "It had your face.""You saw Agramon?" The Soul-Sword glittered as Valentine moved toward his son. "And you lived?""I killed it.""You killed the Demon of Fear, but you won't kill a single vampire, not even at my order?"Jace stood watching Valentine without expression. "He's a vampire, that's true," he said. "But his name is Simon.” - Cassandra Clare
28. “Unpleasant?" he finished for her."Only on the days when my adoptive mother tosses me out of the house with instructions never to darken her door again. Usually, I'm remarkably good-natured. Try me on any day that doesn't end in y.” - Cassandra Clare
29. “You don't get to decide," she said, "where I go, or when.""I know." His voice was ragged. "I've always known that about you. I don't know why I had to fall in love with someone who's more stubborn than I am.” - Cassandra Clare
30. “But God knows, I don't want anyone but you. I don't even want to want anyone but you.” - Cassandra Clare
31. “Look, I asked you here for a reason. Much as I hate to admit it, vampire, we have something in common.""Totally awesome hair?" Simon suggested.” - Cassandra Clare
32. “But you've never drunk fresh blood. Have you?"Simon raised his eyebrows in response."Well, aside from mine, of course," Jace said. "And I'm sure my blood is fan-tastic.” - Cassandra Clare
33. “I'm glad you think this is funny.""You're not happy to see me, then?" Jace asked. "I have to say, I'm surprised. I've always been told my presence brightened up any room. One might think that went doubly for dank underground cells.” - Cassandra Clare
34. “Actually," Clary said, "I think he stayed because of me."Jace's glaze flicked up to hers with a flash of gold. "Because of you? Hoping for another hot date, was he?"Clary felt herself flush. "No. And our date wasn't hot. In fact, it wasn't even a date. Anyway, that's not the point. When he came into the Hall, he kept trying to get me to go outside with him so we could talk. He wanted something from me. I just don't know what.""Or maybe he just wanted you," Jace said. Seeing Clary's expression, he added, "Not that way. I mean maybe he wanted to bring you to Valentine.” - Cassandra Clare
35. “But that's not what you said when she walked into the room," said Simon quietly. "You said, 'Why didn't you ever tell me I had a brother?'""I know." Clary yanked a blade of grass out of the dirt, worrying it between her fingers. "I guess I can't help thinking that if I'd known the truth, I wouldn't have met Jace the way I did. I wouldn't have fallen in love with him."Simon was silent for a moment. "I don't think I've ever heard you say that before.""That I love him?" She laughed, but it sounded dreary even to her ears. "Seems useless to pretend like I don't, at this point. Maybe it doesn't matter. I probably won't ever see him again, anyway.""He'll come back.""Maybe.""He'll come back," Simon said again. "For you.” - Cassandra Clare
36. “What are all these?" Clary asked."Vials of holy water, blessed knives, steel and silver blades," Jace said, piling the weapons on the floor beside him, "electrum wire - not much use at the moment but it's always good to have spares - silver bullets, charms of protetion, crucifixes, stars of David-""Jesus," said Clary"I doubt he'd fit.""Jace." Clary was appalled.” - Cassandra Clare
37. “All that existed was Jace; all she felt, hoped, breathed, wanted, and saw was Jace. Nothing else mattered.” - Cassandra Clare
38. “unrequitted love amuses me” - Cassandra Clare
39. “Jace set what he was holding down on the windowsill and reached out to her. She came to lean against him, and his hand slid up under her t-shirt and rested caressingly, possessively, on the small of her back. He bent to kiss her, gently at first, but the gentleness went quickly and soon she was pressed up against the glass of the window, his hands at the hem of her shirt — his shirt —“Jace.” She moved a little bit away. “I’m pretty sure people down there in the street can see us.”“We could …” He gestured toward the bed. “Move…over there.”She grinned. “You said that like it took you a while to come up with the idea.”When he spoke, his voice was muffled against her neck. “What can I say, you make my thought processes slow down. Now I know what it’s like to be a normal person.” “How … is it?” The things he was doing with his hands under the t-shirt were distracting.“Terrible. I’m already way behind on my quota of witty comments for the day.” - Cassandra Clare
40. “I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there’s a life after that, I’ll love you then.” - Cassandra Clare
41. “You might want to put some clothes on' suggested Jace 'I'm all for the bra and panties look, but you don't want the Silent Brothers to die of excitement” - Cassandra Clare
42. “Sometimes when she looks at him that way he finds himself almost blushing; a feeling so strange he almost doesn’t recognize it. Jace Wayland doesn’t blush.” - Cassandra Clare
43. “He wants her in his bedroom. And not in that way — no girl has ever been in his bedroom that way. It is his private space, his sanctuary. But he wants Clary there. He wants her to see him, the reality of him, not the image he shows the world. He wants to lie down on the bed with her and have her curl into him. He wants to hold her as she breathes softly through the night; to see her as no one else sees her: vulnerable and asleep. To see her and to be seen.” - Cassandra Clare
44. “Keep up," said an irritable voice in her ear. It was Jace, who had dropped back to walk beside her. "I don't want to have to keep looking behind me to make sure nothing's happened to you.""So don't bother.""Last time I left you alone, a demon attacked you," he pointed out. "Well, I'd certainly hate to interrupt your pleasant night stroll with my sudden death."He blinked. "There is a fine line between sarcasm and outright hostility, and you seem to have crossed it.” - Cassandra Clare
45. “And then we met you, and it was like he woke up. You couldn't see it, because you'd never known him any different. But I saw it. Hodge saw it. Alec saw it -why do you think he hated you so much? It was like that form the second we met you. You thought it was amazing that you could see us, and it was, but what was amazing to me was that Jace could see you too.” - Cassandra Clare
46. “He does what he wants, and I don’t ask,” he said. “He could bring a six-foot tall pink rabbit in a bikini back home with him if he wanted to. It’s not my business. But if you’re asking me if I’ve brought any girls back here, the answer is no. I don’t want anybody but you.” - Cassandra Clare
47. “It’s me,” said Jace. “Watching me play Scrabble is enough to make most women swoon. Imagine if I actually put in some effort.” - Cassandra Clare
48. “It’s me,” he said, and cleared his throat. “I could understand if you didn’t believe me, but I swear on the Angel, Iz, it’s me.” Alec said nothing, but his grip on Jace’s hand tightened. “You don’t need to swear,” he said, and with his free hand touched the parabatai rune near his collarbone. “I know. I can feel it. I don’t feel like I’m missing a part of me anymore.”“I felt it too.” Jace took a ragged breath. “Something missing. I felt it, even with Sebastian, but I didn’t know what it was I was missing. But it was you. My parabatai.” - Cassandra Clare
49. “She looked up from closing it to find Jace watching her through hooded eyes. “And one last thing,” he said. He reached over and pulled the sparking pins out of her hair, so that it fell in warm heavy curls down her neck. The sensation of hair tickling her bare skin was unfamiliar and oddly pleasant. “Much better,” he said, and she thought this time that maybe his voice was uneven too.” - Cassandra Clare
50. “You're a disaster for us, Clary! You're a mundane, you'll always be one, you'll never be a Shadowhunter! You don't know how to think like we do, think about what's best for everyone-- all you think about is yourself! But there's a war now, or there will be, and I don't have time or the inclination to follow around after you, trying to make sure you don't get us killed! Go home, Clary. Go home!” - Cassandra Clare
51. “I make rude gestures at nuns” - Cassandra Clare
52. “Alec dragged the heavy canvas bag out of the back of the van, dropping it on the sidewalk. "Ready to go." He announced. "Lets kick some demon butt!"Jace looked at him a little oddly. "You alright?” - Cassandra Clare
53. “Clary," he whispered. There was a thump, and she realized he had fallen to his kees by the side of her bed. She didn't move, but her body tightened. His voice was a whisper. "Clary, it's me. It's me.” - Cassandra Clare
54. “Clary: What are you doing here, anyway?Jace: 'Here' as in your bedroom or 'here' as in the great spiritual question of our purpose here on this planet? If you're asking whether it's all just a cosmic coincidence or there's a greater metaethical purpose to life, well, that's a puzzler for the ages. I mean, simple ontological reductionism is clearly a fallacious argument, but-Clary: I'm going to bed.” - Cassandra Clare