84 Memorable Magnus Bane Quotes

Fans of the Shadowhunter Chronicles will undoubtedly know Magnus Bane, the charismatic and enigmatic High Warlock of Brooklyn. Known for his wit, flamboyant style, and profound wisdom, Magnus's quotes have captivated readers and added depth to Cassandra Clare’s beloved series. In this collection of 84 memorable Magnus Bane quotes, we dive deep into his most insightful, humorous, and endearing moments. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer eager to explore the world of magic and mayhem, these quotes will offer a glimpse into why Magnus remains one of the most iconic characters within this fantastical universe. Prepare to be enchanted by his words, which reveal not only his magical prowess but also a heart brimming with love and wisdom.

1. “We came to see Jace. Is he alright?""I don't know," Magnus said. "Does he normally just lie on the floor like that without moving?” - Cassandra Clare

2. “I'm the warlock who's here to cure you. Didn't they tell you I was coming?""I know who you are, but..." Maia looked dazed. "You look so...so...shiny.” - Cassandra Clare

3. “Magnus? Magnus Bane?”“That would be me.” The man blocking the doorway was as tall and thin as a rail, his hair a crown of dense back spikes. Clary guessed from the curse of his sleepy eyes and the gold tone of his evenly tanned skin that he was part Asian. He wore jeans and a black shirt covered with dozens of metal buckles. His eyes were crusted with a raccoon mask of charcoal glitter, his lips painted a dark shade of blue. He raked a ring-laden hand through his spiked hair and regarded them thoughtfully. “Children of the Nephilim,” he said. “Well, well. I don’t recall inviting you. I must have been drunk.” - Cassandra Clare

4. “Magnus snapped his fingers again, menacingly. "Get up.""Or you'll be the next one to go up in smoke," said Simon with relish."There's no need to clarify my finger snap. The implication was clear in the snap itself.” - Cassandra Clare

5. “We're not dating," Alec said again."Oh?" Magnus said. "So you're just that friendly with everybody, is that it?” - Cassandra Clare

6. “I love round tables. They suit me so much better than a square."Magnus, pg. 137” - Cassandra Clare

7. “There might simply be nothing going on that might activate it. Perhaps there isn't anything here that Alec is afraid of."Magnus glanced at Alec and raised his eyebrows. "Boo."Luke and Magnus, pg. 285” - 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. “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

10. “She unwrapped the blanket when she came in my door. You were inside it. She set you down on the floor and you started ranging around, picking things up, pulling my cat's tail—you screamed like a banshee when the cat scratched you, so I asked your mother if you were part banshee. She didn't laugh.” - Cassandra Clare

11. “Hey, pretty thing," he said. "What's in the bag?""Holy water," said Jace, reappearing beside her as if he'd been conjured up like a genie. A sarcastic blond genie with a bad attitude."Oooh, a Shadowhunter," said the vampire. "Scary." With a wink he melted back into the crowd."Vampires are such prima donnas," Magnus sighed from the doorway. "Honestly, I don't know why I have these parties.""Because of your cat," Clary reminded him.Magnus perked up. "That's true. Chairman Meow deserves my every effort.” - 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. “You want a round table meeting, we can have a round table meeting.""I love round tables," said Magnus brightly. "They suit me so much better than square.” - Cassandra Clare

14. “That seems like stealing, doesn't it?" Simon pulled a cup toward him. He drew the lid back. "Ooh. Mochaccino." He looked at Magnus. "Did you pay for these?""Sure," said Magnus, while Jace and Alec snickered. "I make dollar bills magically appear in their cash register.""Really?""No." Magnus popped the lid off his own coffee. "But you can pretend I did if it makes you feel better. So, first order of business is what?” - 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. “Alec flushed. "I think it's more important for you to go than me. You're Valentine's son, I'm sure you're the one the Queen really wants to see. Besides, you're charming."Jace glared at him."Maybe not at the moment," Alec amended. "But you're usually charming. And faeries are very susceptible to charm.""Plus, if you stay here, I've got the whole first season of Gilligan's Island on DVD," Magnus said."No one could turn that down," said Jace. He still wouldn't look at Clary.” - Cassandra Clare

17. “Magnus raised his hands above his head and clapped once. The room flooded with light. "You see? You think that would be possible without magic? "Actually," replied Simon, "It is. If you watched infomercials you'd know that.” - Cassandra Clare

18. “Nice, bah. He's gorgeous." Magnus gazed dreamily in his direction. "You should leave him here. I could hang hats on him and things.” - Cassandra Clare

19. “Magnus got to his feet. “I do believe that's my cue to leave as well,” he said. Clary noticed he was avoiding looking at Alec. “I'd say it's been nice meeting you all, but, in fact, it hasn't. It's been quite awkward, and frankly, the next time I see a single one of you will be far too soon.” - Cassandra Clare

20. “Why not? Do you like him?” Magnus’s eyes gleamed. “He seems to like you. I saw him going for your hand out there like a squirrel diving for a peanut.” - Cassandra Clare

21. “Magnus, standing by the door, snapped his fingers impatiently. "Move it along, teenagers. The only person who gets to canoodle in my bedroom is my magnificent self.""Canoodle?" repeated Clary, never having heard the word before."Magnificent?" repeated Jace, who was just being nasty. Magnus growled. The growl sounded like "Get out.” - Cassandra Clare

22. “A pair of werewolves occupied another booth. They were eating raw shanks of lamb and arguing about who would win in a fight: Dumbledore from Harry Potter books or Magnus Bane."Dumbledore would totally win," said the first one. "He has the badass Killing Curse."The second lycanthrope made a trenchant point. "But Dumbledore isn't real.""I don't think Magnus Bane is real either," scoffed the first. "Have you ever met him?""This is so weird," said Clary, slinking down in her seat. "Are you listening to them?" "No. It's rude to eavesdrop," said Jace.” - Cassandra Clare

23. “She smiled. Her skin looked whiter than he recalled, and dark spidery veins were beginning to show beneath its surface. Her hair was still the color of spun silver and her eyes were still green as a cat’s. She was still beautiful. Looking at her, he was in London again. He saw the gaslight and smelled the smoke and dirt and horses, the metallic tang of fog, the flowers in Kew Gardens. He saw a boy with black hair and blue eyes like Alec’s, heard violin music like the sound of silver water. He saw a girl with long brown hair and a serious face. In a world where everything went away from him eventually, she was one of the few remaining constants.And then there was Camille.” - Cassandra Clare

24. “Good organization,” said Magnus. “I knew the man who founded it, back in the 1800s. Woolsey Scot. Respectable old werewolf family.” Alec made an ugly sound in the back of his throat. “Did you sleep with him, too?” Magnus’s cat eyes widened. “Alexander!” - Cassandra Clare

25. “You are not trivial.” - Cassandra Clare

26. “They're still looking at him," she said to Magnus under her breath. "At Will, I mean.""Of course they are," said Magnus. His eyes reflected light like a cat's as they surveyed the room. "Look at him. The face of a bad angel and eyes like the night sky in Hell. He's very pretty, and vampires like that. I can't say I mind either." Magnus grinned. "Black hair and blue eyes are my favorite combination."Tessa reached up to pat Camille's pale blond curls.Magnus shrugged. "Nobody's perfect.” - Cassandra Clare

27. “Magnus sighed. "Alexander, I've been alive for hundreds of years. I've been with men, been with women - with faeries and warlocks and vampires, and even a djinn or two." He looked sideways at Maryse, who looked mildly horrified. "Too much information?” - Cassandra Clare

28. “Still I pictured having you for fifty, sixty more years. I thought I might be ready then to let you go. But it's you, and I realize now that I won't be anymore ready to lose you then than I am right now. Which is not at all.” - Cassandra Clare

29. “You could give me the past,“ he said a little sadly. “But Alec is my future.” - Cassandra Clare

30. “Magnus's eyes gleamed. "He seems to like you. I saw him going for your hand out there like a squirrel diving for a peanut.” - Cassandra Clare

31. “We seemed to be trapped in an episode of One Life To Waste. It's all very dull.” - Cassandra Clare

32. “Magnus gazed dreamily in his direction. "You should leave him here. I could hang hats on him and things.” - Cassandra Clare

33. “Black hair and blue eyes are my favorite combination.” - Cassandra Clare

34. “I've got a stele we can use. Who wants to do me?""A regrettable choice of words," muttered Magnus.” - Cassandra Clare

35. “I was alive when the Dead Sea was just a lake that was feeling a little poorly.” - Cassandra Clare

36. “He’s very pretty. For a human.”“He’s very broken,” said Magnus. “Like a lovely vase that someone has smashed. Only luck and skill can put it back together the way it was before.” - Cassandra Clare

37. “But it was mortality that made them what they were, the flame that blazed brighter for it's flickering” - Cassandra Clare

38. “You serve a greater cause. Your life is not yours to throw away (Magnus Bane)” - Cassandra Clare

39. “I'm seven hundred years old, Alexander. I know when something isn't going to work. You won't even admit I exist to your parents." Alec stared at him. "I thought you were three hundred! You're seven huundred years old?" "Well," Magnus amended, "eight hundred. But I dont look it. Anyway, you're missing the point. The point is-" But Alec never found out what the point was because at that moment a dozen more Iblis demons flooded into the square. He felt his jaw drop. "Damn it." Magnus followed his gaze. the demons were already fanning out into a half circle around them, their yellow eyes glowing. "Way to change the subject, Lightwood.” - Cassandra Clare

40. “WHO CALLS UPON THE HIGH WARLOCK?” - Cassandra Clare

41. “But the name Magnus Bane made him think of a towering sort of figure, with huge shoulders and formal purple warlock’s robes, calling down fire and lightning. Not Magnus himself, who was more of a cross between a panther and a demented elf.” - Cassandra Clare

42. “A very magnanimous statement, Gideon,” said Magnus.“I’m Gabriel.”Magnus waved a hand. “All Lightwoods look the same to me.” - Cassandra Clare

43. “Green-eyed monsters,” said Magnus, and grinned. He deposited Chairman Meow on the ground, and the cat moved over to Alec, and rubbed against his leg. “The Chairman likes you.”“Is that good?”“I never date anyone my cat doesn’t like,” Magnus said easily, and stood up. “So let’s say Friday night?”A great wave of relief came over Alec. “Really? You want to go out with me?”Magnus shook his head. “You have to stop playing hard to get, Alexander. It makes things difficult.” He grinned.” - Cassandra Clare

44. “I just don't see why the past has to matter.” - Cassandra Clare

45. “This is about Tessa. I knew it was." Will flushed, a wash of color across the pallor of this face. "Not just her.""But you love her."Will stared at him. "Of course I do," he said finally. "I had come to think i would never love anyone, but I love her.” - Cassandra Clare

46. “They say time heals all wounds, but that presumes the source of the grief is finite” - Cassandra Clare

47. “Warlock,” he said. “I know who you are.”Magnus raised his eyebrows. “You do?”“Magnus Bane. Destroyer of the demon Marabas. Son of—”“Now,” said Magnus, quickly. “There’s no need to go into all of that.”“But there is.” The demon sounded reasonable, even amused. “If it is infernal assistance you require, why not summon your father?”Alec looked at Magnus with his mouth open.” - Cassandra Clare

48. “Do you really wish to disobey me, Marbas? Do you wish to anger my father?” - Cassandra Clare

49. “Niches set back in the walls contained polished marble statues of entwined bodies. Will looked away from them hastily, and then back. It wasn't as if Magnus seemed to be paying attention to what Will was doing, and he'd honestly never imagined two people could get themselves into a position like that, much less make it look artistic.” - Cassandra Clare

50. “What he needs now is to love and have that love returned.” - Cassandra Clare

51. “Gracious, that's a lot of bosom you're showing," Magnus went on blithely, gesturing toward Tessa with the burning tip of his cigar. "Tout le monde sur le balcon, as they say in French," he added, miming a vast terrace jutting out from his chest. "Especially apt, as we are now, in fact, on a balcony.” - Cassandra Clare

52. “If love were food, I would have starved on the bones you gave me” - Cassandra Clare

53. “Does she still love you?""I don't think so," Magnus said dryly. "She wasn't very pleasant the last time I saw her. Of course, that could be because I've got an eighteen year-old boyfriend with a stamina rune and she doesn't."Alec sputtered. "As the person being objectified, I ... object to that description of me.” - Cassandra Clare

54. “Even the trip throught the Portal had not disarranged Magnus's hair spikes. He tugged on one proudly. "Check it out", he said to Isabelle."Magic?""Hair gel. $3.99 at Ricky's.” - Cassandra Clare

55. “And down she walked along the street,A handsome lad she hoped to meetAnd sore by dawn were her dainty feetBut all the boys were gay.” - Elka Cloke

56. “What have you done to my cat?" Magnus demanded... "You drank his blood, didn't you? You said you weren't hungry!"Simon was indignant. "I did not drink his blood. He's fine!" He poked the Chairman in the stomach. The cat yawned. "Second, you asked me if I was hungry when you were ordering pizza, so I said no, because I can't eat pizza. I was being polite.""That doesn't get you the right to eat my cat.""Your cat is fine!" Simon reached to pick up the tabby, who jumped indignantly to his feet and stalked off the table. "See?""Whatever.” - Cassandra Clare

57. “Alec," Magnus said. He put a hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder; Alec was standing still, staring angrily at the floor. "Are you okay?"Alec looked at him. "Who are you again?"Magnus gave a little gasp; he looked — for the first time Simon could remember — actually unnerved. It lasted only a moment, but it was there. "Alexander," he said."Too soon to joke about the happy memory thing, I take it," Alec said.” - Cassandra Clare

58. “Isabelle snorted, "All the boys are gay. In this truck, anyway. Well, not you, Simon.""You noticed," said Simon. "I think of myself as a freewheeling bisexual," added Magnus. "Please never say those words in front of my parents," said Alec.” - Cassandra Clare

59. “So it's true what they say about warlocks, then?"Alec gave him a very unpleasant look. "What's true?""Alexander," said Magnus coldly, and Clary met Simon's eyes across the table. Hers were wide, green, and full of an expression that said Uh-oh. "You can't be rude to everyone who talks to me."Alec made a wide, sweeping gesture. "And why not? Cramping your style, am I? I mean, maybe you were hoping to flirt with werewolf boy here. He's pretty attractive, if you like the messy-haired, broad-shouldered, chiseled-good-looks type.""Hey, now," said Jordan mildly. Magnus put his head in his hands. "Or there are plenty of pretty girls here, since apparently your taste goes both ways, Is there anything you aren't into?""Mermaids," said Magnus into his fingers. "They always smell like seaweed.""It's not funny," Alec said savagely, and kicking back his chair, he got up from the table and stalked off into the crowd.” - Cassandra Clare

60. “Stripping the protection wards off the ship was bad enough—it's a strong, strong enchantment, demon-based—but when you fell, I had to put a fast spell on the truck so it wouldn't sink when I lost consciousness. And I will lose consciousness, Alec.” - Cassandra Clare

61. “Well, I'm certainly not Ragnor Fell the exotic dancer.” - Cassandra Clare

62. “It was hidden inside another book. One Valentine was unlikely to ever open." Magnus smiled crookedly. "Simple Recipes for Housewives. No one can say your mother didn't have a sense of humor.” - Cassandra Clare

63. “Get over here. Sheldon's had an idea.""Who's Sheldon?", said Isabelle.” - Cassandra Clare

64. “Sweet pea?'" Alec said."I was just trying it out."Alec shook his head. "No."Magnus shrugged. "I'll keep at it.” - Cassandra Clare

65. “Where's Magnus?" he said. AS he looked toward the kitchen, Clary saw a bruise on his jaw, below his ear, about the size of a thumbprint. "Alec!" Magnus came skidding into the living room and blew a kiss to his boyfriend across the room. Having discarded his slippers, he was barefoot now. His cat's eyes shone as he looked at Alec.” - Cassandra Clare

66. “Iz," Alec said tiredly. "It's not like it's one big bad thing. It's a lot of little invisible things. When Magnus and I were traveling, and I'd call from the road, Dad never asked how he was. When I get up to talk in Clave meetings, no one listens, and I don't know if that's because I'm young or if it's because of something else. I saw Mom talking to a friend about her grandchildren and the second I walked into the room they shut up. Irina Cartwright told me it was a pity no one would ever inherit my blue eyes now." He shrugged and looked toward Magnus, who took a hand off the wheel for a moment to place it on Alec's. "It's not like a stab wound you can protect me from. It's a million little paper cuts every day.” - Cassandra Clare

67. “And therefor," said Magnus "We must go." Will blinked at him. "Go where?""Don't worry about that right now, my love."Will blinked again. "Pardon?” - Cassandra Clare

68. “There were some feelings you never forgot.” - Cassandra Clare

69. “Magnus reached out to touch Alec, but Alec moved away. Magnus' hand fall to himself.” - Cassandra Clare

70. “Alec slid his hand from Jace's arm to his shoulder. Magnus cleared his throat. Alec dropped his hand. Simon grinned into his undrunk coffee.” - Cassandra Clare

71. “Why don't we talk about your love life? Clary countered."What about you and Alec?""Alec refuses to acknowledge that we have a relationship, and so I refuse to acknowledge him. He sent me a fire message asking for a favor the other day. It was addressed to 'Warlock Bane' as if I were a perfect stranger. He's still hung up on Jace,I think, though that relationship will never go anywhere. Aproblem I imagine you know nothing about...” - Cassandra Clare

72. “If Jem dies, I cannot be with Tessa,” said Will. “Because it will be as if I were waiting for him to die, or took some joy in his death, if it let me have her. And I will not be that person. I will not profit from his death. So he must live.” He lowered his arm, his sleeve bloody. “It is the only way any of this can ever mean anything. Otherwise it is only —”“Pointless, needless suffering and pain? I don’t suppose it would help if I told you that was the way life is. The good suffer, the evil flourish, and all that is mortal passes away,” Magnus said.“I want more than that,” said Will. “You made me want more than that. You showed me I was only ever cursed because I had chosen to believe myself so. You told me there was possibility, meaning. And now you would turn your back on what you created.” - Cassandra Clare

73. “Magnus rolled onto his back and put his feet up on the arm of the sofa. “What do you care if Alec’s miserable?”“What do I care?” Jace said, so loudly that Chairman Meow rolled off the couch and landed on the floor. “Of course I care about Alec; he’s my best friend, my parabatai. And he’s unhappy. And so are you, by the look of things. Takeout containers everywhere, you haven’t done anything to fix up the place, your cat looks dead —““He’s not dead.” - Cassandra Clare

74. “Cassandra Clare“Malachi scowled. "I don't remember the Clave inviting you into the Glass City, Magnus Bane.""They didn't," Magnus said. "Your wards are down."Really?" the Consul's voice dripped sarcasm. "I hadn't noticed."Magnus looked concerned. "That's terrible. Someone should have told you." He glanced at Luke. "Tell him the wards are down.” - Cassandra Clare

75. “Pointless, needless suffering and pain? I don’t suppose it would help if I told you that was the way life is. The good suffer, the evil flourish, and all that is mortal passes away.” - Cassandra Clare

76. “You endure what is unbearable, and you bear it. That is all.” - Cassandra Clare

77. “Bright star,” Magnus said, and his eyes were thoughtful, as if he were remembering something, or someone. “Those of you who are mortal, you burn so fiercely. And you fiercer than most, Will. I will not ever forget you.” - Cassandra Clare

78. “The good suffer, the evil flourish, and all that is mortal passes away.” - Cassandra Clare

79. “Surely the Shadowhunter community must honor you and hold you in high esteem as a gentleman who has truly advanced their race. No, Henry said sadly. Mostly they wish that I would stop suggesting new inventions and cease setting fire to things.” - Cassandra Clare

80. “Me siento responsable por ese muchacho. Si él nunca encuentra la felicidad, sentiré que le he fallado. Si no puede tener a la chica que ama, sentiré que le he fallado. Si no puedo conservar a su parabatai para él, sentiré que le he fallado.” - Cassandra Clare

81. “Honestly I don't know why i have these parties""Because of your cat""That's true. Chairman Meow deserves my every effort” - Cassandra Clare

82. “Magnus, you were trying to flirt with your own plate.""I'm a very open-minded sort of fellow!” - Cassandra Clare

83. “He carefully maintained the blasé air of one who had been here before and had been incredibly well dressed that time too” - Cassandra Clare

84. “Wallowing was for elephants, depressing people and depressing elephants” - Cassandra Clare