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Alec confronting Lorenzo in 'Shadowhunters' season 3, episode 16 proves why Malec will stay couple goals forever

Alec has a big question for Magnus to answer, but that had to wait until he was done confronting Lorenzo. Need we say more?

'Shadowhunters' went the extra mile with its last aired installment, season 3B's episode 16 titled 'Stay with Me,' and no, the Clary Fray-Jonathan Morgenstern face-off wasn't all of it. In the same episode, we saw Magnus Bane trying to battle for his life, thanks to the new magic given to him by Lorenzo. But as Magnus tries to recuperate from his body rejecting the new magic, his boyfriend Alec Lightwood — even though he spends a good deal of time by his side at the hospital — doesn't waste time before storming off to confront Lorenzo, and this is giving us major relationship goals.

Lorenzo — who replaced Magnus (Harry Shum Jr.) as the new High Warlock of Brooklyn — had also taken Magnus' apartment in a bid to give him back his magical powers. Unfortunately, these powers didn't sit well with Magnus' body and ended up causing him more harm than good, landing him in a hospital bed. So naturally, Alec (Matthew Daddario) being Alec, and also the head of the Shadowhunters Institute, acted upon his responsibility — both as a leader and as a lover — and the confrontation scene was really something because this is a side to the character we haven't seen before.

Owing to Lorenzo's presence in Magnus' new apartment, there are all kinds of weird energies and magic floating through the air in there, but that doesn't deter Alec. He might not need magic to stand up to another warlock, but the hopelessly in love Alec isn't shy from unleashing his physical prowess over Lorenzo, showing a whole new intense and protective side to him, which is dark in equal parts as well.

From shoving Lorenzo right up against the wall to hitting him with both facts addressing his bluff and jealousy, Alec utters some pretty emotional sentiments about how much Magnus means to him and how he isn't afraid to come after anybody who tries to harm Magnus. The fact that this comes after Alec couldn't understand what was so special about Magnus having his own powers, or why it was so important to the warlock, is quite big. Especially since Alec isn't the one with flowery words of emotions and promises. He is a soft-spoken man, and this gesture was a clear portrayal of how unafraid he is to get aggressive from time to time when it's the love of his life in question.

Just to be clear, this is how emotionally intense it was. Alec asks Lorenzo "You've never been in love have you?" Lorenzo answers that with his usual sass, saying: "I'm over 300 years old, of course, I have, more times than I can count." But then the bomb drops, as Alec lays down some pretty solid, but equally sentimental facts, saying: "Well for me it's only one, Magnus."

But that shouldn't come all that surprising because this season, which is also incidentally the final one of the show, has shown Malec in a new light that has only promoted them to ranks higher than Clary (Katherine McNamara) and Jace Herondale (Dominic Sherwood) on the couple goals list. As Alec decides to propose Magnus in the upcoming episode, this is as good a time as any to consider all the gifts Freeform has blessed 'Shadowhunters' fans with, when it comes to the evolution of Malec as a couple.

Seeing Magnus go from flamboyant and confident to demure and weak, while the barely talkative Alec took charge and initiative with both compassion and aggression is what has been truly touching to witness. And let's not forget domestic Malec, or steamy workout session Malec; looks like Alec's confrontation with Lorenzo — even though missing Magnus in the scene — still has the potential for being one of the top 10 Malec moments.

'Shadowhunters' returns with season 3 episode 17 'Heavenly Fire' on Monday, April 8, at 8/7c, only on Freeform.