Alec Lightwood is Isabelle and Max's older brother. In the City of Bones he is seventeen. He also starts out being in love with Jace, who is also his parabatai, but keeps his homosexuality a secret from his parents for fear of how they and the Clave would react, because they frown upon gay Shadowhunters. Alec doesn't come out of the closet until the City of Glass, when he kisses Magnus in the middle of a room full of Shadowhunters.Alexander Gideon Lightwood is described as being tall and lean with longish black hair that he frequently pushes out of his striking blue eyes. He is with Jace and Isabelle when they meet Clary at Pandemonium, and is instantly jealous of Clary, because he sees the way that Jace looks at her and realizes that Jace is never going to look at him that way. At the end of the City of Bones, Alec is seriously injured and Magnus heals him.In the City of Ashes, Alec receives the stress call from the Silent City after jace is locked in jail there. Clary wants to help, and he reluctantly lets her come along. When Clary, Isabelle, and Simon talk about going to the Seelie Court, Alec is excited to go until he learns that he has the option to take Jace's place at Magnus's. He suddenly changes his mind. Later, when it is learned that Clary can possibly create new runes, Alec is the testing dummy for a Fearless rune. His parents happen to come in the room then, and he almost tells them that he is dating Magnus.When the Inquisitor takes Jace and locks him up in the Malachi Configuration, Alec agrees with her in that Jace should be punished. However, Alec is the one to help Jace get out of jail after he gains the Inquisitor's trust. Over this period of time, Alec calls on Magnus for help several times. In the attack on Valentine's ship, Magnus becomes too weak after trying to take down the wards on the ship, and Alec gives him his own strength.In City of Glass, Alec travels to the Shadowhunter city of Alicante, in their country, Idris. He is tasked with bringing Simon, a vampire friend, to the Gard, where the new Inquistor promises him that Simon will be taken home. Simon, however, is not taken home. Alec doesn't know of this, and Jace is angry at him for not ensuring that he was taken through the portal.A battle soon arises as Valentine, the villain, tries to enslave all the Shadowhunters. Throughout all this, it has been implied that Alec and Magnus are in some sort of relationship. In the midst of a battle, Alec asks Magnus why he hasn't called him back. Magnus soon leaves, however, because he has to heal Clary's mother. When he returns, the Clave and the Downworlders are preparing for battle. A Clave member and a Downworlder are to be paired up and Marked to make them stronger. Alec asks Magnus to be his partner. Then, after asking, Alec kisses Magnus, revealing his sexuality to everyone in the room. Show less «