Character Analysis
Known as Lucian Graymark in his other, hairier, life, Luke is a bookstore owner, Jocelyn's best friend, and unrequited love. He's loyal to Clary's family, even if his methods are a little unorthodox, like abandoning Clary and setting off to kill the leader of wolf pack to take over and build an army.
Oh, did we forget to mention he's a werewolf, too?
And They Called It Puppy Love
Hodge clues us in about Luke and Jocelyn's relationship. Luke was in love with Jocelyn, but she was in love with Valentine, and never really noticed Luke. To complicate things, Luke was turned into a werewolf, and Valentine encouraged him to commit suicide. Eep.
Well, that never deterred his loyalty to Jocelyn, but Hodge warns that this might not be a good thing: "[Jocelyn] hurt him badly all those years ago. She turned her back on him. And yet he has played her faithful lapdog ever since" (18.138). That doesn't sound like a recipe for a healthy relationship if you ask Dr. Shmoop.
Good thing there aren't any werewolves around to hear Hodge call them "lapdogs" or Hodge might soon have another scar—or worse—to add to his collection. Also, we have to note that Hodge is a dirty liar, so we have to take everything he says with a grain of salt. Or a whole stinkin' shaker.
Still, what he says rings true to us. And it eerily mimics Simon's and Clary's relationship. Hodge says, "where there is love, there is often also hate. They can exist side by side" (18.128). Will Clary end up with more than one personal betrayal?
Moonlighting
Luke's more than just a sad puppy. If you were on a blind date with Luke, he might reveal that he's a small business owner. Brownie point! He owns his own bookstore. Wonderful! Husband material! Oh, and he's also a werewolf. Umm, we have to go; we left the oven on. That's on par with finding out your dream date liked the new Star Wars movies better than the originals.
You'd be judging him too soon, though. Dogs are, after all, man's best friend, and Luke is Clary's mom's best friend. His loyalty is not for sale.
Despite this attachment, he still has some unusual methods of showing it. For example, after Clary's mother disappears, Luke abandons Clary and forbids her from ever calling him again. This is practical (another noted trait he shares with Simon), yes, but cold. Ice cold. He probably could have chosen a less destructive method.
He redeems himself, however, when he helps Clary stage an assault on Valentine's stronghold. With a sack of steamed bao buns from the cunningly named Jade Wolf Chinese Cuisine (which also doubles as the werewolves' lair), the two boldly face Valentine's castle head-on. "It was almost like old times" (22.106), Clary thinks. Aside from the violent showdown with an evil foe, of course.
(Wo)man's Best Friend
It's nice that Luke doesn't just lend his brawn; he tries to get involved in Clary's personal life again. Before Jocelyn disappeared, he acted as a father figure for her. So now, reunited with his daughter-figure, he asks her about Jace and tries to give her a little life advice. He deserves a pat on the head and a biscuit for taking those steps toward rebuilding their relationship.