Los Angeles Institute

*This article uses material from the “Los Angeles Institute” article on the Shadowhunters wiki at FANDOM and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.*

**The Los Angeles Institute** is the Institute located in Los Angeles, California. It is located inside a church, on a low bluff on the hills near the Pacific Coast Highway. It is currently co-headed by Helen Blackthorn and Aline Penhallow.

## History

The Institute has been run by the Blackthorn family, particularly Andrew Blackthorn, for many years. During this time, the young Shadowhunters in Los Angeles were trained by the tutor Katerina.

Following the deaths of the Dark War in December 2007, Andrew's brother Arthur Blackthorn took over as head of the Institute, and Diana Wrayburn took over as the children's tutor. The young Blackthorns—save the half-faerie Helen and Mark—were allowed to remain at the Institute when Arthur became their new legal guardian. The Institute also became home to a ward, Emma Carstairs.

In truth, Arthur's nephew Julian, from a very young age, had taken over all the responsibilities of running the Institute as well as his siblings' care, covering for his uncle's inability to run the Institute due to his poor mental health.

In 2012, Cristina Rosales arrived to stay at the Institute on her travel year when she turned eighteen and was shortly after followed by the Centurion Diego Rosales. In September 2012, many of Diego's fellow Centurions stayed as guests while investigating the location of Malcolm Fade's body. The Institute was surrounded by Malcolm Fade's sea monsters one evening before they were defeated and driven away by the Centurions, and the young Blackthorns and Kit were sent to the London Institute for protection.

Arthur's death shortly after worked in favor of the Cohort, who had been targeting the Institute as a potential seat of power for Horace Dearborn. The plot was abandoned when, following the events of the disastrous Council meeting with Annabel Blackthorn, Dearborn instead became Inquisitor, a much higher position than being the head of the Institute.

After Livvy's funeral, the Consul had Helen Blackthorn and Aline Penhallow immediately Portal to the Institute with the others, except Emma and Julian, so that Dearborn wouldn't have an opportunity to send them back to Wrangel Island or question their appointment as the temporary heads of the Institute. Cristina, Mark, and Kieran left briefly in an attempt to rescue Emma and Julian from Faerie but only managed to return with Clary Fairchild and Jace Herondale. They were later joined by Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane as they looked for a cure for the warlock sickness. Julian and Emma came back some time after.

Using the knowledge he'd gathered over the years of running the Institute, Julian called together a war council meeting in the Sanctuary of the Institute with several Shadowhunters and Downworlders, establishing Livia's Watch against the Cohort in order to make a plan to expose them and take them down. He held two meetings: one that involved Shadowhunters, and because he anticipated betrayal from at least some of the attendants, a second meeting with only Downworlders secretly took place once the Shadowhunters not part of their inner circle had left.

The plan succeeded and after their victory on the field, Helen and Aline were officially appointed heads of the Institute, and the new Consul Alec was wed to his long-time boyfriend, Magnus Bane, on the beach outside the Institute.

## Description

The Institute is a massive structure of wood and stone. It sits on a low bluff near the Pacific Coast Highway, at the end of a long pebbled drive that winds through the hills. Behind the Institute is a stretch of desert and mountains that separate it from the Valley, and on another side is the highway, the beach, and the ocean in the distance.

Stone walls, in which a set of heavy gates is placed, surround the Institute. Beyond the gates is a grassy courtyard that stretches to a flight of stairs that leads to the front door. Behind the Institute is its parking lot and its small rock garden, separated by a low wall. The garden consists of rows of bushes, cacti and the many plaster status of Greek and Roman figures brought to the Institute by Arthur.

To the eyes of mundanes without the Sight, the Institute looks like the ruins of a Spanish mission. Signs are scattered around the area to discourage exploration.