Whether it is for tears of joy or tears of sadness, Shadowhunter fans should make sure they have a hanky handy while watching season 2.

The Freeform series will tackle the events of Cassandra Clare's City of Ashes in 2017, reuniting viewers with Clary (Katherine McNamara) and her battle against Valentine (Alan Van Sprang). Although Shadowhunters will utilize the novel's broader plotline, the loose adaptation means tragedy could strike without warning.

"The story for the season is sticking to the skeletal plot of the books, sort of. Sort of like season 1, but we're bringing in so many cool new elements and so many amazing things," McNamara teased. "What's great about it is that the show allows us to take these characters that we all love and the story that we love and this world that we love and make it our own and throw a new perspective in."

The cast is hard at work on episode 6, and already the actress has shed tears both as Clary and as a viewer.

"Yeah, there have been a lot of those," McNamara said of season 2's tearjerkers. "Both scenes of mine that I have been crying in as Clary, and scenes of other people's that have made me cry. So get ready. Get your stele and a box of tissues and get ready to watch season 2."

According to showrunner Todd Slavkin, the joy will balance out the pain.

"It will break your heart, but it will also fill it with joy and happiness," Slavkin teased earlier this month. "#lifeisbittersweet."

Are you ready for Shadowhunters season 2? Find out when Clary, Simon (Alberto Rosende), Jace (Dominic Sherwood), Izzy (Emeraude Toubia), and Alex (Matthew Daddario) return to Freeform in early 2017.

Tags: shadowhunters television Freeform