Teen Wolf - Recap: *Howl* They Did NOT Just Kill Off...
Teen Wolf aired its penultimate episode for Season 3 tonight and capped things off with an incredibly shocking death that should have Scott's wolf pack howling in mourning for seasons to come.
Things picked up quite quickly following the moment in which the Stiles who was apparently the nogitsune swiped Lydia right from under the pack’s noses. Meanwhile, Deaton (Seth Gilliam) helped rid Scott’s wolf buddies of those pesky dark flies that had previously warped their senses into oblivion. Episode 23 was fairly cryptic and confusing in parts, though that all made sense by the close of the show. We, of course, were let in on the secret location in which the nogitsune had chosen to stash Lydia, though it wasn’t exactly clear as to why he did so. From within the same hallway in which the nogitsune as Reese decimated the Japanese Americans of Kira’s mother’s internment camp, “Stiles” began torturing Beacon Hills’ resident banshee for unknown reasons. One thing that was certain, however, was that this fox was not about to kidnap a random girl for a random reason. If he snatched Lydia, it was because she specifically played a role in his latest scheme of dangerous mischief.
MTV "Teen Wolf"
Because most of Episode 23’s chaos was buildup for next week’s finale, most of the characters were forced to split up to prepare. It was as though while searching for Lydia, they were also searching to better themselves in the process. For example, Kira’s mother introduced her to the game of Go, the same board game the nogitsune played with Stiles in the white warehouse that houses the subconscious version of the druid trunk. You might remember Lydia and Scott stumbling upon them doing so last week in the bowels of Stiles' brain. Honestly, Kira was more frustrated than anything. While her friends were out trying to save lives, here was her mother forcing her to play a new game. It's 2014, Mrs. Yukimura. Teens don't play games. Is there a Go app? Later, though, her father added some more insight. He’s Korean, and he clued Kira in to the fact that the game is played in different ways in different areas. The player often dictates their unique play style. Funny enough, the layout Kira’s mother used to represent the nogitsune in her teaching process actually resembled her own aggressive style.
Allison and Isaac (Daniel Sharman) had a great moment early on in Episode 23 in which Allison inquisitively probed him for answers regarding that night they “spent” together. You remember; the night when Isaac was essentially possessed by the nogitsune fly and ended up chaining her to the bed before making off with her family’s lethal weapons. Well, it turns out that Isaac remembered all of it! I’m guessing the fly worked like some kind of evil mind-altering substance, like an illegal drug or bad perfume on a date. At this point, however, the group also started receiving confusing messages that didn’t make much sense.Don’t find me.Hmm…
As we watched Lydia struggling with the nogitsune, it seemed totally bizarre to think that she’d actually be sending her friends messages to stay away, like the one Allison found with a little hot breath on her car window. The nogitsune began to fill Lydia in on her purpose in all of this. He feeds off of emotions. Just as the animals in Japanese folklore were insatiably hungry, so is he. Is there anything tastier to a hungry emotion whore than the screams of a cute banshee? Apparently not, judging by this faux Stiles. Real Stiles, meanwhile, welcomed a visit from the Oni alongside Kira’s mother. When the Oni tested him for Self, he passed, solidifying the pack’s feeling that they had the actual Stiles in their midst. Sadly, something was still off with Scott’s bestie. It was nice to see him reconnect with his father for a moment considering all of the awful shenanigans the nogitsune had been pulling off, but he seemed, well, like he was rotting on the brink of death and loaded with aching pain. Apparently, as the nogitsune grew stronger from afar, Stiles grew closer to death.
MTV "Teen Wolf"
Who remembers Meredith aka the mostly insane girl who talks to herself on a dead phone at Eichen House? Afro-ish hairdo? Anyway, Stiles began to piece together that perhaps this girl wasn’t simply crazy. Instead, he began to reason that she most likely had banshee powers just like our Lydia. If you recall, she kept going on about having to “tell the whole story” during Stiles’ first encounter with her. Once the team researched enough about her to learn that she was kept in solitary for screaming her lungs out all too often, they had solid enough evidence that she could help them locate Lydia. Of course, one flew over the cuckoo’s nest just before they could get a hold of her. Luckily, she ran straight to Coach Finstock’s (Orny Adams) class at Beacon Hills High! So convenient! Orny Adams has been severely underused during Season 3, so watching him interact with this mental hospital escapee was great. Meredith was great at moving in and out of rooms and through crowds, however, so even when Kira (Who are you?) alerted Coach to the fact that they needed to keep her under wraps and safe from the searching hospital employees, it was hard to find her. Eventually, however, there was this awesome moment where that truly awful Eichen House head, the one who clearly enjoys bullying those mentally ill patients, ended up on the receiving end of a taser thanks to Coach Finstock. As it turned out, the two had a high school history together. Though, not for nothing, but doesn’t “high school coach/ teacher” trump “mean hospital guard” in a battle of prestige? You would think by the way that man talked to Finstock that he was some Hollywood superstar like Michael J. Fox (Teen Wolf!!!).
MTV "Teen Wolf"
Meredith has a type, everybody, and it’s not Stiles. It’s Isaac! Who would have thought this girl would end up being the comic relief? Actually, for a moment while we were reintroduced to her at Scott’s house I thought she wasn’t insane at all. It was all simply an issue of miscommunication! Then, of course, she asked to use Stiles’ deactivated phone to talk to spirits in Scott’s bedroom, and I changed my mind. Again, the redhead doesn’t want to be found. Meredith did, however, utter something in French, a location Scott recognized all too well. Meanwhile, Scott’s father had previously insisted on having a heart-to-heart at the most inopportune time imaginable downstairs. Apparently, the reason he left and sobered up years prior was because he accidentally knocked baby Scott down the stairs during one of his drunken altercations with Scott’s mom. He moved out and never had another drink. It seemed all those years Agent McCall stressed over this conversation were for nothing. Scott barely required any apology at all. He's a simple Teen Wolf. Little kids fall down a lot. Of course, the years he spent struggling with an absent father might never be made up for.
Also, didn't the nogitsune make it seem like Melissa McCall was some awful mother in secret? Is there more to this story?
MTV "Teen Wolf"
After leaving her conversation with Isaac, Allison returned home to have another great moment with her father. Allison never got to bid her mother adieu, and she refused to suffer through the same pain should something happen to her dad. She made sure he knew that she loves him and is proud of him. Chris, realizing how much his daughter has grown since the dawn of Teen Wolf, decided it was time for her to take the next step. It was time for Allison to mold her own silver bullet. Though, something didn’t seem quite right. Allison doesn’t fire a gun. She shoots an arrow. Thus, she decided to go with a silver arrowhead!
There was one major side plot this week where the twins, Aiden (Max Carver) and Ethan (Charlie Carver), were nearly obliterated by an unknown assailant while searching for Lydia out in the woods. Luckily, Derek swooped in just in time to help them get to the safety of the coyote cave. The shells left behind hinted at another looming threat, one Chris Argent seems to fear tremendously.
Kira’s mother had already arrived with her party of Oni by the time Kira, Allison, and Isaac had made their way just outside of Lydia’s prison. Kira knew, at this point, that her mother was her biggest opponent. Kira, of course, refused to let Stiles die simply to bury this demon. Her mother, on the other hand, eh… She couldn’t really care less. Inside, Lydia was relieved initially to witness the materialization of the Oni. Unfortunately, this was all part of the plan. Remember; Stiles #2 had Kira’s mother’s final tail blade, and upon snapping it, his true scheme was revealed. Outside, he appeared in a flash in front of Lydia’s rescuers… with his Oni. The final tail was used to steal Mrs. Yukimura’s greatest (and only) weapon! Inside, Scott and Stiles found Lydia, who jumped into panic mode. She’d warned them all damn day not to come find her! She is so smart, you guys. I love her so much. Who else was with them?
Outside, an epic clash with the Oni took place. For a while, Kira, Allison, and Isaac managed to spar well. That is, until Isaac took one too many brutal slashes to his torso and fell to his knees. Allison, realizing she had but one special shot left, fired a silver arrow straight into the demon’s heart just before it could kill Isaac, effectively destroying it. Phew! I thought that was curtains for Isaac. What happened next was unthinkable!..
MTV "Teen Wolf"
A looming Oni took a blade straight through Allison’s stomach. Scott barely had time to get to her to catch his first love as she fell. He couldn’t take away her pain. She didn’t feel any. Allison Argent died in Scott McCall’s arms, professing her eternal love for him. Inside, Lydia let out the scream to end all screams for her dearest friend, and the nogitsune got exactly what he wanted. Chris Argent arrived on the scene to witness the aftermath of his daughter’s death.
MTV "Teen Wolf"
That's it for Crystal Reed on Teen Wolf, pack. I guess we should have seen this one coming. Looking back, all of Episode 23 was a big sendoff for Allison, though all of our attention was on Stiles and Lydia.
What did you think of Teen Wolf Season 3 Episode 23, “Insatiable”? Did you ever imagine that Teen Wolf would kill off Allison Argent (Crystal Reed asked to leave, by the way. I know… total bummer.)? Can you believe that’s how this love triangle came to an end? What is there left for this nogitsune to do? How will Scott McCall avenge his true love’s death? Forget Scott… How will Lydia avenge her true love's death?
Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of Teen Wolf Season 3 Episode 23, “Insatiable”! RIP Allison Argent!