Previously - Derek and EDT hooked up, mountain ash was powerful, Deucalion killed Elevator Alpha and blamed Derek, Shoeless swore revenge, and Argent used electricity as werewolf deterrent.
A 10-car pileup has the hospital where Melissa McCall works overloaded and the one ER doctor on duty (say what?) is missing. Again, missing generally = dead on Beacon Hills and in this case it seems he's Darach-dead. Scott brings his mom food but they are interrupted by a patient in pain. Sadly Melissa can't do anything for her until the ER doctor on call gets there. Enter super werewolf power. Scott magically takes the pain away. However unlike last time, it didn't hurt him. Hmm. I was a huge Roswell fan, so let me warn you right now Scott. Letting people know you have these gifts will probably come back to haunt you later. He's interrupted by both Alpha Twin screaming for someone to help Danny and a Mercedes product placement to inform us the on-call doctor is stuck in traffic. Frankly the in-show ad is preferable when Danny starts puking mistletoe all over. Eww. It's obviously Darach but why? Death by mistletoe or a demand for everyone to stop hunting him/her? Either way a vomit warning is necessary before spewing on TV. Danny's lung collapsed, putting pressure on his heart, so neither Alpha Twin nor Scott leaves. Melissa jabs a long needle into his shoulder, turns a plastic knob and voila, crisis adverted. How? Who knows but I think she inflated his lung through his shoulder. If I watched more medical shows, this might make sense to me. Speaking of nonsensical, a swarm of butterflies comes through the ER doc's vents. She's Darach's next target. This would be a great time to brake and get out lady, but no freaking out while driving works too. Hot Hades, was that Darach in her rearview mirror? Now I'm freaking a little too. You're dead Doc, and probably not in a painless, peaceful way.
Luckily Danny wakes up while Melissa basks in teen werewolf admiration. Scott: "That was awesome." Very true. Alpha Twin adamantly assures Scott outside that he had nothing to do with Danny's condition. He does however confirm they purposely targeted Danny and Lydia to see who was important to Scott. Lydia is the winner, hinting that she IS in danger. Before Scott can ask questions, an SVU careens into a car. Surprise, there's no one in it - just a dead butterfly/moth. What? Darach controls electronics as well as insects these days? Trying to help, Stiles explains to his dad that both doctors went missing separately but they are tied to Darach while Melissa identifies the vehicle as Dr. Hilliard's - our dead ER doctor. Scott and Stiles ponder Danny's connection and Scott uses his lovely, fleeting werewolf powers to overhear that a body was found. Duke and the other Alpha Twin end up at the crime scene as Argent watches. So glad he's him back in the fold. Speaking of back, Derek panics as his werewolf intruder alarm goes off. The totally pointless Cora points out the new swastika-ish symbol the alphas spray painted on his window - fastest taggers on the planet. If the music of doom didn't foreshadow enough, Derek helpfully exposits that the alphas are coming that night.
As the sun rises, Melissa awakens to find two werewolf guards sleeping nearby. Awww, Scott and Isaac want to protect her. How sweet! Melissa wakes them up. Scott: "We wanted to make sure you weren't the third sacrifice." Melissa: "But both of you were asleep." Ha! It's cute. Scott and Isaac argue over who was supposed to be on watch and Melissa reassures them that she's not a doctor. Got to agree with Scott here thought because Darach doesn't seem to care about the particulars. Anyone remotely connected will do. Scott: "Yeah but it could just come under any kind of healer mom, and you were definitely a healer last night." Melissa: "Yeah well I'm not going to be anyone's human sacrifice today so both of you get your butts to school." Ha! Love this lady. Besides the previews already proved her right. Surprisingly in science class, EDT is now subbing. Hmm, sub shortage already in the year. I guess having faculty murdered will do that. By the way, Harris' body has not been found which makes him special. Why? Stiles says Darach has changed the method of killing which is also strange. Their speculation on who's next gets interrupted by VetBoss calling to say it's him…cryptically. This would be a good time to GIVE THEM INFO. Instead he very politely tells Scott he's going to be kidnapped, as evidenced by the butterfly swarm, before hanging up. Way to share vital info buddy. You know more than you're telling.
It looks like Scott isn't the only one truant though, as Boyd and Isaac enter Derek's place. Derek calls a Melissa and orders them back to school. Isaac: "Well actually we can't. Boyd and I are…uh, incredibly and unbelievably sick." Derek: "With what? Brain damage." Ha! Oh Derek snark, how I've missed you. Boyd and Isaac have a plan to protect him and Derek's a jerk about it. Did not miss that. Obviously Lydia is not the only Beacon Hills genius; Boyd devised a plan to electrocute Shoeless when she attacks by filling the warehouse with water and a charge. Brilliant. Even Derek agrees. Sadly Scott faces bad news, arriving at work too late to save his boss. Sheriff and Deputy meet him there having been called by Stiles. Sheriff: "Scott, I need you to tell me everything." Agreed. He can't be left in the dark much longer and he already suspects a lot. Scott gives Sheriff the lowdown as Stiles fidgets nearby, but instead of going back to school, the two argue in the back room about whether to tell Sheriff about werewolves. Scott says yes. Stiles isn't sure, bringing up Melissa's initial reaction to the news. Scott counters by saying that coming clean brought them closer, but Stiles says the case is too overwhelming already. Exactly why he needs to know Stiles. Scott: "What if NOT telling him gets someone else killed?" Stiles: "What if telling him gets him killed huh?" Stiles acknowledges Vet Boss' importance to Scott but Sheriff is his only remaining parent. Stiles: "I can't…I can't lose both of my parents alright? Not both of them." Scott: "You're right." Stiles: "No I'm not. I'm not right. I'll tell him." Derek: "I'll help you." Aww. That's two awesome Scott and Stiles scenes in back-to-back episodes. Keep them coming Teen Wolf. Love it.
They leave to tell Sheriff the truth but Duplicitous Guidance Counselor (DGC) is talking to him instead. Scott and Stiles are as surprised that DGC and VetBoss are siblings as I was last week. She seems to read minds too since she tells them Sheriff can't help but Lydia can. Of course, like her brother, she doesn't say how or why. Instead it's back to Lydia and Alpha Twin making out in Coach's office. Seriously people? Yuck! Take the PDA elsewhere or at least pull the shade down. Luckily the fire alarm rings. Unluckily it was Cora who pulled it to get some one-on-one time with Lydia. Cora: "You don't have very good taste in guys do you?" Agreed but Cora annoys with her cartoonish threats. Hope she's the one who dies. Lydia: "Sweetheart, my last boyfriend was a homicidal lizard so I think I can handle a werewolf." Bwah! Sure Beacon Hills isn't the new name for Sunnydale? Still Lydia is far too overconfident for someone being played. Cora grabs her but Stiles tells her to let go. Where did he come from? Oh, the locker room. Ugh, that makes it even worse as a make out session Lydia. Meanwhile, Melissa discusses the case with Sheriff and Scott hears Deucalion tapping in the school music room. Both are more interesting than watching Stiles try to invoke a reluctant Lydia's psychic powers via a Ouija board, psychometry with VetBoss' keys, and automatic writing, none of which work. Lydia: "Oh I don't know the answer. I thought we were asking some sort of spirit." Cora: "Well do you know any spirits?" Lydia: "Is she for real?" Ha! Again great job with the details DGC. Sharing is caring and may even prevent someone from dying. Like your brother.
Down the hall, Scott and Duke chat metronomes, the word of the day. It's a metaphor and SAT lesson. I flash back to Warehouse 13 where Claudia and Pete are tired of cryptic villain metaphor monologues. I agree. Put up or shut up. Duke ominously offers to help find Deaton but Scott's pounding heart tells Duke he's angry. His furled brow and clenched fists are big hints too. Duke fills time by challenging Scott to take away his cane. Why? No clue. Perhaps he's bored or they needed another fight scene. He smacks Scott around a bit but Scott does awesome gymnastics so this filler works right until Duke stabs Scott. Duke: "Impressive, but you know I'm not the one slashing up innocent people, praying to ancient gods, gathering herbs or whatever the hell druids are supposed to do." Bwah! Yeah, you probably weren't on anyone's suspect list. He blathers about Kali wanting Derek dead again, 90th verse same as the first, and says Scott can save either Derek or Deaton, not both. Scott protests but Duke leaves one last clue before strutting off. "Let the current guide you." Not quite the MapQuest version, which would be far more helpful. Also not helping is Stiles' psychic games. He's increasingly frustrated with Lydia but it's not like she can control it. I wouldn't discount her tree drawing though since that was part of a trance before. Important maybe? Cora: "Isn't she supposed to be a genius?" Lydia: "Genius, yes. Psychic, no." More importantly, she refocuses Stiles on Danny. Scott, who rejoins them, agrees with. Why did Darach attack Danny if not as a sacrifice? More questions come when Sheriff and Melissa visit the morgue and agree the doctors were asphyxiated, but no ligature marks on their necks means they weren't strangled. Melissa says it is more like crucifixion, where they are hung by their hands to keeps their lungs from getting air. The victims must pull themselves up to get oxygen and when they can no longer do that, they die within minutes. Alas, Deaton starts to lose the battle as he struggles to pull himself up.
As Derek, Boyd, and Isaac play with electricity, which Boyd hopes will kill the alphas, Stiles, Lydia, and Cora head to Danny while Scott heads to Allison's. She has been surprisingly absent so far. I wish she stayed absent since they end up hiding from her father in a closet while Scott's aroused by Allison's presence. It's pointless and dumb, given that they are talking in a closet with slats while HIDING from a hunter in the next room and banging into the closet every other second. They're as stealthy as elephants would be. Not sure why Allison hides anyway. It's her house. This time would be far better spent watching said hunter actually figure out something about Darach. You know, the guy who actually has ANSWERS. But no. It's Allison and Scott trying to interpret what Argent was doing instead. Ugh! Argent marked up a map with invisible ink to show all the Darach/Alpha events so far. Only thing is he has 12 sacrifices marked but only 9 people have been taken. Since it's not likely he's Darach, he obviously knows something. Perhaps they should ask him. No? Let's hide instead? Big sigh. At least they know where VetBoss' cold body will be dumped. That's something. I guess. Plus the product placement has me craving Twizzlers while the butterfly decorations creep me out. Allison has pinned butterflies in a glass case and Lydia had them painted on her wall earlier. Set foreshadowing anyone? If Danny's hospital room has them, I'm calling foul. Stiles enters, attempting to wake Danny only to freak when he startles. Not sure why he wakes Danny only to tell him it's a dream though. It's counterintuitive. Danny: "Why would I dream about you going through my stuff?" Excellent point drugged Danny. Stiles: "I don't know that Danny; it's your dream. Take responsibility for it. Shut up and go back to sleep." So says the guy who woke him up. Stiles finds a research paper Danny started about telluric currents for Harris' class, proving smart must be in the water in Beacon Hills. Impressive.
Or maybe not. The alphas cut power to Derek's warehouse effectively ending Plan A. Come on Boyd. No backup generator? Disappointing but it means another werewolf fight. Derek's eyes glow as they prepare for Shoeless, who brings her own party treat - EDT. Kali wants a one-on-one fight or the Alpha Twins will snack on their teacher. Derek gestures for Boyd and Isaac to back off and after pure Cheez-Whiz dialogue, the two fight. I'd love for Derek to prevail but we have homework to interpret first. Harris wasn't excited about Danny's project and Scott surmises he knew more than a sacrifice should. Glad they're caught up now. Stiles exposits that Beacon Hills has more power flowing through it than most towns while Scott realizes the markings on Argent's map correlate to currents on Danny's. At last making herself useful, Cora figures out Deaton is in the vault where she was held. Just as they have a plan, Boyd texts Cora to say things are falling apart at Derek's. It's choice time for Scott - and it's baffling. Scott heads to the vault alone while Stiles and Lydia drive Cora to Derek's. This makes sense how? Scott is far better equipped to take on alphas than Cora and they already suspect Lydia has skills in the Darach department. Wouldn't switching be more sensible? They push Scott as the leader but honestly, things don't go much better when he makes plans than they do with Derek in charge. Can't Argent be pack leader without being a werewolf? That's the only time things go right. At least there's an awesome wolf fight. I would pay to watch werewolf Olympics.
Sadly VetBoss is participating in MTV's version of Under the Dome instead. Maybe it's a protest about both shows airing at the same time. Scott attempts to break through but the magic blue dome won't succumb to werewolf powers. Not even with those nifty, red eyes he's sporting. Guess you should have brought Lydia after all, but don't worry because Sheriff saves the day. He shoots a bullet through the dome, which makes me nervous given how disastrous it was on CBS. However, on Teen Wolf apparently bullets can pass where werewolves cannot. He shoots the ropes allowing VetBoss to fall and the mystical dome to collapse. Alas things aren't going well with Derek though. Isaac starts to join in but no dice with the teacher hostage. Luckily, the teen trio arrive and Cora uses her brain instead of rushing the situation. They go to the power box and start flipping switches to restart Plan A. Of course it would've been smart to give the werewolves more advanced warning. Isaac gets a text 3 seconds before the power comes on, allowing him to rescue EDT. Boyd, Derek, and Kali aren't so lucky. Good thing the power's not at full strength though because it knocks them off their feet but then shorts out. Kali commands the Alpha Twins to hold a stunned Derek while she grabs Boyd. The twins force Derek's claws up as Kali throws Boyd on them. Derek kills one of his pack but not by his own volition. Kali warns that he has until the next full moon to join them or she will kill everyone. Man I hope she dies before the midseason hiatus. She's seriously getting on my nerves. They leave Derek trying to cure a dying Boyd, who reassures Derek it was worth it. Boyd flashes to when Erica and he were in the vault, talking about the lunar eclipse. Erica attacked Kali, who killed her. It's unclear whether Derek also saw his memories as Boyd collapses when Cora and Stiles race in. Cora holds Boyd's dead body; Stiles puts a tentative hand on Derek's shoulder. It is very sweet. Derek shakes, distraught.
Jarringly the scene switches to Argent confronting Evil Grandpa about Deucalion. He demands answers yet walks away. Huh? Don’t you have to be there to hear the answers. Oh it's clear now. They needed Argent out of the way so Allison can open the same door 2 seconds later. How convenient. Grandpa surprised she took so long. I'm surprised I'm not losing it since they keep promising answers but never give them. ARGH! At least Deacon's still alive so surely he'll provide answers right? Right? Nope. Sheriff however explains that his phenomenal timing is not mere plot device. He remembered the Celtic symbol on the vault floor. Good for him. VetBoss thanks Sheriff, who goes to call an ambulance. Guess he doesn't know Scott is a werewolf yet. VetBoss tells Scott his eyes glowed red, but instead of filling him in on important things like the crazy druid psycho killer, he confirms suspicion that Scott is indeed a super special snowflake/boy king. Oh joy. Even better, it is the purity of Scott's soul and his superior moral fiber that allows him to bypass traditional routes of becoming an alpha. And now I'm vomiting - no mistletoe needed. He's called a "true alpha," because all the other ones must be false alphas. Could this get any more Hallmark? Blech! Why yes it can. With all the drama of the music blaring in the background, VetBoss delivers the punch line. "Deucalion isn't after Derek….he's after you." Dunh, dunh….ah forget it. Most anticlimactic sentence ever to be declared with swelling music of doom. We already knew this. Because Deucalion said it. Repeatedly. Kali also said it. Heck even Alpha Twin implied it in this episode when confirming they targeted Danny and Lydia because of Scott. (Deep sigh) Thank goodness next episode looks like we will get back story even as I slowly lose hope that we'll make progress on getting real answers before episode 9.
Surprisingly I found this episode better in the original watch than the rewatch. While common with other shows, it rarely happens with Teen Wolf. Certain plot points and logic gaps were more irksome in the 2nd take and scenes like testing Lydia's psychic ability and stealing Danny's paper were less funny. I can't even really mourn Boyd's death because it means future Derek emoangsting. This episode is not bad by any means but it is very uneven. Some parts work really well like scenes with the parents but others are pure filler or poorly done. It doesn't help that I am impatient for them to make real progress on either of the two story lines. I'm sick of the alpha pack constantly kicking Derek's butt since he's an alpha too as well as feeling progress on Darach is being measured out in a thimble. Yes, they did find out where he dumps the bodies, but we're no closer on getting an identity or finding out why. Those are far more important to me. By the way, EDT is coming closer to DGC in my list of head candidates for Darach. Taking over Harris' class presumably at the same time Danny got his paper back is pretty suspicious. Of course that would mean she took 2 of Harris' classes, which wouldn't work if she's still a full-time English teacher. If multiple members of the faculty are subbing for different classes, then perhaps DGC is teaching his physics class, keeping her right at the top of my list. Of course Coach could be filling in too. There are too many suspects so hopefully as Sheriff gets caught up, we can start eliminating some. That's the story I'm excited about. Not yet another boy king tale.
Grade: B-
Best moment - tie - Stiles puts his hand on Derek's shoulder / Scott and Isaac guarding Melissa in her sleep
Best scene - Scott and Stiles debate whether to tell Sheriff the truth about werewolves
Most pointless scene - the closet
Biggest ick - tie - Danny vomits / Scott becomes a werewolf via the superiority of his soul's moral fiber
Biggest "jump in your seat" moment - Darach appears in the rearview mirror
Best reason to watch - werewolf fight
MVP - maps
Most Improved Player - Cora
Biggest question from this episode - tie - Why is Lydia drawing trees and using a kid voice when she does? / What does Evil Grandpa know?
Biggest "what the heck" - spy music playing when Stiles enters Danny's hospital room
Best explanation for the weirdness of Beacon Hills - telluric currents
Person in most need of dying - Kali
Characters who need more screen time - all 3 of the parents - they rocked this episode
Best lines -
Melissa: "Yeah well I'm not going to be anyone's human sacrifice today so both of you get your butts to school."
Isaac: "Boyd and I are…uh, incredibly and unbelievably sick." Derek: "With what? Brain damage."
Stiles: "I can't…I can't lose both of my parents alright? Not both of them." Scott: "You're right." Stiles: "No I'm not. I'm not right. I'll tell him." Derek: "I'll help you."
Alpha Twin: "When in high school has a fire alarm actually been a real fire." Lydia: "That's exactly the kind of thing you'd expect 2 dumba** students to say just before getting burned alive."
Lydia: "Sweetheart, my last boyfriend was a homicidal lizard so I think I can handle a werewolf."
Lydia: "Oh I don't know the answer. I thought we were asking some sort of spirit." Cora: "Well do you know any spirits?" Lydia: "Is she for real?"
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A 10-car pileup has the hospital where Melissa McCall works overloaded and the one ER doctor on duty (say what?) is missing. Again, missing generally = dead on Beacon Hills and in this case it seems he's Darach-dead. Scott brings his mom food but they are interrupted by a patient in pain. Sadly Melissa can't do anything for her until the ER doctor on call gets there. Enter super werewolf power. Scott magically takes the pain away. However unlike last time, it didn't hurt him. Hmm. I was a huge Roswell fan, so let me warn you right now Scott. Letting people know you have these gifts will probably come back to haunt you later. He's interrupted by both Alpha Twin screaming for someone to help Danny and a Mercedes product placement to inform us the on-call doctor is stuck in traffic. Frankly the in-show ad is preferable when Danny starts puking mistletoe all over. Eww. It's obviously Darach but why? Death by mistletoe or a demand for everyone to stop hunting him/her? Either way a vomit warning is necessary before spewing on TV. Danny's lung collapsed, putting pressure on his heart, so neither Alpha Twin nor Scott leaves. Melissa jabs a long needle into his shoulder, turns a plastic knob and voila, crisis adverted. How? Who knows but I think she inflated his lung through his shoulder. If I watched more medical shows, this might make sense to me. Speaking of nonsensical, a swarm of butterflies comes through the ER doc's vents. She's Darach's next target. This would be a great time to brake and get out lady, but no freaking out while driving works too. Hot Hades, was that Darach in her rearview mirror? Now I'm freaking a little too. You're dead Doc, and probably not in a painless, peaceful way.
Alpha Twin: "When in high school has a fire alarm actually been a real fire." Lydia: "That's exactly the kind of thing you'd expect 2 dumba** students to say just before getting burned alive."
