Recapturing Teen Wolf: Hurts So Bad

Previously on Teen Wolf… When a kitsune rubs its tails together it can create fire of lightening. Just like Kira did with Barrow. It’s called firefox foxfire. Also Lydia’s hearing things and the Oni were looking for a dark spirit. The dark spirit is Stiles.

It was the night before my heart shatter into a thousand pieces and all through Beacon Hills, not a creature was stirring except for a werewolf named Scott who has been woken by a phone call from his best friend Stiles. Scott is probably thinking something like: “it’s the middle of the night this better be an emergency” but then it is an emergency and it’s turns out that’s not what Scott wanted at all.

No

Stiles breaths Scott’s name with a panicked quiver, he is not okay. Scott immediately pulls himself out of bed, it doesn’t matter what time it is he’s ready to do anything to help his best friend. Stiles doesn’t know where he is, he thinks he was sleepwalking.

Side Note: I am pretty sure my BBF’s have received similar phone calls from me, although they were mostly self-inflicted situations and definitely a lot less dramatic than what Stiles is going through… there is a chance I am making light of the situation because it is too traumatic to deal with, I’m not sure I will make it through this recap. Just a warning.

The phone cuts out and that’s when Scott really starts to panic… and honestly I don’t know if I am going to be able to make fun of this episode because it was seriously traumatizing but I’ll give it my best so don’t say I never give you anything.

Double no.

Anyway, the phone cuts out and Scott desperately tries to call his best friend back but he gets voicemail. He doesn’t leave a message because Stiles doesn’t seem like he’s in the kind of situation that allows him to check his messages. He tries again, no luck. And then Stiles calls back.

Stiles can’t move, he’s let is stuck on something and he might be bleeding. Also it smells really bad and it’s making his eyes water. Maybe his leg has like started to rot or something. I don’t know, how quickly does human flesh rot? I would look it up but I don’t want Google to think I’m a serial killer.

Quadruple no. 

Scott says he’s going to calls Stiles dad – and let’s all bask in the beauty that is the Sheriff knowing about all things supernatural. But then Stiles is like, no don’t call my dad because single parent family feelings and such.

Stiles: He already worries about me too much Scott please.

Scott: What if I can’t find you? Stiles I can’t make a promise like that.

Stiles: No no no just please, please don’t call him. You can do it, he doesn’t have to know Scott You can find me.

Scott: I don’t know if I can do this.

Stiles hangs up the phone again, leaving Scott all lone. It’s moments like these that really remind you that these are kids. They are not equipped to deal with these situations and they shouldn’t have to. It’s a wonder they’re still standing really.

Scott calls for Isaac as he grabs his hoody, there is no times to waste: Stiles is in trouble and they have to find him.

Is he sad because Stiles or sad because woken up?

Isaac: What’s wrong with Stiles?

over dramatic zoom of doom

Scott: I don’t know.

[Emotions intensify]

Lydia is drawing Aiden, at the high school, at night. Seriously Lydia? I wash my hands of the lot of you.

Aiden: Are we even allowed to be there this late? What if security catches us?

Lydia: There is no security. The number of homicides in this school has seen to it that no sane person will ever take a night job here.

Who is that guy?

Oh good, so you recognize that it’s incredibly dangerous but you still chose to do your home work there, late at night, with a werewolf that helped capture and kill two of your classmates. Good to know.

Aiden’s bored, Lydia doesn’t care and neither do I because clearly he’s only there so Lydia has someone to talk to about what’s going on. You could replace him with a Dictaphone except a Dictaphone doesn’t have any gratuitous man flesh. Congrats Aiden, you’re a Dictaphone eye candy; now take off your shirt. 

Lydia: If you’re thinking nude modeling, it’s usually done without the pants.

Zip.

Me, every time a dude drops his pants.

Lydia is not all that impressed but that might be because she is distracted by the voice she’s hearing through the speakers. A voice that no one else can, a voice that sounds a lot like Stiles asking Lydia to find him.

Banshee problems.

Scott and Isaac are rushing off to try to save Stiles when Scott gets another phone call. He wants to know if Scott called his dad – he didn’t he just called Isaac. Stiles doesn’t really care about Isaac because he’s stuck in some kind of industrial basement and it’s freezing. He has to turn his phone off because it’s about to die. Scott does not like this idea, but he recognizes that something is wrong.

Isaac, now is not the time. Down boy.

Scott: Stiles, why are you whispering?

Stiles: Because I think there’s someone in here with me.

DUN DUN DUN… Opening Credits. And I’m already emotionally drained. I need some think to make me feel better, like maybe a slow pan up Arden Cho’s body?

Butt.

Thanks Teen Wolf I knew you wouldn’t let me down.

Kira is on her bed, studying because some people in this town still care about school unlike other teenagers that are all about the traumatic supernatural drama (stay in school kids). She tries to turn on the light, but the bulb is dead so she does what any teenager would do in a similar situation, she calls out to her mom because that’s what mom’s do, they fix things.

You light up world like nobody else. 

But for the all-purpose mom can come in and fix this, Kira reaches out to touch the bulb and it light up because even though she wants to be a good girl and finish her homework the supernatural shit keeps dragging her down. Something strange and possibly dangerous happens so naturally Kira decides to do it again. She reaches out to touch the bulb and it smashes just as he mom walks in.

Magic Mom!

Mrs Yukimura wants to know what happened, Kira says it was nothing but they both know she’s lying. Mrs Yukimura (does she have a first name yet?) passive aggressively changes the bulb and when she touches the bulb there is a pulse of electricity just like Kira’s. Kira sees, Mrs Yukimura sees that Kira sees but neither of them say anything because healthy conversation might prevent future angst. Also no one cleans up the broken glass and it’s really upsetting me because that shit is dangerous.

Oh. 

Scott and Isaac burst into Stiles room – Lydia and that other guy are already there.

Scott: How did you know? Did he call you?

Lydia: I heard it.

Aiden: Don’t ask. It gets more confusing when you ask.

Did you have to ruin the mattress Stiles?

It’s probably not as confusing as Stiles room because he’s detective wall has become more of a 3D sculpture. All the red string – which meant unsolved cases – is tied to a pair of scissors that are stabbed into the middle of Stiles mattress. If there was ever a sign that someone is not right, that is it.

Isaac and that other one start talking about what it could but Lydia’s ignoring them because they don’t matter in this, this is all about Scott and Lydia. Lydia’s all, hold the phone – are you saying that Stiles is out there freezing to death and we’re all standing around chatting about the significance of a red string. Scott looks kind ashamed but they came here to get a better handle on Stiles scent. Lydia gets REALLY mad when Scott shamefully admits that they haven’t called the Sheriff.

But Stiles?

Lydia: Stiles is bleeding and freezing and you didn’t call his dad?

Scott: He made me promise not to.

Stiles.

Lydia does not even justify that with an answer and Scott knows it’s a piss pour excuse. But calling the Sheriff makes all this real and I don’t think Scott was ready to deal with the possibility of losing Stiles. I just love it when Scott and Lydia interact. Lydia is not afraid to tell Scott when his principals are holding him back but at the same time she admires and aspires to be like him.

Scott was going to follow Stiles scent, if he was sleepwalking he can’t have gotten far… except his Jeep is gone. Lydia is 100% over not doing anything so she pulls out her phone.

Lydia: You promised you wouldn’t call his dad, I didn’t.

Scott stops her, he can get Allison and Derek to help (crying because pack feels) but Lydia is not hearing it. That other guy reminds everyone that Lydia only gets these feelings when someone is about to die. Thanks dude your pessimistic attitude is super helpful right now. But it seems to work because Scott’s figured out a loophole in the promise; he can go to the Sheriff station so he doesn’t have to call. Lydia will catch up, she has a feeling the answer is in Stiles room.

Syncronized werewolves.

Lydia: There is something here.

Isaac: Yeah, evidence of total insanity.

Scott: We can figure out what’s wrong with him after we find a way to keep him from freezing.

Good idea Scott, let’s focus on the problem they can solve before tackling the one that probably doesn’t have a solution.

Fuck. NO.

Speaking off the problem, Stiles is in a dark basement with only his phone for light. He looks down at his leg and it’s caught in a trap… this is gross and really traumatic so let’s just say that Dylan is an amazing actor and there’s something the room with him. Something that writes what is supposed to be the Japanese kanji for self on the wall in chalk… it dissolves. Subtle.

It's a metaphor.

From one trauma to the next, the Sheriff learns against a desk and he attempts to compose himself after learning that his only son is trapped where hurt and freezing to death. He takes a breath, puts on his Sheriff face and turns back towards Scott and Isaac. If his Jeep is gone that’s where they start.

More no.

He tells Deputy Parrish – hello Deputy Parish, how you doin? – to put an APB out on a Blue 1980 CJ5 Jeep and he tells other cop – who’s not pretty enough to warrant a name – to look for basements that might fit the description Stiles gave. The Sheriff is all business and if I wasn’t so worried about Stiles I would be seriously turned on right now. They would need to put an APB out on my pants because they are missing.

Business time.

Sheriff: Let’s move fast, let’s think fast.  

The Sheriff pulls Scott and Isaac into his office to ask if there is anything they have to add that they can’t mention to everyone else. You know, werewolf stuff. Scott tells him that Lydia knew Stiles was missing and that she’s working on trying to find him. Also they called Allison and Derek for help… and they found to Jeep so let’s get this search party started.

ROSCOE!

The Jeep is at the hospital and it’s dead. Stiles must have left the lights on. The question is, why would a sleep walking/possibly possessed Stiles go to Beacon Hills memorial hospital. Also does anyone know how much time has passed between the last episode and this one? Sorry, I should know better than to try to make sense of Teen Wolf’s timeline.

Why I am so turned on by this man opening doors?

They enter the hospital and they are greeted by Melissa because she is still the only person that works in this place. Security is doing sweeps of every floor – Melissa takes the Sheriff to the basement and Scott and Isaac follow their nose to the roof. Derek is already there and he’s already combed the entire hospital. Stiles is no longer there.

His Stiles senses are tingling.

Side Note: Thousands of fangirls simultaneously punched the air with the confirmation that Derek knows Stiles scent. Someone needs to create a fanon bingo card, so we can tick things off when they become canon.

Isaac leaves because he is no longer necessary – also someone has to find Allison, he absence is starting to get suspicious. Like really suspicious, or maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part because if there is not a significant reason that’s she’s being isolated from the group I will be seriously pissed off because she should be the one helping Lydia not that other guy.

Anyway let’s all take a deep breath and prepare ourselves for the beauty that is Derek and Scott communicating and working together to find Stiles. Who am I kidding? There is no point trying to prepare, I will never be ready for werewolf brothers. Sobs

Derek, look more in love why don't you. 

Derek: Notice how strong his scene is up here? You ever hear of chemo signals? Chemical signals that communicate emotion. Just our sweat can give off anger, fear, disgust. Take a deep breath, tell me what you feel.

Scott: Stress.

Derek: And anxiety.

The way Scott trusts Derek and listens to him – remember when they were both so angry at each other that they refused to listen – it’s so beautiful. And Derek does have knowledge when he’s not just a ball of pent up aggression and unrealistic expectations. I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Fanon Bingo: Werewolves can smell emotions – Tick!

They don’t know what Stiles was doing up there on the roof of the hospital, but there was definitely some kind of struggle.

BROTHERS!

Scott: With who?

Overdramatic zoom of doom.

Derek: Himself.

Agent Asshole arrives at the Sheriff station – his arm is in a sling. Poor Agent Asshole, no one even cares that’s he’s come all the way back to Beacon Hills to make the son he abandoned forgive him. What is everyone’s problem? It’s not like he’s trying to impeach the town’s beloved Sheriff, sure there are a lot of unsolved murders and suspicious mountain lion attacks. But that’s not the point. The point is that Agent Asshole is an asshole and no one cares that demon ninja’s stabbed him.

Cute, but not cute enough to make me care.

Deputy Parrish is very snarky to Agent Asshole, which is nice but I’m finding it hard to warm to him because they decided to replace a lady of color with another pretty white boy. It’s not your fault Parrish, it’s this shows fault but I am not here for your dreamy eyes because I only have so much love to give and I’m saving in all for the ladies.

Deputy Parrish: You’re not exactly the highest priority of the night Agent McCall.

Agent McCall: What does that mean, what’s the high priority?

FEEEEEEEELLLSSSS

Cut to a picture of Scott and Stiles – in their lacrosse uniforms, which makes me nostalgic for a simpler time. Remember when it was super important that they got to play in the lacrosse game? Those were good times. I miss that ridiculous game that I will never understand (sticks with nets, I mean what?).

Lydia and that other guy are still trying to figure out how to make Lydia’s powers work for them so that can locate Stiles. It’s not going well, especially because that other guy has decided it’s a good time to tease Lydia about Stiles crush on her because Stiles has one of Lydia’s tree pictures framed.

Aiden: He likes you a lot.

Lydia: Maybe he likes the drawing a lot.

Seriously who is that guy?

There’s a note on the back that says “For Lydia” and if that doesn’t scream clue than I don’t even know what they’re doing. But instead of taking a closer look, they ignore it and turn back to the red string installation. Scott messages: Derek is at the school, Isaac has gone to find Allison and Scott is with the Sheriff.

Aiden: And we’re standing in a bedroom staring at walls.

That’s really not useful dude, he is the worst Dictaphone/eye candy ever. He better do something soon, like maybe pluck one of the red strings so that Lydia starts hearing voices again. Good job Dictaphone/eye candy, I take back what I said about you.

String theory? OH I get it. PHYSICS!

Lydia: You didn’t hear that?

Aiden: Lydia I’m not sure anybody hears what you hear.  

Lydia starts plucking strings so she can hear what the whispers are saying – it’s something about a house. Eichen House to be exact. It’s a mental health center. It’s where William Barrow the shrapnel bomber was committed. Lydia is sure that’s where Stiles is.

Well that looks like a bunch of murders waiting to happen. 

Speaking of Stiles, he’s still in that basement with his leg in a bear trap and he’s not looking very well. I would describe it but it hurts. So let’s just do the highlights real again shall we. His phone dies, there’s screaming and crying. Whatever is with him is walking around being generally frightening and speaking Japanese. Let’s just assume, until proven otherwise, that this thing is the nogitsune.

Nope.

Stiles: Who are you?

Nogitsune: Not who are you Stiles, who are we.

It’s cold and Stiles did his fifth grade science report on hyperthermia so he knows he going to die because he’s stopped shaking.

Someone needs a trip to the dentist.

Nogitsune: We’re going to die if we don’t get out of here.

Stiles: Stop saying that, stop saying “we”.

Stiles would leave but there’s a steal door trap on his leg… or is there. The trap switches legs and we know for sure that this is all inside Stiles head.  Stiles is crying and I am crying and everyone is crying. There is just generally a lot of crying happening.

Stiles: What is this? What are you doing?

Nogitsune: We’re trying to save you Stiles. We’re trying to save your life.

Over dramatic zoom of doom.

Welcome to this horror movie.

That’s over for now, back to the search party. The Sheriff arrives at Eichen House where Lydia is waiting. He feels a bit weird about following the whim of a supposedly supernatural teenage girl. But Lydia seems really sure that this is where Stiles is. It’s not really surprising that the mental institution with big scary iron gates is where terrible things happen.

Scott is so impressed. Same, Scott. Same.

The Sheriff walks into the building, you can tell he means business by the way he pushes two doors open at the same time. I’d let him push me open with two hands that’s for sure.

Back at the station, Agent Asshole is actually doing his job by trying to help rather than hinder an investigation. He wants to know if this is an exact transcript of Scott’s conversation with Stiles, I think he’s got a hunch.

Lady Cop thinks Agent Asshole could get it.

A voice comes through – it’s Melissa, she’s come to see if there’s anything she can do. Yes Melissa, you can go back to the hospital because I’m pretty sure that place shuts down when you’re not there.

Lydia runs through the halls of Eichen House and quickly locates the door to the basement, which the Sheriff kicks open – even though he has a super strong Alpha werewolf with him to do that kind of thing. They run down the stairs into a basement that looks exactly like the one Stiles was in, except we know that Stiles was hallucinating. Stiles might think he’s there, but he’s not. The basement is empty and the Sheriff is pretty upset about it. They all look at Lydia.

Ouch.

Sheriff: WHERE IS HE?

Sheriff, I understand you’re upset – I’m upset too – but it’s really not acceptable to yell at the teenage girl that is just trying to help. Lydia is naturally rather distraught about the whole situation, she was so sure that Stiles was here. They walk dejectedly out of the room, but the camera lingers revealing the Kanji for self etched into the wall.

Agent Asshole is in the car with Melissa and he’s explain his hunch and trying to reminisce with her at a completely inappropriate time. 

Agent McCall: The real question might be how do we know he’s not still asleep?

Melissa: You mean he’s been asleep the whole time.

Agent McCall: People who sleep walk do crazy things.

Then he starts talking about the town house and that one night he came home drunk. Melissa questions the “one night” thing, which makes you wonder if Agent Asshole had a problem. Anyway Agent Asshole passed out drunk on the bed but when he gets up to use the bathroom Melissa started yelling at him.

Belle.

Melissa: Because you were in the closet peeing into the laundry basket.

Agent McCall: I thought it was the bathroom.

Melissa: Oh no, you were drunk of your ass.

Agent McCall: But I was CONVINCED it was the bathroom.

Gaston.

The point of this trip down memory lane is that Stiles could be convinced that he’s in a basement, even though he’s not because he’s still asleep. That means he could be anywhere, but Agent Asshole has an answer for that too. One that thankfully does not involve any personal antidotes.

Back in the basement of emotional pain Stiles is being taunted by the nogitsune. He doesn’t understand, which makes two of us and then the nogitsune takes a leaf out of Bilbo’s book and challenges Stiles to a riddle battle.

Fuckbucket.

Nogitsune: What gets bigger the more you take away?

Stiles: A hole.

Nogitsune: What gets wetter the more it dries?

Stiles: A towel.

Nogitsune: When is a door not a door?

Stiles: When it’s a jar.

I remember that one. Fucking Deaton.

Nogitsune: Everyone has it, but no one can lose it.

That’s it Stiles is tapped out, which is disappointing because that one is pretty easy. The Nogitsune moves out of the shadows (see what I did there)… and yeah I’m tapping out of this one. Let’s fast forward to Melissa pulling Stiles out of the Coyote den and cradling him as he screams. She says it’s going to be all right but she is a liar. NOTHING IS ALL RIGHT!

NOPPPPPPEEEEE!

Someone is banging at the door of the Argent apartment and Allison is not happen about being woken up. It’s Isaac, and he’s not happy either because Allison has not be answering her phone. Allison is confused, she never turns her phone off.

Allison is probs evil. 

Phone back on, Stiles is all right (except he’s not, he’s being possessed by an evil Japanese fox demon but everyone including the characters is still in denial about this). But it’s not just messages from Scott – there are also a series a voice mails from an unknown number. Someone saying something in Japanese.

Coincidence? I think not. Subtly is not the Teen Wolf way.

Derek just casually fixing Stiles Jeep like it's a normal thing.

Back at the hospital Derek is jump-starting Stiles car (with the other guy) because they are trying to figure out just how many Sterek fandom breakdowns they can cause without having them in the same room. The answer is a lot, but it would still be nice if they talk to each other sometimes.

Fanon Bingo: Derek fixes Stiles car.

Aiden: So you think he was just sleep walking or is there something more to it?

Derek: In this down there’s always something more.

Right on Derek – also why are you talking to the dude that was incidental in forcing you to kill one of your betas? Whatever, eyebrows. The other dude defied a direct order from Scott and listened in to his super personal best friend convo with Stiles. The one where Stiles told Scott he was the one leaving the messages for Barrow.

Derek is not impressed by that guys accusations against Stiles.

Derek: You think Stiles, skinny, defenceless, Stiles, is the nogitsune… a powerful dark spirit.

Side Note: If you are actually trying to cause Sterek induced heart attacks please continue having Derek say Stiles name. It just sounds so good coming from his mouth.

Aiden: I’m not the only one thinking it, I’m just the only one saying it.

That’s hitting the nail on the head isn’t it? It’s pretty obvious that Stiles is the nogitsune or at the very least he’s involves somehow, but everyone is just avoiding the topic. Using excuses to ignore it because no one wants to contemplate what they might have to do if Stiles is the nogitsune.

BTW anyone that doesn’t think Stiles is one of the most dangerous characters on this show hasn’t been watching closely.

Derek: This thing wants to possess someone and it chooses Stiles? Why not take someone bigger, stronger, someone with a little more…

Spark.

He stops, looks at the jumper cable in his hand – creates a spark.

Derek: Power.

Unacceptable. 

Inside the hospital Scott, Lydia, Melissa and Agent Asshole are waiting for the Sheriff to come back with news. The image of the Sheriff walking towards all the people that love Stiles (plus Agent Asshole), with his head hanging low, is so depressing that I’m crying just thinking about it.

The Sheriff tells them that Stiles doesn’t remember much, it’s a bit like a dream for him. Then he turns to Agent Asshole and says thank you. Agent Asshole tries to brush it off but the Sheriff is having none of that, Agent Asshole helped save his son’s life and that deserves gratitude even if he is an asshole. Agent Asshole insists it was a lucky guess, and it was all down to the repellant they sprayed in the coyote den.

Sheriff: Nah, it was more than that.

Agent McCall: It was a lucky connection.

Sheriff: McCall can you shut up and accept my sincerest gratitude.

Not here for this.

They shake on it and here’s the thing. I might not be hear for any kind of redemption arch but that doesn’t mean I don’t want Agent McCall to be a well rounded character. I like that he’s good at his job, it would have been easy to make him incompetent but that’s a cop out. And just because he’s good at his job doesn’t change the fact that he left Scott, which in my eyes is a completely unforgivable act.

Melissa tells Scott and Lydia to go home, because school is still a thing. Scott grabs Lydia’s hand as they walk off together and it gives me all kinds of shipper feels. I so desperately want them to fall in love but I’ll settle for friends. They both love Stiles so much and it’s breaking my heart watching them realize that they might not be able to do anything to help him.

They fall in love because they love Stiles.

Lydia: I don’t know what happened. I was so sure.

Scott: Yeah, I wasn’t much help either. It doesn’t matter if he’s okay.

Clanging – Lydia’s hearing things again but she’s lost faith in her abilities so she doesn’t tell Scott. They’re both losing faith really, because if they can’t save Stiles, then what’s the point.

Even the locker room can't cheer me up.

Locker room, and I don’t even care about it. Background shirtlessness, whatever. I’m too upset to appreciate gratuitous man flesh. Scott is texting Deaton – in case you were wondering where he’s been during this whole mess. Apparently he’s working on it but I’ll believe it when we see it. This is not the time for cryptic advice, we need some solid answers. We need to save Stiles.

Scott is wandering through the halls, but he’s not all there. He doesn’t even hear Kira when she calls out to him but it’s okay because his werewolf bro has got his back. Derek has just walked onto school grounds again – I guess it happens so often now that everyone just assumes he’s supposed to be there. It’s nice to see Derek back to his old creeping habits though.

Derek finally found a teenager that listens to him.

Derek: He’s a little pre-occupied, but I can help you.

Kira: Why would you want to help me?

Derek: Because I want you to tell me everything that happened at the power station with William Barrow… Actually I want you to show me.

Derek is all about the show rather than tell. Every single time. Predictable. Also I would have a go at Kira for just following the creepy leather jacket dude off school grounds but I guess it makes sense from her perspective. The only thing Kira knows about Derek is that he’s a werewolf that fights with Scott. I guess she figures they’re friends or something, like brothers. *sobs*

Let's pretend he was just really tired after a trip to Disneyland. 

Back at the hospital, the Sheriff and Melissa are watching Stiles sleep. He looks so peaceful, I would much rather keep watching Stiles sleep rather than listening to the conversation is about to happen.

Can we pretend?

I kind of feel like Melissa, because it’s hard to type. I mean how are you supposed to explain to someone that his only son probably has the same illness that killed his wife. The Sheriff already knows of course. He noticed the symptoms, he was just like everyone else trying to avoid the problem because there might not be a solution.

That this never happened.

Sheriff: I think we need to do some tests.

Same, Kira. 

Back at Derek and Kira’s educational field trip – they are at the power station. (Also apparently they had time to stop at Macy’s and pick up a leather jacket because it’s the first time anyone has ever just agreed to help Derek without being a dick about it so he wanted to do something special in return – Kira is now an honorary Hale pack member, let’s hope she fairs better than the others). Kira is trying to remember what happened, but it all kind of looks the same.

Derek spots something – a drag mark on the ground. The mark leads to a power hub with something attached to it, it’s a baseball bat.

Squirrel Stiles 

Derek: It’s Stiles bat.

Derek picks up the bat and retraces it’s path – wait hang on a sec. Is that an aluminum bat? Is he saying that the aluminum bat is magnetized? Okay Teen Wolf, whatever you say.

Derek: Kira, I’m gonna need you to tell me everything you know about foxfire.

This is so bad ass. 

Then he does some eyebrow talking, and luckily Kira seems to speak sassbrow. She turns around to look at the danger, high voltage sign. 

I totally forgot school was a thing.

Back in school – hold up are supposed to accept that Kira was able to skip school without her teacher dad noticing? I guess he’s distracted because Allison and Isaac are playing the mysterious message she got and Mr Yukimura is translating. It’s instructions – all evacuees are required to stand at least 10ft back from outside fences. History lesson: After pearl harbor Japanese American’s were rounded up and put into camps, the man on the message is reading instructions to prisoners upon their arrival.

Allison is so confused, and Isaac looks like he thinks Mr Yukimura could get it.

Isaac and Allison are starting to get excited but then their hopes are dashed when Mr Yukimura informs them that it’s fake. There was no internment camp named Oak Creek in California (and there’s no way it could have come from outside California because no one outside of California exists). Also “Oak” Creek – again with the subtly Teen Wolf, you blow me away.

In the hall Lydia and Scott are bonding over their mutual love for Stiles – nothing brings people together like a tragedy. Scott wants to know if Lydia is okay and if she wants to come to the hospital to see Stiles with him later. Lydia’s hypersensitive to sounds and she just wants to go home.

Scott cares about his pack.

Scott: Are you sure you’re okay?

Lydia: Yeah, I’ll text you later.

Lydia is having a bad day.

Bangs and clangs and there’s that damn physics book again. Is it the only book the prop department has or something?

No.

Some time later, at the hospital, Stiles, his dad, Scott and Melissa are standing around an MRI as a technician explains what’s about to happen.

Technician: I’m not sure I know how to pronounce this or if it’s not actually a miss spelling.

Sheriff: Just call him Stiles.

No no no.

Names are important. Let’s think about that – there’s all kinds of law about the power of names, so maybe this is foreshadowing, maybe it’s Stiles real name that will save him… and no I don’t want to talk about what’s happening because it hurts. A lot. And not in a: “I’m watching TV and I have feelings hurt”. It just hurts. For real.

It’s quite and somber and there is no escaping the stark white room. The technician is speaking but no one is listening because they have reached the point where they can’t pretend this isn’t happening anymore. There are not more distractions, no more excuses. Just the truth, and the truth hurts. 

Sheriff: Hey we’re just on the other side of what window. Okay?

Stiles: Okay.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!

Nope. Not okay. The Sheriff smiles and Stiles pats him on the shoulder. They are both comforting each other. Did I mention I’m not okay? The Sheriff and Melissa leave the room with the technician, leaving Stiles and Scott alone. The way Scott is not looking at Stiles hits way too close to home. He wants to hide and I want him to be able to, but there is no avoiding this conversation. Not any more.

asdfghjkl;

Stiles: You know what they’re looking for right?

Scott kind of half nods. Still not looking at Stiles.

Stiles: It’s called frontal temporal dementia. 

Scott finally looks towards Stiles.

Stiles: Area’s of your brain start to shrink. It’s what my mother had. It’s the only form of dementia that can hit teenagers… There is no cure.

…

Scott is crying.

Scott: Stiles, if you have it, we’ll do something.

Scott looks Stiles in the eye.

Scott: I’ll do something.

Stiles looks at Scott and nods.

..........................

You know what’s happening here right? I think it’s pretty obvious but in case you can’t see through the tears – Scott is offering Stiles the bite, and Stiles is saying yes. That is such a HUGE thing for both their characters because it basically goes against their greatest convictions. For Scott, turning someone into a werewolf is probably the worst thing he could do and Stiles has already made his decision. If this ends up happening it will affect them both in ways that they will never recover from. But in this moment, it’s clear to both of them that it’s better than letting Stiles die the same way as his mother.

They hug and it’s not a TV hug, it’s a real hug. The hug is so real that it’s hard to forget that this isn’t real because it feels real. Let me tell you the gasping sobs that I let out were very real. And they lingered on that hug for longer than was necessary so there was no escape from the emotions… I think I have to go have another lie down now.

Derek’s Toyota pulls up at the hospital – he and Kira jump out but Derek stops when Kira doesn’t follow him into the hospital. She doesn’t really want to be the one that tells her potential boyfriend that she might have accidently helped Stiles get possessed. Derek’s like fair enough, he figures Scott can’t hate him any more than he did before so he might as well be the bearer of bad news. (Or maybe he just wants some alone time with Scott).

She's so cute in her leather jacket.

Kira: I don’t know if I should go in. You’re gonna tell Scott that Barrow might have used foxfire created by me to jump start the nogitsune’s power inside Stiles.

Derek: Yeah.

Kira: Basically that I helped a dark spirit take control of his best friend.

Derek: You should probably wait here.

He is going to hold onto her and never let go.

Hands up who wants them to be friends? Because that is something I would very much like. In fact, I request lots of Kira/Derek friendship fics please. I need something nice and fluffy to make it through this season.

Awkward Stiles.

Stiles is alone in the MRI as the technician tells him not to move – I’ve had an MRI and the technician did the same thing to me and I ended up stuck in a really uncomfortable position because I was too scared to move. I was also completely freaking out because I was sure I had forgotten to take something out of my pocket and it was going to kill me. It’s not a pleasant experience let me tell you.

Stiles is giving her a head ache even when he's not around.

The clanging begins and it’s the same clanging that Lydia is hearing. Even turning up the radio can’t drown it out.

Scott and Derek (cries because they’re brothers now) are sitting in the waiting room, waiting. Because you do a lot of waiting when someone you love is sick. It’s really just all waiting. They try to distract themselves from the Stiles trauma by focusing on their burgeoning brotherhood. Scott’s all: “remember when you wanted to be my brother but I was kind of a dick because I had werewolf issues. Maybe we could try that again like when you taught me about anger controlling the shift.”

*sobs* they're brothers now *sobs*

Derek: I think you ended up teaching me more about that.

And the teacher becomes the student. Awwwww. Scott smiles and it’s a moment of sunshine in the storm of despair that is this episode.

Scott: Are you teaching me again?

Derek: Think of it more like sharing a few trade secrets.

Cora info: She went back to South America, where she spent most of her time after the fire. And that’s basically all the info we’re gonna get about this ring in character that only existed because Jeff Davis was too lazy to come up with a real solution for Gage’s departure. Oh 3A. What even were you?

Anyway, Derek didn’t even leave for his only surviving family member (Uncle Creepier doesn’t count), no he actually left because he wanted to talk to a dead one.

Love.

Derek: I needed to talk to my mother.

Scott: Your dead mother?

Derek: She told me something that changed my perspective on a lot of things. She said my family didn’t just live in Beacon Hills, they protected it. This town needs someone to protect it, someone like you.

Scott: And someone like you to teach me a few trade secrets.

Eyelashes.

I think my insides just exploded out through my heart. Look at the communication. Look at the respect. Look at the smiles and the love and the brothers. Don’t look at me.

Fanon Bingo: The Hale’s were protectors of Beacon Hills.

Wait – Scott’s having a realization. I love it when he has a realization because his face does this thing where it like scrunches up then expands.

Scott: He was trying to protect us. Stiles was protecting us.

Derek: From himself.

What did Stiles do that he needed to protect people from? Why did he hide himself somewhere that he knew Scott would not be able to find him? This is not good. Not good at all.

Confused Scott.

They run back to the roof because Stiles wasn’t just struggling with himself, he was struggling not to do something. Scott spots something on top of the electricity box thing. It’s bag of tools including some wire cutters. They look up – a live electricity cable has been cut and is sparking dangerously.

More banging, Lydia cannot handle it. It’s getting louder and louder like it’s building to something and then Lydia screams, but no sound comes out. Not sure if that’s an artistic choice by the director but I’m going to assume it’s significant to the plot until proven otherwise. 

More banshee problems.

The technician is looking at the scans of Stiles brain, it’s pretty clear from his face that the prognosis it not good. Yup, that is definitely the face of someone that has to inform a parent that their child is dying.

Oh shit.

Stiles is showing signs of atrophy. If you want to feel even worse consider that the Sheriff has probably had this exact same conversation before, in this exact same room. Only last time he wouldn’t have understood what it meant, last time he would have had to listen to the slow, confusing explanation. This time he knows right away, Stiles is dying.

Melissa looks away and to be honest, I want to look away too because the way the Sheriff looks towards Stiles is breaking my heart in ways that I didn’t know was possible.

There is no way I describe how upsetting this is.

Stiles is still alone in the MRI and he’s starting to freak out. He closes his eyes and when he opens them he’s in a dream. He’s still in the MRI room, but he’s no longer alone, the nogitsune is with him.

Someone needs to wipe the screen. 

Nogitsune: Have you figured out my riddle yet? If you answer correctly we might consider letting them go.

Stiles: Letting who go.

There are tears in Stiles eyes, he’s losing control. He’s not going to be able to hold on for much longer.

Fuck that guy.

Nogitsune: Your friends, your family, everyone who ever meant something to you. We’re going to destroy all of them Stiles. One by one.

One perfect tear.

Stiles: Why?

Nogitsune: Everyone has it but no one can lose it. What is it?

Listen fuckbucket, it doesn’t matter how many times you repeat the question Stiles still won’t know the answer… and wait, he’s removing the bandages, I think it’s time for the big reveal. The nogitsune’s voice changes, it’s now very familiar. Stiles stops panicking because this is it, he’s lost. He knows the answer to the riddle because he’s the one that asked it: everyone has it but no one can lose it.

Stiles: A shadow.

The nogitsune pulls off the final bandages to reveal: STILES! Well it looks like Stiles but it’s quite clearly not Stiles and everyone watching is now feeling really guilty about being attracted to this.

I should hate you but I also want you naked.

Now people have been creaming over Dylan’s performance since the episode aired and I don’t have anything to add to that really. It’s just, we’ve been screaming about this kid since the pilot (he was so new that he looked down at his mark), and everyone just assumed it was because we thought he was hot. Don’t get me wrong, Dylan is gorgeous but Teen Wolf is hardly lacking in the hottie department (Hoechlin is quite possibly the most attractive person that has ever existed). What makes Dylan stand out is his talent – and he’s got a lot of it. Next time anyone accuses me of thinking with my lady parts when I say Dylan is one of the most talent actors of his generation I am going to show them this episode and laugh in their faces.

His eyes follow you where ever your move.

Stiles opens his eyes, still lying in the MRI – but it’s not Stiles anymore, you can tell by his eyes. Shadow!Stiles moves his head – but it’s not like Stiles, every movement is intentional. Every little thing oozes confidence in a way Stiles never could.  

The lights flicker – and go out for a moment but it’s long enough because when the Sheriff looks back into the room Stiles is gone. Only he doesn’t know how far he’s gone.

I'm blinded by beauty.

On the roof the electrical cable snaps and causes an exposition – lighting up Scott and Derek’s faces like they are priceless works of art. The cable starts flying everywhere, like a snake waiting to strike. It’s probably going to hit someone before the episode is over.

The power is out and everyone is in a panic except Shadow!Stiles who is just calmly tying up his shoelaces. He wanders casually into the hallway watching everyone run past him until he is left alone. It is so incredibly creepy to see Stiles body being so still. Stiles is never still.

Why do dramatic meeting always happen in the hospital elevator?

The lift opens to reveal: Mrs Yukimura (she really needs a name okay). Shadow!Stiles turns around slowly and deliberately. They nod in greeting because they’re polite like that.

Oh hey Magic Mama. 

Mrs Yukimura: You know me.

Shadow!Stiles nods.

Mrs Yukimura: Then you remember that I won’t be deterred by your choice of host, even if it’s an innocent boy.

Shadow!Stiles: Are you threatening us?

So very attracted to Shadow!Stiles.

Chills, I have actual chills when I heard him say that. The use of plural is fantastic because it forces you to recognize that Stiles is part of this. It doesn’t let you compartmentalize. These are not two different entities they are tied to each other and that is terrifying. Also get your fanon bingo cards out

Fanon Bingo: Demon!Stiles usual plural pronouns.

Two of the Oni appear next to Mrs Yukimura – but Shadow!Stiles does not seem all that bothers. In fact he seems kind of amused.

What is their band name?

Mrs Yukimura: Now I’m threatening you.

Shadow!Stiles: We’re not really afraid of your little fireflies.

I guess not seeing as he got rid of the last one’s pretty easily. Shadow!Stiles figures if that’s all Mama Yukimura has to offer then he can probably leave  but she wants to have the last word.

Mrs Yukimura: If the Oni can’t defeat you. I know someone who will.

Shadow!Stiles seems a little more interested by that but he’s still not exactly quaking in his sand shoes.

Saviour? 

Cut to Kira, who is still waiting out the front of the hospital. This seems to suggest that Kira is the one that will defeat the nogitsune (or whatever is in Stiles). That is certainly going to drive a wedge between her and Scott. Even Allison didn’t try to hurt Stiles, that’s taking things too far.

Kira sees the explosion on the roof and then watches as the live electrical cable swings directly towards her…

To be continued…