'Teen Wolf' 5x5 recap: 'A Novel Approach'

The Sins of Our Fathers
The episode begins right where we left off last week. Stiles car has broken down, and Donovan attacks Stiles him from behind. Donovan is no longer just a teenage delinquent, The Dread Doctors have turned him into a Chimera, a creature that is composed of the parts of multiple beings. Donovan now has yellow eyes with no pupils, fanged teeth, and gaping mouths that open on any part of his body.

Stiles puts up one hell of a fight, using a wrench to fend off Donovan’s first attack. He runs into the empty school, but Donovan follows. It has been a mystery as to why Donovan had such hatred for Sheriff Stilinski, and while Stiles is hiding, Donovan tells the story of how his father used to be Sheriff Stilinski’s partner. His father was shot and became paralyzed from the waist down, while his partner, sheriff Stilinski was calling for backup from his car. This is why Donovan is taking Theo’s advice, hurting Stiles, as a means of hurting the Sheriff.

Under the impression the Donovan is headed upstairs, Stiles tries to escape, only to be caught by Donovan. Stiles then attempts to climb up a metal structure, but Donovan grabs onto his legs, telling him that he doesn't want to kill him, he just wants to cripple him. Stiles manages to pull a cord, releasing part of the metallic structure, forcing pieces of it to go careening down, with one of the metal bars going right into Donovan’s chest, killing him, and just like Tracy, a metallic substance pours out of his dead body. For a moment it seemed that Stiles was going to attempt to remove the metal bar from Donovan’s body, maybe giving him a chance to heal, but there is a cold look in his eyes, and he decides to leave it there. Was Donovan beyond help? Do you guys think I'm reading too much into such a tiny moment?

Nothing’s Making Sense
Stiles dials the police, but says nothing. Just before he’s about to leave the building, he grabs his vibrating phone, which was still in Donovan’s pocket, then jumps into his car and moves it out of sight before the police arrive. Stiles is visibly shaken, teary eyed and breathing heavily as he watches the police at the scene. He puts on his police scanner, and to his surprise, he hears that the cops haven't found anything/anyone at the scene.

Scott is worried because Kira is speaking Japanese in her dreams, and last week during the fight with Lucas, the scorpion, she had almost killed him, when she turned into the electrified Kitsune, and for a brief moment, the human her almost faded away completely, being replaced by the fox. There is something in Kira that is trying to come out. Later on in the episode, Kira asks Scott to look at her with his werewolf eyes, and when he does, he sees that the electric red fox is present. But he doesn't tell Kira, and she already seems on edge.

Stiles is frustrated, trying to figure out what the hell is happening. He is curious as to who took Donovan’s body, and he gets a call from Scott telling him that Tracey’s body is also missing, it was taken from the animal clinic, and Lucas’s body is also missing from the hospital. Someone has been stealing all the dead Chimera bodies, and unbeknownst to them, that someone is Parish. We’ve finally been able to identify the new creatures visiting Beacon Hills this season, but Parish is still a mystery.

Novel? Series? Prediction?
Malia found the book “The Dread Doctors”, and they are all trying to figure out who/what they are. The book was dedicated to Dr. Valack, yes the scary dude from Eichen house, with the third eye. Turns out Theo planted the book and is communicating with The Dread Doctors, telling them that the pack is headed to Eichen house later than night.

At Eichen house, only Stiles and Lydia are able to go all the way in to see Dr. Valack as Kira and Scott are unable get past the mountain ash that surrounds the cells of the patients/prisoners. Hate to be this guy, but isn't Lydia a supernatural creature now, or does a Banshee not count? Serious question. Dr. Valack wrote the book under a pseudonym because he was respected and didn’t want it to be known that he authored such a book, but also because no one believed him. He explains that the Dread Doctors were once human scientists that were obsessed with the supernatural. They found a way to prolong their lives, and disappear, making people forget they were ever there. Dr. Valack tells them that The Dread Doctors have returned because the pack unlocked the power of the Nemeton. This has all happened before. At the asylum, Kira begins to lose control of her electric currents, knocking out the lights, also knocking out the electric field that surrounds the prison and keeps the most dangerous supernatural prisoners from leaving. Because of this, the Dread Doctors walk into the unguarded Eichen house.

In exchange for a recorded Banshee scream, Dr. Valack tells them that the book was designed as a tool that would trigger the memory of anyone who had ever encountered The Dread Doctors. All they had to do was read the book in order to trigger its power. Lydia and Stiles hide as The Dread Doctors pull out Dr. Valack’s third eye. Scott manages to carry Kira out of harm’s way, even as she electrocutes him, sending vaults of electricity through him. Scott finally tells Kira that he loves her, acknowledging that he meant it when he had said it at the club.

Everything’s Changing
While the pack was headed to Eichen house, Malia refused to go for obvious reason, it’s an asylum full of supernatural psychopaths. She stays at the library where Theo joins her and offers to let her drive his car for practice. While in the car, Malia begins to speed when she becomes overcome by the memories of her family’s car accident. She recalls that her mother, “The Dessert Wolf”, shot at the car, causing the accident. Malia is the only one who has read the book, that may be why the memory came back so vividly this time. Though it’s unclear whether Theo’s intentions are good, let’s face it, they probably aren’t, there is no denying that there is something between him and Malia. Good timing because it seems that Stiles feelings for Lydia are coming to the forefront again. Even Scott acknowledges that Stiles still has feelings for Lydia.

The episode concludes with Dr. Valack using the recorded scream he received from Lydia to break the glass. After getting glimpses of Dr. Valack last season, it will be great to see his character develop. Wonder who the Dread Doctors are going to give Dr. Valack’s third eye to?

Let’s not forget, Stiles was wincing earlier in the episode. When Donovan first attacked Stiles, he bit him on the shoulder. I wonder how it’s going to affect Stiles. He has been the only human in the pack for a long time, is he finally going to join the realm of the supernaturals? I am also curious to see how is going to deal with somewhat causing Donovan’s death. Is he going go at it alone and unravel, or will he share what happened with his friends?

I want to step out of the Teen Wolf universe for a second to point of how phenomenal Dylan O’Brien is as an actor. The opening scene of this episode was great, but nothing beats Dylan’s portrayal of Stiles possessed by the Nogitsune. He fully embodies who “Stiles” is, forcing me to suspend my disbelief. In my humble opinion, actors/shows that are geared towards a younger audience don’t get enough love, when they undoubtedly deserve it.

The Dread Doctors. The Chimeras. I’m excited by the direction this season is taking.

See you next week!

Image courtesy of MTV