'Teen Wolf' Season 5, Summer Finale: 'Status Asthmaticus'

Last day of summer
It’s the Teen Wolf summer finale, and given past seasons, I knew to expect an action-packed, tear-jerking episode. Thank you Jeff Davis! (Commander in Chief of all things Teen Wolf ) I was not disappointed. This season was packed with ups and down, many hits and just as many misses. Though we saw lots of character development, we were introduced to many plots, but none really run their course. Many episodes have left something to be desired, but not the finale, it…was…amazing! If you haven't seen it, stop reading, go watch!

Things Fall Apart
The super moon has arrived, meaning everything is heightened. Hayden is dying and Scott refuses to give her the bite because he doesn't know whether the bite will kill her or heal her. Melissa McCall tries more conventional means, but she is also unable to help. Another death; Roscoe, Stiles’ car. Roscoe has become a parallel for Stiles himself; they are both rough around the edges, and they can both take a licking, and just keep on ticking. But this time, both Stiles and his car seems like they are beyond repair. Malia attempts to connect with him saying that she’s known about Donovan the whole time, but it didn't matter to her. She hopes it will create a bond between them, but it pushes them further apart. Their relationship cannot work because they are fundamentally different. Malia is all passion and rage, barely batting an eyelash before killing someone, whereas Stiles values lives, he is still haunted by the guilt of Donovan’s death.

Parrish and Lydia continue to get closer. Lydia realizes that they are both drawn to death. After some research she finds out that Parish is a black dog, better known as a Hellhound, a guardian of the supernatural. I gotta say, I do not tire of the introduction of new supernatural creatures. Anytime the bestiary, or any other history books are in play, it is a good time. At the library she is interrupted by Theo who knocks her out with a slap and kidnaps her. Theo then traps Scott in the library using mountain ash. We finally find out the truth about Theo: He is a Chimera. The first Chimera. How did I miss that? I feel as naïve as Scott has been this entire season. Did any of you guys predict this? Theo’s goal is to become the head of the pack, so he must eliminate Scott. He manipulates Liam into coming to the school to kill Scott because Liam, the beta, is the only one that can kill and claim the alpha’s power. Liam is seething with anger and is heartbroken, anger and heartbreak that is only intensified by the supermoon. At first Scott does not attack back because he knows that Liam is being manipulated, but eventually he starts to put up a fight, but he is weak because he had been using an inhaler infused with wolfsbane, an inhaler given to him by Donovan. They fight and Liam almost kills Scott when Mason runs in and tells them that Hayden is dead, snapping Liam out of his daze. Liam leaves to go find Hayden, leaving Mason and Scott at the library.

Answers
Turns out Theo is part coyote, which is why he and Malia have such a strong connection. Malia is planning on killing The Desert Wolf and Theo is more than willing to help. We learn a bit more about Theo; he can become a full coyote at will, something Malia must miss given she spent so long in that animalistic state, and we also learn that Theo is not at all shy about full-frontal nudity, just FYI. After being attacked by a Chimera, Malia is saved by Braeden, Derek’s girlfriend, who warns her that The Desert Wolf is on her way. Does this mean Derek is on his way back too? Derek, please return, you are missed.

While Stiles is at the Sheriff’s office, Parish breaks out of his cell. Stiles follows him and sees him taking Corey’s body. Theo shows up and instead of helping Stiles keep track of parish, he gives him an ultimatum, go save your dying father, or help your best friend Scott. Theo explains to Stiles that all he ever really wanted was his own pack, without Scott. He wants the pack, but only their darker side; Void Stiles, the dark Kitsune, the murderous side of Malia, and the Liam who has anger issues. Stiles is angry and punches Theo a couple of times, as usual Dylan O'Brien gives us some world class acting. Stiles heads off to find his father as Theo returns to the library. Theo is angry that Liam did not finish the job, so he does it himself, putting his claws into Scott’s chest and leaving him dead on the floor. Melissa McCall arrives to find her son's dead body on the floor. In a beautifully shot sequence, we see Melissa holding onto Scott’s body, Liam holding onto Hayden’s corpse, and Stiles holding onto his father’s bleeding body. This season loss has been the motif. Parish arrives to transport Hayden’s body as Melissa tries to wake Scott up. CPR fails, but he wakes up when she punches his chest telling him to wake up and roar, which he does. Scott feels defeated, but Melissa tells him to give the pack what they have lost, hope.

More to Come
Theo is angry because he realizes that the pack will never really be his, so he sticks his claws into Lydia's neck in order to access her memories and locate the nemeton. Theo arrives at the tree, and using a vial filled with liquid from the Dread Doctors’ lab, he resurrects the dead Chimeras; Tracy, Corey, Donovan, and Hayden. He couldn't get the pack he wanted, so he creates his own, a pack of Chimeras, and he is the alpha. He leaves a catatonic Lydia lying of the ground. Though The Dread Doctors have been quiet most of the episode, they show up and remind us that something is coming. Between the gaping hole in the school, the painting on the wall, and their repeated use of the word success, it seems like it's going to be something big.

For the 2nd half of the season, I'm looking forward to seeing progress regarding The Dread Doctors. We need answers then I am ready to move on. I'm excited to meet The Desert Wolf, get more action, and definitely some humor, after such a dark first half, it’s needed. See you in January!

Image courtesy of MTV