This episode was bonkers. First there was the opening sequence, which featured Lydia having more than a little bit of power on her side, using sonic screams and martial arts to take down a bunch of Eichen House guards/doctors. Then the return of Aiden (?) and an appearance by Scott’s old best friend, Mike Montgomery. Oh I mean … Theo. Combined with some majorly emotional initial inscribing, I walked away from the season five opener with tear stained cheeks and a bunch of little question marks floating around my head.
Since the episode is a two-parter, this hour had a lot of set up. Liam is in control, but still learning. Derek is … nowhere to be seen (but not gone forever, Jeff Davis promised). Malia is living happily with her adopted father, who seems unsurprised by her super strength. Kira and Scott are still bad at communicating, but ultimately a good pair. Lydia was essentially AWOL, except for popping up in a sort of fever dream to almost-kiss Parrish. And Stiles, good old Stiles, the heart of the show, is making plans for the future where his pack stays together for college.
Of course after a conversation that exactly mirrors one Seth and Ryan have in the O.C. episode titled “The Pot Stirrer,” where they are concerned things have been too quiet for too long, a new Big Bad is revealed in the form of a man who lives in a wall, is covered in goo, and has glowing blue claws. And he’s after our True Alpha.
Search me, I have no idea what he is, but it’s clear he is merely a pawn in the games of three eerie doctors, who keep their faces covered and do not give second chances. Despite a great fight scene that featured – and this is important – A BELT SWORD from Kira – Glowing Claws doesn’t appear to complete his mission, and is terminated. And a bunch of crows (ravens?) fly out of his chest. Yikes
Finally, Our Heroes make it to the big event at the high school, which is to sign your initials on a shelf in the library. It appears to be a right of passage, as Stiles spots Derek’s initials from an earlier batch. I’ve never seen such a simple act create so much emotion – as Malia struggles to decide whether to consider herself a Tate or a Hale (and lands on Tate), and Scott steps up to do his Alpha duty by making us all cry. He simply writes the initials A.A. underneath his own, in memory of his first girlfriend and fallen member of their pack, Allison Argent. The friends have a moment of silence in her honor. The viewers at home are gasping between sobs.
Then, the true sucker punch. Lydia in Eichen House, the Lydia with incredible powers, is in the present. Senior year is a distant memory – one that is apparently full of tragedy. Melissa McCall slaps Sheriff Stilinski, Malia is seemingly attacked by her mother The Desert Wolf, Kira leaves town … and there’s a flashback of Stiles hanging limply from his upside-down Jeep.
What the hell happened to Scott’s pack during their final year of high school? Who are these evil doctors? Where is Derek? WHAT IS PARRISH? All this and more, in the subsequent nine episodes of season five. Stay tuned, Wolf Pack.
Best Line(s)
“Fun like bowling? Or fun like sex with other guys?” – Malia Tate
“What’s at midnight?” – Liam Dunbar
“Your bedtime.” – Stiles Stalinski