60 Teen Wolfs in 60 Days: day 56, Time of Death

[hth]

Excellent callback to/reminder that Stiles is a big liar about the spooning. This scene works well as a little metaphorical encapsulation of their relationship, jostling awkwardly to get comfortable, Malia a bit impatient, Stiles a bit overly fussy, but eventually settling into something that feels cozy.

 

I can't tell if it's an intentional parallel or not, but I find it interesting that McCall uses the same language the Argents do – of being without emotion, like Allison remembered Victoria saying during her “Frayed” freak-out, and of “compartmentalizing” in order to deal with death, which I'm fairly sure was the exact wording Chris used with Isaac. I really like how consistently they've run this through-line in the series about Scott's – I don't want to say “frailty,” because that sounds far more pejorative than I mean, but this gentleness to his character that keeps him at arm's length from most of the Older Male Role Models in his life – his father and Chris and Derek, all of whom are more traditional proponents of the whole “his anger makes him strong/dangerous” and “I'll do what I have to do” schools of action-heroing. Four seasons on and a pack of his own, Scott still isn't that guy, and it's interesting to watch him struggle with the fact that they don't have any advice he can really use to deal with his problems, so he's on his own.

 

Aw! I don't think I clicked when I first saw it that the doctor who “fails to resuscitate” Scott is Liam's stepdad, and I definitely didn't catch that he's almost in tears while he's rallying himself to tell Melissa. Does that guy have a name? I like him. (Also, is it just me, or does that flashing “Asystole” on the monitor look like a flashing red “Asshole” to other people?)

 

I was all geared up to be so pissed at all of them for not telling Melissa, but happily that turned out to be a waste of effort. I bet the whole thing was cathartic for Melissa, actually. She's been spending a whole year trying really hard not to just start screaming her head off, probably.

 

I am cribbing this observation from a friend who has older siblings, but she's so right: Derek's “You cheated! That's cheating!” is an extremely little-brother-in-a-big-family thing to say. How many thousand times do you think he's said that, in that exact tone of voice, to Peter alone?

 

Scott's nightmares are just Scott's nightmares, really, but I think he is probably onto something about the “becoming more of a werewolf.” I know the rules don't seem to be standardized in this universe, but the creature that Peter shifted into in s1 wasn't startling to the Argents, and the fact that they could easily visually distinguish between him and the betas implies that his form was a, if not the, recognizable alpha-form. Presumably Scott will continue to take an increasingly Wolfman-like shifted form, graduating from funny sideburns to whatever the hell that thing was as he levels up. Which I could see being even more than usually disturbing, since it would both disrupt his sense of his own humanity and on top of that, feel like a connection to Peter. And no one wants that.

 

I'm not an expert on guns, but I know enough to be pleased that they got this tactical advice right. Attention, people like my mother-in-law who insist on keeping a handgun in your purse for “protection”! Unless you plan on identifying a deadly threat while he's still across the street and taking a shot at him, you cannot use that gun to defend against an attacker, because it is not a close-range weapon! You will get beat down and get your gun took, as we say here in the South.

 

You know, Derek, it's really a sad commentary on your life that “amoral hired killer” is such a huge step up for you, but nevertheless, it is a huge step up for you. So congratulations on finally banging someone who's more likely to kill your enemies than your friends, marginally!

 

And once again, Stiles is the biggest fucking badass on this entire show, because he steps toward Kate. Toward. Just roll that around in your head for a bit.

 

Pretty good episode, all in all. I appreciate that one of the other ways this season has rolled back around to resembling s1 is that there's more Scott in it than 2 and 3. I mean, obviously he's around a lot in those seasons, but I feel like they didn't hinge very much on his conflicts and his choices; he serves as more of a rallying point for this dysfunctional extended family to crystallize around. But at this point he's back in the protagonist's role, coming at the same basic question of s1 from the position of an alpha instead of a child: what kind of werewolf is Scott going to be?

 

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Comments

[green_grrl]

I think that Scott gets his best advice from his mom ("your first love won't be your only love," "maybe you can be your own anchor," etc.). And I love that he's totally down with that and not so quick to latch onto macho role models that don't fit him as well.

Personally, I call Liam's dad Dr. Hot Stepdad.

At least Braeden is honest? I like them together as a temporary "this is a hot, healthy, no-strings thing" kind of a relationship for the season.

[hth]

Scott definitely has such a great relationship with his mother! I think it's telling that the only character on the whole show who ever makes any noise about Scott being deprived of a father figure -- is Harris, who is manifestly terrible. I think we're meant to see it as a douchebag sentiment from a douchebag, and nothing that Scott would ever agree to.

I do think Chris and the Sheriff are good influences in Scott's life, but they're very different from him; they're not "role models" for Scott just because they're male. He values them, but it's not possible for Scott to *be* them even if he wanted to be, which he doesn't! Actually, if he looks up to anyone as an example, I like to think it's Deaton -- I bet Scott could picture himself someday being that kind of grounded, centered person who helps ground and center the people around him.

I like Braeden well enough. I do think she came along at a good time in Derek's life; he needed someone through all this who isn't a werewolf but also isn't freaked out by werewolves.

[green_grrl]

Another plus with Braeden is that when trouble inevitably comes after Derek (bless his star-crossed cotton socks) she'll be a fighter, not a victim.

(Sorry about the cumulative novel I wrote in your posts!)