Teen Wolf Review: Master Disaster
At the end last summer, I said that "we may all be in for a whole lot of fun" in regard to Teen Wolf's second season. It's certainly safe to say that fun was had by all who watched this highly entertaining and very much improved season two.
"Master Plan" was a great end to the run, as it gave viewers highlights from most of our favorite characters, plenty of action towards the end, a few scares, a surprise or two - and a great tease of things to come in next year's super-sized season three.
Teen Wolf did what it does so well over the first 30 minutes or so. It kept things tense while leading to an epic event. As the story progressed toward the battle royal, there was a lot of attempting to figure out what exactly was going on, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire way through.
Although the tension remained high, the moment between Stiles and Lydia in his room was so tender that it deserves its own mention. Holland Roden was fantastic. She really does prove to do more with a shiver than most can do with a five-minute monologue. Too bad for us Stiles fans, he pushed his 10-year plan back to a 15-year one due to his blow up late in the conversation.
Eventually the entire gang got together for the war... and it was awesome! Well, other than Gerard's "bringing Derek to meeeeeee" overacting and the fact that the kanima looked more like a kid in a lizard Halloween costume than ever before, it was awesome!
Watching the wolves take on the kanima for the final time was glorious. Seeing Chris get in on the action, and even Allison ripping it up, made it live up to the promise of a season finale.
Once Gerard took the floor, though, that's when things really got interesting. We finally got a confirmation on those dang pills he has been popping. Gerard was dying, a much slower version than most on this show, but he certainly was dying. The pills weren't a cure, so his master plan, if you will, was to become a wolf and let the supernatural elements heal his disease.
Oh, you poor old man. Why didn't you expect our boy Scott to outsmart you? Is it because you're so old? Or was it that you didn't expect much from that good for nothing teen? With the help of the vet, Scott did Gerard dirty, causing the bite to make him spit up copious amounts of black stuff (which was also a pretty awful effect).
Unfortunately, Gerard isn't definitively gone. He got away somehow, and if he survives this, I will be very upset. You shouldn't be able to come back from that.
Fortunately, Jackson isn't gone either. Although we questioned whether he was alive at the end of last week, and again a couple of times during this episode alone, getting a double slice from the Hale brothers only seemed to turn him from kanima to wolf. That transformation, by the way, was gorgeous. And that's not only because Colton Haynes' naked silhouette is a sight for sore eyes.
Now I welcome all explanations for why and how Jackson became a wolf at that point in time. He took the bite a while ago, it didn't work, and he somehow became the kanima. After an attempted transformation, and a couple of near deaths, a stab from both Derek and Peter sent him out of commission for a few minutes. He then rose again as a beautiful wolf. I'm all for it, because the flashbacks of his humane self were a breath of fresh air for the character, but I will wait eagerly for a clear explanation of why it all went down the way it did.
As exciting as the climax of the final battle was, the quazi-epilogue might have been even more interesting. Allison broke up with Scott and he was fine with it, the vet and the guidance counselor seem to be jumping into the game with both feet, and there is a pack of alphas in town to take out all of our favorite wolves.
It will be a long time before we get to witness all of that, but thankfully Teen Wolf will be doubled in size for season three. What story line are you looking forward to most? What was your favorite part of the season two finale? And what's your explanation for everything Jackson went through this summer?
Dan Forcella is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow him on Twitter.
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Derek: He's turning into that? That has wings.
March 18th, 2013 5:49 PM
Jackson is now Roy on Arrow... so he's out.
I kinda like the small episode numbers though.... a lot less crap gets made
March 14th, 2013 11:37 AM
So much going on in this episode it was a little rushed. Lots of things introduced and not too much expanded on. The pill swap was phony LOL.
After Grandpa was bit what was the black stuff? I appeared he was going to die but he was still up and talking shit. Could the black stuff be the cancer leaving his body? We know he will be back bigger and stronger. Maybe he will be with the pack of Alpha Wolves?
I expect Jackson to be very focus now that he is free but what direction will he go in?
Hopefully season 3 starts off with some good development.
October 18th, 2012 2:30 AM
To anyone that asks why Derek can't turn into a beast like Peter;
Why is the absense of his actions indicative of an inability?
September 28th, 2012 7:25 AM
who ever wrote the original clearly didnt realise that they explained why jackson turns into a werewolf after dealing with the things from his past e.g. the love he never felt from his real parents but recieved from lydia
and as for jackson having blue eyes as far as im aware there hasnt been an explanation people who say its the omega's colour clearly dont pay attention as you find out Scott was an omega after leaving Dereks Pack in season 1 and also pointed out again by alisons mum before she dies but at that moment in time he was part of dereks pack
and yes special effects were terrible and the gerard plot was easy to see coming he was popping pills almost every episode it wasnt hard to work out something was up with him
September 19th, 2012 5:43 AM
Scott n allison should end up together cos a main character like scott shouldn't end alone.stiles should be given his soul partner if he cannot get lydia.scott in my own view is lyk a weakling who can't make his decision wit stiles witout consulting derek,he should be strong n be able 2 witstand any difficulty.
August 24th, 2012 1:49 PM
Only got to watch the finale now. I loved this episode, it was kind of emotional. Not too much action, because this was the end and we needed answers more than anything else. I cried when Jackson had that flash back, but also because it meant he still loves Lydia and Stiles lost. The 3 wolves teaming up against the kanima was awesome :) My explanation for why Jackson transformed into a wolf after all that is; Jackson got the bite and could not fully transform because of his issues with being adopted and that he could never find his parents because they are dead. So in order for him to truly transform he needed to make peace with his past, but since that could not be. The next best thing was unconditional love in the form of Lydia. That broke the "kanima curse" and if I am correct he was no longer a human being, and so what Peter and Derek did was not kill him, but he was reborn into his true self; The werewolf .Now as to why his eyes look like the ones of someone who was born a werewol
August 21st, 2012 1:40 PM
One thing that no article has mentioned is why is it that when peter was an alpha in season 1 he was able to turn into a full werewolf, but Derek was not able too in season 2? I understand from the writers stand point they didnt want to make Derek into a monster but i feel like everyone has ignored this question
August 19th, 2012 7:57 AM
Scott and Allison breaking up--Allison has a lot of anger and upset to work through, and she is better off doing that without Scott, since he being a werewolf is tangled up in all her issues. She loves him. He loves her. He knows they are destined to be, which is why he's not as upset as everyone seems to think he should be. True love is patient (even in teens, sometimes!).
She also has to come to grips with what she has done, in addition to digesting the fact that she was manipulated by a man she loved (her own grandfather); she's been disillusioned about everything she's been taught to be; she's lost her mother. Giving her breathing space is actually very loving of Scott.
August 19th, 2012 2:24 AM
i was very disappointed with the finale. we had 11 great episodes and then they throw us some ole' bs. the pacing felt rushed, editing and filming was chopping and amateurish. there was no since of a real ending to the storylines for this season: grandpa is still around somewhere, we still dont know what lydia is or how she brought peter back, allison and scott have gone all twilight on me, and no explanation for jackson's resurrection. in the episode when we find out what a kanima is its said that they can be come a true werewolf if they come to terms with all their drama. lydia giving jackson his key doesnt solve all that boy's truck load of issues and if they try to pass it off as it does then i'm like over the show. i would say i did like the hints for next season about the pack of alphas (how is that possible?) and Alan and Ms. Morrell stepping into the spotlight. cant wait til next season
August 17th, 2012 9:34 PM
I was very disappointed with the finale, for so many reasons. We see Scott and Allison interlocking fingers with each other as Lydia and Jackson are in the drama of their love. After a season of difficulty between them are they finally resolving their issues? No. Next scene - they're breaking up and NO reason is given at all. Then there's Derek - who we know is the master of self-contro and can become or not become wolf at will. So when trapped where he will be forced to bite grandpa - why not just un-wolf back to human? No bite for grandpa. What does Derek care if grandpa has the Kamina, whose claw is around Allison's neck, kill Allsion - she's an Argent bent on killing him. So what if she's Scott's girlfriend - Scott's betrayed him and has never been part of his pack. If the grandpa has the Kamina kill Allsion, you can bet his son won't be happy - further discord in the Argents = good news for the pack. And what was Peter doing hiding during the whole final battle scene? An