“Status Asthmaticus“

The mid season finale of Teen Wolf season 5 is finally here and I have to say I am a little conflicted. I didn’t particularly enjoy this episode but I didn’t hate it either. It felt more like a normal episode than a finale to me. We do get plenty of answers in this episode but it still feels as if nothing much has been moving forward since the season started. As a contrast, season 3A and 3B -it’s the only suitable comparison as season 4 wasn’t a divided season- seemed like two clear cut halves of a story although they were technically part of one season, it was like two micro seasons rolled into one. There were two completely separate plot lines between them but season 5 feels like one long, drawn out narrative with a huge pause in between and I’m not sure if that sucks, or makes Jeff Davis the ultimate creative genius.

However, we did finally discover the truth behind what Parrish really is. About time. I was getting annoyed that the show had been dragging this revelation for far too long. In this episode, Lydia stayed with Parrish while he was in jail and they began discussing their powers where Parrish revealed that he saw her as a Banshee in a hallucination once. Lydia recalls a myth Kira told her about those who protect the supernatural. She goes to do her research in the school library and finally realizes that Parrish is in fact, a Hellhound. A Hellhound? I don’t know, I am a little disappointed because I thought there would be much more to Parrish’s revelation since the show has been at it since Season 4. However it’s pretty obvious that Parrish has a really important part to play as the season progresses as most of what has been happening with the Chimeras had been revolving around him, also since it was revealed that even the Dread Doctors had taken an interest in him after they break down a wall that leads to what appears to be a Hellhound battling another mythical creature to the death. Strange, but then what does that make Parrish? Is he good or is he bad? Because Hellhounds are dangerous creatures or maybe Jeff Davis changed folklore a little to make Parrish the good guy.

This episode also comes to terms with the fact that the pack is not on good terms and the same was seen in the relationship between Malia and Stiles. After Stiles’s jeep was finally dead, Malia had to pick Stiles up. Malia says that she has noticed how bad things have been with him lately and in a surprising twist reveals that she knew about Stiles killing Donovan as she noticed the bite from Donovan on his shoulder when Stiles was sleeping. Malia tells him that she didn’t say anything because it didn’t matter to her. Stiles doesn’t seem to care as he has other things to worry about. He had to find his father and tell him the truth about Donovan and what he did, but Sheriff Stilinksi is nowhere to be found.

In the midst of all this, Theo reveals his true intentions to the entire pack and Scott finally realizes that Theo was never on his side. He chose to believe Theo and this led to his own downfall, making him realize that he was not a good leader after all. He chose to believe a complete outsider over his best friend and look where it got him. When Scott goes to the library to look for Lydia (who Theo knocked out and kidnapped), but he just ends up in a trap. Theo puts down a line of mountain ash, which he can touch because he isn’t a werewolf after all. “I’m the first Chimera,” he explains. Well that was shocking. This means he’s one of the Dread Doctors original creations. He says that Scott will just have to wait until the Supermoon before he can get out. While Scott can’t get over the mountain ash, he can go up. He uses a utility closet to get to the roof. Scott smashes his inhaler and realizes he was poisoned. Theo put Wolfsbane in his asthma inhaler so it looks like Scott is totally doomed. Theo also puts Liam in the school with Scott.

The Supermoon enhances Liam’s anger and makes him want to kill Scott. He attacks his Alpha because he refuses to bite Hayden to help her, even though Scott explained that she wouldn’t survive the bite anyway. The two engage in an epic battle. Was I the only one annoyed by this scene and how easily Scott gave up? I didn’t like the fight sequences either as they were too hilarious for me to take them seriously. Scott accepts defeat and was almost killed by Liam before Mason intervened and urged him to stop. He informs Liam that Hayden is dead.

Meanwhile, Theo has also set his sights on playing mind games with Stiles and finally reveals his true intentions and why he came to Beacon Hills. Stiles shouldn’t even be surprised because he knew Theo was up to no good all this time. He wants to kill Scott and become the Alpha. He wants to lead a pack with Void Stiles. Void Stiles? How did Theo come to know about Void Stiles? I don’t think Stiles can turn Void any-more, but Theo seems to want to bring the worst out of everyone. He isn’t human after all. I knew this was coming. Why else would Theo turn the entire pack against him? He then reveals that he has captured Sheriff Stilinski. Theo gives Stiles a choice: he can either tell Scott about Parrish finding new bodies or he can save his father. The two get into a fight, but Stiles has to choose his father. I’m so mad about them letting a douche like Theo Raeken do this much personal damage to their group.

When things go completely out of control and Liam runs after Hayden, Theo attacks Scott and he digs his claws into Scott’s stomach, leaving him on the ground to die. Melissa finds Mason next to her son’s body and starts doing CPR to bring him back to life. Mason tells Melissa that he hasn’t heard Scott’s pulse in over 15 minutes but Melissa won’t give up. She won’t let her son die. “You’re an Alpha,” she keeps saying. She hits him in the chest one last time and he comes back to life with a roar. I think Melissa Ponzio’s performance was the best one in the entire episode as it showed how much faith she had in her son despite everything and how she was trying to keep it all together.

In the final part of the episode, it is shown that Theo has Lydia in the Dread Doctors’ lab. He puts his claws into her neck to access her memories of the Nemeton. He finds out where the magical tree is, but Lydia doesn’t look okay. He brings her to the Nemeton and she falls to the ground with a blank expression and in a completely catatonic stupor. He injects the dead chimeras with a serum and they all come back to life. Hayden, Tracy, Corey and all the others aren’t dead any more. “I’m your Alpha,” he says. “And all of you belong to me.” It seems that Theo is unaware that Scott is very much alive. This is Peter Hale all over again expect that Peter Hale was much better at being the villain and still likeable as compared to Theo. These cliffhanger endings are seriously annoying the hell out of me, I mean a few here and there are fine but it feels like every single episode this season has ended with one.

Overall I think the next part of the season will mostly revolve around Parrish and the pack coming to terms with that happened. Obviously things are not going to be the way they used to be and Scott’s pack will have to go a long way before the pack can start trusting each other again. I hope this continues in an effective way after the season comes back in March. I still don’t get how the Dread Doctors come into the picture but hopefully all of these issues are resolved till March otherwise Teen Wolf will be left with very disappointed fans.