‘Teen Wolf’ Recap: Origin Of The Nogitsune Possessing Stiles Revealed
On the March 3 episode of ‘Teen Wolf,’ ‘The Fox And The Wolf’ tells us everything that we could have ever possibly needed to know about the nogitsune possessing Stiles. Also, Derek wears a very flattering white t-shirt.
“The Fox and the Wolf” gave Teen Wolf fans viewers something they’ve been starved for: an explanation for all this nogitsune business. However, the writers may have overdone it with this infodump of a flashback episode. While we learned some very key information, such as the origin of the nogitsune and how it ties into the Nemeton, the episode definitely could have used some tighter storytelling. Read on for our full recap — and our ideas for all the information we would have liked to have been given if not for these lengthy flashbacks!
‘Teen Wolf’ Recap: No, Really: What?
We open the episode in 1943, where we see the nogitsune lay waste to a couple of soldiers. Another Teen Wolf episode, another romp in a sunny meadow!
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In the present day, nogitsune!Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) walks into Mr. Yukimura’s classroom to look for Mrs. Yukimura’s tails. Remember those knives she broke to summon the oni? Yeah, those things. We learn from the nogitsune that “the longer the tail, the stronger the oni.” Stiles would never monologue and give away information like that! Nogitsune!Stiles tries not very hard to get Mr. Yukimura to ‘fess up, tells him that “they” always talk eventually, lifts up a book that Mr. Yukimura had used to crush a fly, and the fly goes into Mr Yukimura’s mouth, choking him. What? Okay!
Next, we meet up with Kira (Arden Cho) and Scott (Tyler Posey) at her house where they find an old-timey photo of someone who looks just like Kira; somehow, this whole mess leads back to her family.
Meanwhile, Papa Yukimura has been choking for long enough that he’s been able to call his wife, who then calls Kira, and Kira is the one to save him from choking. Is Mr. Yukimura a swimmer? A tuba player? His breath control is excellent.
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Kira turns to her mother: “Mom, you need to talk to us. About everything.” AGREED, KIRA.
The photograph is of Kira’s mom! What? Okay! Is this more of Jeff Davis being utterly confused by ages and timelines? Apparently, yes, because Kira’s mom is 900 years old! And her dad is 43. Gurl, get it.
Kira, trying to move us right along, asks her mother where the nogitsune came from. Her mother asks her, “isn’t it obvious yet?” Mrs. Yukimura. You know very well that it isn’t. After a dramatic pause, she tells us that the nogitsune came from her. What???
Back at Oak Creek in 1943, young Mrs. Yukimura — whose first name is Noshiko and is played by Arden Cho, making this not confusing at all — is passing out lifted rations, such as aspirin.
‘Teen Wolf’ Recap: ‘You Reap What You Sow’; A Side Of Stilinski Family Feelings
A cranky old woman named Satomi sasses Noshiko for her thievery while playing Go, a game that I understand not at all but that involves black and white stones. Wikipedia tells me that it is known for being rich in strategy despite its simple rules, so, that seems important. Maybe there’s more to Satomi than what we’re seeing?
The miiltary police bust in and start questioning the internment camp prisoners on where the stolen supplies have gone.
Satomi tells Noshiko that she reaps what she sows. Satomi, nobody asked you!
At the Sheriff’s station, Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) is wearing a white t-shirt. Oh, also, Deputy Handsome is letting Derek and Chris Argent (J.R. Bourne) out of lockup, thanks to Papa Stilinski (Linden Ashby). Here come the Stilinski family feelings: Papa Stilinski takes out two brain scans — one belonging to his deceased wife, Claudia, and one belonging to Stiles. They’re not just similar — they’re exactly the same. Papa Stilinski deduces that the nogitsune is using Claudia’s disease to torture Stiles and to take away his hope. Does this mean Stiles isn’t sick?!
Anyway, Papa Stilinski tells Derek and Chris as heroic music plays in the background that he “[needs] the two of them. [He needs] people who are experienced in this kind of thing.” The heroic music swells. “[He needs] someone to help stop [the nogitsune.]” Avengers, assemble!
‘Teen Wolf’ Recap: Chris Argent Says That Their Best Shot ‘Is For Derek To Try And Pick Up Stiles’ Scent’
Back to the internment camp in 1943, young Noshiko runs down the halls to liaise (if you get what we mean, and we think you do) with one of the military police from earlier. Noshiko, you bad girl! Her lover’s name is Reese. We get taken out of the flashback by Kira — bless her heart — when she tells her mom that she doesn’t want to hear her mother’s Casablanca story. Scott correctly calls Noshiko on her stalling tactics, because when the sun goes down the oni come out! And they’ll come for Stiles. You stay away from Stiles, you creepy shadow demons!
Finally, Chris says the magic words that Sterek shippers have been waiting for all night: “Our best shot right now is for Derek to try and pick up Stiles’ scent.” Do you hear that in the distance? Yes, that’s the sound of a thousand fanfictions being written.
Allison (Crystal Reed), Chris, Papa Stilinski (we’re ready for a name any time now, Jeff Davis) and Derek meet up in an effort to come up with a plan that will outfox the fox. Derek tells the group that he’s in, and that he won’t be the first wolf to run from a fox. We love when Derek refers to himself as a wolf. Once Allison and the Sheriff leave, Derek calls Chris out for packing heat, to which Chris replies that he likes to prepare for the worst. Gurl, Derek will fight you.
In 1943, we learn that the doctor for the camp was selling medicine on the black market for a hefty profit. Noshiko had to give the medicine she pilfered back to the military police in order to avoid suspicion, and now everyone is sick.
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Kira’s mom is literally the worst storyteller ever. Kira and Scott keep cutting in, acting as our proxy, and yelling at her to get to the point. Meanwhile, she’s just like, “You shush! This will make sense!” but it never does.
Oh, man, we finally get to a point. Noshiko explains that she wasn’t helping by stealing medicine at all — she was inciting a riot. It’s chaotic — the prisoners mob a car with the bad doctor and some military lackeys inside, rocking it, trying to get them to come out.
Amidst the chaos, Satomi gets a smack in the face from a baton and we see her eyes turn yellow. We learn that she was a bitten werewolf and that the reason for her always trying to keep the peace, sitting in her corner playing Go, was because bitten wolves have such a hard time keeping control — except for our boy Scott! Who had Stiles to help him learn control! Shut up, you’re crying.
And then, whoops, we see Satomi throw a molotov cocktail at Reese. He bursts into flame — not unlike Peter Hale (Ian Bohen) did many a wolf moon ago! Ah, memories of happier times.
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Away from that particular madness, we go back to the madness of the present day. Papa Stilinski and Allison are in an elevator together and I don’t think we’ve ever been treated to a scene with just the two of them! Papa Stilinski gives Allison kudos for her bravery, for keeping her grades up in the middle of supernatural craziness, and for being the general badass that she is, and she totally breaks down. She admits that she’s terrified all the time and that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Oh, and that she’s failing econ. Papa Stilinski promises to have a talk with Coach (Orny Adams).
We loved seeing this side of Allison — the last time we saw her truly vulnerable was in Season 2 after the death of her mother. Since then, she’s been trying hard to put on a brave, warrior princess face for her family and for herself, and we finally saw the cracks. It’s okay to not be strong all the time! We can’t imagine Allison being able to trust her father with that kind of insecure vulnerability — the Sheriff was the perfect person for her to open up to.
Back at Oak Creek, people are getting shot. Noshiko takes a zillion bullets — so many that the people who find her think she’s dead. Meanwhile, Reese is screaming in Eichen House from the severity of his burns. Turns out that the bad doctor sold the morphine, too. The bad guys covered up their wrongdoings by spiriting away the doctor and loading the dead Americans and Japanese-Americans onto a truck — with the heavily-bandaged Reese laying next to Noshiko.
‘Teen Wolf’ Recap: The Neverending Story Comes To A Head And We Learn The Origin Of The Nogitsune
Noshiko tells us that she wanted to punish her oppressors but knew she couldn’t fight back with her body weak and still healing. Therefore, she called to her ancestors for a nogitsune to take control of her body so she could get revenge. But you can’t trust a trickster spirit! The nogitsune decided to possess Reese, instead, which takes us back to the beginning of the episode with Reese dropping bodies. Noshiko calls out to Reese to stop him killing, but it’s too late. Satomi told you! You reap what you sow!
In the present, Noshiko tells Kira and Scott that the nogitsune caused more pain and strife than they could have ever imagined, because nogitsune!Reese didn’t stop at killing the guilty; he killed the innocent, too. As Noshiko continues to try and put her katana back together, she tells Kira to hurry because night is coming. Kira hurry? Noshiko — you are actively telling the Neverending Story.
Back at Oak Creek, Noshiko encounters Reese in a hallway and takes him down with the help of Satomi, who appears out of nowhere, wolfed out, and claws him in the back as Noshiko stabs him in the chest with her katana. The katana shatters to pieces — the one we see her now trying to assemble. Oh, and a fly flies out of his mouth.
‘Teen Wolf’ Recap: Kira Is A Thunder Kitsune? Okay!
Apparently, Kira is a thunder kitsune and is the only one who, with a bolt of lightning, can put the katana back together. Noshiko asks Kira to trust her, and we have to wonder if Kira is the only reasonable person in this universe, because she tells her mother that, hi, she just found out that she’s 900 — Kira’s not sure if she can trust her mother ever again.
In Stiles’ bedroom, the Avengers figure out that the nogitsune is at Derek’s loft.
Back in 1943, we see young Noshiko run to the Nemeton with the nogitsune!fly in a jar. She voiceovers that she buried the jar deep in the roots of the tree, but that the sacrifices of Scott, Stiles and Allison brought its power back — “[letting] the demon out of its cage.”
The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with Papa Stilinski walking into Derek’s loft to be greeted by his possessed son. “Hi, Dad.”
Phew. I didn’t mean to write that many words about an episode where not that much happened, but here we are. What did you think, HollywoodLifers? Did you need that monstrous of a flashback, or would you have been happier with developing our pre-existing plotlines and cast of characters? How happy are you that Stiles isn’t actually sick? And remember: we make fun because we love, because we are nothing without werewolf teenagers. Be sure to vote and comment below!
— Amanda Michelle Steiner
