‘Teen Wolf’ Recap: Kate Argent Seduces Derek Hale Once Again
On the June 30 episode of ‘Teen Wolf,’ we learned a little more about the dynamic between Kate and Derek, between Stiles and Malia, and between the Hales and spectacularly bad luck. Full recap of ‘117’ below!
The June 30 episode of Teen Wolf was a biggie. In it, Kate Argent returned in a big way as she seduced a young Derek once more into getting what she wants, and we all exploded with feelings for Derek Hale. We also learned a little more about Stiles and Malia’s relationship, about Scott’s power as an Alpha, and exactly how much of the supernatural Sheriff Stilinski can tolerate before needing to be carted off to Eichen House himself. Full, GIF-packed recap of “117” below!
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Young Derek Couldn’t Control The Shift On The Full Moon
“117” opens with me making dying whale noises at my television because Young Derek (Ian Nelson) is in turmoil. We’re in the past — the first time that Derek was young — and it’s the full moon; Derek almost went full shift on the basketball court, and he’s currently taking a cold shower with his basketball uniform still on. It’s a fantastic parallel to Season 1, when Scott, too, had to take a cold shower to try and stave off a shift, but Scott was shirtless at the time. I’m just saying.
Young Peter (Michael Fjordbak) appears from who-knows-where to grab him and ask him if he has “it.” “It” is a triskelion disc, and Peter has Derek take it out and chant, “Alpha, Beta, Omega,” until he gets control of himself, and it’s very strange! Also, I am very sad that Young Derek couldn’t control the shift but the Derek we’ve always known has had perfect control, because anger is his anchor, and he had so very much of it when he left his teen years. Shut up, you’re crying. But anyway, Back To The Future.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Kate Argent Is Also Not Great At Controlling The Shift
In a gas station bathroom, Kate Argent (Jill Wagner) is not coping well with the full moon. A gas station employee with a death wish bangs on the door, and gets his face clawed off for his troubles.
At Deaton’s clinic, the Scooby gang arrive with Young Derek. Even Deaton (Seth Gilliam) is bamboozled. He tells them that they should probably get home, since it’s a school night, and oh my gosh, remember when these kids went to school?! Lydia (Holland Roden) stays behind because her grades are fine, and Scott (Tyler Posey) has to drag Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) out the door.
Over at the McCall house, Papa McCall (Matthew Del Negro) is sleeping on the couch. What?! Where did this come from? I’m glad that he’s on the couch and all, but I’m confused as to why he’s around. Apparently, when Melissa is on a late shift, it’s Dad’s job to take care of dinner. What is this fresh hell? Get outta here, bad dad! He can’t just reappear after years and years and decide he’s going to be in the picture again, no matter how tall and handsome he is. Which is very.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Stiles Is The Little Spoon
The next day, Derek is still out cold. Deaton slices into his arm — for science — and discovers that he’s healing unusually fast. When he and Lydia go to fetch a syringe, Derek wakes up, and he is not dealing well with his surroundings. His vision is blurred and both Lydia and Deaton look demonic; he slashes at Deaton and takes off. Poor, abused puppy Derek.
Later that morning, it’s time for Stiles and Scott to actually go to school, and Stiles is sharing details of his relationship with Malia: “So, it’s like, two in the morning. I wake up, she’s just lying right next to me. She just sneaks in. It’s like, five times a week.” “And then what happens?” Scott asks. “This,” Stiles says, lifting up his sweater, presumably to show scratch marks. Gurl! Stiles is getting it daily, nightly, and ever so rightly — but he’s the little spoon, according to him. I believe it. However, Stiles feels guilty — Malia knows that he’s hiding something. That something being the fact that Peter is her biological father. Details.
Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Mr. Yukimura Has Suddenly Decided To Be Ignorant To The Supernatural
In class, Mr. Yukimura calls on Malia (Shelley Hennig), who obviously cannot come up with the answer to whatever American history question that went through one of my ears and out the other. For the record, I probably also don’t know the answer to that question. Anyway, shouldn’t Mr. Yukimura, who is in the know about werewolves, nogitsunes, and kitsunes, be in on Malia’s whole deal? It doesn’t seem very sporting to be asking Malia questions she clearly doesn’t know the answers to. Highlighter in her mouth and her desk piled with books, Malia’s obviously trying hard, but the knowledge gap is too large.
Anyway, Scott’s phone blows up, then Stiles’, then Mr. Yukimura’s — Lydia is trying to get in touch with Scott to let him know about Derek running off. How does Lydia have Mr. Yukimura’s cell phone number?! Well, anyway, for whatever reason, Mr. Yukimura clearly dismisses them because in the next scene, they’re at Deaton’s. Ahh, school. We hardly knew ye. At least they almost got through first period!
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Young Derek Discovers The Burnt Remains Of His Family Home
Oh, god, my feelings. OK, so, they’re trying to figure out where Derek may have gone, and they realize that he doesn’t know that his home is his literal hole-in-the-wall loft — he still thinks it’s the old Hale house. He doesn’t know that his family burned alive and that they’re all dead, save for Peter and Plot Contrivance — I mean, Cora. Hahaha, bye. All I am are raw nerves, capable only of having feelings for Derek Hale’s Tragic Life. Scott says that he won’t lie to Derek, which means that he almost certainly will.
On the Hale land, Derek discovers the ruins of his childhood home.
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He’s nearly in tears when the law arrives, because the Sheriff’s department have nothing better to do in Murder Hills, California than to patrol condemned lots. It’s Deputy Handsome (Ryan Kelley) and some dillweed who calls Derek a “jackass.” Sir, that’s not how being a deputy works.
Derek insists that it’s his home — “what happened to my house? Where’s my family? Where’s my mother?” Deputy Dillweed grabs Derek’s arm, which turns out to be a terrible move as Derek does the same, with a little more force, and then gets Tasered for his insolence. Haha, what is this show? Who is this deputy that is Tasering lost, confused teenagers?! Also, Derek is touched more with electricity than with human hands. Oh, I’ve upset myself.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Derek Hale Is Ageless, His Race Is ‘W’ For ‘Werewolf,’ And His Middle Name Is ‘Stanley,’ Probably
At the Sheriff’s station, they’ve run Derek’s prints eight times and all they come up with is Old Derek, and in a moment of amazing television, we see his file onscreen which is a fountain of information and hilarity. Let me count the ways:
1. Derek’s middle name begins with an “S.” Steven? Sam? Stanley? Scott?
2. Height: 6’0″
3. Weight: 171. No way is he that light, with all those muscles.
4. His race is listed as “W,” for werewolf, JK, for “white,” I guess, but then his ethnicity is also listed as “Caucasian/Unknown.”
5. Most libelous of all is the fact that his eye color is listed as brown. BROWN! Tyler Hoechlin‘s eyes are not brown, props department, I mean, how dare you? They are the color of brilliant, heterochromatic jewels in the sun. (Too much?)
6. No birthdate. No birthdate is listed. It’s just blank. Teen Wolf is trolling us all. Will we ever learn the ages of the Hale family?!
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Sheriff Stilinski Is Not Here For Time Travel, Or Any Of Your Sh*t
Sheriff Stilinski (Linden Ashby) pops over at the mention of “Hale,” and squints in Young Derek’s face, before calling Scott and Stiles to the station immediately. “I want you to be honest with me,” he demands in his office. “Absolutely, and completely honest. Have you been time-traveling? Because if time travel is real, you know what, I’m done. I’m out. You’re going to be driving me to Eichen House.” Too soon, Sheriff.
“We found him like that!” Scott insists. “Where? Swimming in the fountain of youth?” “No! We found him buried in a tomb of wolfsbane. In an Aztek temple in Mexico. Underneath a church in the middle of a town that was destroyed by an earthquake,” Stiles supplies, completely unhelpfully. NORMAL STUFF! This is the greatest show on television.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Scott Chickens Out And The Stilinski Family Is Broke
In the next scene, Scott meets Young Derek. He insists that he wants to help, and he pulls a cheap trick — flashing his Alpha red eyes. However, Derek just wants to know where his family is. “There was a fire,” Scott begins, and then promptly chickens out, telling him that the Hales had to move out of Beacon Hills and that he’ll take him to them as soon as they figure out how to get his memories back. Hahaha this is awful!! I wish I was dead.
Also, Stiles spots an overdue bill on the Sheriff’s desk from Eichen House — that place he was in for like, one day. Clearly, the Stilinski family’s money problems are going to be a season-long bummer. Scott decides to go see the one person they should have gone to see in the first place — creepy Uncle Peter.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Is Kira Being Used Properly This Season?
In Lydia’s car, Kira (Arden Cho) is anxious that Scott may be mad at her for cranking up the electricity on him back in Mexico. “You’re a katana-wielding badass kitsune, and he could not be in more love with you,” Lydia tells her. She tells Kira to grab one of her credit cards to pay for the gas, but Kira notices that Lydia’s got a full tank; they’ve no real need to be at the gas station at all — Lydia was drawn there by a dead body. That dude who walked in on Kate was utterly eviscerated — the bathroom is just covered in blood.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Miguel Makes A Triumphant Return; Scott’s Hair Is Full Of Secrets
When Scott arrives, adorably, on his motorcycle to visit Peter, Malia is already there for backup. Scott looks like his hair is so full of secrets he’ll explode. Malia has been hearing that Peter is “Satan in a v-neck.” Scott has never been less chill.
Over at the McCall home, the Teen Wolf writers are fulfilling fanfiction dreams. Stiles decide that he and Derek will hole up and not talk to anybody — not even to each other, bickering like an old married couple — while Scott finds some answers about Derek’s predicament.
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However, they’re not alone — Papa McCall is there and asking questions. Why Stiles couldn’t have just introduced Young Derek as his friend, Derek, because surely Derek Hale is not the only Derek on the planet, we’ll never know. But in an amazing Season 1 callback, Stiles introduces Derek as his cousin Miguel from Mexico. Papa McCall tries to slip them up by speaking some Spanish, and Stiles is horrified until Derek speaks Spanish some right back at him. Derek is so cultural and refined, you guys.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: A Father-Daughter Reunion, And Didn’t Stiles Already Kinda Know About Derek And Kate?
Malia and Peter meet, and he is creepy as hell about it. Obviously. Malia has heard all about him and his homicidal sprees, and points out that maybe the next time he goes on one, the dead will stay dead. Point to Malia.
Back at the McCall house, the most awkward dinner ever is happening. Derek sees Papa McCall’s FBI badge, and asks about the Hale family fire while Stiles yells about how much they should check in on Scott, let’s call Scott! How’s Scott doing?! Stiles — chill. I know you can be a better liar than this.
As Peter laments the fact that nobody in this town can stay dead, Malia correctly points out that everyone was kinda hoping he would. Gosh, she’s great. I do love her. Scott asks Peter why Kate would even want to de-age Derek, and Peter reveals that he and Kate knew each other — biblically — after the death of Paige.
I’m sorry, but doesn’t Stiles already know this? I thought for sure that Stiles had figured this out. Did I dream that up? How had Scott not figured it out after all this time? Remember in Season 1 when Kate had Derek chained up and when Scott went to rescue him, Derek yelled in his face about how Allison is dangerous, and he doesn’t know what love is because he’s just a stupid child? Remember when Derek projected his feelings of helplessness and anger onto his proteges? Those were the days.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Fanfiction House, And Derek Trusts Both Scott And Kate
The quick back-and-forth between scenes continues. Back at Fanfiction House, Derek shoves Stiles up against a wall (I think I saw a True Blood scene that started like this) and demands to speak to Scott.
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This is honestly my dream come true — not the shoving-up-against-walls thing, but Derek trusting Scott implicitly as an Alpha, even though Derek is not part of his pack. While present-day Derek does trust Scott now, it’s been a long road. Anyway, Stiles promises to call Derek.
Peter talks himself in enough circles that he finally realizes that Kate took Derek back to the age when he knew her — when he still trusted her.
While Stiles is on the phone with Scott, Kate suddenly appears in Scott’s room to creep on Derek — “Hey, handsome.” The sentence that launched a thousand shudders! Stiles arrives in time to see Kate slip out the window.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: The Reason For Derek Hale’s Obsession With Beacon Hills High (And Most Especially Its Locker Room) Revealed
Finally, Peter figures out what it is that Kate wants — she wants the triskelion that Derek was holding at the top of the episode. She can’t control her shift, but wants to be able to, and the triskelion will somehow help her with that.
Kate and Derek arrive at the high school, where everything but learning happens in this town. In an incredibly creepy moment, Kate kisses Derek in an attempt to manipulate him, and it’s chilling. There’s nothing on the soundtrack, just total silence, and there’s no real reason for her to do it at all when he already trusts her. Kate is literally a statutory rapist. OK, presumably. We don’t know Young Derek’s age, but I’m going to go ahead and doubt that it’s 18 years old.
Hilariously, the Hale family vault is underneath the school. Is that why Derek is so attached to the Beacon Hills High locker rooms? Derek says that the vault was there first, but when he pops his claws to turn a werewolf combination lock — I don’t know, this show is crazy — the Beacon Hills High School sign twists with a grinding noise and reveals a staircase. That’s. So. Funny. If the vault was there before the school, why is the door to the vault the school’s sign?!
Ugh, this is a bummer. They wander through the vault, and it’s clear that Derek trusted Kate so much. I can’t recall if it’s been explicitly stated or simply alluded to, but the Hale family were such an old, prestigious family and Derek let her into the vault like it was nothing. Middle child syndrome?
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Berserkers Are A Thing, And I’m Sad About Derek Hale, Untrained Alpha
Peter, Malia and Scott arrive at the school to try and intervene, but before they can, we meet the thing that scratched the crap out of Malia in Mexico — a Berserker. Malia’s first instinct is to fight it, but Peter is like, no, child, do as I do — run away. When another Berseker arrives, it looks like they’re well f**ked; predictably, Peter has disappeared.
In the vault, Derek hands over the triskelion, but Peter arrives just in time to tell Kate that her whole scheme was pointless — it’s just a physical object, something to focus on to help control the shift. Talia used it to train Laura, and “tried” to use it to train Derek, and now I’m sad again. Laura was the perfect Alpha! Derek was never trained for it! That’s why he sucked so bad at it! My whole life is Derek Hale feelings.
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: Scott And Derek Are Such Brothers, You Guys
Kate gets in Derek’s face, demanding that he tell her what’s up with the triskelion pendant, but Derek can hear Scott in trouble and he takes off after him. I am emotional. He just learned that Kate duped him, he’s got Kate in his face, but none of that matters because his Alpha is in trouble!!
Peter taunts Kate, telling her that it’s anger that allows Derek to control the shift — Peter taught him that. He baits her, trying to make her angry for a reason I cannot fathom, and they’re about to square off and fight when flash bombs come clattering down the staircase into the vault. They explode into smoke and flashing lights, dropping each of the werethings to the floor.
As Derek fights with the Berserkers, he transforms gradually into old Derek, which is kinda funny because it’s not like old Derek is any better at winning a fight than Baby Derek, but I’ll take it.
In the vault, a man appears and then leaves with a suitcase. The Benefactor? Kate takes off.
Outside, my man Tyler Hoechlin is back and beardier than ever! I love Ian Nelson as Young Derek, I really do, but I could cry for being so happy that Hoechlin is back on my screen. I can even spot chest hair! And he has yellow eyes!! Look at his angry/triumphant face!
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Does this mean that he doesn’t feel guilt over Paige anymore? What’s this business all about?
‘Teen Wolf’ ‘117’ Recap: The Hales Have Been ‘Ocean Eleven’ed And Derek Is Going To Have To Start Waiting Tables
Things take a turn for the worse for the Hale family almost immediately, however — Peter and Derek have both been duped. It was never about the triskelion medallion, it was about the bonds. What bonds, you ask? Well, the bonds worth $117 million dollars. Yep. As if Derek’s life wasn’t bad enough. He didn’t go to college! He’s going to have to start waiting tables to pay for his hole-in-the-wall loft! Peter is legally dead — he doesn’t have any papers! Derek is going to have to support him!
Considering that Stiles’ money troubles were also brought up this episode, I’m thinking that one of two things are going to happen: either the Hales will get their money back in due time and they’ll pay off Stiles’ Eichen House bills, OR, and more likely because this is more dramatic/more of a bummer, they will take on bounties from The Benefactor and start knocking off supernatural creatures on the dead pool. Deadpool? Dead Pool? Who knows. Anyway.
Call me a sucker for punishment, but I really enjoyed seeing Young Derek with Kate in this episode. For all its gross, non-consensual creepiness, their relationship in “117” gave a lot of insight into Derek’s character. We’ve met Young Derek before — we’ve known he was cocky and a bit brash, but we’ve never known him as this trusting. Not just trusting of Kate, but of Scott — of his Alpha — as well. When we first met Derek in Season 1, he wasn’t willing to trust anybody, and that’s starting to change once more, thanks to True Alpha Scott McCall.
Also, why is Scott’s dad around?! Is it because he’s handsome?! Because if it is, I’ll buy that as an excuse. If it’s for plot reasons, I’m a bit more skeptical. There is no better relationship on this show than the one between Scott and Melissa — we really don’t need Scott’s bad dad gumming up the works. He doesn’t get to just appear with a bag of Chinese food and suddenly everything is fine. Do not want!
So, HollywoodLifers, what did you think about the episode? Kind of a lot happened. What are your best theories on why Derek’s eyes are yellow? Did you like the Kate/Derek stuff or not so much? Do you think that Arden’s Kira is being used properly this season? Tell me all of your Derek Hale feelings below!
— Amanda Michelle Steiner
Follow @AmandaMichl
More ‘Teen Wolf’:
- ‘Teen Wolf’: De-Aging Derek Hale Is A Great Way To Go Back To Basics
- ‘Teen Wolf’ Season 4 Premiere Recap: Derek Hale Returns — Kind Of
- ‘Teen Wolf’ Season 4 Spoilers: 5 Things To Know Before The Premiere