TV Review: TEEN WOLF: Season 4, Episode 12: Smoke and Mirrors [MTV]

MTV’s Teen Wolf Smoke and Mirrors TV Show Review. Teen Wolf: Season 4, Episode 12: Smoke and Mirrors, begins with Kira Yukimura (Arden Cho) laying on some bones again, missing her dear boyfriend. What a bad first date, though memorable, I’m sure. Then we have a berserker with Kate Argent (Jill Wagner) and another berserker Scott McCall (Tyler Posey)? Yes, double band tattoo tips Kira off to who the berserker is. Kate, pretending that she’s leveled up to Evil Genius (when it’s clear that it’s Peter Hale’s (Ian Bohen) plan), tells Kira exactly how it is, and how she plans to ruin Christmas in Beacon Hills, forever.

The forces of good (and Evil Uncle Peter) mount to save the day, despite Sheriff Stilinski’s (Linden Ashby) more rational plan. This decision backfires on Stiles later, real Stilinski family gold, that. Everyone wants to save the day! Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin) and Braeden (Meagan Tandy) arrive together. In a turnaround from Season 1, Derek commits himself to saving Werewolf Jesus. Liam Dunbar (Dylan Sprayberry) declares he wants to help as well, after a touching speech in last week’s episode by Brett Talbot (Cody Saintgnue), now that he is a full-fledged disciple of our Red-Eyed Messiah. Stiles Stilinski (Dylan O’Brien), Malia Tate (Shelley Hennig) join the crusade to Mexico.

Mason (Khylin Rhambo) is called upon to search for missing Lydia Martin (Holland Roden), and finds a berserker in the school. Someone certainly doesn’t want her going, probably because she knows Scott has become first in what is sure to become a long line of mini berserkers. She and Mason get stuck in the boiler room, because it isn’t real danger unless you’re trapped in a basement, a closet, or some Mexican ruins. Let me tell you, the satisfaction we all felt when BAMF Sheriff chucks a bomb that blows the berserker to smithereens was near the best scene that ever happened on this show. Finally, someone just blows the bad guy up! Yes. More please!

Seeing Scott hurt Kira is supposed to make us feel like he is lost, but the whole scene felt like recycled Allison Argent (Crystal Reed) material. I didn’t buy it. Kira is not sensitive like Allison; she is fierce. She would not have struggled with fighting back, and the hallucinations of her mother really drove the Allison Replacement Therapy home. Let Kira be Kira! We like her when she giggles about death and unapologetically attacks things with swords. You’d think being stabbed several times would trigger healing (ya know, painful and all that), but no, she’s got to smash her hand into obsidian (not oblivion!). She’s rewarded with a tail later for her smashing efforts.

On the way down to Mexico, Peter has an interesting conversation with Malia about “remaining wild” and not controlling those impulses. Peter is being shifty, but his advice is sound. Malia isn’t our resident Werewolf Jesus, and so has to live by rules much like the rest of us. She shows a willingness to kick ass for Stiles, because he is always watching out for her.

Not even at the Church of Evilness for more than two seconds (really, you didn’t look before you leapt?) Derek’s been stabbed like 20 times and poor Braeden is freaking out and trying to save him. Derek mentions that Lydia was right—that one second scene from last week comes to mind—though Derek will join the fray again. Hunters show up to blast Kate and a berserker with lots of ammo because guns are useless unless it suits the plot. Or, you know, slow-motion. Team Sexy Chris Argent (JR Bourne) and Deputy Jordan Parrish (Ryan Kelley) show up to help.

Liam helps save Scott by reminding him he’s not a monster. This is interesting because Scott was previously motivated by romantic love (ALLISON!), but Kira did not trigger anything. Little beta Liam is the magic key, showing a development for our Mythical Werewolf. His connection to his pack is the now strongest motivation for him. Then Peter is chew out by Scott and they fight until Scott sees baby Liam being beaten up and goes into Super Jesus Alpha Werewolf Mode and saves the day by punching Peter’s lights out. About damn time.

Outside, Derek in Naked Wolf Glory saves the day by taking down Kate and crushes a berserkers skull barehanded. We know these guys are badass to the tenth, so this point of reference for Derek’s new power is whoa. He’s holy crap powerful now! Papa Argent shoots his sister with that yellow wolfsbane and they both go limping off to confront each other. Looks like Kate will be back for next season. Most likely with Mysterious Desert Wolf Person/Creature. Did anyone else notice we know nothing about this Desert Wolf (though presumable she’s a she and lives in the desert)? We spend a lot of time on the Desert Wolf this season with no information. Clue for Season 5.

The wrap up consists of Coach Finstock (Orny Adams) being awesome, cementing the newly minted werewolf as part of Scott’s pack; Sheriff, showing Malia unconditional love, while handcuffing Stiles for disobeying, is a perfect end for the perfect family. Fandom may like the problematic relationship as better suited for sibling-like love, rather than romance. Lydia and Parrish draw closer together, Lydia offering to help out the Deputy (and hopefully us) find out what he really is.

Last, we see two crazies locked up together in Eichen House. That can’t be a good thing, because we know how bad Doctor Valack (Steven Brand) is, we understand that this is Peter’s punishment: to be trapped in a tiny room with Mr. Third Eye being mentally tortured for years. Kinda sounds like being stuck with yourself in a coma and coming up with something like a deadpool (hit list actually, because there was no betting) to get revenge on everyone who put you there. Oh hay! Who better to plot revenge with than an evil doctor with three eyes! Way to go teaching the sociopath new tricks guys, great plan.

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