Previously on Teen Wolf... After the long and baffling saga of the Benefactor came to an end, Scott and Kira decided to totally do it at Derek's loft. Peter confirmed that he is still totes evil by skewering Chris Argent on rebar. Liam decided he'd rather live than hang out with Scott's pack. Jordan Parish was a hero. And Scott and Kira got totally kidnapped and taken off to Mexico.

So, after a, um, questionable season with some rather, er, uneven writing, I'm happy to say Teen Wolf wrapped season 4 with a rather cool and enjoyable finale. I know, I'm shocked too, but this episode really hit all the right notes and delivered a very satisfying conclusion.

Kira wakes up with a bone sticking into her that isn't Scott's. In fact, she's on a pile of bones which it turns out is nothing like a bed of roses. She discovers her cage door is no longer locked and elects to believe that is in no way a sign with the word "TRAP" emblazoned upon it.

She wanders around in the dark for a while and then runs into Berserker Scott, who is a far cry from sweet, dopey Scott. Kate Argent slithers in to drop some exposition bombs. It turns out the Berserkers were assigned to help her by Peter. That explains several things.

After giving Kira a lesson in Berserkers 101, Kate orders Scott to kill her. And he's all, "Okeydokey" and stabs her. Dude, that is so not cool. You are only allowed to treat your girlfriend this way if you play for the NFL. Lucky for you, this is Kira and not Allison. Allison would have fed you your nuts for that.

Back in Beacon Hills, Stiles has taken the unprecedented step of asking his dad for permission to go on a harrowing, life-saving adventure. As I've said, I love their dynamic. Stiles has taken to heart that his dad wants to be involved in these decisions. So he gives his dad a chance to go along with the plan before he just goes and does it anyway.

"I can keep you from going," says Papa Stilinski.

"I'd find a way," replied Stiles.

"I can put you in a cell."

"I'd still find a way."

I love how resolved Stiles is to save his friend. I mean, this is the guy who stepped into a pool of gasoline to save Scott's life. We know how dedicated he is, but it's nice that the show doesn't lose sight of that. And I also love that the sheriff is understanding but hey maybe Stiles can try not giving him heart failure by rushing into monster-infested ruins.

Braeden and Derek are preparing for war and the show continues to try and sell me on their feelings for each other. Still not working for me. However, the way Derek has decided he is ready to die in order to save Scott shows just how far he's evolved (*cough*) since season one.

Peter wanders into their Shakespearean declarations of undying love and explains that they're going to need a whole freaking army to take down the Berserkers. He also slips in the fact that one can't steal a True Alpha's power, which is something I suggested as a possibility. I only bring that up because it's so rare I get one of these things right. So, ten points for me.

Liam..... Liam, Liam Liam.... In this great big flipping head-scratcher of a season, he is the true shining light. He's the one character they seem to be working really hard on with the writing. And Dylan Sprayberry is just perfect in the role.

He has decided that even though Berserkers make him want to hide under his bed with his teddy bear, he wants to help save Scott. It actually means a whole lot more because they gave him the chance to be afraid before. See? Teen Wolf can still do some things right.

The problem is it's gonna be the full moon. So transporting a wolf puppy across the border is a little on the dangerous side since Liam is likely to wolf out and go around chasing postmen and peeing on fire hydrants. But Liam really, really wants to help.

"We'd have to freeze you in carbonite to get you to Mexico," says Stiles.

Liam wounds Stiles' very soul by responding, "Okay, then where do we get carbonite?"

Somewhere out there, right now, a fanfic is being written where Stiles forces the entire pack to watch Star Wars.

Instead of freezing him, though, they go with locking him up in a prisoner transport vehicle courtesy of Braeden. It turns out she really is (or was. Or is. Who knows?) a U.S. Marshall. Now, there is something I am intrigued by. I never noticed before that they have those scars on her neck from when Deucalion seemingly killed her in the S3A pilot. Are we ever going to get an explanation on how she survived that?

Lydia doesn't show up for the posse, which worries Stiles because worrying is one of his chief talents. They don't have time to go back for her so Liam drafts Mason into helping. I think I'm just going to bury my disappointment over the fact that we've clearly lost Danny and focus my energy on hoping Mason continues to get to be involved in the plot.

In the van, Derek solemnly hands the Triskelion over to Liam and tells him it's a sacred artifact. Stiles gives him a look. Derek counters it with a glare followed by a nod. And with another look, Stiles chimes in that the bauble really is magical.

These little droplets will continue to keep Sterek alive.

One of the most magical things in Teen Wolf is the fact that California seems to be about one third it's actual size. From the weather to the terrain to some little bits mentioned here and there. Beacon Hills just has to be up near San Francisco. That is a long, long loooong way from Mexico. Like seriously. But in Teen Wolf world, it's about an afternoon's drive.

Mason searches high and low for Lydia. He only finds her cell phone though. And a Berserker. Having ventured much too far into the plot for his own good, Mason gets knocked out and captured. Why he isn't killed is one of those things we just choose to be grateful for instead of saying it makes no darn sense.

On the car ride, Peter tries to sway Malia to the Dark Side. He wants her to be ready to just wolf out and kill Berserkers. I like that Malia replies with, "Scott says we don't kill people." That shows how much she really has accepted our hero as her alpha. It also, I suspect, makes Peter gnash his teeth and want to burn her One Direction posters.

Kira isn't dead, thankfully. Not yet. Maybe Scott had just enough control to only mortally wound her instead of stabbing her in the jugular. In any case, she's been left to bleed out and while she's busy doing that, Mom shows up in a vision and interrupts her pity party. She speaks for the audience when she says, "You're an effing kick-ass mother-effing kitsune with supernatural powers, girl. Time to fox up."

I may have paraphrased there.

In the van, Liam starts to lose it so Derek has him chant, "Alpha, Beta, Omega" over and over which does basically nothing. And since they used simple handcuffs instead of heavy-duty chains, Liam gets free in hot second. And then he attacks Derek.

Hey now, Liam, I may like you but Derek is currently breakable. Take it easy there.

Since one chant isn't working, Stiles has him switch to, "The sun, the moon and the truth" which for some reason works. Didn't it used to be one had to find an anchor? When did the chants thing start? Or is that some Werewolfy New Age stuff?

Everything seems great until they open the door and a Berserker grabs Derek and rips him to pieces for about ten minutes while no one does anything. Finally, Braeden lets off a round from her favorite weapon, the shotgun (which I maintain is the worst possible weapon for pretty much every fight she gets in).

The Berserker runs off to tell mom that the other kids are being mean to him. Peter looks concerned for Derek's well-being which may actually be genuine. Braeden looks distraught. But of course the best and most captivating expression comes from Stiles.

Derek tells him to go save Scott and Stiles just stares at him with the look like he knows he's never going to see Derek alive again. Nice shot at the FEELS right there.

Just as the gang is about to infiltrate the Temple of Doom, Stiles gets a call from his dad who is not one tiny bit happy with him. Reluctantly he agrees to go check on Mason and Lydia while conveying his worry for (and a mild desire to maim) his son.

And so the fights get underway. The gang takes on Berzerker Scott. The Calaveras show up to take on Crazy Kate and her remaining Pip. Papa Argent and Deputy Parish show up too, guns blazing. That's right, even a gaping gut wound won't keep Chris Argent down.

Amidst the chaos, Derek dies.

I expected he had to die because of Lydia's prophecy. I knew it wouldn't be permanent. But still, it hurt to watch.

Lydia decides she's had quite enough of being held hostage and so she enlists Mason into helping her attack the Berserker with baseball bats. There is only one word for this: awesome. I love that Mason joined in, even though he knew it was a Very Bad Idea. I love that Lydia refused to leave her friends to fend for themselves.

And of course I love that Sheriff Stilinski showed up to save the day. Finally, someone thinks to use explosives on the damn things. Possibly questionable setting off that much explosive in a confined space, but with an angry beastie about to maul you to death, it's excusable.

Stiles finds Kira and gets the info that Scott has been turned into a Berserker. So they rush off to where the epic battle is going down and stop Malia from stabbing our hero. I was expecting Peter to react to seeing Kira alive, since Scott killing her was sort of the lynchpin in his whole plan, but who cares because what happened was awesome.

Kira tries to get through to Scott and fails. Stiles tries to get through to Scott and fails. You know who succeeds? Liam! Repeating Scott's words from episode 4, he reminds Scott that he isn't a monster. And that's enough to make Scott tear off his Berserker costume and assume Bad Ass Alpha Mode.

"Peter, you sexy, treacherous little bitch. I tried to believe you'd changed because you are so unspeakably hot, but you totally set all this up and so I think I may have to hurt you. A lot. I mean, a whole lot."

"I would've gotten away with it too if it hadn't been for you darn kids!"

And so the fight that has been building since Scott first got bitten commences. It sort of seemed like with his plans foiled, Peter might have just tried to run away. But I think maybe he'd finally had enough of Scott and all his goody-goodness.

Meanwhile, outside, the Calaveras are basically getting their asses handed to them. I get that the Berzerker is too much for them, but really, they couldn't defeat Kate? Not with like fifty of them there? Are they the worst were-beastie hunters ever? At least we get to see Kate face off with Darth Abuela. I laughed out loud when I saw DB pull out her lightsaber stun stick. That woman does like her electricity.

But the chick fight gets interrupted by a big black wolf who bounds into the fray and gnaws on Kate like she's a milkbone. I think we all basically saw this coming. They've been foreshadowing it in the credits for two seasons. I sort of thought Peter would have to die first, but this works too.

"I wasn't dying," Derek explains as he stands there all naked and hot and not dead. "I was evolving."

Oh yeah. He's a big old fluffy wolf man now. And to make that point abundantly clear, he turns to the Berserker and crushes his head.

Kate doesn't much like this turn of events. Things get worse for her when her bro shoots her with a wolfsbane bullet. Apparently, this version robs a wolf of their wolfiness for a little bit. Not sure how she manages to get up after being mauled and shot and unwolfed, but she does and scampers off with Chris in pursuit.

Unfortunately, he runs out of bullets and so Kate gets to live on to season five. On the upside, that means Darth Abuela still gets a chance to electrocute her to death and we know how much she lives to do that sort of thing.

Peter manages to pretty much hold his own against the True Alpha. In fact, he was possibly on the verge of winning. But then he made a critical mistake. He threatened the Puppy, you see, and one simply doesn't do that—ever.

Scott's potential finally wakes up and he plays Bad Ass Paddy-Cake with Peter for a few. I think the best part of this was the confused look on Scott's face. It's like even with all his True Alpha superness, he's still that lovable doofus inside.

"You were never an alpha, Peter. But you were always a monster."

OoooOOoooo.... BURN!

Scott lunges into the air and descends upon Peter with the righteous fury of a Puppy Defender and....punches him out. Sigh.... Well, I guess that's just how he rolls.

It turns out Papa Argent made a deal with Darth Abuela. He helps them find and kill Kate and DB can't kidnap and electrocute Scott anymore. That has to cost her. It certainly explains why she hasn't paid Scott a visit after the Liam-biting incident.

I don't believe, or at least I don't want to believe this is the last we'll see of Papa Argent. I expect he'll show up as soon as Kate becomes a nuisance again.

Other tidbits that get wrapped up.... Lydia promises to help Jordan figure out what sort of beastie he is. Coach Finstock insists Stiles and Scott stick to Liam like glue. Kira earned her first fox tail. Peter finds himself locked up in Arkham Eichen House with the Three-Eyed Dude as his cell mate. And Stiles gets handcuffed to a desk and denied pizza as punishment for being Stiles.

Next Page--S4 Post Game Wrap up

Teen Wolf Post Game Wrap Up

Season Four started off with a lot of potential but the Benefactor storyline really fell apart towards the end. If it had really been part of Peter's machinations as a distraction while he prepared his endgame, that would have worked. But the way it played out, the Benefactor storyline seemed like a confusing time-waster until the writers were ready for Peter to take center stage as the villain.

For me, there were a lot of great moments in the season and I think it did what it needed to do; set up new characters to replace actors who have left and establish new plot lines (like Derek learning to shift and Scott coming into his powers). There were a lot of things I would have preferred done differently (or not at all) but I like where the show is now.

I wanted to end the recaps on a positive note so here are my Top 5 moments of S4

Stiles facing off with Darth Abuela - I know I've played it close to the vest, but I really do love the character of Stiles. What sets him apart from his sidekick forebears is the way he has evolved as a character. From lovable goofball to stalwart best friend to wicked nogitsune, he has grown in leaps and bounds. So to see the way he negotiated with Araya in the season opener was both exciting and hilarious.

Scott telling Stiles he kidnapped Liam - It's hard to pick just one moment from episode 4 because the whole episode was stellar. But really, that moment where Scott is admitting how much he's screwed up to his long-suffering BFF is pure gold. It's like a microcosm of their entire relationship.

Mason gets a hero moment - I have a theory that when Colton Haynes moved to Starling City, a lot of the story they had in mind for Danny kind of went to pieces. And I think Mason is basically their attempt to recapture some of that. So far, I'm liking him. And the fact that in episode 9 he just trusted Scott implicitly without understanding how or why the music was bad and saved the day gives me hope that he's going to fulfill the lost promise of the Danny character.

Puppies! First there was Baby!Derek and then along came Liam, this season we've seen something on Teen Wolf that made us all shake our heads in wonder—teenagers that look like teenagers. They found a fantastic young actor in Ian Nelson to portray the wonder and the woobie of teen Derek. We really need to see more of him. And Dylan Sprayberry has brought unexpected humor and vulnerability to Liam that makes him a great addition to the pack.

Furry Derek! And I'm not just referring to his chest. As much as I loved seeing Scott come into his own here in the finale, the high point totally was seeing Derek blossom into the shape-changing badass we've been waiting for. As a bonus, it means a lot more opportunities for him to run around naked.

That's a wrap for Season 4 of Teen Wolf. Thank you so much for the comments, support and feedback. Assuming I haven't been taken out by Jeff Davis' hit squad, we'll do this all again next year. But before then, if you're of a mind, stay tuned for my Arrow and Flash recaps starting October. Peace out!