6x20 The Wolves of War

Going into this episode, I thought there was no way it would be satisfying. Turns out Teen Wolf still had one last trick left up its sleeve. I'm actually emotional. Stiles and Derek coming back made it feel like the good old days. There were some genuinely funny moments here thanks to them. I also liked the way this episode was framed as a story that Scott was telling Alec. That was an interesting choice. And Gerard finally got what he deserved, from his own daughter no less. I loved Kate way back when she was Allison's cool aunt, then kind of hated her, now I once again like her for tearing that old asshole to shreds. And Jennifer! I shipped her and Derek so fucking hard in season 3. Before she turned out to be a disgusting old hag, that is. Also, Scott and Malia were CUTE. And that last shot of the pack walking together felt like the perfect ending. Overall, much better than I expected.

Of course, it had its flaws as well: The Anuk-Ite was defeated way too quickly (although I half-expected them to kill it with a fucking mirror, so props to them for, you know, not doing that). And Monroe didn't die, which is a sin. But then again, I kind of like the implication that there are still more battles to fight and that our characters still have a mission that will last beyond the show.

To sum up: as far as series finales go, this wasn't half bad. It was the right moment for Teen Wolf to end. My memories of this show will be pretty good. Sure, they dropped characters like hot potatoes without explanation (anyone remember Isaac? Danny? Cora?), some storylines were weak, the lighting got progressively worse over the years (daylight? What is daylight?), season 4 was mostly forgettable, season 5 was messy as fuck (it seemed to me like they were trying to be super clever and dark and whatnot, but the final product was just incomprehensible and unsatisfying), season 6B was rushed and introduced a plethora of one-dimensional characters no one asked for that took the focus away from our pack. But even those seasons had their moments and for the most part, this show was entertaining with some good humor, suspense, action, a healthy dose of teenage romance and The Feels™, and a lovely cast of talented people whom I wish all the best and hope to see in new successful projects soon.

P.S. To the people who keep complaining about That Gay Shit™: this might be a shock to you, but gay people aren't something Hollywood made up. Gay people are real. We exist, we live our lives, fall in love, pay taxes, buy groceries, watch TV. If two guys kissing offends you so much, just skip the scene. No one's forcing you to watch. But somewhere out there is a teenage boy who will see Mason and Corey or Jackson and Ethan, and he will be thrilled. He will feel validated, he will know that there's nothing wrong with him, that he can have a happy life, no matter what his conservative Christian parents say. Those characters are for him, not for you. Don't worry, you'll still have your bajillion straight male leads. No one's taking them away from you.