'Teen Wolf' Review: "Superpositiion"

Sabrina Petrafesa ’18 / Emertainment Monthly Executive Publisher
Episode two of season six deals with the notable absence of Stiles Stilinski (Dylan O’Brien). It is felt keenly by the three characters closest to him. Honestly, for a group of villains whose sole purpose is to erase people from reality, the “Ghost Riders” are really bad at what they do. Scott (Tyler Posey), Lydia (Holland Roden), and Malia (Shelley Hennig) each have distinct moments throughout the episode where they know Stiles is missing but can’t quite remember, like a word on the tips of their tongues.
Lydia knows she’s missing Stiles and knows that she loved him, Malia is highlighting the word “style” in red and losing control during the day, and Scott is making Liam (Dylan Sprayberry) practice all the things Stiles was bad at in lacrosse. It’s been less than a day and they already know something is missing. While each of these moments were incredibly frustrating, by the end of the episode we at least know that the pack is aware that they’re looking for a Stiles.
The newbies of the pack have figured out a way to see the Ghost Riders using Corey’s (Michael Johnston) powers of invisibility. Of course this all ties into the physics class they took in the first episode of the season about Schrodinger’s cat. Liam has been freaking out about assuming responsibility when Scott leaves for college and in working with Corey he realizes that maybe he can be the Alpha while Scott is gone. The new pack members still don’t keep your attention the way the originals do but at least they found out that just by remembering a person they start to come back into existence.

There are a couple of things that don’t make sense about this episode and the whole concept of these Ghost Riders erasing people from existence with the Wild Hunt. How does Stiles being erased from existence bring his mother back from the dead? Does this mean his existence is a direct cause of her death even though the show has told us in the past that this isn’t true? Also, how would Scott be a werewolf without Stiles? With him gone the whole fabric of the show would be different. Scott would not be the titular “teen wolf,” Malia would not be in the show, and Allison Argent (Crystal Reed) would be alive. There is no way around that. Allison would be alive and kicking and it would be awesome. Her death was one of the horrifying outcomes from Stiles becoming the nogitsune. Despite the fact that Stiles is kind of a nuisance, he stands at the center of the show. He’s the person who got the ball rolling. It doesn’t seem right that everything is basically the same with a few little (and simultaneously huge) changes in the show.
If taking Stiles out of existence changes history then this last season should be a completely weird alternate universe–but this is Teen Wolf. Without obvious plot holes and complete disregard for the show’s universe rules then Teen Wolf would not be the trashy werewolf show that fans know and love.
Episode Grade: B
Teen Wolf Airs Tuesdays on MTV at 9.