Lunar Ellipse

Lunar Ellipse is episode twelve of MTV's Teen Wolf Season 3.

On August 16, 2013, the iTunes website leaked this episode to season pass subscribers.

While the error was caught within a few hours, copies of the digital video file made it onto illegal file sharing sites prompting Executive Producer Jeff Davis to issue a public plea to fans.

Despite fears the leaked episode would put a dent in the show's weekly ratings, 2.081 million people viewed the initial broadcast on MTV.

Lunar Ellipse was the third highest rated episode of Season 3(a).

Synopsis
No synopsis provided by the network prior to air.

Full Recap
Stiles, Scott and Allison awake in their water-filled metal tubs. They are in a large white room with support posts spaced evenly down its length. The only other features are florescent light fixtures set into the ceiling above and seemingly random areas of grey and white tiling on the floor below.

They exit the tubs and notice, in what appears to be the center of the room, a large tree stump protrudes through the floor.

It is the Nemeton.

It is surrounded by cracked floor tiles as if it has forced its way up into the room. The three friends approach and Scott takes notice of the rings that mark the stump. He slips up the sleeve of his t-shirt to reveal his tattoo which seems to mimic the tree’s growth rings.

Scott flashes back to the day Derek helped restore the tattoo using fire (See Tattoo). He remembers telling Derek that he didn’t know what it meant that the image was just “something I traced with my fingers.”

Scott reaches down to touch the stump and finds himself in the woods on the night he first got bit by The Alpha Werewolf in Season 1 (See Wolf Moon). While this is all part of post-mortem hallucination, it is clear that this is more than a flashback as Scott watches himself discover Laura Hale’s body and then sees the attack that made him a werewolf. As he begins to back away from the scene, he bumps into the Nemeton which is apparently somewhere in Beacon Hills Preserve.

Stiles also finds himself back on the night Scott got bit. He arrives a bit earlier and sees himself leading Scott through the woods in a search for a dead body. He watches as his father catches the other Stiles and escorts him out of the woods. Stiles’ vision quest ends as he too bumps into the Nemeton stump.

Allison finds herself in the Argent’s SUV with her mother. Victoria Argent is talking about the unique requirements of her husband’s job, “a highly respected private security consultant and a federally licensed firearms dealer.” Allison says it’s still odd when he runs out in the middle of the night with “duffle bags filled with automatic weapons.”

At that moment, Allison sees someone in the road ahead. Mrs. Argent swerves and barely misses hitting Scott. This is also the night Scott got bit and he’s run out into the road after the attack.

Allison insists that her mother turn around but when they return to the scene, Scott is gone. Noticing tracks leading into the woods, Allison follows and finds Scott’s inhaler lying on the ground. Her mother arrives and tries to drag her back to their car. They hear a wolf howl. Mrs. Argent takes the inhaler from Allison and throws it back into the woods where it lands at the feet of Allison Argent. Looking to her side, this Allison sees the Nemeton.

Scott, Stiles and Allison awake back in the Vet’s Clinic in their tubs of ice water. They excitedly relate their visions and the connections they all shared with the location of the Nemeton. They are informed by Dr. Deaton that they’ve been in the water for 16 hours and now have just 4 hours before moonrise.

On the floor of his loft, Cora holds a bottle of AquaFina to Derek’s mouth and helps him drink. As he comes around he realizes that she is healed. She says her return to health is all because of Derek.

Peter chimes in that he hopes saving Cora won’t be for nothing. He is morose reminding Derek that “you drained your battery all the way to the red and there is a fully charged Alpha on her way to rip you limb from limb”.

Stiles tries to talk Scott out of returning to the Alpha Pack saying that Scott’s deal with Deucalion sounds a lot like a deal with the devil. Scott is adamant though, he doesn’t believe they can defeat Jennifer without the Alpha Pack leader’s help. Allison tries to get Deaton to talk Scott out of his plan but Deaton balks. He says sometimes circumstances require you ally yourself with people you can’t trust but can use to your advantage. In this case Deaton believes Deucalion could be the “bait” for Jennifer.

Ethan arrives at the Animal Clinic. He is looking for Lydia in hopes that she can talk his brother out of helping Kali to kill Derek.

At the Nemeton, Chris Argent is still fiddling with his “ultrasonic emitter” in hopes of attracting werewolf attention. He tells the Sheriff and Melissa McCall the power source won’t last much longer.

Melissa seems on the edge of panic as she explains that Jennifer will come down and slash their throats. The Sheriff is blunt and says that Jennifer will actually strangle them with a garrote and then slash their throats. Before they can dwell on this fact, the entire root cellar begins to shake. Dust streams down on the captives as the wind howls outside.

Lydia and Ethan got to Derek. Ethan warns him that Kali is aware of the lunar eclipse and will not wait for it to make them all powerless and “even the playing field”.

Peter advises that they run as opposed to staying and getting “slaughtered by an Alpha with a psychotic foot fetish.” Cora also says that Derek shouldn't lose his life for something meaningless. Derek asks them how they know he’s going to lose. Peter says he doesn’t know but he believes Lydia does know. Lydia says she feels like she’s standing in a graveyard.

Scott sends Stiles to his house to get something for him to smell in order to track the Sheriff’s scent. There is a discussion on whether that will be his boxer shorts or his socks. Scott, Isaac and Allison go to the Argents apartment on a similar mission but are waylaid by Scott’s dad and two Sheriff’s Deputies.

Scott has an awkward moment with his father. Agent McCall admits that he doesn’t have a clue what’s going on and Scott throws in a one-liner about how he learned his father didn't have a clue a long time ago. McCall says he’s hoping to avoid the embarrassment of dragging his “own son into an interrogation room.”

The alarm sounds at Derek’s Loft and Kali kicks it right off the wall.

She is frustrated that only Lydia and Ethan remain in the loft. She demands to know where Derek has gone and Lydia says “shopping”. Kali pulls out the “who do you think you’re talking to” and Lydia counters with “someone in desperate need of a pedicure.”

As Kali closes in on Lydia, Aiden begins to growl at Kali and steps forward menacingly.

Downstairs, Derek and Cora are climbing into his Toyota FJ Cruiser. Peter advises them not to call until they are at least 100 miles away.

While Agent McCall explains how disturbing it is that the latest victims are all related to Scott and his friends, Isaac decides his breath could use a boost and pops out a container of IceBreakers mints. Isaac then points out that he doesn’t have parents for someone to kidnap because they’re dead. Scott notices three flashbang arrows on the desk in front of him.

Kali is questioning if Aiden took his assignment to get close to Lydia too seriously. He claims Lydia isn’t the problem. Kali says perhaps the problem is Aiden’s loyalties and with whom they lie. Lydia worries aloud that the situation is escalating to violence.

Jennifer Blake crashes through the ceiling skylight.


 * EDITORS NOTE: The scene of Jennifer Blake crashing through the ceiling and landing on the floor is reminiscent of the museum scene in Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989. Just as the earlier scene in the white room is reminiscent of the stripped down warehouse Batcave used in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. It is unclear if these similarities are unintentional or an homage to the films.

Jennifer lands on her feet in a pile of broken glass. Kali goes on the attack but Jennifer easily repels her with a combination of moves and her magical force. The twins then take up the fight, stripping off their shirts and beginning to merge. Jennifer grabs their heads, one in each hand, and rips them apart. She throws them to opposite sides of the room.

Jennifer then faces off with Kali. She tells the Alpha to take a good look at her and points out how hard it is to maintain her normal looks. Kali says she doesn’t care. Jennifer continues that maintaining her appearance takes power. She then demonstrates by causing the broken shards of the glass skylight to lift off the ground and float around her.

The use of her power seems to cause the wind to whip up inside the loft. As storm clouds rage just above the broken skylight, the shards of glass hover in the air. Kali is whipped by the wind and seems to have trouble catching her breath but manages to choke out “I should have ripped your head off.” Jennifer flicks her hands forward and all the glass shards fly forward, embedding themselves in Kali’s body. She falls down dead.

The twins recover enough to stagger forward and merge. They come at Jennifer in their giant merged form but she simply grabs it by the neck and twists, breaking the neck and leaving the creature dead on the floor. She then quotes Coach Finstock “The bigger they are.”

Stiles is driving as the storm worsens around him, racing toward his rendezvous with Scott and the others at the Beacon Hills Preserve.

Agent McCall threatens to detain Scott, Allison and Isaac which Allison says he can’t do without a warrant. McCall says the pile of guns found in the Argent’s apartment is enough probable cause to hold them.

Echoing her mother, Allison points out that Chris is “a highly respected private security consultant and a federally licensed firearms dealer.” She then points out that his job justifies him having some weapons including a


 * 175lb draw tactical crossbow
 * carbon steel Marine combat knife
 * 50ae Desert Eagle (handgun)
 * smoke grenade with pull ring igniter

As she picks up and describes the last item, she pulls the ring and drops the smoke grenade at Agent McCall’s feet. She, Scott and Isaac flee the room as the smoke begins to rise around the agent and the deputies.

Stiles races through the rising wind. Visibility is low as the storm rages. A tree branch flies into the windshield causing Stiles to duck and turn to see what hit him. When he turns back, there is a tree directly in his path with no time to stop. He crashes head on and is left bleeding and unconscious.

Lydia cowers away from Jennifer Blake asking what the Darach wants from her. Jennifer replies that she wants Lydia to do what she does best, scream. She then shows the girl her true face and Lydia screams long and loud.

On a suburban street, both Derek and Cora hear Lydia and pull over. Derek says they have to go back.

Allison, Scott and Isaac arrive at the Beacon Hills Preserve. They’re worried that none of them have heard from Stiles. Isaac says they can’t wait and they head into the woods.

Deucalion joins Allison, Isaac and Scott on the rise overlooking Beacon Hills. Scott apparently expected to see the other Alphas as well. Deucalion says they are occupying themselves with other pursuits. Scott questions the fact that it will be just the two of them, Scott and Deucalion, against Jennifer. Deucalion says they’ll make a great team.

Scott gives orders to Isaac. He is to get Stiles and then get to the root cellar while Scott and Deucalion keep Jennifer busy long enough for the parents to escape. When Isaac questions how Scott will manage to do that, he says he has a plan. Both Kail and the merged twin monster seem to be dead on Derek’s floor. Cora comforts Lydia.

Jennifer tells Derek that she did all this for him and everyone else whose ever fallen victim to the Alpha Pack. He tells her to stop talking “like a politician” and to stop “trying to convince” him of her “cause.” Jennifer changes tactics saying that by helping her, by becoming her guardian, Derek can save the kidnapped parents. Derek says he can’t. He points out that he is no longer an Alpha and she says that doesn’t matter as she just needs to get Deucalion in the right place at the right time.

Derek looks around the room and says she doesn’t need him since Jennifer just killed three of the Alpha Pack on her own. She says they've yet to see Deucalion at his strongest. She says if Deucalion has Scott with him, she doesn’t stand a chance unless Derek is with her.

She points out that the eclipse will mean 15 minutes when Deucalion is powerless. It is then she plans to finish him but she says she needs Derek’s help and again promises the kidnapped parents will live if he helps her.

Allison and Isaac search the woods for the Nemeton. Isaac says he can’t pick up a scent due to the storm but then he hears the mini ultrasonic emitter and recognizes it as belonging to Chris Argent. They head off following the sound and find the giant tree stump and the entrance to the root cellar. As they make their way down the ground around the giant stump begins to give way with sinkholes forming on the surface.

Chris Argent is relieved to see his daughter, both the Sheriff and Melissa McCall ask about their children as Isaac begins to untie them.

In the loft, Lydia and Cora are about to leave when the twins separate and the girls realize they are still alive.

Scott and Deucalion arrive at the distillery (See Visionary) and Scott sends a video text to Jennifer taunting her to come to them if she wants her revenge.

According to the countdown on Jennifer’s LG Optimus from AT&T, there are 29 minutes left until the lunar eclipse.

The cellar is collapsing around the parents, Isaac and Allison.

Lydia and Cora have come to Dr. Deaton for help. Deaton carries one of the twins over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. They scramble to make room for them on an examination table. Deaton says he can only save them if they start healing on their own.

Jennifer arrives at the distillery. Scott is surprised to see Derek is with her. Scott asks what he’s doing. Derek says he’s trying to help. Deucalion makes a quip “brother against brother, how very American.”

Deucalion begins to shift. His skin takes on the texture and color of stone while his brow ridge thickens, expands and merges with his cheekbones to form a mask-like structure of bone. His ears, fangs and hair grow and his voice deepens as he encourages Jennifer to explain why she needed so much power to face him.


 * EDITORS NOTE: Deucalion says “shall we show them why you needed to sacrifice 9 innocent people just to face me? Or is it 12 now?” This has caused much discussion among fans. There have been 12 sacrifices shown or talked about during Season 3(a). The details of each are available in the section on the Darach. Possible explanations for this include: A) Deucalion isn't all knowing so isn't aware of all of the sacrifices B) Some of the sacrifices were not “innocent” C) Jeff Davis’ is bad at math when it comes to keeping track of events, years and ages of characters. For now, until proven otherwise, Official Canon is that Deucalion simply doesn’t know or doesn’t care about all the sacrifices and is taunting Jennifer about how much she needed to do to prepare to meet someone as powerful as he.

The kidnapped parents, Isaac and Allison are trapped. The exit to the surface is blocked and the beams begin to crack and collapse. Isaac braces himself under one of the main supports and manages to keep the roof from total collapse.

Deucalion easily dispatches Derek and Jennifer. Her magic force blasts that were so effective against the other Alpha’s have zero effect on Deucalion. He is able to subdue her and then demands that Scott kill her. He lets out a roar that brings Scott to his knees and forces him to transform.

Deucalion then takes a more measured approach, almost whispering to Scott that his mom and the other parents are dying, that Jennifer is using the storm to bury them alive. Deucalion says killing Jennifer will save them.

Jennifer points out that killing her won’t be the end. She says Deucalion will make Scott kill everyone he loves. Deucalion urges Scott to become the Alpha he’s meant to be “become a killer.” Scott says the parents aren’t dead yet and that his “pack” will save them.

Isaac is losing strength and the beam he’s holding up begins to slip.

Dr. Deaton places oxygen masks on Ethan and Aiden and prepares a syringe of some unnamed clear liquid.

Deucalion drops Jennifer and rushes Scott grabbing the younger man’s hand and holding it claws up. He intends to force Scott to kill Jennifer. Scott says he forgot to tell Deucalion something Gerard told him. He points out that Deucalion is not always blind and drops two of the flashbang arrowheads we saw earlier at the Argents’ Apartment.

Deucalion and Derek are partially blinded by the flash and at that moment the eclipse begins. The effect is immediate as Derek, Scott and Deucalion return to human form.

Just as the last of the cellar roof is coming down, about to bury the parents and their would be rescuers, Stiles arrives and shoves an aluminum bat under the collapsing beam shoring it up and giving them all some extra time. Stiles and his father embrace.

Jennifer, in her scarred and battered form, enters and throws Scott across the room. She then lands on Deucalion and begins bashing his head into the cement floor. Derek plays up to Jennifer’s victim mentality by saying that Deucalion hasn’t seen how she’s suffered since he is unable to see her destroyed face. Jennifer heals his eyes, restoring his sight but also weakening herself to the point that she is unable to deliver the killing blow. She urges Derek to do it for her. Derek refuses saying his mother told him he’s a predator but that he doesn’t have to be a killer.

Jennifer turns on him and begins beating him. Derek flashes back to when Cora and Boyd, maddened by three months in a hecatolite vault, slashed him in the school boiler room. Then the shadow passes from in front of the moon and Derek gets his strength back.

Jennifer steps away and tosses Mountain Ash into the air. It forms a perfect circle around her. She says since Derek won’t help her, she’ll kill the parents and then have the power she needs to kill Deucalion and the rest of them.

Scott steps up to the line of Mountain Ash and presses. The blue glow of the barrier’s repelling force lights up Scott’s face. Jennifer mocks his efforts from inside the circle. He applies constant and steady pressure. His eyes go yellow then become a solid red. Jennifer looks worried as Scott’s hands seem to be pushing past the barrier until finally he breaks through with a release of energy that knocks Jennifer to the floor. She is astonished as are Deucalion and Derek.

Scott says he’s an Alpha now and demands that she end the storm and let the parents go. He says if she won’t he’ll kill her himself “I don’t care what it does to the color of my eyes.” Deucalion says it won’t do a thing to his eyes, steps forward and slashes Jennifer’s throat.

At the Nemeton, the storm ends and it’s hugs all around.

In the clinic, the twins wake up and Aiden tells Lydia that he knew she liked him.

Scott calls Stiles and says he’ll come get them. Stiles says to “bring a ladder”.

Derek reminds Deucalion that he was once a man of vision. Derek and Scott have decided to let Deucalion go in hopes that he can be that man again. Scott is less poetic, saying if Deucalion doesn’t stop his evil ways that having his eyesight back won’t matter because “you’ll never see us coming.”

Chris Argent is putting away his weapons. Allison says he should keep them close. She believes that the Nemeton will become a beacon for supernatural creatures and that they should be prepared to fight if they must. She says they’ll need a new code - “Nous protégeons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protéger leurs-même.” Which Chris translates as “We protect those who cannot protect themselves.”


 * EDITORS NOTE: My limited skills combined with Google Translate and the advice of a native French speaker suggests the “leurs-même” Allison added at the end would actually make the phrase “We protect those who cannot protect their own”. It should have been "eux-mêmes" but the sentiment is the same.

Derek and Cora leave the loft with bags packed. In voiceover Scott explains that he doesn’t know if Derek is ever coming back.

Agent McCall comes to the door to Scott’s room and knocks. Scott opens the door and promptly closes it in his father's face. Melissa, around the corner down the hall, looks pleased at the daddy diss.

Scott’s voiceover explains that his dad is staying around for a while but that he won’t be welcome in his son’s life.

As he enters the high school Scott sees Aiden and Lydia flirting near the lockers. Danny and Ethan exit a classroom hand in hand and Allison and Isaac share a laugh as they descend the stairs.

Scott says he and Stiles feel the darkness Deaton said they would. He says it feels like the Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness quote. Like he’s looking into “the heart of an immense darkness”. He says instead of looking at the darkness, he looks for his friends. Stiles comes up behind him and wraps an arm around his shoulder. Scott looks genuinely happy.

Deaton asks about Ms. Blake but Scott doesn’t know what happened to her saying her body disappeared from the distillery.

In the woods, Jennifer crawls toward the Nemeton begging it to save her life again but as she reaches out for the top of the stump, a clawed hand grabs her and flips her over onto her back. It is Peter Hale.

Jennifer laughs saying “of course it’s you.” She says everyone else suffers and but somehow Peter comes out on top. She says “now that Scott’s an Alpha, you’ll be able to steal it from him” and be an Alpha again.

Peter balks at the word “again” he slashes Jennifer’s throat. She seems dead.

Peter claims he is already the Alpha and then screams that he has always been the Alpha.


 * EDITOR’S NOTE: While Peter sounded convincing in his “always been the Alpha” speech his features remained entirely human. His eyes show no trace of red. We’re officially listing him as “Self Proclaimed Alpha” since we have no evidence pointing to the truth of his claim.

Video
Episode 12 Preview