Let’s Grieve Over “Teen Wolf” (And Guess How It’ll End)

The time has come, ladies and gentlemen; werewolves and banshees.

The annual San Diego Comic-Con is notorious for being the source of insight into popular culture, bringing many exciting announcements. However, this year, on July 21, the Teen Wolf Comic-Con panel brought news resulting in more tears than season three, episode 23 (if you know, then you know): Season Six will be the final season of MTV’s Teen Wolf.

I mean, really, it’s inevitable. Even High School Musical got drawn out a little bit too far. (22-year-olds acting as 17-year-olds? No thanks).

Loosely based on the 1985 original Teen Wolf film featuring Michael J. Fox, MTV’s Teen Wolf stars Tyler Posey as Scott McCall, an average teenager who receives ‘The Bite’ and turns into a werewolf. The show explores a diverse range of supernatural abilities (not just the classic werewolf and vampire ones), as well as classic teenage problem’: failing classes, troublesome parents and relationships. In the five seasons to date, so much has been said, yet so much more has been left unsaid: so, are they even ready to end it?

It could be assumed that Season Six will focus on the protagonists’ last moments at high school, due to the significant focus on their final year throughout Season Five. The official trailer for the final season also suggests that “Stydia” (the most popular OTP of the series) will be further explored – something many fans have been waiting a very long time for.

So, while the trailer seems promising, showing the return of a range of characters (unfortunately not including the long-awaited return of Derek and Jackson), as well as the new addition to the extensive list of villains, the Ghost Riders, there are lots of things left to account for.

What happened to Jackson after he left Beacon Hills? What about Derek? Why is Stiles the only normal teenager around Beacon Hills? What gave Lydia her powers? Was it really genetic, or is there more behind it? Is Deaton really who he says he is? (See what I mean?)

These questions aren’t even the half of it. With an average of 20 episodes per season, it is very unlikely every question asked will be answered.  However, in the scheme of things, the fandom is lucky the show has hung around this long. While most series last a few seasons at best, Teen Wolf will have aired more than 100 episodes over a total of six seasons. If you feel upset about the fact that this number still seems too small to you, think of the BBC’s Sherlock fans. That’s a disappointing amount of episodes.

Now, down to what’s most important to many people: How will they end it all? Will they do the classic graduation scene, resulting in proud tears from the audience, or will they end it in an uncomfortable place for conspiracies to be held onto for eternity?

My theory is they’ll do a bit of both. This may leave room for a follow-up series in the years to come, maintaining the last bit of trust in the producers to redeem themselves… but this is highly unlikely.

Regardless of how, the end will come, and when it does, it will be disappointing. Let’s just hope it won’t be ‘High School Musical 3’ disappointing.

Season 6 of Teen Wolf will debut in the U.S. on November 15.

Sarah Schofield is one of Student Edge’s student contributors. Learn more about the contributors program.

Photo: MTV.