Teen Wolf “Pressure Test” Review

While “Pressure Test” didn’t give much, I surprisingly wasn’t bored with it. The fifth episode of the final half of the season really seemed to jumpstart this brewing war, in my opinion. At first, Scott and his pack weren’t wanting to fight these hunters, they’d rather resolve it peacefully. In this episode, though, the hunters pushed the pack just a little too far. Now, the pack is ready to battle, when the hunters are least expecting it!

“Pressure Test” kicks off in Gerard’s warehouse full of weaponry. A new hunter – the creepy guy from Eichen – has two new werewolves (Tierney and Chang) and Theo (YAY for him not being dead) zip-tied to a metal gate door. He’s torturing them with a stun baton, drenching them in water and electrocuting them with the turn of a remote. He’s not doing it because he wants answers, though. Of course not. He’s doing it because that’s what he was told to do as a hunter. Whatever the reason, Theo doesn’t understand why he’s part of these newbies’ torture. He doesn’t know them or what they did. When he realizes that the zip-ties are melting from the electrocution shocks, he taunts the hunter to do it even more. The hunter turns the dial up and electrocutes them until the zip-ties eventually break. Theo wolfs (or is it coyote) out and breaks free.

Cut to Theo zipping up his jacket as the hunter is now the one zip-tied to the gate-like door. The newbies are ready to get the heck outta dodge using the hunter’s car. Theo spots Tierney’s wrist tattoo when she grabs for the keys and asks what it is. Tierney: “You’ve never seen a pack symbol before?” Theo: “I’m not much of a pack animal.” The tattoo is of stacked rocks, a Budhist practice. They were part of Satomi’s pack, but Satomi and the rest of their pack is dead 🙁 (RIP Satomi). Theo tells them to find Scott McCall since “he has a thing for taking in strays.” When they ask if he knows where he is, he volunteers to take them to him if she hands over the keys. So, she does.

As they’re in the parking lot though, Stilinski shows up, and other officers aren’t far behind him. Theo tries to figure out what’s going on, but Stilinski tells them to put their hands above their heads. Theo: “you’re arresting us? For what?” Stilinski: “Murder.” Oh boy… clearly these newbies have been up to no good, and Theo has no idea what the hell is going on.

Meanwhile, Deaton is on one of his research hunts in the closed unit of Eichen House of all places. He’s alone because the guard who walked him down there won’t go because no one else has made it out due to fear of themselves. As Deaton walks further, he starts to feel the terror in his own body. He repeatedly says that it’s not real. The guard states that no one lasts past 30 seconds. So, Deaton sets his phone timer for 30 seconds as he enters Halwyn the hellhound’s room, and feels it even more. He starts to break the cracked pieces of the wall. When he finally emerges from the room, he has a large slab of the wall that has an image sketched into it. Oddly enough, not even Deaton knows what it is.

At the sheriff’s station, Theo is locked in a cell with the newbies, but he swears that he had nothing to do with whatever they did. He asks them who they killed, but neither of them talk. Doing what he does best, Theo taunts Chang into finally talking. “We’re not murderers. If you’d been there, you’d know we had no choice. They came after us.” Theo chuckles a little and grins at them before looking at the camera that was recording. Stilinski and Parrish were watching. “We good?” Parrish let’s Theo out.

In Stilinski’s office, he tells Scott & co. that he’s not letting Tierney and Chang out because they confessed to killing two people. Scott argues they were hunters, but Stilinski insists they were people. “Self-defense or not, they’re still here and the other guys are dead, and there’s a process I have to follow.” Scott says that it’s not safe for them to be there because of everything that’s happening, but Stilinski thinks otherwise. Lydia asks if Stiles would agree and Malia backs her up by reminding him one of the deputies is working for Gerard. Stilinski doesn’t believe that. He knows and trusts his deputies. Liam: “You know who they were. Everyone’s afraid, and it’s getting worse.” Scott states that Stilinski can’t protect two werewolves from hunters if they’re already on the inside. Stilinski turns to Quinn, who is sitting behind Liam and Lydia, to ask if she’s “absolutely 100% sure” that a deputy shot her. She nods her head. Maybe you don’t know your deputies as well as you think, Stilinski.

As Theo is about to sign his release form from Parrish, he starts to hear like a buzzing sound. He asks Parrish if he heard it.

Quinn recalls her memory of being shot in the head by a deputy. She doesn’t remember much, just how she saw flashing lights and a badge before being shot in the head. Stilinski: “There’s a couple holes in her story.” Lydia: “Maybe because there was a hole in her head.” Lydia serving up the SASS! Clearly Stiles has been rubbing off on her and I am here for it! Malia laughs and everyone looks at her before she says I’m sorry. Girl, I laughed too. No shame! Anyways, Scott says they need to get Chang and Tierney out before anyone realizes they’re there. Stilinski still isn’t changing his mind, though. It’s too late anyway. A bright light shines in from outside, causing everyone to look. An armored Tamora is out there with a smirk on her face. This chick, y’all.

The deputies point their guns at the windows, but Stilinski tells them to stop, he knows who it is. Parrish warns them they’ll be heavily armed, to which Stilinski says that’s why he won’t be. He places his gun on the desk. Parrish wants to go with him, but Stilinski tells him to get other deputies and check the exits. He wants to make sure they’re all on the same side. He walks out with his hands up. He walks up to Tamora who is backed by other armed hunters. “I’m going to assume you’ve all got permits for these weapons.” The hunters all cock their guns.

Malia is suddenly overcome with a bad feeling as she watches from the window. She says they need to get out of there. When Liam wonders how they would get Chang and Tierney out, Malia says that’s Stilinski’s job. Scott reminds her it’s their job to keep them alive, but Theo says it’s not his, and Liam wants to kill him. Now Theo wants to kill Quinn when she says they’re all going to die there. Malia growls at Theo and tells him to shut up. Scott tells her to take a breath because she’s shaking, but she says she’s fine. Lydia is confident they can take on the hunters since there’s only a dozen outside. Scott is clearly contemplating what their next move should be as he considers everyone’s concerns. He finally decides that they’re going to go, and Chang and Tierney are coming with them.

Meanwhile, Corey and Mason are at the library studying, but Corey has been trying to figure out what came out of the Wild Hunt instead. Mason tells him to go back to math because figuring stuff out is his thing. Corey: “I need a thing, too.” Mason reminds him of his invisibility “thing”, but Corey is feeling guilty about standing by while Liam got his ass kicked. Mason: “Liam healed.” Corey: “You won’t.” He’s worried about the war brewing between the supernaturals and humans, but he’s still confident his side will win. They start discussing how the whole thing is about fear. They need to start with the root cause… the (dead) wolves.

In the station parking lot, Stilinski tries negotiating with Tamora. He says this whole situation is why they have a judicial system. Tamora: “Justice is about fairness. There’s nothing fair about a werewolf against a human.” Stilinski: “If you think it’s fair to hand two kids over to a lynch mob, this is going to be a pretty short conversation.” YOU TELL HER, STILINSKI!

Liam tries to break Chang and Tierney out of the jail cell, but they don’t follow him. They hear the hunters outside. “Do you want to be locked in a cell if they get in here? Or do you want to come with me?”

Tamora starts talking to Stilinski about a subduction zone and when tectonic plates crash together with enormous force. Either pressure is released and there’s a series of small quakes, or a devastating quake destroys an entire city. She wants to release the pressure, but if she’s insinuating killing too kids, Stilinski is not letting that happen. When she gets annoyed and the hunters point their guns, Stilinski asks if she wants a bloodbath. Tamora: “I’m trying to stop one. All you have to do is bring them out. I don’t care if they’re dead or alive.” Sure you don’t, crazy lady.

Scott and co. prepare to walk out of the station to take on the hunters. He looks to each of his team members to make sure that they’re ready. Even Theo reluctantly throws up his claws to show that he’s ready to fight. Just as they’re about to exit, though, Stilinski comes in and stops them. He states that they aren’t going to be the ones to “fire the first shot” and tells Parrish to put the newbies back in their cell. When Scott asks Stilinski what happened with Tamora, he says she gave them until midnight.

They block all the windows and exits and the deputies check their ammo. Parrish tells Stilinski that they’ll eventually need to call for help, but Stilinski is worried about exposing Scott and the others. Parrish: “If they see actual werewolves, they’re not going to be able to tell the good guys from the bad.” Stilinski: “And if Quinn is right about one of our deputies, I’m not sure we’re going to be able to tell either.” Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t everyone already know about Scott and the others? Hence why they are all being hunted? Or do they only know about some of them?

Cell services is jammed, and Lydia can’t even get a radio signal. She realizes that someone must’ve had access to be able to cut a law enforcement transceiver. Then the power goes out. Deputy Morrow – shot Quinn in the head – walks around with panic on her face, and Stilinski has to yell at her to get her to snap out of it. Malia questions how easy it is to cut the power at the station, and someone yells “too easy” before tossing Nolan into the room. Liam wants him out, but Nolan is afraid Tamora will know he screwed up. I don’t believe this kid one bit, and neither does Liam! “He’s a liar, and he’s sick in the head.” Stilinski then places Nolan under arrest.

Parrish cuffs Nolan to a bench outside the newbies cell, and Chang recognizes him. Nolan asks him what he’s doing there and he states that he was arrested for murder. When Chang asks Nolan what he’s there for, Nolan seems to be at a loss for words.

Theo shoves Liam into the bathroom saying that Tamora isn’t going to stop. Nothing they say or do is going to make the hunters leave because the newbies killed hunters. Liam defends them by saying the hunters killed their pack, but Theo doesn’t care. He says that Tamora is going to tear through anything that gets between her and the newbies – including the McCall pack. Theo: “Are you going to watch your friends die?” Liam: “Are you going to watch the hunters murder them? Chang and Tierney weren’t the only ones part of Satomi’s pack.” Theo: “Right… the hit and run. Sorry if I’m not losing sleep over some random road kill.” Liam: “They were murdered! Brett and Lori, they didn’t have anything to do with this!” Theo: “So you think saving those two is going to make everything feel better? Your dead friends, are dead, and they’re going to stay dead no matter what you do!” Liam punches Theo in the face, knocking him to the floor. “By the way, I’m still working on my anger.” He says as he walks out. “Good to know.”

Back with Nolan and the newbies, Chang says that he almost didn’t recognize Nolan. “It’s been five years. A lot can change. I mean, the last I saw you, you were human.” Chang: “I’m still human.” Nolan scoffs and ask if he did it (committed murder). Chang says that they killed his family, to which Nolan smugly replies with, “don’t you mean your pack?” Chang eyes Nolan and can see the crazy in his eyes. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s changed.”

Liam looks at the footage from the camera watching Nolan and the newbies. He sees Nolan break out of his cuffs and stand up. Just then, someone rolls a smoke grenade into the station. Parrish spots it and yells for everyone to get down just as the bomb goes off.

Nolan’s cuffs drop and he walks toward the cell. Chang: “You’re with them.” Nolan tells them that he’s going to do what he has to. He pulls out of tube of purple wolfsbane and is about to throw it at them, but Liam comes in and stops him.

As everyone stands up, they wonder what happened. Scott realizes that it was a distraction. “They said midnight!” Stilinski yells as he starts to storm out of the station, but Parrish stops him saying the grenade came from inside. “It was one of us.” The camera then pans to deputy Morrow holding the ring of the grenade.

Liam brings Nolan out and shows Scott the tube of wolfsbane he had. He tells him there’s something else he needs to see. He takes him back to the newbies’ cell and tells them to show Scott their eyes. Tierney: “We never said we were innocent.” At first Scott calmly tells them to show him, but they still don’t. Completely FED UP with all this, he bares his fangs and alpha eyes with a loud growl, “SHOW ME!” They both look at him with blue eyes, signifying that they did commit murder.

Checking back in with Mason and Corey, they break into Deaton’s clinic. He’s seemingly not there. When they hear someone coming, Corey hides them by going invisible. Deaton turns on the light and says they could have at least tried knocking. “Is there something I can help you with?” Cut to them standing over a table looking at one of the dead wolves from the season premier. Deaton asks them what they were hoping to find. They’re trying to figure out what’s got everyone freaked out – aka the creature that came out of the Wild Hunt. Deaton confesses that he, too, thought that it started with the wolves. He even examined the wolves and the rats for any clues, but came up with very little. They go to another room where Deaton shows them the slab of wall he took from Eichen. “Unfortunately, this drawing seems to be another dead end.” Corey: “Would the other half help?” Deaton: “What other half?”

Scott and Liam enter Chang and Tierney’s cell, asking what happened. Tierney says they were hunters. Scott: “If I’m asking my friends to risk their lives for you, then you have to tell me the truth.” Chang tells him that Satomi didn’t want to fight. They tried running for two days, but the hunters were everywhere. Then it was just them hiding in a storm drain while Satomi tried to talk to them, but they didn’t want to talk. She died so that Chang and Tierney could keep running. But they stopped running and started hunting the hunters instead. When Scott asks how, she confesses to using public records to find where they lived. Scott asks if they saw the hunters kill anyone, but Tierney says it doesn’t matter. Liam: “It does matter. You can’t kill innocent people.” Tierney: “They murdered our whole pack. You really think any of them are more innocent than us?”

Parrish handcuffs Nolan to a different chair and tells another deputy to keep an eye on him. When Parrish leaves, the deputy starts seeing Nolan as the faceless, pulpy body and starts to freak out.

Outside, Tamora is backed by other hunters as she backs Gabe in shooting a crossbow. She tells him to remember what Gerard taught him. Side Note: When did this kid meet with Gerard? How much time has passed since in 4.5 episodes?? Anyways, Gabe repeats what Gerard told him on how to shoot. He asks how he’s supposed to kill anyone with a crossbow from outside. She tells him he’s not killing anyone… yet. He’s “sending a message.” He points the crossbow back toward the station.

Scott and Stilinski meet privately in his office. Scott is frustrated that Chang and Tierney killed innocent people. It changes things for him. Stilinski: “It doesn’t matter, Scott, because if you find yourself fighting a war, you’re going to have to kill people. And there’s no such thing as guilty or innocent. There’s only the other side.” Scott: “Sometimes wars take prisoners.” “And others take none.” The crossbow gets fired into the station and they run out of the office to see what happened.

The arrow landed in a wall. Malia pulls it out as everyone gathers around her. She pulls something off that was wrapped around it. Liam takes it from her and unfolds it. It’s a piece of Brett’s jersey… with blood and holes covering the number. 🙁 Lydia realizes that they’re trying to rattle them. Theo: “It’s working.” Liam gets visibly angry as his eyes glow yellow and he starts to shake. Scott gets concerned for him, but a woman’s scream interrupts.

Stilinski and Parrish run into the room to see Morrow up against a wall, afraid of what they then see. Nolan: “I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even say anything. He just got up and started putting the wire around his neck.” It’s the deputy that Parrish told to watch Nolan, he’s hung himself. As Parrish and Stilinski start getting him down, Morrow starts freaking out and looks at the clock as she sits down. “15 minutes. They’re going to kill us in 15 minutes. They’re going to kill us and no one’s coming to help us. We’re all dead. We’re already dead,” she mumbles. She pulls out her gun. Stilinski yells at her as he tries to get the other deputy down, but Morrow holds the gun up and kills herself anyway. The hunters hear the gunshot from outside.

Liam throws Nolan into the cell that Chang and Tierney are now out of, claiming that he’s saving his life. They walk away.

Outside, Gabe goes up to Tamora and informs her that there’s 10 minutes.

Lydia kneels beside Morrow’s body as Stilinski and Scott stand above her. She says it wasn’t just panic, “it’s in here with us.” Scott and Stilinski look around, but see nothing. Stilinski: “What do you mean?” Lydia: “Whatever’s causing the fear. The same thing that caused the wolves to kill each other. It’s here with us.” Scott reminds them that they’re out of time. Stilinski says he’s not giving Tamora two more bodies.

Theo tells Scott what he saw when Tierney and Chang were brought in. Scott asks if Tamora talked to them, but Theo doesn’t think she did. Scott: “So she might not have seen them?” Stilinski: “What are you getting at, Scott?” Scott: “I’ve got an idea, but I don’t think you’re gonna like it.” Stilinski: “If it keeps them from getting killed, I’m pretty open.” Scott: “Monroe said that she wanted Chang and Tierney brought out… dead or alive.”

Back outside, Tamora seems anxious before they hear more gunshots go off inside. They kneel down and Gabe asks her what’s going on in there.

Stilinski lowers and holsters his gun. He gives Scott five minutes. Scott and Theo are knelt beside the two dead deputies who are now in body bags.

Meanwhile, Corey used his invisibility power to see the other half of the image on the slab of wall. He then traces it so Deaton and Mason can see it too. Deaton: “I think I know what we’re dealing with. It’s an ancient shape shifter, a creature of disharmony. It can turn neighbor against neighbor, sewing the seeds of discord and hate. It doesn’t need fangs. It doesn’t need claws. It uses something far more sinister.” Mason: “Fear.” Deaton: “Yes. When paranoia turns to anger, anger turns to violence… entire communities tear themselves apart. The creature feeds off of fear and grows more powerful. It’s called the anuk-ite.” Mason: “So, if we know what this thing is, that means we can stop it, right?” Deaton flips through a book: “I don’t know. Anuke-ite is sometimes also called double-face or two-faces. One’s beautiful and the other is hideous, which is why it represents disharmony and discord.” Mason: “So are we looking for something that has two faces or could it be two people?” Deaton: “Two faces may mean two creatures, and when they come together… it’ll be unstoppable.” He puts down the book that shows a better image of the anuk-ite.

Scott, Theo and Stilinski take the body bags out to Tamora. She walks up to them and Stilinski lies by saying Chang and Tierney tried to run. He says that she got what she wanted, but then she asks to see their faces. Scott and Theo unzip the bags for her to see, it’s the deputies, and she doesn’t seem to buy that they’re Chang and Tierney. So, she asks to see their tattoos of the pack symbol. When things are about to take a turn for the worse, Scott’s dad walks through the hunters. “Good thing you’re not the only ones who can negotiate.” Scott asks what he’s doing there, to which he replies with, “Making sure no one else dies tonight.” Soooo…. I’m guessing Papa McCall is in the loop now? When did this happen? Dang it, I really wanted to see his reaction when Scott told him. – sigh –

As it turns out, Stilinski called Papa McCall Well, he called a few people and didn’t expect anyone to show up. Look at Papa McCall pulling through for his son for once. Anyways, an apparent deal has been negotiated with Tamora, but the pack isn’t too thrilled with it. Papa McCall says it’s a good deal because in situations like theirs, it’s always best to de-escalate. The deal? All of them have to leave, and Scott actually agrees to it. At least, that’s what he tells his dad, but we all know Scott and his pack aren’t ones to run and hide from a fight.

They all walk out of the station to a scowling group of hunters who believe they’ve won the battle. McCall escorts Chang and Tierney to a transport van, and Tierney mouths a “thank you” to Scott who nods back at her. McCall gestures for the van to leave, then Tamora looks back at Scott and his pack with a look of satisfaction as they are seemingly defeated.

Later at the McCall house, Papa McCall checks in with Scott as he’s packing his bags. His dad knows it’s not what he wanted, but it’s ultimately the right decision. Scott doesn’t want to hear whatever his dad has to say, though. Papa McCall: “You can be mad at me, but I’d rather watch you leave the state than watch you die.” That is a good point, sir. Scott insists that he’s not mad and understands why McCall did what he did. “Scott, you’re not the only one that gets to protect his family.” Malia then comes in and interrupts their conversation.

After McCall goes downstairs, there’s a little bit of silence between Scott and Malia as he zips up his bag. When he grabs his bag and walks to her, she suddenly grabs his hand and holds it. They don’t say anything. She just looks at him and he smiles. “You could have grabbed a bag.” She grins a little before grabbing his other bag with her free hand. They smile at each other before leaving. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m really digging these two. Sure, it may be a little weird since she used to date his best friend, but it’s not like Stiles is pining over her or anything. In fact, he’s happily moved on with Lydia, the girl he’s been in love with since third grade. So, I don’t think it’s that big a deal, but that’s just my opinion.

In the boys’ locker room, Corey and Mason have already been told the news. Mason isn’t too thrilled about it since Corey has to leave. Mason: “What happened to taking the fight to them?” Corey: “The fight included automatic weapons. We can’t protect anyone if we’re dead.” Mason: “But if you leave now, you’ll be handing Beacon Hills over to the hunters.” Corey: “We don’t have a choice.” Mason: “Says who?” Corey: “Scott. Stilinski… everyone.” Mason: “Okay, fine then let me go with you. I can figure things out. I can protect you.” Corey puts his hand on Mason’s chest, “This time, let me protect you.” Mason is visibly heartbroken as Corey grabs his bag and walks away. Ugh. I really love these two, y’all.

On an abandoned street somewhere between two buildings, the transport van carrying Chang and Tierney comes to a stop. They seem happy as they think they’ve arrived at their destination. But the driver gets out, opens the back doors, and shoots them dead before walking away from the van. 🙁 RIP newbies: Chang and Tierney.

The next morning, Nolan meets with Tamora in her office. He’s feeling like a failure, but she assures him that everything is okay since “the wolves didn’t get away. They were taken care of.” She tells him it will be easier next time, but she also questions if she needs to worry about it happening again. He assures her that it won’t, but she wants proof. I’m so glad this grown woman who is supposed to be a guidance counselor for these kids has no problem turning them into killers. – eye roll –

Meanwhile, Mason tries to concentrate on doing his math problem on the board, but he can’t seem to focus. The girl beside him tells him that he’s not doing anything. When he responds with, “I know.” Mason tries again to focus, but when he looks back at the board “animal clinic” is written. He turns around to see everyone still doing their own thing, and when he turns back, the word “NOW” is underlined. He drops his book and runs out of the classroom. The girl beside him looks confused, and then turns back to her own problem only to see a smiley face.

Mason runs into the animal clinic to see Corey standing in the entryway of another door. He’s mad that Corey told him he was leaving. Corey says that he had to. Mason shoves him and says that he lied. “We all did.” Liam says from behind them. Mason and Corey turn to reveal Liam, Theo, Scott, Lydia and Malia. Mason: “So this was the plan all along?” Scott nods, “sorry, Mason. My dad had to believe we left Beacon Hills. Everyone has to believe it.” Mason: “What happens next? We fight back now, right?” Scott: “What did you think we were going to do? Run?” Scott asks with a knowing grin.

I knew it! I knew my wolfpack wouldn’t run and hide! It’s the last thing they would ever do. Now, with only FIVE episodes left EVER – cue my sobbing – how are they going to save the day? Call upon old allies? I have a strong hunch that they might 😉 More importantly, though, with only five episodes left, are things going to get all wrapped up in a nice little bow so everyone gets a happy ending? That’s what I’m hoping for!

Stay tuned with me to find out!

Teen Wolf airs Sundays at 8/7c on MTV!

GIF credit: brettstablot, stydixa, theoraken