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Smoke & Mirrors, the final episode of Teen Wolf Season 4, is the only one for which the network did not release a title during pre-season publicity.

The episode ran 75 minutes total with commercials.

According to the Nielsen Company, approximately 1.5 million people saw the episode upon it's initial airing on MTV.

Synopsis

From MTV: Scott and Stiles return to La Iglesia to save the Pack from Kate.

As has been pointed out by Official Teen Wolf Wiki users, this "official" synopsis released was wrong as Scott is the one who needed saving.

Full Recap

Kira wakes up in the same bone-filled cell where we last saw her (see A Promise to the Dead. Now though, the cell door is open. As she makes her way down the dirty stone corridor she notes a Berserker standing guard at the other end. Turning to retreat, another Berserker attacks her. She notices the double bands of black tattoo on his arm and knows that the Berserker is Scott. She tries to talk to him but he continues to beat her mercilessly until Kate calls him off.

Kate explains that after escaping The Calavera Family she didn’t know where to go but kept feeling a pull from Tezcatlipoca. She explains that his name means “smoking mirror” and the temple under La Iglesia was known as “the temple of the smoking mirror.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Aztec deity known as Tezcatlipoca was often depicted with body parts made of obsidian. He was always connected to this particular volcanic rock from which mirrors were made. Many times the god was shown with a chest plate of obsidian from which smoke would issue.

Kate points out that the temple is partially made of obsidian. Kate says the Berserkers were waiting for her when she arrived at the temple and helped her survive. She says she didn’t know why they were helping her until recently when someone with whom she was working explained it to her. She learned from this unnamed ally that she could control the berserkers and make new berserkers. Kate says they call her La Loba, The Bone Woman. She says they let Kira out to test Scott’s loyalty as a Berserker. She complains that Scott’s never had to kill anyone despite all he’s been through. She thinks it’s time to change that.

Scott takes out a dagger of bone and stabs Kira.

Sheriff Stilinski forbids Stiles to go after Scott and Kira in Mexico. The sheriff wants to call law enforcement in Mexico to help. Stiles says there is no time and declares that he is going. The sheriff threatens to lock Stiles up but his son says he will still find a way to go. He asks Stiles for more time saying he will do all he can through channels and if it doesn’t work he and Stiles will both go to Mexico.

In the loft with a table full of guns, Derek feels helpless. Braeden points out that she is human and she’s not helpless. Derek confesses he doesn’t expect to live through rescuing Scott. Braeden says she’s not okay with that and they kiss. Derek says if he can save Scott and Kira he’s willing to die.

Peter comes down the spiral stairs and says they don’t have near enough fire power to take down even one berserker. He says defeating them isn’t just about firepower; they have to break the animal spirit from the human inside. Derek says only Argent has real experience and he’s “not getting back to me.” Peter suggests they’re going to need help he says “like Malia, maybe Liam, definitely me.”

Stiles is going through Scott’s closet looking for something for Malia to sniff so she can track Scott. His shirts smell like fabric softener so Stiles looks in the dirty clothes hamper in the bathroom and comes up with a pair of boxers. Malia makes a face and then decides to sniff his pillow instead. She gets a scent and they’re off.

Liam is downstairs and Stiles tells him to go home. Due to Liam’s lack of control during the full moon, he will be a liability on the trip. Stiles says considering how he tore through chains during his last full moon they would have to “freeze him in carbonite” to get him to Mexico. Liam says that’s great and asks “where do we get carbonite?” Liam insists that he wants to help save Scott and they decide they will have to come up with some special way to restrain him.

Braeden, in her guise as a US Marshal, “borrows” a prisoner transport van to help secure Liam. Derek is surprised that Stiles is bringing Liam. Stiles is surprised that Derek is bringing Peter. Peter says they should get moving since it’s about to be a full moon and Kate may try the same “age regression” trick she pulled on Derek with Scott (see 117). Peter says a werewolf can’t steal a True Alpha’s power but maybe Kate would be able to with the power of the temple.

Peter wants to leave but Stiles says they need to wait on Lydia. She’s at the school getting something of Kira’s to help them track her scent. Lydia finds a jacket in Kira’s locker but is attacked by a Berserker.

Stiles keeps calling Lydia but can’t get her. Braeden suggests she can catch up with them on the road. Stiles doesn’t want to leave her but Liam suggests they call Mason, who is already at school for study break, to see if he can find Lydia.

Stiles says he’ll ride with Derek and Liam since he has experience dealing with “out of control teen wolves” and asks Malia if she will be okay riding with Peter. She says “he is my father, maybe we can do some bonding.” Stiles says no bonding and insists that she “play the radio and play it loud.”

Peter encourages all of them to remember that they “might see human eyes behind those skulls” but not to “assume there is any humanity left.” He then senses that Liam is terrified of berserkers and says his fear will keep him alive. He reminds them all, “you do not fight berserkers to survive - you fight to kill.”

Mason finds Lydia’s car in the school parking lot while on the phone with Liam. He says he’ll continue to look around the school to see if he can find her. Liam says to call as soon as he does.

The Teen Wolf Pack caravans through the desert, Peter drives first in his SUV followed closely by Braeden in the prisoner transport. In the back of the van, Derek attaches handcuffs and chains to Liam. He strains against them and they seem to hold him secure to the metal bench. Derek then brings out the triskelion disk his family used to teach betas control on the full moon. He says it is a centuries old “very powerful supernatural talisman.” Stiles gives him a look because he knows none of that is true but Derek, also with a look, admonishes him to keep quiet. Stiles then reinforces what Derek has said “very powerful.”

Mason searches for Lydia. He finds Kira's jacket and Lydia's phone on the stairs and as he activates the screen a picture of a berserker skull appears. A shadow falls over Mason as a berserker blocks his path.

On the road, Malia has the radio up loud. Peter asks if he can turn it down and she agrees. He asks if she’s worried about Stiles and she says she’s worried about everyone. Peter asks if he needs to be worried about Malia. He says they have to go through the berserkers to get to Kate and then through Kate to get to Kira and Scott and that it will be “messy.” Malia says Scott told her that “we don’t kill people.” Peter turns it around asking if Scott would kill to save Kira or if Malia would kill to save Stiles. She doesn’t answer, just looks out the window at the full moon. Peter says she’ll need that power.

Braeden takes her eyes off the road to look through the metal grate into the back of the van. Liam is beginning to lose it.

Kira is badly wounded. She imagines her mother. Kira says she’s not healing because she never learned how. Noshiko explains that foxes and wolves have a number of things in common including healing and asks Kira how the wolves start healing when it doesn’t come automatically. Kira remembers it is pain that triggers it. She begins to pound on the obsidian rock near her, breaking off a piece and squeezing the sharp rock in her hand until she begins to bleed. Her eyes glow orange.

Mason wakes up in the basement of the school with Lydia. He describes “this guy” who had a skull over his face. Mason’s phone is gone and Lydia says that’s the point to keep them from getting out or contacting anyone.

Derek is trying to calm Liam. He explains what each spiral of the triskelion means to his family - Alpha, Beta, and Omega. He says, just like the tattoo on his back, it reminds him that Betas can rise to Alpha, Alphas can fall to Betas. Liam asks if Alphas can become Omegas and Derek says they can. He explains that Liam must use the three status names as a mantra and each time he says it he is becoming more in control. Liam tries the mantra but it doesn’t work. He struggles against the transformation but loses. He rocks the van and breaks one of the handcuffs. The other cuff breaks and Derek can barely hold Liam back.

Malia is struggling too. Peter notices. She says she’s trying to stay human. He says that’s a problem because “Scott has you thinking that control and humanity are the same for us.” He offers her some “fatherly advice” saying that facing something as animal as a berserker will require that she focus on the animal inside her because she will need every ounce of savagery and ferocity that she can muster.

Liam fights with Derek who is still trying to get the boy to focus on the mantra. Stiles says it’s not working and, in frustration, Derek asks if he knows any other mantras. Stiles remembers the mantra used by Brett Talbot (see Orphaned). He asks Liam “What three things cannot long be hidden?” Liam redoubles his attack on Derek. Stiles repeats the question. This time Liam responds “the sun, the moon, and the truth.” As he repeats this, Liam becomes calmer and eventually regains his humanity completely.

Liam is amazed it worked saying that he thought he would tear Stiles and Derek apart. Stiles says that would have made for an awkward ride home. Derek wonders if he can bring the same level of control and strength in the fight ahead. Liam flicks out his claws to demonstrate that he can.

They arrive at La Iglesia, Derek is ambushed by a waiting Berserker. He’s pulled from the back of the van and stabbed repeatedly by the creatures bone “fist dagger” until Braeden attacks with a rapid fire shotgun sending it fleeing.

Derek can’t stand. He’s bleeding badly. He says he’s fine and urges the others to find Scott. He says he’ll be right behind them but none of them believe this. His final words to Stiles are “save him.” Stiles hesitates and looks back at Derek but then enters the church with Peter, Malia, and Liam. Braeden stays behind with Derek.

Inside the church, Stiles phone rings - it is his father. The sheriff is angry saying he plans to hobble Stiles. He then asks for reassurance that Stiles is alright and safe. Stiles says he can’t lie. He says the sheriff needs to go look for Lydia. He says if a berserker is involved the sheriff will need to take lots of firepower.

Scott, disguised in his berserker bones, attacks them and chases them deeper into the temple. Braeden refuses to leave Derek but they hear berserkers coming and Derek says she’ll need to concentrate on saving herself. Braeden circles around a building and spots Kate and one of her berserkers coming up the street.

Lydia says she no longer hears the berserker in the basement but Mason says there is only one way out. Lydia says they have to check and see if he’s blocking the exit. When Mason sticks his neck out to check the berserker appears.

Malia tosses Kira’s sword to Stiles and tells him to go find her and Scott. Malia, Liam and Peter turn to face “berserker Scott.”

Braeden is rapid firing at the berserker with Kate, first with a shotgun then with her pistols. None of it has any effect and he grabs her around the throat and lifts her into the air. Kate asks how much Braeden was paid. The mercenary says “way more than you’re worth.”

The sound of engines heralds the arrival of two SUVs filled with Mexican hunters. Araya Calavera and her “family” arrive with Chris Argent and Deputy Parrish. Everybody opens fire on the Kate and the berserker. Braeden is forgotten and sits in the dust.

Stiles is searching deep in the temple and finds Kira. She explains that Kate has turned Scott into a Berserker. Stiles realizes that’s why the kept Lydia away – so Scott’s friends won’t know who they’re killing.

Malia, Liam, and Peter all take runs at “Berserker Scott” and get in some good punches but he rebuffs each in turn.

Kate runs from the Calaveras who continue to fire on her. Derek is sitting off to the side, dying. Kate’s berserker takes out several hunters while she hides in the cover of one of their trucks. Braeden makes it back to Derek who gives her a slight smile just before he dies.

Lydia decides to go after the berserker with a baseball bat. Mason doesn’t think it will work. Lydia says her friends are in trouble as is Mason’s best friend Liam so she plans to “go for it.” When Lydia stands to face the creature alone, Mason comes screaming past her with a bat to attack. The berserker makes quick work of them both, sending them flying back down the hall. It then comes after them. Mason says he thought the thing just wanted to keep them from leaving. Lydia says it must have changed its mind.

The berserker’s advance is halted by the sheriff’s voice saying “excuse me – catch!” He then tosses it a metal rectangular container of some sort which the creature catches. The lettering on the top says “Front Toward Enemy.” It is a Claymore mine. Lydia, Mason and the Sheriff take cover and the sheriff triggers the mine. It explodes and turns the berserker into bone fragments and dust.

Lydia says she knows the berserker was just supposed to be a distraction to keep her in Beacon Hills. The sheriff says it’s because she knew they were trying to kill someone. Mason wants to know who and Lydia says “Scott.”

Malia, Peter, and Liam continue to land punches on “Berserker Scott” and seem to be getting the better of him. Peter manages to knock him down and tosses a bone dagger to Malia saying “take him!” He urges her to aim for the skull. He and Liam each grabs one of Scott’s arms and drive him back into a stone column. Just as Malia is raring back to make the killing blow, Stiles rushes in screaming for her to stop. It is too late though. The dagger comes down but just before it strikes Scott, Kira’s sword flashes down and severs Malia’s blade.

Stiles explains that the berserker is Scott. Liam looks into its eyes and realizes it is his Alpha. This moment of hesitation is all Scott needs to free himself. He drives Peter into Liam and throws them both off. He punches Malia out. When Stiles calls his name and tries to reach him, Scott backhands him to the floor. He then picks up Liam and smashes him against the stone wall choking him.

Braeden is crying over Derek’s dead body as Kate begins taking out hunters one by one. Everyone, including Braeden, Chris, Parrish, and Araya, opens fire again. Parrish says he’s running out of ammo and the berserker isn’t going down. Chris loads what appears to be a bullet filled with Yellow Wolfsbane into his pistol.

Liam is pleading for Scott to listen. He says “you’re not a monster. You’re a werewolf, like me.” This echoes what Scott said to Liam during his first full moon (see The Benefactor. Something changes in Scott’s eyes. He lowers his fist and lowers Liam to the ground. He then seems to struggle, tearing off the pieces of bone armor. He reaches up and rips the bear skull from his head in two pieces with a mighty roar. The skull comes apart with a flash of golden light.

Scott confronts Peter saying he was the only one, besides Argent, who knew about the berserkers and the Nagual or werejaguars. Scott surmises that it was Peter who taught Kate. Peter admits he did it for his family’s power “to be rightfully inherited by me not usurped by some idiot teenaged boy…” Peter sees Scott’s refusal to kill as a weakness and says he doesn’t deserve his power.

With eyes glowing blue, Peter goes through a transformation that includes much head twisting and bone cracking. His forehead becomes more triangular and pronounced with deep ridges. His ears enlarge and point and he has bigger fangs than we’ve seen on him before.

Malia also transforms and comes at her father. He bats her away, slamming her into a large broken stone wall. Peter apologizes with a “I’m sorry sweetheart, we’ll talk about this later.” Kira gets ready with her sword but Scott calls her off.

Peter taunts Scott reminding him that he was “my beta first Scott. It was my bite that changed your life and my bite that can end it.” Scott says he better end it because he won’t get another chance. Both growl and launch themselves, crashing into each other in the air.

Outside, the berserker is still tearing a path through the Mexican hunters. Braeden fires past Derek’s dead body as Araya confronts Kate directly. Kate taunts the older woman saying she’s coming for her next. Araya says come on and she flips out an electrified cattle prod. Just then a howl echoes off the ruined buildings. Braeden looks to where Derek’s body lay just moments before but it is now gone.

A black wolf with glowing blue eyes comes bounding over a broken wall. It attacks Kate and takes her down, snarling and biting. Kate screams and tries to crawl away from the wolf which is slowing transforming into a man. A naked Derek Hale now stands in the dirt street. Kate is shocked. She whispers, “You’re dead.” Derek says, “No. I was evolving, something you’ll never do.”

The Berserker attacks naked Derek. He avoids the creatures swipe at him and instead grabs onto its skull mask with both hands – ripping it in two pieces. With a flash of yellow light the berserker turns to dust.

Kate scrambles to her feet. Chris takes aim and fires the yellow wolfsbane bullet. It strikes her and sends Kate flying back into the dusty street. She manages to get up and run into the temple.

As Scott and Peter fight it seems Peter is getting the best of him. He throws him into the walls and admonishes him to “fight like an alpha.” Scott gains the upper hand briefly landing several blows but Peter recovers the lead and leaves Scott staggered. Peter says if Scott wants to beat him, he’ll have to kill him – he then throws Scott across the room.

Liam steps up to take on Peter. With barely a glance Peter throws an old church pew which crashes over boy’s head. Seeing this seems to set something off in Scott. He rises to his feet and takes on Peter again.

This time the old wolf can’t land a punch as Scott easily avoids or deflects every one. He then punches Peter so hard he flies across the church landing hard on his back. Scott then leaps up on the alter saying “you were never an alpha Peter, but you were always a monster.” This seems to enrage Peter who makes as if to rise. Before he can regain his feet, Scott leaps up from the alter and smashes a fist down on Peter seemingly breaking his jaw and knocking him out.

Kate makes it deep into the temple but Chris is right behind her, firing until he is out of ammo. Kate is amazed that her brother wants to kill her. Chris says he doesn’t know if she is worth saving. She blames Scott and his friends for Allison’s death saying “he’s not your little hero, none of them are.” Chris is angry, he says “Allison died, she died SAVING her friends” he then asks Kate who she would die for. Kate runs away saying no one can catch her. Chris does not follow.

As morning dawns, everyone is out of the temple and safe. Chris explains that there is enough yellow wolfsbane to keep Peter out for the trip back. Scott can’t believe that Chris is going with the Calaveras but he explains that he made a deal with them that he would help hunt down Kate as long as the hunters leave Scott and his friends alone.

Derek asks Braeden if she is “really” a U.S. Marshal. She says she was but she became obsessed with catching one person and it ruined her career. The person she was chasing was codenamed “The Desert Wolf.” Derek and Scott then nod to each other before they all head home.

Stiles reunites with his father at the Sheriff’s Station with hugs and a few insults about how bad they both smell. The sheriff brings Malia into the “family” hug. He then suggests they go get something to eat but Stiles finds that his father has handcuffed him to the desk. The sheriff and Malia leave to get “pizza.”

Noshiko meets with Kira at school. She explains that there was a reason Kira brought back the piece of obsidian she used to force her healing in Mexico. Her father has fashioned the black stone into a hira-shuriken known more commonly as a “throwing star.” Noshiko asks if Kira knows why the piece is important and Kira realizes it is a “tail” (see Kitsune). Noshiko says it is Kira’s first.

Liam is trying to explain away their absence to Coach, apparently they missed a practice. Liam says the Scott and Kira were stuck in Mexico and that’s why they missed the game. He and Stiles drove down to Mexico to get them and that’s why they all missed practice. Coach is incredulous that Scott took Kira on a date in Mexico but he says he’s had “experiences in Mexico that would knock the genitals off you boys.” He then explains that Liam is the best talent he’s seen in years and says it is now Scott and Stiles responsibility to stick together, look after each other and have each other’s back.

Lydia gives Parrish a copy of the bestiary, now in hardback, and says whatever type of supernatural he is might be in the book. She says she’d like to help him figure it out.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Lydia’s bestiary opens to the page showing the entry on Kanima. This is different than the entry shown during Season 2. It is instead the original artwork given away during Comic Con 2014. There is nothing on that page which contradicts current canon and the page itself, having now appeared on the show, becomes canon. The rest of the images given away as part of that promotion are not canon unless they too appear on screen.

Peter, still woozy from the yellow wolfsbane, is brought into a Plexiglas cell on the secret supernatural floor at Eichen House. He is locked inside but vows to escape and bangs his head against the clear wall screaming that they can drug him with wolfsbane but that he’ll still find a way out. A voice from behind him, Dr. Valack, explains that it’s not just the wolfsbane but also the Mountain Ash wood that makes up the framework of the cells. He says it’s all around them.

He then rises, removes the bandage from his head and opens his “third eye.” Peter screams “noooooo” and throws himself against the clear wall of the cell. His screams echo down the long corridor of cells.

Soundtrack

  • Death From Above 1979 – "Trainwreck 1979"
Scene: Driving through the desert.
  • Seinabo Sey – "Hard Time"
Scene: Peter asks Malia to turn down the radio.
  • Hozier – "Arsonist’s Lullabye"
Scene: Chris leaves with the Calaveras, Derek and Braeden talk about the Desert Wolf, Stiles returns to his father.
  • Panama - "Destroyer"
Scene: Kira gets her tail. Liam explains to Coach about Mexico.

Episodes List

Season 3 Season 4 Season 5
#01 The Dark Moon #07 Weaponized
#02 117 #08 Time of Death
#03 Muted #09 Perishable
#04 The Benefactor (Teen Wolf Episode) #10 Monstrous
#05 I. E. D. #11 A Promise to the Dead
#06 Orphaned #12 Smoke & Mirrors

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