Sundowning

Sundowning is the third episode of Teen Wolf Season 6.

Sundowning is a common term for a period of confusion, restlessness, and agitation among those suffering dementia, delirium, or other issues related to memory loss. It usually develops around sundown.

Synopsis

While Scott, Lydia, and Malia search for Stiles, Liam, Hayden and the others throw a party to keep a friend safe from the Ghost Riders.

Full Recap

Garrett Douglas explains the process of creating an electromagnet by adding a battery attached to a copper coil wrapped around a metal rod. He uses the magnet to make a metal ball spin in a bowl. Douglas suffers a coughing fit and flashes back to being trapped in a glass, liquid-filled tube in the Dread Doctors lair.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It appears this flashback takes place during the end of Apotheosis as the Dread Doctors are dead when Douglas breaks free of the tube.

In class, he asks the students, including Mason, Corey, Liam, and Hayden, to imagine what adding infinite power, say from a lightning bolt, might mean for the magnet. Further flashbacks reveal Douglas' body was severely damaged from his time submerged in the liquid. He wills his flesh to repair itself and his eyes glow red, but he still has trouble breathing.

His coughing becomes so severe that he leaves the class and enters the storage room attached. There he inhales deeply from a mask connected to a tank marked Helium.

Malia’s Math Meltdown

Cell phones start ringing in the girl's locker room. Nathan Pierce (Ross Butler) is having a "Start of the Season Lacrosse Party" and his mass text seems to hit all the phones at once. Gwen (Alisha Boe) is freaking out by the lockers. She claims someone has removed all her sister Phoebe's stuff and the school administration is claiming she never existed. Hayden doesn't remember her either despite the fact that Gwen says she was on the team for two years.

Scott and Lydia look up "Stile" and find a definition for Stile: An arrangement of steps that allows people but not animals to climb over a fence.

They agree this is not the Stiles for which they are looking.

Malia is taking a make-up math test with Natalie Martin in the counselor's office. She's frustrated and losing control. Natalie tries to get her to calm down, and breath but Malia freaks and turns into a coyote. She runs away down the hall. In the library, Scott and Lydia hear her howl and decide the test must not be going well.

Scott, Lydia, Natalie, and Sheriff Stilinski find Malia in the basement where she used to come to lock herself up on the full moon. The Sheriff urges Scott to "Alpha" growl at her to make her calm down, but Lydia suggests they move away since they've invaded her territory where she feels safe. It works. Malia changes back and Mrs. Martin gives her back her clothes. The others are confused as to why Malia is suddenly shifting; they agree that the pressure of school and the recent attempt by her mother to kill her should not be having this effect. They wonder if it is connected to Stiles and the Sheriff explains that it's a Stilinski family nickname used by his father.

Canceled Stops

At the Stilinski home (a new living room and hallway set built for Season 6), the sheriff, Claudia, Lydia, and Scott talk about Elias Stilinski (Patrick Gorman). He was an Army engineer who went by Stiles. He currently lives "three towns over" in a nursing home.

Scott explains that they believe someone was taken from them and the Ghost Riders erased their memories. Lydia says they found a clue in the word Stiles. Scott says he thinks the person missing might have been his best friend. The sheriff says his father can't help and refuses to discuss it further.

An old woman (Eve Sigall credited as "Grandma") walks through the living room. It seems no one but Lydia can see her. She stops, turns and says, "The following stops have been canceled." The sound of a train fills the room but again, only Lydia can hear it. She asks to be excused to go to the bathroom and follows the old woman down the hall to where she stands before a blank wall. Lydia tries to question her but gets no reply. She reaches out to touch her but Claudia Stilinski calls out and when Lydia turns back the old woman is gone.

Melissa McCall comes downstairs and hears a noise in her kitchen. She grabs a candle holder for a weapon and enters. She finds Chris Argent making coffee. He says he needs her help to get into the morgue to look at a body.

Gwen Can't Handle the Truth

Gwen is in the library looking through yearbooks for signs of her sister Phoebe. Hayden tries to talk to her about her missing sister. Gwen explains that she got up in the night to get some water and saw a man in a hat and long coat outside in the front yard. He seemed to vanish. Then this morning, she found her sister's room empty. She also can't get in touch with her mom and tried to call Phoebe's phone, but the line is disconnected. The cops and the school say there is no record of her. The only thing Gwen has left of her sister is a friendship bracelet that she wove for her for Phoebe's birthday.

Hayden explains the Ghost Riders and how they take people, but Gwen doesn't believe her and storms off.

In the hospital morgue, Argent explains that the damage to the truck driver's head (See Memory Lost) was caused by a werewolf with "an unusually powerful set of jaws." He also says this isn't the only victim with a bite like this.

Scott decides they're going to see Elias Stilinski despite the sheriff's wishes. Liam says they could stay in Beacon Hills and help him convince Gwen she's in danger. Scott says his job isn't to convince her; it's to keep her safe. Malia suggests he just kidnap her, but Scott vetoes this idea. Scott is confident Liam can handle the situation pointing out that his beta is not alone since he has Mason, Corey, and Hayden to help. He says they should find a safe place for Gwen and keep her there.

Liam, Mason, Corey, and Hayden discuss what to do about Gwen. They need to keep an eye on her at all times. Hayden believes she's going to be at Nathan's party looking for signs of her sister. Liam says they can't keep her safe at Nathan's house because they "need a place where supernaturals can't get in." Mason says he knows the safest place.

Grandpa Stiles

Scott, Lydia, and Malia head to the Goodwater Assisted Living facility. Malia knocks out the nurse and locks him in a closet.

They find Elias Stilinski alone in the dayroom listening to old trumpet music. He seems confused by the intrusion. Thinking this is the Stiles they've been looking for, Lydia introduces herself and asks if the old man knows her. He doesn't. Malia, impatient and uncomfortable, asks if he knows any of them. Stilinski believes Scott is his son.

Elias believes it is 1976, the week before his son's birthday. Lydia concludes he has dementia.

There's a DJ set up in the McCall's living room spinning for a huge crowd of students. Liam tries frantically to keep people from damaging Scott's house. Nathan shows up enraged that Liam "stole" his party. Mason pays him off with a few hundred bucks and Nathan seems happy enough after that.

Liam is worried that moving the party to the McCall's wasn't a good idea. He says Melissa already doesn't like him. Mason assures him that Melissa is at work till 4 AM and Scott did say to do whatever it takes to keep Gwen safe. He says putting her in a house lined with Mountain Ash is a good plan.

Lydia tries to explain to Elias that his son is the Sheriff of Beacon Hills but the old man becomes even more agitated. Malia suggests Scott use his claws to retrieve Stilinski's memories but he says it could kill him. Malia doesn't care. She says they're running out of time and makes to do it herself, flicking out her claws. Elias says, "Young lady, you need to clip those nails."

Hayden is shocked to learn that alcohol doesn't work on werewolves. Liam explains it's due to their accelerated healing that repairs whatever damage the drink could do before they feel the effects. They kiss. Liam says if the Ghost Riders don't show up, this could be their first "okay" date. Gwen heads upstairs and Hayden follows.

Sundowning

Elias becomes even more agitated and demands the group leave. He threatens to report them. Lydia says he's "sundowning," a common occurrence for dementia patients who "lose their faculties after the sun goes down." Elias begins to shout. Lydia says they'll have to wait until the sun comes back up to talk to him. Lydia, desperate to keep the old man quiet, begins presenting him with math equations. As a former engineer, Elias quickly calms and focuses on the solving the problems presented. She explains that math can help dementia patients concentrate.

Elias suddenly comes to his senses. He takes on a tone of condescension and shouts he is "Mr. Stilinski" and wants to know "just who the hell do you think you are?"

Back at the party, Corey is worried that they forgot something. He says if the Ghost Riders get in, he won't have much to offer in the way of fighting. Mason reassures him and they dance together.

Elias has all his faculties back. He knows Scott is not his son. In fact, he knows Scott's father and says that he "couldn't handle his liquor" and cheated on Scott's mother repeatedly. Malia becomes more agitated and growls as the old man continues. He also knows Lydia and says she looks like her mother. He says Natalie was "pretty once too." Malia is pissed. Her eyes flash blue and she demands that Elias stop talking. Elias keeps talking claiming Natalie also "liked to talk like she was the smartest person in the room." Malia loses it, flips her claws, and moves toward him. The Sheriff bursts in with the formerly knocked out nurse. While the sheriff is angry, his father seems calm and says, "Noah, we were just having a nice conversation."

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first mention of the sheriff's first name in the series. Noah Stilinski is also confirmed by creator Jeff Davis to be the character's name.

The sheriff orders Scott, Lydia and Malia out of the room. As they leave, Elias becomes agitated again and screams, "That's right. Act like I'm not even here! Go crawling back to your dead wife and your loser son!" The sheriff asks him to repeat what he said but Elias is instantly confused again and simply asks if it's time for his medicine.

Party Crashed

Hayden is keeping an eye on Gwen who sits on Scott's bed. Thunder rolls outside, and downstairs Corey says it sounded like it was right on top of them. A black spot appears on the ceiling above them and spreads out in all directions.

Gwen comes running down the stairs saying she saw a rider. Hayden is close behind. Corey takes up a position next to the wall and goes invisible. He can see the Ghost Rider as it walks slowly through the living room. He reaches out for it and both become visible to everyone.

Mason grabs the jar of Mountain Ash and seals off the kitchen from the living room. He, Hayden, and Gwen are protected the Ghost Rider cannot get through. He starts lashing out with his whip and seems to create fissures in the barrier that seal up slowly after each strike.

Corey and Liam, still in the living room, attack the rider but are easily rebuffed. He continues to lash at the barrier and Mason decides it's time to run. He and Gwen head out the back door but are met by another rider. Mason can't see it but Gwen can and rushes them both back into the house.

The rider inside lashes once more and his whip passes through the barrier and wraps around Gwen's leg. She is pulled forward but Mason and Hayden pull her back.

Jordan Parrish enters and yells, "Freeze!" The rider doesn't stop so Parrish shoots him in the back several times. The bullets have little effect but do get the creature's attention. It turns toward Parrish and walks to him. They stand face to face for a moment until the rider disappears in a swirl of leaves.

Missing Pineal Gland

Argent explains that the other head-bite victim, Denise Novak, was found in a campsite with the back of her head cracked open. Melissa says the size and bite pattern appear to be the same as on the truck driver. She finds it odd, even for Beacon Hills, that something would kill like this and not take anything. Chris says they did take something from Novak, her pineal gland.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The pineal gland is, as the show presents, a mass located at the center of the brain. Its real function is to produce melatonin which regulates sleep patterns in humans and other mammals. The additional information provided by Chris Argent is also true but considered pseudoscience in the real world.

Melissa cuts into the truck drivers brain and finds his pineal gland is missing as well. Argent explains that the gland is considered by some to be the seat of the human soul and "a conduit to express our souls through physical action." He says it looks like someone is biting open heads to steal souls.

The Sheriff's Dream

At the Sheriff's station, Natalie yells at Scott, Malia, and Lydia for what they did at the nursing home. She says they're talking felony assault charges for Malia. She says she didn't beat up the nurse, she could have but chose not to. Lydia says this is an improvement. The sheriff says all is well, by some miracle the nurse isn't going to press charges and they're free to go. Martin says Lydia is grounded for eternity.

Claudia is waiting in the Sheriff's office. He says "those kids" did a dumb thing but their hearts are in the right place. He asks her if she ever has second thoughts about them choosing not to have kids. She says, "Not once." They exit arm in arm.

Liam tries to explain to Scott why he trashed his house. He said it was the safest place they could find. Scott realizes that Liam and the rest of the party saw a Ghost Rider and that, according to the legend, anyone who does will be taken. Scott believes everyone at the party will be taken.

Later, the sheriff stops by Scott's house as he is cleaning up from the party. Scott apologizes for going to see Elias. The sheriff offers to help clean up. He explains that a scar on his chest was from his father. He says he tried to stop his father from "going after" his mother and Elias pushed him through a glass table. He says little pieces of glass are still in there working their way out for the rest of his life. He says it was a small price to pay to keep him away from her.

They end up talking about a dream Noah had. In the dream, he and Claudia are in college and were discussing what they would name a child if they had one. He says he wanted to name a boy after Claudia’s father. He says he wants to use her family name because her dad is great. He's the kind of father he wishes he'd had and the kind Stilinski hopes to be. She doesn't think it would be nice to saddle a kid with such a name but eventually agrees. She says it doesn't matter what they name him because everyone would end up calling him Stiles.

Snack Time for Mr. Douglas

A janitor is mopping up one of the classrooms at Beacon Hills High School. Garret Douglas attacks him and bites off the back of his head. He then digs around in the dead man's brain and comes out with a small bloody orb of flesh. He eats it. His eyes roll back in his head and then turn alpha red.

Episode List

← Season 5 Season 6
#01 Memory Lost	#06 Ghosted	#11 Said the Spider to the Fly	#16 Triggers
#02 Superposition	#07 Heartless	#12 Raw Talent	#17 Werewolves of London
#03 Sundowning	#08 Blitzkrieg	#13 After Images	#18 Genotype
#04 Relics	#09 Memory Found	#14 Face-to-Faceless	#19 Broken Glass
#05 Radio Silence	#10 Riders on the Storm	#15 Pressure Test	#20 The Wolves of War