Warning! SPOILERS ahead for Teen Wolf: The Movie.
Teen Wolf: The Movie brings back familiar heroes and familiar villains, as the Nogitsune has returned to take revenge on Scott and his pack. Though the original Teen Wolf show had numerous memorable villains, perhaps none were so memorable and vicious as the Nogitsune (Aaron Hendry) from Teen Wolf season 3. Possessing Scott McCall’s (Tyler Posey) best friend Stiles (Dylan O’Brien), wreaking general havoc on Beacon Hills, and eventually becoming responsible for the death of Allison Argent (Crystal Reed), the Nogitsune did a lot of damage, all the while being one of the show’s creepiest and most compelling villains.
As such, it should be no surprise that the Nogitsune was brought back to be the villain in Teen Wolf: The Movie, as Teen Wolf season 3 is often considered to be one of Teen Wolf’s best, largely due to the Nogitsune’s antics in the series. The Nogitsune was one of the most powerful creatures introduced in Teen Wolf and its plan came close to destroying the bond between Scott and his pack. Teen Wolf: The Movie needed a hook, a strong reason for everyone to come back to Beacon Hills, and the Nogitsune was the obvious answer. However, despite its status, the Nogitsune was the wrong movie villain choice for Teen Wolf.
The Nogitsune Was Teen Wolf’s Strongest Villain, But The Story Is Too Familiar
The Nogitsune was the Teen Wolf show’s strongest villain, both in terms of power and in terms of storytelling. It gave the show’s stars, most notably Dylan O’Brien, the chance to show off their dramatic acting chops, and proved once and for all that there was more to Teen Wolf than cheesy horror and high school drama. Unfortunately, as the Nogitsune’s story was so intricately explored in the Teen Wolf show, its master plan in the movie feels too familiar and repetitive. It uses illusions to trap its victims, messes with their minds with riddles, uses the Oni to its advantage, and possesses a main character. By repeating these beats, the Nogitsune made Teen Wolf: The Movie too predictable.
Though a few new elements of the Nogitsune’s power are introduced, namely being involved in Allison Argent’s resurrection, being able to steal a Kitsune’s tails, as well as showing off its werewolf powers, acquired courtesy of the bite that Scott gave it in Teen Wolf season 3, it’s not enough to truly surprise the audience. Additionally, Stiles’ absence in Teen Wolf: The Movie means that the revival loses the chance for one of the most dramatic and emotional showdowns there could have been – although the Nogitsune affected everyone, Stiles, most of all, would be scarred from the experience. That extra layer of emotional intensity is now missing.
The Nogitsune Wasn’t The Only Teen Wolf Movie Villain That Didn’t Work
The Nogitsune needed someone to release it from the Hale family’s triskelion urn, someone who wanted revenge on Scott and his friends just as badly and didn’t care how much chaos was caused to get it. Chosen to fulfill this role in Teen Wolf: The Movie is Adrian Harris (Adam Fristoe), the pack’s old high school chemistry teacher. Though Harris was believed dead in Teen Wolf season 3 after being used as part of a sacrificial ritual, his body was never recovered, allowing him to return for the Teen Wolf revival movie. Using Harris was a jarring choice, however, one that seemed intended to merely shock the viewer, rather than add anything of value to the story.
Harris was never a character of real significance, and while his wanting to take revenge for nearly being garrotted for a sacrificial ritual is technically a good enough motive, he might as well have remained dead. Presumably, his links to chemistry allowed the writers of Teen Wolf: The Movie to explain how he perfected his forest fires to create more mountain ash, but this isn’t enough of a reason either. In the end, Harris was merely used as a pawn by both the Nogitsune and the Teen Wolf: The Movie writers, a device to push the story towards a possible sequel.
