Warning: This article contains spoilers for Teen Wolf: The Movie.
Teen Wolf: The Movie has finally arrived at our homes, and this Teen Wolf sequel brought everyone’s favorite pack back to the screen. The film — starring Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Crystal Reed, and Tyler Hoechlin — was a highly anticipated flick for fans of the monumental hit MTV series. In spite of fan-favorites Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) and Kira (Arden Cho) not taking part in this story, many others have returned to Beacon Hills – including Allison (Crystal Reed), who came back from the dead to participate in the fight.
From the get-go, we see Nogitsune, who on the show possessed Stiles’ body. This beloved villain’s return results in Allison being brought back to life. Allison’s role in the story is later on revealed to have a purpose: she will take part in reenacting her own passing, this time with Scott being the one dying in her arms. Although this prediction ends up not coming to pass, a major character does end up dying, and it is none other than everyone’s favorite (new) dad, Derek.
How did Derek die?
Nogitsune’s intention from the start is to plan revenge on Scott and his pack. This includes Derek, and by association, his son, Eli Hale (Vince Mattis), who ends up caught in the middle of the conflict as he completes his werewolf transformation. The film reveals Derek had become a father, making his son his priority in this reignited conflict. Unfortunately, during the major fight, the pack reaches the conclusion that Nogitsune must perish through fire. To achieve this, someone must hold him as Parrish uses his hellfire to extinguish the beast. Ultimately, Derek chose to hold Nogitsune, sacrificing himself to keep his son safe and alive, as the new addition to Scott’s pack.
If his death was unexpected, wait until you discover that Derek’s passing wasn’t part of the plan at all. According to writer Jeff Davis, the show’s revival had to be “grand,” and in order to achieve the surprise effect, the writers were forced to “make big choices.” Obviously, this call wasn’t made without Hoechlin’s consent, and the actor who portrayed Derek for six years and served as an executive producer on the film was fully on board with his character having a big and heroic ending.
Naturally, considering Allison’s own return from the dead, this may be Derek’s last rodeo as a werewolf in Beacon Hills. For all we know, resurrection is very clearly in the books for the Teen Wolf universe, and everyone’s favorite dad may be just residing in the land of the dead for a short period of time – or at least until a new sequel is released.
Teen Wolf: The Movie is available on Paramount Plus.