Hello there.
I’m Paul Rea from the Official Teen Wolf wiki and today I am hitting one of the
most misunderstood aspects of the show canon. Specifically I'm looking at the
repulsive power of mountain ash and how a certain character overcame the effects that one time.
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Jennifer: You've tried this before Scott.
I don't remember you having much success.
Before we get into how Scott managed this impossible feat, let me recap about my werewolf
strength theory with a new graphical presentation that I hope makes it easier to understand.
I believe that every werewolf gets the same potential supernatural strength.
We only saw three characters reach that peak on screen. This gives us two canonical ways for one
to access all the available werewolf strength. You either have to be absolutely bonkers-crazy-pants
or such a well balanced zen-wolf that you can access all your strength and still stay human.
You can set those things aside for a moment because, in the vast majority of cases
we see on Teen Wolf, the werewolves don't reach that maximum potential.
All werewolves have access to this monstrous power but most werewolves are constantly
fighting to stay human and in control. So, they're mostly working within this lower range of power.
As time goes by, some will better learn to control the power and can
use more of their strength without losing their humanity. Other's will
take shortcuts and steal accessible strength from others to get a boost.
But they're all still struggling and that struggle means that the vast majority of
the werewolves on the show were only using a fraction of their potential strength.
Because most of their energy is focused on just staying in control.
So, what does this have to do with Scott busting through the
mountain ash circle that one time in Season 3?
Well, we were shown again and again that mental state can effect access
to supernatural strength and healing. We were also told that Scott reached alpha
status through strength of character, virtue, and sheer force of will. This further marks
the connection between a werewolf’s mental state and their abilities.
With that in mind, let’s head back to the Season 3 scene with Scott.
Jennifer: You've tried this before Scott.
I don't remember you having much success.
What is in Scott’s head right now? Just one thought really.
Save his mom. He’s also probably thinking about saving his friends and their parents too,
but the overwhelming focus of his entire being is obviously to save his mother's life.
He doesn’t care about anything else. He doesn’t care if he has to turn into a
monster. All he wants is to break this barrier and force Jennifer to stop hurting his mother.
Something a lot of people seem to forget is that Scott was a
beta for most of his trip through this barrier.
Let's see that again.
Scott is still a beta when his hand pushes past the edge and into the circle.
So, what does this tell us? Well, it tells me that it wasn't
turning alpha that helped him break through.
It was breaking-through that ultimately turned him alpha.
This was not some sudden burst of physical strength. His muscles and fangs and speed
and healing did not help him break what should have been an unbreakable supernatural barrier.
If it was simply the application of force, those barriers would always be useless.
No, it wasn’t physical strength, it was focused willpower. Scott’s overwhelming
desire to save his mother focused every aspect of his being into a single task.
This is also why he could never do it again.
Stiles: Hey Deaton, how the hell did she get through the Mountain Ash?
Deaton: I don't know. It's a barrier no supernatural creature should be able to cross.
Stiles: Scott did it. Scott: Once, but it almost killed me.
People have either forgotten Scott said that or just want to ignore
that he has tried and failed to cross these barriers before and after that one success.
Scott: We're never going to get through.
Liam: You've gotten through before though right? Scott: That was a life or death situation.
Liam: And this isn't?
Scott: This isn't just a circle. There's Mountain Ash in half the building.
Again, you cannot brute strength your way across a supernatural barrier.
Unless, I guess, if you're an Oni.
Scott: What are they doing? Aiden: Testing for weaknesses.
But here we're getting into the spirit realm. These guys aren't supernatural
creatures. They're literally supernatural energy made solid. I was more surprised that
the Mountain Ash stopped them for as long as it did because the energy that
animated them and the energy that creates the barrier are basically the same thing.
But, that's a tale for another day. Let's get back to my main point.
Scott could never have pushed through the barrier if all he had was brute strength
and He could not do it again because he never again reached this level of focus,
In this moment, Scott’s entire being - body mind and soul -
is aimed in a single direction and focused on a single task.
He has no other thoughts, no doubts, no fears and no confusion about what he has to do.
Again, this has nothing to do with physical strength. In that single moment, Scott’s
willpower, his internal spark, was stronger than the energy flowing through the barrier.
That’s how he made it through. That’s also how he became an alpha.
His internal spark grew powerful enough to enhance his werewolf spark,
as I explained in my Alpha Spark Theory series of videos.
Liam: How is he going to get through the Mountain Ash?
Y'all be sure to let me know in the comments if you want to see why hellhounds have no issue with
the Mountain Ash or any other questions you might have about Teen Wolf mythology.
Thanks for watching and visit the merch store to see my favorite design, the
stealthy ghost rider. I’ll see you next time we go back to Beacon Hills.