Why wasn't Isaac malformed due to trauma?
This came up this week within the context of malformed werewolves.
We're told Jackson became malformed after the bite because of his damaged
soul and psyche - the basic who you are manifest in what you become.
Coach Lahey: Absolutely spotless.
Well that was your fault.
Isaac: You could have blinded me.
Coach Lahey: Shut up! It's a scratch!
But Isaac - with whom we witnessed or were told about severe mental and physical abuse
at the hands of his father - had no trouble becoming a werewolf.
Why is it different?
Well Isaac was traumatized but he never let it change the person he truly is.
Harris: Jackson's a highly motivated student. In fact, I describe him as unusually driven.
Whittemore: Yeah, we were hoping he might ease up on himself a little.
It's just something we assumed was an effect of him being adopted.
Harris: He's never met his biological parents.
Whittemore: It's the need to please, the overachieving, the desire to make someone proud,
somebody's never even met.
Harris: Something certainly seems to have recalibrated
his desire for achievement several notches higher.
Jackson's internal workings - from psychology to soul - was twisted in a lot of ways,
but the key was that he felt unworthy of love or anything he'd gotten in life.
He was in a constant search for something, sports prowess, status,
something that would give his life purpose and make him worthy.
Jackson: Come on.
I want to be like you.
I want to be one of you.
Please.
He became a kanima, consumed by the urge to fulfill the wishes of a master.
He instantly gets purpose, true connection and is suddenly worthy of unwavering devotion.
That's why I think we got that particular malformation with Jackson.
Derek: Your father locked you in a freezer in the basement to punish you.
Isaac: He didn't used to.
But with Isaac, I don't see any internal issues at all.
Everything that happened in his life was done to him.
He never once acted like he thought he deserved the abuse he was suffering.
In fact, he seemed to know he didn't deserve any of it.
This was an external problem something being done to him and not something he internalized.
I find the character remarkably well balanced given his history.
Keep in mind that Isaac was the first of Derek's pack to regain control on the full moon.
He was the only werewolf that didn't attempt suicide at Motel California.
Stiles: Ah! Can he at least try to be helpful please?
Isaac: For half my childhood I was locked in the freezer,
so being helpful is kind of a new thing for me.
Stiles: Are you still milking that?
Scott: She can do it.
Isaac: If we manage to find the thing.
Stiles: Okay, what is the point of him? Seriously,
I mean what is his purpose aside from the persistent negativity and the scarf?
What's up with the scarf anyway? It's 65 degrees out.
Isaac was cynical and apparently he had the constitution of an 87 year old woman.
What is with the scarf my man?
Anyway he was cynical but he was also heroic when the need arose.
Isaac: Gentlemen, I believe Mr. Katashi is expecting me.
Isaac never let his trauma define or change who he is.