Season 3, Episode 10:
The Overlooked
"If you help me, I'll help you. ...Then I'll abduct your mother."
On the heels of the darach's identity being exposed, a storm rages, rendering everyone, both good and evil, immobile—except for maybe someone... With Cora dying and the Alpha Pack closing in, Jennifer delivers Derek an ultimatum: "Get me out of the hospital alive, and I'll save your sister's life." Allison hatches an elaborate plan to save the evil English teacher's life, with the help of some unlikely allies. As the episode rapidly comes to a close, Jennifer takes Melissa as her second victim in the final set of sacrifices, and Scott is forced to join Deucalion in a desperate attempt to save his mother.
Tropes
- All According to Plan: Stiles tells Scott that even though they revealed her to be the Darach, Jennifer still had a look on her face like everything was going exactly like she wanted it to go. From this, the audience is able to infer that Jennifer planned on getting trapped in the elevator with Derek later in the episode. If you watch closely, you see that Jennifer never strays too far away from the hospital elevator, and there are 4 separate full scenes with her in the elevator. Because of this, we know that Jennifer planned on the Alpha Pack being at the hospital and also causing the power to go out—she needs to be in the elevator to use the hatch and quickly access Melissa while the alphas are distracted.
Some might view fact that Jennifer calculated every move of the alphas as a Headscratcher, but a likely explanation for Jennifer’s extremely accurate calculation is that she was the emissary of Kali. Emissaries were closest to the alphas out of the pack members(made obvious by the fact that Kali was so reluctant to killer Jennifer), and so they likely became quite in sync with the way their alpha led the pack. The series also makes it apparent that emissaries are wise. The three emissaries we see (and Stiles, Scott’s unofficial emissary) are all incredibly cunning. Jennifer is no exception—she successfully telegraphs Deucalion’s play for the entire night at the hospital. - Big Storm Episode: The entire plot of the episode hinges on the fact that there is a raging storm and the hospital must be evacuated. Bonus points for the fact that the villain caused the storm. The blinking fluorescent hospital lights and dark hallways thanks to the power outage give this episode the perfect Teen Wolf vibe.
This episode is also kind of a Sick Episode, since the good guys' main motives for everything they do in the episode is keeping Cora well and alive. - Dramatic Thunder: When Derek stops holding Jennifer up by the throat and drops her to the floor, she becomes quite arrogant and sinister. Then she stares into the camera, and lightning illuminates the sky outside.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: As Kali attempts to pry open the elevator doors, Jennifer's eyes suddenly glow white, and she stares darkly into Kali's angry eyes, then slams her palms into the doors, creating a pulsation that sends Kali flying backwards.
Also present when the lights shut off in the hospital hallway, and all Melissa can see are the red glowing eyes of Kali and the blind Deucalion. - Immediate Sequel: This episode takes place immediately following the previous episode, The Girl Who Knew Too Much.
In fact, the final moments of The Girl Who Knew Too Much are the kickoff point that sends the story speeding straight into the end of the season. The Overlooked, Alpha Pact, and Lunar Ellipse are all a mad dash to the finish. - Locked in a Room: Derek and Jennifer get trapped in an elevator, which is the most-common place to get Locked in a Room. And Derek is forced to hear Jennifer's Sympathetic Murderer story.
- Motif: This episode gives the grand culmination of the season-long mistletoe motif—it features Cora throwing up mistletoe multiple times as well as an explanation for why Jennifer has decided to weaponize the plant. And of course in the end it's just because symbolism. And also to name the episode.
- Not Quite Dead: Melissa comes into Cora's room and sees Peter, giving the trope-naming-worthy line of "You're supposed to be dead."
- Shout-Out: Melissa gives one of these in The Tease, mentioning that there are power outages in Hill Valley. Hill Valley is the main city in which the Back to the Future films are set.
This is also an Actor Allusion to the fact that the main character Marty in Back to the Future was played by Michael J. Fox, who also played Scott in the original Teen Wolf. - Sugar-and-Ice Personality: In the second scene of the episode, Scott and Stiles use mistletoe as a way of revealing to Derek that Jennifer is the Darach. Jennifer plays the innocent flower for Derek and shows off The Power of Acting. She begs him not to kill her, and makes a last-ditch attempt at saving herself by blurting that she's the only one who can save Cora. Complying, Derek drops Jennifer , revealing he's not going to do anything to her. As soon as he does that, Jennifer's disposition makes a complete 180 degree turnaround, turning suddenly confident.That's right... You need me. All of you.— Jennifer
- The Teaser: Teen Wolf has become known for having particularly awesome transitions from the cold open to the opening theme (see Damnatio Memoriae), but this episode is a notable one for sure. The lightning that strikes outside Derek's Loft as Jennifer stares sinisterly into the camera creates an intense flashing that transitions masterfully into the flashing image of Scott in the first moments of the series' opening sequence.
- Villainous Crush: In the car ride to the hospital, it becomes very apparent that Jennifer's feelings fro Derek are true. Jennifer seems to think that a relationship with Derek is still a possibility.
This episode hints at Derek possibly having feelings (or at least confusion about his feelings) for Jennifer as well, despite the reveal. In that case, this would be Dating Catwoman.
It's unknown whether Jennifer decided during the course of this episode to betray Derek due to his callous attitude toward her, or if that was her plan all along. - Vomit Indiscretion Shot: When Melissa and Peter are talking, Cora jerks up and pukes onto the floor. The entire thing is shown, and there's no room left for imagination. This is averted by the fact that Cora isn't puking up partially digested food—she's puking mistletoe and a black liquid that in all honesty looks quite awesome.
