The Beast of Gévaudan has been revealed to be Liam’s best friend Mason, who has been turning into a second generation Stiles.  Tonight, Team Scott tries to find a way to both rescue Mason and stop the dread doctors… even if it means working with Theo.

**** Spoilers Below ****

The second half of season 5 “To Hell and Back” is coming to its conclusion and so much will be put into next week’s finale.  The two biggest questions right now are how is the pack going to save Mason from being the Beast of Gévaudan and who will be standing between Desert Wolf, Braeden and Malia?  Even after seeing the full episode last week, I still didn’t believe Mason was the beast, but as my BFF reminded me, Mason was the only non-shape changer or chimera teen left that we cared about, and, well, it is Teen Wolf.  He and Corey are on the run, hiding from everyone, trying to catch their breath and regroup. After all, it is a bit much to take in.  Unfortunately, for both of them, they were found and captured by the dread doctors.

It’s interesting how Mason can bring so many people together, not only Scott’s pack, but bring into the mix Hayden there to be strong for Liam, as well as the Argents and the sheriff, and Lydia convincing Parrish to stay and help them stop the beast.  Did anyone else notice how dark the scenes were at the beginning of the show as to compare when Scott, fully healed the next day mobilized not only his pack by every contact they have in Beacon Hills.

The other side of this episode continues to be Theo and his associates who continue to dwindle weekly, some switching sides to Team Scott while others outliving their usefulness to Theo’s agenda.  Though this week Deucalion showed his true colors, and he continues to be just as disturbing now as he was back in season 3.  No longer looking to be supreme alpha, instead his goal has become, as he says, “obtaining Scott’s eyes” and he is willing to mentor Theo in order to accomplish his objective.  The first lesson was to steal his own pack’s power after killing them, “pain, life, power” was the first lesson Deucalion teaches.  This does allow Theo to use the dread doctor helmet he stole a few episodes again.  Personally, I hope Deucalion and Tyler will be the baddies on the next season.

Back to this this week’s episode, Team Scott used Theo for his information of the dread doctors to find Mason.  At least this week’s team up was straightforward.  Theo wasn’t fooling anyone and no one wanted him around, but they needed his knowledge of the dread doctors.  The scene between the dread doctors and Scott, Liam and Theo was intense.  Here are the big bads that no one could stop for a full season, and they lay out their agenda to the wolves like they were nothing, insignificant and they intended to easily kill Scott and Liam, probably even Theo if Mason hadn’t triggered becoming the Beast of Gévaudan outside of the dread doctors control.  Watching the beast wade through the dread doctors was satisfying and it answers the question of how they would be stopped this season… with their own creation.

The Desert Wolf against Malia and Braeden, the other fight match we have been waiting for, began this episode and will be carried into this next week’s finale.  Of course, my money is on Malia, I only hope that Braeden lives, as well.  With her status of guest star, she has no security in living beyond the finale.  Also noteworthy is Kira’s travels back to the shapeshifters to force their help in putting back together her blade in order to aide Scott and save Mason.  What we know is their help will be at a cost to Kira, I am assuming her staying with them at the end of this finale.

Our last scene tonight, the beast escaping into the woods after killing the last of the dread doctors with Scott and Liam in pursuit. Aided by Hellhound Parrish and the Argent hunters, they cripple the Beast of Gévaudan into transforming back, but this time not as Mason, but instead as Sebastian, the man Gévaudan.  We see him running away with the hellhound in pursuit.

Next week is it for a long while and so much will be packed into it; the battle of the were-coyotes, the fate of Mason, Kira’s consequences, and the battle royale against the Beast of Gévaudan.  This coming Tuesday night on MTV.