Death is the New Black – Part 1

My week has not been very cheery since two of my favorite shows decided to kill off some major characters.  Teen Wolf’s “Insatiable” and Scandal’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” rendered me inconsolable after Allison Argent and James Novak kicked the bucket in both a beautiful and poignant way. Each of these characters played an intricate role in the series and acted as glue that keeps the ensemble cast connected. Both shows have truly dynamic characters that you become emotionally invested in which makes their fictional deaths so meaningful to avid viewers like myself.

I loved the personal progression of Allison Argent in the past 3 seasons.  In the first season she was just a sweet, naïve, girl next door with a heart of gold on the surface. However, if you look a little closer you could see her inner strength from her conviction and physical prowess in her warrior like abilities to handle various weapons.  Her relationship with Scott was pure and genuine despite the disapproval from her family and Lydia. When the season ended Allison had to come to terms with the fact that her boyfriend was a werewolf and her werewolf hunting family had been trying to kill him the whole time.

At the beginning of season two, you see that their love had overcome the whole werewolf issue and they were committed to defying the odds. This task proved to be Herculean when her absentee grandfather Gerard came into to town. As Allison grew closer to Scott, she withdrew further and further from her family. After the death of her mother, the once carefree, loveable girl became distraught and jaded. The relentless scheming of Gerard eventually wore her down and she became a vengeful drone. Embracing her desire to not be a victim allowed her character to evolve into a misguided heroine. It also made her lose that child like innocence and matured her in a way that only tragedy can. I respected her decision at the end of the season to breakup with Scott because she needed that only time to deal with everything that had transpired.

Season three gave the viewers Allison 2.0. She was an independent force to be reckoned with as she personified her newfound protector mantra by protecting those who can’t defend themselves. Her friendship with Lydia was solidified when the newly single girls helped each other get through their painful breakups with Scott and Jackson. I began to see her as a female version of Scott in a way because she was fighting with him instead of being the damsel in distress. It was refreshing to see their friendship evolve and not turn into a typical teenage breakup. They handled it maturely and allowed each other to move on with different people.

Allison Argent epitomized the idea that women can be strong and powerful without giving up their femininity. She displayed vulnerability when she broke down with Sheriff Stilinski and admitted to not being fearless, but petrified while questioning the decisions leading her up to this point. That scene humanized her and was poignant because it showed that even the fiercest people break sometimes and it’s ok because no one will think any less of you. This made her death so profound because she had such a positive impact on all the characters and she lived a lifetime worth of pain, but managed to find peace in the end. I was so happy that she was able to convey how she felt to all of the men in her before she died. The scene with her father was a culmination of how far she has come as a hunter, but more so as an individual after she made her mold an arrowhead instead of the traditional sliver bullet. I’m glad she was able to express her feelings to her father since she wasn’t given that chance with her mother.

Her unabashed love for her friends and family unfortunately led to her demise. Despite the warning not to find her by Lydia and her father pleading with her not to leave, Allison chose to save her best friend. When the Oni struck her with the sword, I must say my heart sunk in my chest. Lydia’s scream symbolized the agony that everyone felt in that moment. The dialogue between Scott and Allison was so eloquently brought to life. It was heartbreaking when Scott couldn’t take away her pain because this was the first time he wasn’t able to save the day. She died honorably and her character will be sorely missed.

I can’t wait to see how this affects the storyline and characters. I do have a couple of predictions. I think that the bullet casing is either Allison’s mom or Gerard. You never saw her dead body and she turned into a wolf before she was stabbed. Therefore, she could have healed herself. The casings could also be Gerard’s, which could lead to the Argent’s wreaking havoc on everyone to avenge her death. Only time will tell, but either way it’s been one heck of a season!

What are your thoughts about this season and Allison’s death?

I’ll share my thoughts on Scandal next so stay tuned!