TEEN WOLF: Ranking The Main Characters

Teen Wolf was officially one of MTV’s biggest successes. After six seasons and seven years on television, the series had seen fans make new friends, build new interests and learn new information. The show won hearts through its colourful characters and mythological storylines. While some of the writing and decisions made for the series would be considered far from professional and have left a bit to be desired, everything put together did enough in keeping hold of devoted viewers from around the world. This series had recognised talent, both kick-starting and reinvigorating the careers of many beloved faces. Not to mention it had helped revolutionise visual entertainment for younger generations. Without any doubt whatsoever, Teen Wolf is a work of art and another success next to Jeff Davis' name. It remains a popular topic of discussion between hardcore fans and TV lovers everywhere to this day (a year after its conclusion).

This piece specifically focuses on each of the twelve main characters across the six seasons that played a part in steering Teen Wolf towards the brilliance it became. They are ranked from worst to best and are rated out of ten based on many facets including their personalities, development, connections with the audiences and relevance to the storylines. For some, journeys are briefly recapped and relationships with other characters get put under the microscope. Each of the dozen are ranked and analysed appropriately and as professionally as possible with the primary use of logic and reason. Emotional responses are kept to a minimum and personal opinions are heavily disregarded. This piece focuses solely on the fictional characters, with no actors and their performances of the roles scrutinised. Any differing and well-constructed opinions are both welcome and highly encouraged to be shared in the comment section of the piece. 

12. Allison Argent

Rating: 3 / 10

There is no doubt about it. Allison Argent (Crystal Reed) was (and remains) a fan-favourite, with so many people having missed her hanging around with the pack long after her demise. But one look with a magnifying glass, and the problems were visible. There were multiple cracks and crevices, all representing her inability to truly shine on the small screen in a way she was supposed to. We all know what she gave to us throughout half of the series. But nearing the end, it would be her future in question. What more could've she offered? Where would Allison fit in the story moving forward hadn't she been impaled by that Oni? It was a question even Reed herself contemplated, having stated there wasn't much more she could give to the character. As more of the huntress was given to us, the less of her remained. Sooner or later, she was going to dry up and lose influence. Of the twelve series regulars throughout the six seasons, Allison proved to be the weakest link.

Her whole time at Beacon Hills from start to finish, saw her ride an emotional rollercoaster. In spite of many things having caused her emotional state to fluctuate such as love, fear, loss, determination, heartbreak, regret and so on, Allison only ever expressed a very limited number of feelings. While most other characters were a roll of the dice, she was a flip of the coin. A coin with two sides representing strength and frailty. Either she was up and fighting, or on her knees crying. Never did she provide humour. Never did she provide flavour. And rarely did she deliver the turning point in any plot. Allison felt like anything but her own character. She was primarily used as the message for female power. She was the cog of an uninventive romance. And she was the attachment to others that helped them grow and develop more than she could. It was as if Davis created her without much thought of her long-term position. Where would she stand beyond the first season? Could she be more than just a love interest? Long story short, Allison unfortunately came out one-dimensional and lacking far too much depth.

She wasn't downright terrible though. Pushing aside the easily detected defects, there were still a few positives surrounding her place in the show. The character’s story was one often understood and commonly connected with. Allison herself while emotionally limited, acted naturally and as expected in whatever situation she experienced. She had moral principles and even revealed her incredibly strong desire to avoid becoming the 'damsel in distress'. A relationship with Isaac Lahey (Daniel Sharman) later on saw her briefly reveal a brand new range of emotions which not only helped with reinvigorating her disposition, but also allowed her to almost become something completely new and fresh to the show. However, Reed's decision to say goodbye to Teen Wolf unfortunately saw this promising side of Allison taken away from viewers shortly afterwards. A frustrating series of events, but one nobody could blame the actress for. Allison still made her presence felt at times and her death was one to rightly encourage tears. 

The poor quality of Allison Argent wasn’t so much a problem Reed could fix. This was indeed a writing issue. Judging by much of what Davis has said in the past about this character, it seemed like he never planned to focus much on her journey. He was solely fixated on making sure that her relationship with Scott (Tyler Posey) was the destination. Allison was just painfully shallow and hung around for the sake of a derivative love story. All of this would only make her death scene look like something that simply had to happen. Though Teen Wolf was on the decline (for other reasons), the death threw everything off course, and made the future then look all the more interesting. It was a moment that pushed the writers to think harder and be more creative moving forward. Hadn’t Reed decide not to leave and the young huntress stayed around till the very last episode of the series, there's no saying things would have been better off.

11. Jackson Whittemore

Rating: 4 / 10

Every television series is bound to have at least one a-hole. In this case, it was Jackson Whittemore (Colton Haynes). Of course he wasn't the only one, but rather the first of a few. Jackson was also a visual representation of the idea that looks can deceive. Behind that attractive appearance was an ugly attitude. This a-hole was seen doing such things as abusing females and disrespecting elders. Solicitude (though a very small glimpse was given) had always been overshadowed by sheer self-righteousness. Along with the inflated ego, came the need to matter most. Something that only ever made Jackson another obstacle for Scott and others to deal with. He was a nice touch to Teen Wolf and one that especially helped spice up a fairly unimaginative and uncomplicated first season. But to reward this character in anyway seemed unjust. The fact that this guy walked away a happy werewolf/kanima with plenty more fortunes coming his way, was a tad discomforting. 

Jackson wasn't just an a-hole, he was meant to be one. He was a character intended for triggering unpleasant emotional responses from viewers. And seeing that many were irked by him at times and calls for his return weren't as strong compared to other characters, it can pretty much be concluded that this strategy was to some extent a success. The given personality nearly painted the whole picture. Jackson was all about perfection. He loved himself excessively and every decision he made was one for the sake of improving his own image. Adding to this was his disapproval of competition. He would always make sure he was top dog in every field of interest (including lacrosse) and refused to believe anybody could out perform him. The bar was set for only him to reach, and others who managed to do so would leave Jackson to assume something wasn't right with them. He'd even go as far as believing they were cheating in some way.

Immediately after uncovering Scott's life-changing secret, Jackson unhesitatingly took his next step, demanding Scott for the exact same gift that made him special. Extremely desirous of the potential power at reach, he went to great lengths to avoid failing by even threatening Scott's unstable relationship with Allison. Having slowly gained knowledge of the truth would later increase his vulnerability as well as test his patience. But knowing who Jackson was, saw one common and ordinary detail become all the more enthralling. Prior to receiving the bite, Jackson for a brief period was afraid of the gift he so desired, as he didn’t ever want it used against him while being defenceless. Both Scott and Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) with their power were able to expose his fear, bringing him down from his high horse and subjugating him for their needs. Jackson’s fear was a part of his suffering and it was often hard for most fans to not take enjoyment out of it while it lasted. 

Jackson made sense story-wise. He was a necessary kind of evil, there to cause frustration and be yet another issue for Scott. A short-lived hurdle, but one that had great value. Unfortunately the problems surrounding the character of Jackson were similar to that of Allison's. He was very limited and his impact on the stories could only last for so long before things became tedious and repetitive. His exit might not have been intended nor were the things between the actor and the crew expected to fold out the way they did at the time. Jackson's absence from the show though season three and onward (along with the show's improvement throughout the third season) told everybody he wasn't worth a lot and that his presence wouldn't have made for a different viewing experience. But it was what it was in the end. Following all of the supernatural turbulence caused by his emotional and mental state, he got what he wanted and moved to London. And his return in the final season although nice, was fairly cheap. He had no significant involvement in what took place. Him also coming back in a relationship with an all-to familiar face was nothing more than an uncreative and overly convenient idea.

10. Liam Dunbar

Rating: 4.5 / 10

Liam Dunbar (Dylan Sprayberry) was the latest of the main characters, having arrived at the halfway mark. The troubled newcomer with I.E.D. (Intermittent Explosive Disorder) presented as both a sign of passing time and a major advancement in the show's desired course. Liam won people's hearts at puppy dog status. He tackled the transformation and answered his fears and difficulties through a flourishing alliance with his alpha. Within his time of three seasons, he matured to contain his outbursts, find love and govern his own pack of friends a similar age. The perceptible change he went through was exactly that; perceptible. As for whether the quality of the change was great... not so much. Both the character and his road from start to finish, weren't as smooth as they were made out to be. His nature and altering role even reached a point that sparked questions and saw more divided opinions. For some, having a 'cute' face just wasn't enough.

There only ever looked to be one reason focused on by Davis when it came to the arrival of Liam Dunbar. That being nostalgia. He was brought in at first for the sole intention of reminding everyone how fast time had flown since Scott’s bite. Liam was to be both in the shoes of season one Scott McCall and an indicator of his alpha's growth across two or three years. The idea for season four was fresh and started off alright, as the adorable little beta with anger issues juggled werewolf life and friendships in his purest form. But not long afterwards, the very same idea dried up and became trivial when Liam's personality expanded into something abstruse and fairly unnatural. Notwithstanding the steady appreciation from audiences, he was given a pathway that proceeded to suck the life out of him. There's barely many ways to describe this character after season six. He was pretty much one small step approved and one giant leap too far. 

With Liam also lied a hidden irony. Although an original character for Teen Wolf, he was actually bereft of proper originality. It can be asserted that he was made from a mixture of certain aspects and traits from other established characters. We all know he was introduced as a Scott 2.0. But he too was a beta like Isaac, first seen as competition on the lacrosse field like Jackson. He had a short temper similar to Aiden (Max Carver) and occasionally doubted himself like Kira (Arden Cho). Not to mention the cheap and poor attempt from the writers in making him share a similar comical approach to Stiles (Dylan O'Brien) towards the end. Just things chucked in a blender without considering the taste of the final product. He may look adorable on the surface, but that was unfortunately it for the majority of his time. The people of the writing room for some reason, couldn't handle the journey of this kid very well. Liam deviated from explosive and somewhat impressionable to bland and confusing.

If a spin-off with the so-called 2.0 pack was what Davis his fellow crew members were aiming for, then time was likely to have been wasted. Viewers had grown so accustomed to the older pack, that any transition was practically impossible to proceed with. Furthermore, Liam and his new friends were inexpertly written to a point of no return. The leader wasn't leadership material and those standing aside him were weakened with forced relationships, excessive drama and lack of amusement. Best friend Mason Hewitt (Khylin Rhambo) despite being gay, was at times another watered-down version of Stiles. Love interest Hayden Romero (Victoria Moroles) was seen as a vexatious accessory to Liam's development. And Mason's boyfriend Corey Bryant (Michael Johnston) couldn't ever look to be anything more than a gap-filler and extra number to the pack, serving little purpose to any of the plots. Taking nothing away from Liam himself who was a passable addition to the show. It was primarily the route taken for him that had done no favours.

9. Kira Yukimura

Rating: 6 / 10

How did this series get away with introducing a stereotypical Asian character with a sword, nunchuks and ninja-like skills? It is pretty tough to answer, but it just knew how to. The Yukimura family were rather fascinating characters to begin with, but most fans found it difficult to immediately accept them. Kira would be sign or further separation between Scott and Allison while her mother only added to the list of problems for the heroes to deal with. They were nonetheless a breath of fresh air, having been steps in a new direction and keys to introducing Japanese mythology. Kira's personality albeit relatively weaker when compared to most others in the show, was something still quite novel and easy to understand. Across her time of two and a half seasons, she fought through mixed criticism and came out as another well-respected addition to the Teen Wolf family. The disappointment from many regarding her exit and the way it was handled, only became strong proof of this.

Kira wasn't the prime example of entertainment, but she often came across as the most relatable character personality wise. Shy yet still willing to step in and make new friends, all while being socially awkward and uncertain of her next move. She was well-grounded, not ever stepping out of line unless necessary and never saw the need for aggressiveness in most situations. But those who grown to love Kira wouldn’t have found it hard to discern her greatest attribute which was Benevolence. She aimed to be a sweet innocent soul who would always throw her support to Scott and never turn down the opportunity of saving her friends or anyone else when they were in trouble. And the influence Scott had on her wasn’t hard to notice either, as she would often think like him and fight for the same purpose. Despite being a heavily criticised character for personal reasons beyond control, nothing she did seemed wrong nor left people needing to dislike her.

There is no denying the many problems fans had with this character other than the likely emotional attachment to Allison some of them still carried. Kira’s traits were not as powerful or as easily seen compared to the traits of other characters on the show. She was portrayed as one of the weakest members of Scott’s pack, rarely winning battles due to the inexperience and lack of knowledge about herself. On top of all this, her relationship with Scott slowly fizzled out during the fifth season and lost what it had to begin with. Kira was never able to reach the same heights since the back half of season three, which is ironic considering she was only intended for that period. Deciding to instead keep her around, Davis failed to then carry on him the comprehension and care to maintain Kira's quality and strong potential. The fact something so intriguing got treated with such distaste was a shame. The exploration of kitsune mythology through Kira and her mother was some of the finest work to come from Teen Wolf.

Supposedly the mishandling of the katana-wielding badass kitsune was due to this intrigue surrounding her. Kira Yukimura occasionally proved to be too big of a character to focus on. Davis and the writing team just couldn't quite connect her fox storyline to anything else without deviating from the main narrative. An understandable problem, though it didn't necessarily excuse the poor character progression and ill treatment of the actress. Based on publicly shared information, Cho's exit from the series seemed very rough and was one of a few reasons for the crew's lack of professionalism towards the end. Regardless of all this, Kira will forever remain as somebody both underrated and misunderstood. She was fairly incomplete and far from perfect, but she still had her small impact as well as her epic moments here and there on the screen. And despite the few similarities to Allison in  structure of character and story, Kira was multi-layered and had much more going for her. Unfortunately these layers were rarely explored and touched upon, which made for a slightly less pleasant viewing for the general audience.

8. Sheriff Noah Stilinski
Rating: 6.5 / 10

Sheriff Noah Stillinski (Linden Ashby) became a popular character outside of Scott's friends for his professionalism, humbleness and mature relationships with everybody around him. The general view of him was a man committed to his job as a town sheriff, protecting civilians and solving crimes. But underneath his solid exterior lived a core representing battles of his own. Stilinski was a widower, having lost his wife to a terminal illness. Many of the peculiar happenings had left him tormented throughout the series, reliving the pain and soured memories surrounding his deceased missus. In every tough moment however, he was shown to be an absolute fighter. Noah never allowed himself to be consumed by the demons of his past. It saw him emerge as the epitome of both resilience and valiance. To conquer such complications and be another source of humorous content, leaves this senior stalwart deserving of total admiration.

There were a couple of problems about Sheriff Stilinski that may have got on a few people's nerves. One was his reluctance to see the truth in the most desperate of times. It took him longer than the rest to learn of the supernatural world, as he refused to believe such a thing could be real. After encountering many strange occurrences involving unusual creatures and other shape-shifters, he would still every now and then hold himself back from believing any possible cause of events. Noah too on the odd occasion, approached matters emotionally and for personal reasons, disregarding the numerous dangers his approaches could create. What was even more exasperating was his inability to recognise when others were being serious and telling the truth, especially that with his own kid Stiles. He continually used his son's childhood antics against him, treating it as some sort of tool in judging his current behaviour. These sometimes made the sheriff a frustrating person to handle, and probably had him as the weakest of the regular parents.


7. Malia Hale / Tate

Rating: 7 / 10

Here lies a great example of a thorn turned rose. Malia Tate (Shelley Hennig) was warmly welcomed by Jeff Davis and the rest of the show’s crew at the start. Most viewers however didn't quite share the same perspective, and there were a fair few reasons for why this came to be. Hiding within the sheer brilliance of the second and third seasons, were some irritable times for 'Stydia' shippers. Times that too reeked of desperation. Davis shifted an excessive amount of attention towards finding a short-term girlfriend for Stiles before taking the appropriate steps with the 'Stydia' ship. The search spanned across 36 episodes and saw two failed attempts (Erica Reyes (Gage Golightly) and Cora Hale (Adelaide Kane)). It was a case of third time lucky with Malia, though things did not begin so smoothly. The writers immediately jumped into the deep end, attempting to make 'Stalia' official in Hennig's second appearance while her character was still somewhat of a stranger. The move was controversial, lacking general flavour and only tormented the 'Stydia' fan base. The introductions of Malia and her relationship with Stiles to this day, remain as two of the show’s many low points.

Davis though, knew exactly what was required in the following season to ensure Malia became accepted. With greater focus and an individual story of her own, fans were fed brand new sides of her. They got to experience the birth of a new journey. One that would see us follow Malia rediscovering her place in society. One that would see us watching Malia make new friends and tackle old scars. It was the gift of depth and the proof of progress. She would grow to be appreciated for her resilience, great potential and growing ability to care. But the one thing that really made Malia special was the willingness and lack of fear to do things her own way. She was the one member of the pack who could easily break rules and shake things up. Even when lessons of right and wrong were learnt, she still fought to resist her animal instincts. She fought to resist the desire of serving justice by stepping outside the boundaries. A year or two after her return to human civilization, Malia continued showing to all that she wouldn't refrain from performing a morally questionable action. 

The lovable kick-ass werecoyote was exactly that. But a few things still held certain viewers back from truly respecting her for who she was and what she brought. Beyond the unpleasant introduction as well as the rushed and unstably-built relationship was a conspicuous personality that carried its fair share of positives and negatives. Along with the strong representation of female power and strength, came the irksome absence of vibrancy and average levels of amusement. Similar to Kira, Malia was fairly disadvantaged in entertainment qualities due to her rigidness and short range of emotions. Some people were even disturbed by her occasional impertinence towards others. Growth of Malia was always clear from the fourth season onward, but it didn't stop her from becoming yet another face of significant mixed criticism. The quest for love from the outside world although accomplished in the end, was long-lasting in its process.

But in spite of the numerous flaws, both the development and direction of Malia's character was an overall pass. She became an ultimate example of how viewers love their females presented. Like the ugly duckling transforming into the beautiful swan, she was given the love and care from the crew to ensure the blossoming took place. Her relevancy gradually increased as her position in the series was granted meaning. Malia most likely won’t be one of the first characters one remembers when they look back on the series in a few years’ time (supposedly depends on how much one personally enjoys the character), but she did indeed leave her mark. The actress gained lots from the experience too, with a fast-growing fan base and a Teen Choice award for ‘Summer TV Actress’. It’s a good thing that the writing team held onto this character while they could. It wouldn’t have been fair to Hennig otherwise, given her talent. Malia Tate had definitely ended up being one of the few things the writers got right before the show’s end.

6. Chris Argent

Rating: 7 / 10

Being related to a fiendish father, an untrustworthy sister and two deceased loved ones didn’t stop this man from shining the brightest of his family. It did however take some time, as he was one of those characters beginning from a rough and foggy place. Chris Argent (JR Bourne) was the first of many threats and a frustrating obstacle for Scott with an unclear stance on the supernatural world. But he would gradually gain respect as the series progressed to become one of the few most dependable allies in the end. What looked scary and as tough as nails to start off with, carried a heart that was broken plenty of times along the way. It was almost impossible not to sympathise for Argent after all of the trouble and pain he had gone through. To experience his world slowly crumble left plenty wanting nothing more than to stand by his side and comfort him. Thankfully Scott did exactly that, and the influence both had on each other saw the favourite hunter overcome suffering and fight for what’s right.

There was one reason that topped all others when it came to the extreme adoration surrounding Argent. He was just so clever. In fact, Argent was pretty much the ideal balance of brains and brawns in Teen Wolf. The town’s most difficult engagements saw him heavily equipped and prepared for any possible series of events. He walked into many battles with multiple plans and strategies in place, perfectly prioritized and ready when needed for quick-thinking situations. His high level of intelligence had also allowed room for the ability to understand the depth of each and every supernatural creature. Instead of painting them all with the same brush, he measured them and the dangers they brought. With the extra assistance from Scott and his friends, Argent always managed to take the right approach. The experience and levelheadedness had him come out on top with no other hunter ever able to compete. Not even his evil tight-arse of a dad.

5. Melissa McCall

Rating: 7.5 / 10

The third of the main parents whom everyone loves. Quite possibly the best of them as well. She was the single parent that pushed to make a living with what she had. She was the mother who fought with authority and expert knowledge. And she was the nurse that did almost anything she could to support her only son and save innocent lives. It can be argued that Melissa McCall (Melissa Ponzio) finished off as the most loved supporting character due to her personable mien and dearth of irritable traits. Throughout any and every challenge encountered, this tough woman always bore a good understanding and played her part in a calm and sensible manner. Instead of yielding to high pressure, she took it on and managed to see beyond it where the benefits for others lied. And like her son, Melissa put morality before legality. She willingly went all the way to solve problems, even if it meant breaking laws and committing federal crimes as an official staff member of a hospital.

Although lacking any distinct charm, Scott's resilient mother was just about impossible to dislike. Attached to her was a modern personality and an ability of having a way with words. Her relationships and interactions with other people whilst all similar, were both mature and deep in meaning. She was too a source of memorable sassy one-liners, many of which denoted her strength. Other signs of Melissa's strength involved dealing with alpha werewolves and insane criminals. Once or twice, she got to show her ingenious ways in facing both the unknown and the unpredictable. Almost a perfect character, but was fairly underutilised and had less screen time than preferred. The adventurous side of Melissa away from the hospital came around a little too late. Regardless, she remained one of the few prominent faces of the Teen Wolf series. And powerful as well, having left no one wanting to get on her wrong side. There was just no messing with Mama McCall.

4. Derek Hale

Rating: 7.5 / 10

What would Teen Wolf have been without both the mystery and guidance of Derek Hale? These were two of several cogs that kept the entire machine running. The 'sour wolf' helped give the show direction by building some of the finest relationships ever seen on modern day television. He had a personality and it was one that would not only grow, but reshape right in front of us. He hung around the right crowd and opened himself up to the possibilities of finding a new lease of life. He too would learn to care for others and also deal with tragedy in the strongest of ways. Derek was more than just the eye candy with a toned physique to please girls and keep them glued to television screens. He was a multi-layered enigma and home to some of the show's most emotive tales. A face of evolution and someone partly responsible for making Teen Wolf a very serious work of fiction. His journey was short-lived, yet lustrous and powerful enough to change anybody's vision of things.

To all, Derek was first a mystery to be unravelled. A young man hiding within the burnt remains of his family house. For seasons one and two, surrounding him were nothing but immediate questions. Linked to the crime, accused of the tragedy, associated with the supernatural and so on. All the answers came in at a snails pace as new questions about him continued to pop up. It was both an interesting and effective way of prolonging his story. Derek himself too played his part with cold expressions, aggressiveness and occasional cryptic messages. He was somebody who commonly took action first and explained his reasons later. While bringing forth that enigmatic appeal, he also provided a little amusement of his own. His interactions with Scott and Stiles in particular, made for some of the most entertaining and heartfelt moments seen on TV. Derek may have not started off as much, but he became a huge player in the show's engagement with its target demographic.

As each season came and went, Derek had slowly changed into somebody more sensible and friendlier to those around him. Tension in the chemistry between himself and others lessened, as enemies would turn allies and the partnership with Scott would grow from teacher-student to best mates. The gradual uncovering of his life story, allowed the audience to see a completely different side of him. The fact that he shared a heart. The fact that he once struggled to control the shift. The fact that he too fell in love with a girl, lost her and had to fight on with many raw emotions. Derek was one of plenty on the show to grow into someone better when more and more of his background was revealed. The mysterious nasty-looking lone wolf at the very beginning of Teen Wolf, would make significant strides to be seen as a damaged man of wisdom and integrity in his final appearance. There was just no way anybody could ask for anything more than this.

The seven out of ten score does indicate that there were indeed a couple of negatives. The most noteworthy of them surrounded his place on the show as the years went by. After the job as Scott’s mentor came to a conclusion, Derek lost a fair amount of purpose as a whole. This started to be the case throughout much of the second half in season three, where his role was reduced to undertaking smaller tasks around the grounds of Beacon Hills whilst most others focused their attention on saving Stiles. Little did we see that whilst the increasing fondness for him remained apparent, Derek slowly became less useful and stories surrounding the character were harder to come by. It looked as if he had already reached his best and there was no going better. Supposedly it was one of a few reasons why Hoechlin decided to move on from the show after the fourth season and pursue other projects of interest. Derek Hale was just about complete.

3. Scott McCall

Rating: 8.5 / 10

The young man we followed right from the very first episode. The ‘Teen Wolf’ himself. Scott McCall went through a fairly big transformation, and it wasn’t just a one that saw him with claws and fangs. This once love-struck, everyday student of Beacon Hills High School low in popularity, grew to become someone beyond his years. When opened to an extraordinary new world with many greater dangers, Scott not only began to take matters more seriously but also saw the importance in doing so. This virtually making him the ideal friend and somebody very deserving of the alpha status. Scott was easy to get along with and easy to rely on. He was the type of person we wish many we knew were exactly like. The main lead even went on to defy logic, giving many supernatural beings both a good name and a proper chance at sharing rapports with humankind. Almost to the point where a vicious werewolf could possibly have been perceived as an innocent puppy dog. 

Though having been raised in not-so-friendly circumstances, Scott managed to resist darkness and immorality. He always made sure that such things as killing and violence were only ever the last resort. For much of the time, his persistence and strong belief in the search for the most honourable solution spoke volumes for nearly everybody. The cool, calm and collected approach in nearly every matter, the heavy thought before acting and the refusal in giving up. All of these were behaviours that had certainly rubbed off on his closest companions in a positive way. Even when pushed to the edge, Scott proved he wasn’t afraid of stepping over his lines. Once or twice he chose to go down the immoral road, having either inflicted or threatened to inflict pain on his enemies in order to protect and save those he cared greatly for. Scott is an example of the near-perfect hero. The type of hero commonly aimed for in most works of fiction, but quite difficult to achieve.

It is however, important to know that even the main man didn't come without his faults. There have been quite a few people irritated by some of Scott's imperfections. The one that probably stood out the most was his gullibility. Despite being a true alpha, Scott was still revealed to be somewhat of a pushover. His greatest strength at times also came across as his greatest weakness and the values he was known to carry were now and then used against him. It comes to show that there is such a thing as being 'too good', and Scott just happened to be the ultimate proof. His trust was not entirely hard to win over and the words of any stranger convinced him to express some leniency. Having done such a thing caused Scott to fall victim to the devilry of many including Deucalion (Gideon Emery) and Theo Raeken (Cody Christian). Another more common problem with Scott was his lack of success in battle. After losing a fair number of fights, people were left occasionally unsatisfied with his level of power and poor efforts.

Nevertheless, Scott had definitely made good out of whatever power he owned. Subsequent to all the uneasiness he had to endure during the first two seasons, he eventually found comfort in using his abilities for the benefits of those that surrounded him. He was able to quickly mature and use experience of his new life in helping others cope with pain, pressure and loss. Although setting himself a colossal task, it was one that displayed his true nature. Scott not only became an alpha, but also a role model to all with a close association. Everyone got to witness his incredibly strong leadership qualities and use some of them to shape their own characters. Scott inspiring his friends and family to adopt a similar way of thinking was enough to see him come out on top as the rightful leader. At least there is one thing we can forever thank that crazy, power-obsessed Peter Hale (Ian Bohen) for. He most certainly bit the right kid.

2. Mieczyslaw "Stiles" Stilinski

Rating: 9 / 10

Most readers would supposedly be wanting to know where this guy sits. There is absolutely no need to fear, as Stiles Stilinski comes in close second for best character on the show development wise. Introduced to all as the exuberant sidekick to his struggling werewolf friend, Stiles would later evolve into nearly the entire package. He would prove to be more than just the right-hand man, occasionally becoming the hero himself during some of the toughest times. Such adjectives like honest, caring, hopeful, determined and realistic can easily be used to describe the type of person he is. And there is no forgetting most of the hilarity he has offered, which has made him a major source of light on the show. Stiles can be made to look a tad overrated at times, but one thing that is absolutely certain about this young man is that he has been pivotal to most of the stories and plays a big part in their success. It is practically impossible to picture the series of Teen Wolf without him.

Having remained human throughout the entire series, Stiles was still able to evince his worth. The absence of physical strength and supernatural powers would mean nothing, thanks to his courageous efforts and high level of intellect. A Jeep for emergencies, a crime board for mysteries and a baseball bat to fight with, meant that Stiles was always resourceful and knew how to defend himself in any difficult situation. He was never one to hesitate when it came to facing challenges, and very little would stop him from taking on danger whenever he felt his help was required. Not even would he allow fear to consume him. All of this was done while still being the major source of entertainment. Stiles found ways to relieve discomfort and lighten up dark or tense moments with sarcasm and other humorous jokes. Everybody's expectations were most definitely exceeded. This guy achieved plenty without the advantage of claws, fangs and glowing eyes.

So if Stiles played such a huge role in Teen Wolf and determined much of the show's quality in entertainment, then why no perfect score? Irrespective of the character's fine progression, it is important to remember that he isn’t in any way flawless. One significant vice regarding Stiles focuses on his behaviour, in particular his communication with those around him. There have been several viewers to voice their emotional intolerance towards it. Stiles was often shown to be a little rude. There were times when he seemed to cross the line and say disrespectful things. While not overly offensive, he frequently displayed a lack of manners. It's said that this behaviour stemmed from his time being possessed by an ancient dark spirit, which is no doubt a nice touch if true. But one can't really attack anybody for feeling a little vexed by the less vibrant and much darker Stiles, especially when it brought out a bit of the a-hole in him.

It's reasonable to suggest Stiles was far from perfect, but it will forever be nothing short of preposterous to say he wasn’t an amazing and memorable character of the series. He was the face of amusement, he was much of the glue that held the pack together and he was the personality that millions tuned in for. Not to mention it was the discovery of new acting talent. Dylan O'Brien brought Stiles to life with an incredible acting range, all of it coming from very little experience. It was arguably the greatest casting decision from Davis and the crew and one that would significantly change O'Brien's life for the better, leading him towards greater opportunities. All can agree this was very much deserved, especially after his award-winning performance in the back end of season three. The series being called Teen Wolf would clearly mean Scott made the show. But his best friend was certainly a guy that helped keep it afloat. Quite possibly 'the' guy.

1. Lydia Martin

Rating: 10 / 10

When looking for some of the greatest character development in modern television, it is just about impossible to ignore Lydia Martin (Holland Roden). She would comfortably win that title for this show. All it takes is a glance at some of the first season as well as some of the last for the striking evolution to become apparent. We began with a stubborn and egotistical know-it-all from a somewhat opulent family and ended up enjoying the presence of a good-hearted, supportive and self-assured banshee. It was something nobody could've foreseen, not even Davis himself. But it was a journey certainly worth the time and effort. She had her fair share of fans to begin with and only ended up getting millions more moving forward. Lydia probably wasn't supposed to have this much of an impact, but a number of characters coming and leaving allowed her both the time and space to shine brighter. Enough as a matter of fact for her to become the most popular and most adored female character in the series.

One could say that Lydia was a bit of a bitch at first, strutting her stuff and throwing herself towards any person at Beacon Hills High School she considered talented just for the sake of gaining popularity. The pouting, the hair-shaking, the selfies, the materialistic attitude, the excessive love for fashion, and so on. She always tried to be the perfect young woman and never liked revealing her pain and weaknesses for others to see. Lydia labelled herself of great value and made herself tough to impress. All of this was part of a very solid and slightly unpleasant personality. So what had changed this? What brought on her evolution? Well to nobody's surprise, it was the exposure to the frighteningly large yet hidden world of existing mythology and the supernatural. It started off with a life-threatening bite that would both change her and twist her reality. Lydia's fears and raw emotions broke to the surface and slowly altered her perception of everything.

It can be seen as quite amazing. For a brief period of time, we were led to believe that the key to both reaching and changing Lydia involved one having to rise to her level. Instead, it would be the other way around. When she was weakened, Scott and Stiles were there to help return the strength. They led her to rediscovery and through their work, taught her to accept naturalness and virtue. Being a member of Scott's pack lit the path to Lydia's ultimate transformation and it was also heavily driven by Scott's demeanor. In that time, she would almost completely separate herself from the bratty junior she once was. Regardless of whether or not this specific aspect was a main focus for Davis and the crew, the growing fan base signified how well it turned out. The bigger role and major improvements to her personality saw Lydia flourish from a series ornament of mixed opinions into somebody both extremely important and immensely lovable.

Even with the perfect score, Lydia still had her blemishes. One of these involved her being shallow-minded and consumed by emotions. There have been one or two moments where fans had expressed their disapproval for her inability to see things from a far greater perspective. This was especially the case during the first half of season six when a pandered storyline of romance saw Lydia placing her search for Stiles before the rescue of everyone. Other blemishes included the lingering smugness as well as the confusion she frequently brought about. But somehow, every blemish was fast overshadowed by the massive and much respected 180 degree direction in Lydia's development. She became a character deserving of the love she received, having earnt it all in the change. And despite a few boyfriends, none of them were needed to make her matter in each narrative. She fought to prominence independently.

Travis "TJ" James