Material gurl💅🏻✨️

Thinking about the conversation of Derek’s coercion/manipulation of his betas being perceived by him as full informed consent. He and Scott are in a fundamental disagreement over it because Scott sees the bite as a curse. Derek thinks he’s justified in what he’s doing because he’s giving them a choice, which Scott never had. He isn’t lying and he doesn’t have nefarious purposes. He wants them in his pack so that they can all be more powerful and the bite is the perfect solution to that. It's the one thing that he can offer people that he knows can be used for good. He saw these kids who were isolated and miserable just like he was and he had the power to change that. Idk how conscious he was of the fact that it was this volatile emotional state that made them more agreeable in the first place when he himself was just as desperate to not be alone. (I won't comment on his specific actions towards Erica bc that's already been analyzed with way more insight than I could provide). He informs them of the risks associated with being a werewolf and offers them a choice. This was essentially his first taste of actual authority in his life, and it can be really easy for him to justify his actions when compared to how others have treated him.

Look at Peter. Peter bit people without their consent and then manipulated them into doing his bidding for nefarious purposes all under the guise that he was justified because he also saw the bite as a gift. Derek grew up with this kind of behaviour. He was basically Peter's little prodigy aka manipulee #1. When this is how you learn to get your needs met, you emulate what you know. And for Derek, he thinks he’s in the right because even though he’s inexperienced and in way over his head, he honoured the Hale alpha spark way more than Peter did. He tries to build a dysfunctional little family out of sheer desperation with anger as his only anchor and ultimately faces the consequences of his actions (though lbr, I don't think even Derek could've predicted just how bad things got even with his knowledge of the alpha pack).

I can see why people so heavily criticize him for his villain era, but trying to empathize with him isn't an explicit endorsement of his actions. There's no such thing as a perfect victim. Everyone thinks that they're the protagonist of their own story.

you are correct.

i think people discount scott's extremely complicated view and relationship with being a werewolf and how much peter influenced derek. they're two important aspects in how they each operate and relate to each other. especially in in season 2.

like yeah, of course, scott does enjoy the benefits of being a werewolf but it's still a source of pain and issues for him. i don't think he sees it as a gift until riddled when it is something he can offer to stiles in the face that stiles may be ill with an incurable disease. also it's the bite that eventually does save stiles because it's what the answer to the divine move. season 3 really was a transitional season in scott's relationship with being a werewolf.

derek in seasons 1 and 2 is such a mess. he's trying but babygirl is a mess so he falls back on what he knows and what he knows are peter's lessons.

i think while derek was rightfully angry at peter for the things he'd done and feels torn about having to kill him (relieved, sad, guilty) i also imagine there was a part of derek that was relieved when peter returned.

not only was he no longer alone as the last of his family but in a way he and peter could return to their usual roles. a return to their status quo.

peter lurking about is familiar and thereby creates a sense of stability for derek that he didn't have all through season 2. peter stepping back into the role that he fulfilled since derek was a kid must've been a relief for him because even after everything between them there's still a part of derek that believes peter will know what to do.

these two have such a deeply complex relationship with each other.

team free will ultimate babygirl moments:

1. dean at all times forever and ever. kripke era in particular but he’s literally always going to be babygirl to me sorry.

2. endverse cas.

3. sam but ONLY in that one specific season 13 scene with rowena where he’s in a grey sweatshirt and his hair looks nice