News has filtered in that some characters previously thought to have minor roles in season 3 of Teen Wolf will actually have recurring spots. Check out our theories about characters like Talia, Laura, and young Derek!

Through various non-official spoilers and Tweets from different members of the entertainment world, Teen Wolf fans have ascertained that there’s a good possibility several characters will be popping up more often than previously expected. These characters include Talia, Derek’s mother; Laura, Derek’s sister, and young Derek himself.

This is interesting because we only know for certain that episode 3×08 will give us a flashback. However, with this new information, it stands to reason that these characters, and therefore some Derek-centric flashbacks, will be cropping up throughout the first half of the season.

The ladies of Hypable’s exclusive Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast put their heads together and came up with a plausible theory, gathering various bits of information from here and there in order to make it sound.

What do we know so far?

  • Episode 3×08 will be a flashback episode, which will center around Derek and may help us to understand a bit more about his past.
  • Young Derek in this episode will be around 14-15 years old, putting the time of the flashback about a year or two prior to the Hale house fire.
  • Talia, Derek’s mother, will be appearing on the show and is described as a deadly Alpha werewolf.
  • Talia was presumed dead, having been killed in the fire, and Laura was killed by Peter prior to season 1.
  • It has been hinted that Peter may not have been the only one to have survived the Hale house fire.
  • The Alpha Pack want Derek to join them.
  • Ian Nelson will be playing a young Derek Hale, who is described as being popular and charming.

    • Our Theory:

    So, what does this all mean? We can assume that characters such as Talia, Laura, and young Derek may not only appear in episode 3×08, but could be featured both before and after that. But why?

    Well, we know the Alpha Pack want Derek to join them. And what does any respectable Alpha Pack leader do when he’s trying to determine if another Alpha should join his group? Research, of course. And how does said respectable Alpha Pack leader do his research? By draining the memories from Derek’s Betas. Obviously.

    We know in episode 3×01 that the Alpha Pack will have already removed some memories from Isaac. However, as far as we know, Isaac doesn’t have any memories of Derek prior to when he met his in season 2. Memories such as the ones Jackson had of Derek were transferred via an accidental scratch, not a bite.

    However, there are plenty of other characters that could have such information about Derek’s past. The vet, for instance, once said that it had been his job to take care of the Hale family. The sheriff could also have information regarding the Hales. Not to mention Mr. Harris or even some of the other teachers at the school that may remember Derek and Laura from the days when they attended Beacon Hills High.

    The memories of Talia, Laura, and Derek could be coming from the minds of several different people, all of whom have a connection to the Hales. We already know that the Alpha Pack will be inserting themselves into the daily lives of a few of our favorite characters, allowing them to get close enough to take a peek at what information some of the residents may have to offer about Derek and his family.

    Taking it one step further…

    Executive Producer Jeff Davis and his writing team have a way with words and symbolism. The episode titles often have dual meanings and the themes are always strong and consistent throughout each season. There’s no reason why season 3 would be any different.

    Derek’s memories aren’t the only ones that could come into play this year. It seems there has been a lot of talk about certain characters’ pasts coming forward during season 3. Rumors have abounded that we may eventually be meeting Scott’s father. And what about Stiles moving on from Lydia and potentially hooking up with a girl from his past? Not to mention the hint that someone else from Derek’s family did indeed survive the fire.

    While these aren’t all necessarily memories the Alpha Pack will be taking and using to their advantage, it would be a powerful message for everyone — particularly Derek — that they need to learn from their past mistakes in order to move on in the present and have a brighter future.

    The quote that Jeff Davis and the other writers have hanging in their office this year is “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them” from Twelfth Night. Regardless of how a character has come into greatness, they must always conquer their past in the hopes of bettering their future.

    Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast

    Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast is an exclusive Hypable Podcast that covers Teen Wolf in depth. The two main hosts, Natalie and Karen, are currently finishing up the last of their season 2 rehash in anticipation of the looming season 3 premiere date on June 3. If you can’t get enough of Teen Wolf and need something to tie you over until we get new episodes, be sure to check out the podcast and subscribe in iTunes!

    Did you like our theory? Would you be interested in seeing the Hales from the memories of various characters who might have known them in different stages of their lives? What explanations do you have for why Talia, Laura, and young Derek could have recurring roles?

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    NATWP | Natalie | Karen | Brook | Courtney