Teen Wolf boasted a wide range of villains, none so scary as the Nogitsune. However, showing its true form might have ruined the monster entirely.
Of the many supernatural creatures that the McCall pack fought throughout Teen Wolf, the Nogitsune was horrifying and unforgettable; however, its true form, according to mythology, may not have been as scary. Teen Wolf is a series following werewolf Scott McCall and his wolf pack as they fight the supernatural evil in their town, Beacon Hills. The show ran for six seasons and had a 2023 movie released six years after the series finale.
The Nogistune appeared most prominently in Teen Wolf season 3 and Teen Wolf: The Movie. Most significantly, the Nogitsune was the cause of what many call “Dark Stiles” or “Void Stiles” in Teen Wolf season 3 because the creature possessed him, causing the beloved character to seem heartless and evil. In Teen Wolf: The Movie, the monster returned and possessed the reconstructed Allison Argent. While the Nogitsune has appeared in Teen Wolf as a sort of mummified, sharp-toothed monster, that is only one of its many forms.
The Real Nogitsune Wouldn’t Work In Teen Wolf
The real form of a Nogitsune wouldn’t have worked in Teen Wolf because, in Japanese mythology, Nogitsune typically take the form of a fox. Like their positive counterpart Kitsune, the Nogitsune appears as a tiny wild fox, usually with black or white fur, and can turn invisible. Though they are known for human possession, Japanese Nogitsune are more of a nuisance than Teen Wolf’s Nogitsune villain, especially in their fox form. According to Japanese folklore, the Nogitsune, also called Yako, are tricksters who enjoy sneaking around human areas and stealing from them.
It’s understandable that Teen Wolf created a somewhat new version of the Nogitsune in the series. They certainly wanted to bring a lot of fear into the season and movie, and a small fox likely would not have translated into a scary monster. Additionally, they needed a significant villain with big, dangerous motives. A true-to-myth Nogitsune would not have aligned with that, as they are usually more mischievous than deliberately evil.
Teen Wolf Hiding The True Nogitsune Made It Scarier
Though the Teen Wolf Nogitsune does have a particular mummified form that it takes throughout the series and film, the most significant fact about the creature is that viewers never see its proper shape. In this way, the Teen Wolf villain feels as though it is hiding an even scarier form. Also, if it isn’t mummified, it usually possesses someone, which makes it all the more terrifying. Teen Wolf uses the Nogitsune’s possession abilities to incite fear in viewers by making them wonder who is possessed and who they can trust. Keeping the Nogitsune’s real form secret creates an overwhelming fear of the unknown.
While Teen Wolf didn’t stay completely accurate to the Nogitsune myth, it used various aspects of the creature to create a genuinely chilling villain. Not to mention, the real fox form of the Nogitsune would have made for a very different monster, one that would not have instilled the fear it did in Teen Wolf season 3. Overall, it makes sense that Teen Wolf changed the Nogitsune, creating a new, creepy version of a long-running myth.
