Teen Wolf has had some pretty intense season premieres. The Season 6 premiere, “Memory Lost” may be it’s best. Teen Wolf is strongest when it’s grounded in the characters, the relationships between them, and the fact that they are high school teens. When you add a terrifying supernatural adversary into the mix, it makes the series that much more thrilling. In the final season of Teen Wolf, “Memory Lost” gives us a premiere that is funny, frightening, and emotionally heartbreaking.

Wild follows man and horse and hound, Like dark December’s stormy gale – The Wild Huntsman

Liam and Hayden are stranded with a flat tire. She teases him, but not in that mean girl way she did in Season 5. Hayden still has her supernatural chimera skills, so she’s handy to have around when there’s car trouble. They see some unusual lights and an abandoned car slowly drives up. It turns out the car isn’t completely abandoned because there’s a boy hiding in the back. He cries out, “Don’t let them take me. Don’t let them take me too.”

Scott and Stiles are playing detective, much to Sheriff Stilinski’s annoyance. Scott tells Stiles it’s a good thing that the Sheriff’s department doesn’t seem to need them anymore because, “We’re all going off to college pretty soon, so Beacon Hill is going to have to survive without us.” It appears Scott has spoken too soon because Sheriff Stilinski calls them in. Papa Stilinski does lean heavily on these kids, shifting from his attitude last season when he insisted straight and narrow police work was key to solving crimes.

Scott figures out what happened to the boy Alex’s parents using his claws to access his memory. The family was attacked by a masked man on a black horse. Even though the assailant had a gun, Scott gets a supernatural vibe from the memory. Alex tells him, “They’re coming back. They’re coming for me.” Creepy.

Scott and Stiles bring Lydia to see if she gets a banshee feeling from the car, like she’s a “supernatural metal detector.” Then Malia makes a coyote entrance, transforming into the girl with no understanding of social norms that we’ve come to love. Conveniently Lydia has some clothes waiting for Malia. Does she always keep extra clothes on hand for her friend? Stiles is eager for a case, but his supernatural companions don’t see it. Just as they are about to go back to the normal high school life, they realize the gunshot in the windshield isn’t what it seems.

And horse and man and horn and hound, And clamor of the chase was gone – The Wild Huntsman

It’s back to high school life because it’s time for yearbook photos. After Stiles ruins Malia’s photo, she points out he hasn’t even signed up for his own. Scott surprises everyone when he tells Stiles, Maybe you’re sublimating the stress of graduating by avoiding key milestones.” Stiles wants to ditch class to investigate, but after missing 38 classes last year, Scott isn’t so keen on the idea. Stiles considers taking Liam, but reconsiders when he sees Liam and Hayden are spending their lunchtime making out. Sophomores!

There’s a handsome new teacher at Beacon Hills High School–Mr. Douglas. We can’t help but wonder if he’s a supernatural villain. He’s captured the attention of the students, or at least some of the students. In Teen Wolf science class tends to foreshadow the story arc. Mr. Douglas teaches students about Schrodinger’s Cat, telling the class, “Does observing something change its behavior or alter its outcome?” When they break up into lab groups, Mason points out that cell phones can’t geolocate today. Who notices stuff like that? Corey grabs Mr. Douglas’s compass so they can follow the strange geomagnetic forces.

Scott is consulting with his own science teacher about why the windshield glass is blue. Stiles and Scott head out to investigate. In a comedic moment, they’re pulled back into school by Mrs. Martin, Lydia’s mom, who reminds Scott that she had to go to the superintendent to keep him in school after so many absences. She tells them whatever they want to look into they can do it after 3:30.

The boy with the missing parents, Alex, begs to be locked in the cell at the Sheriff’s station. The supernaturally-sensitive Sheriff acquiesces. Meanwhile, in history class, Lydia is having a banshee feeling. After class ends, she reaches for the poltergeist looking TV screen and a lightning bolt knocks her to the floor, at least that’s what happens in her vision. We have no idea what it means, and it doesn’t seem like she does either. Premonitions are kind of a drag.

When the bell finally rings, Scott and Stiles check out the address Alex gave them, which turns out to be a creepy house full of cobwebs and creaky noises. The house is empty except for Alex’s room. Stiles finds pictures in which it looks like images of Alex’s parents have disappeared. While Scott investigates a noise downstairs, he runs into Mason and Liam, who have followed the compass to the house. Upstairs, Stiles looks under the bed and sees horses hooves. He gets the heck out of the bedroom only to face the gunman in the hallway. The ghostly gunman shoots at Stiles, then disappears. When Scott, Mason, and Liam come upstairs, Stiles tells them, “They weren’t just taken. They were made to disappear. That’s why there’s no furniture, that’s why they weren’t in any of the photos. They were erased.” They open Alex’s door to find an empty bedroom.

Be chased forever through the wood, Forever roam the affrighted wild
– The Wild Huntsman

Stiles is hitting the supernatural books trying to understand the disappearance. Lydia tells him that he doesn’t need to figure it all out right now. By the end of the episode, she may come to regret this sentiment. Lydia has another banshee moment, in which she stares off into space as eerie music plays. Is the music only in her head or can Stiles hear it too? Lydia realizes that it’s the Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt who are taking people.

Liam, Mason, and Hayden have a conversation about what will happen when Alpha Werewolf Scott graduates and there’s no one here to figure things out. Liam stutteringly suggests “I can be the alpha,” but Hayden doesn’t seem convinced. The awkward moment is interrupted when Liam and Hayden suddenly smell blood, eventually finding a dead body.

Stiles, who has completely missed Lacrosse practice, tells Scott about the Wild Hunt. They realize Alex is in danger because he will eventually be taken. It’s too late, though, because the Wild Hunt has found Alex in his cell. Scott and Stiles arrive at the lock up, but Alex is gone and the Deputies don’t remember him. Scott and Stiles realize that the hunt may be coming back for Liam and Hayden, since they were on the road where Alex’s parents disappeared.

Since pretty much everyone is at school this dark evening, Lydia and Malia are hanging out in an empty classroom. Lydia shows Malia information about the Wild Hunt that says:

“Those who see the Wild Hunt beware, for you are already lost.”

Still, still shall last the dreadful chase, Till time itself shall have an end – The Wild Huntsman

Stiles finds Mason, Liam, and Hayden, but they don’t know who he is. Stiles realizes he is starting to be erased, which is reinforced when neither his dad nor Scott knows who he is. In the other room, Lydia realizes that Stiles saw the Ghost Ryder and is next to be taken. Malia asks, “Who’s Stiles?” making us wonder if it’s too late.

Lydia finds Stiles, and it’s clear to both of them he is starting to be erased. The Ghost Riders begin to encircle them, though Lydia can’t see the horsemen. They make it into the Jeep, but Stiles realizes it’s too late. He tells Lydia that he’s going to be erased and she must find a way to remember him.

Stiles: “Lydia, I’m going to be erased, okay? Just like Alex. You’re gonna forget me.”
Lydia: “I won’t. No, I won’t. I won’t.”
Stiles: “Lydia, you will. Just try to find some way to remember me, okay? Remember how you were the first girl I ever danced with? Or how I had a crush on you freshman year. Sophomore year? Junior year? Remember how you saved my life?”
Lydia: “You saved my life too.”
Stiles: “Just remember… Remember I love you.”

After telling Lydia he loves her, he’s taken by the Ghost Riders. Lydia sits alone in the Jeep, crying and saying “Remember” over and over again.

The next day at school it’s apparent that no one realizes Stiles is gone. Lydia stands at the entrance confused. She tells Scott and Malia, “I have a feeling that I was supposed to do something.” But she can’t remember what it is.

In “Memory Lost” Teen Wolf pulls no punches, taking one of the main characters off the board from the start. We have hope for Stiles, but no idea how he will be found. It’s an exciting start to Season 6, leaving us anxious to see more.