Character Review MTV's Teen Wolf

Lydia Martin

Banshee

Lydia Martin: best friend, warrior, survivor, beautiful, banshee, genius.

Lydia Martin is one of MTV’s Teen Wolf best characters. Lydia is season one is arrogant, slightly obnoxious, self-obsessed, queen of Beacon Hills High. Season one Lydia is also a great friend (minus that one kiss with Scott), worried about her friends, and cunning, but mostly importantly season one Lydia refuses to be pushed around by a man…and oh yeah, she’s a genius. We come to learn in season three that Lydia’s IQ is at least 170, if not higher. Lydia ultimately needs a push from Allison, Stiles, and Scott but she is the one who recognizes that she doesn’t have to put up a front for other people. The real Lydia Martin is amazing, why pretend to something less than that?

Lydia has had a rough journey on Teen Wolf. In Seasons 1 and 2 she is cast aside and verbally abused by Jackson. Season 1 she is bit by Peter. Season 2 her mind is controlled by Peter to bring himself back to life. Season 3a she starts to find dead bodies wherever she goes, she is almost murdered, and she finds out she is a banshee but doesn’t know how to control it to save lives. Season 3b she watches Stiles get possessed, is kidnapped, and feels her best friend. Season 4 her name is put on a dead pool. Season 5a she is stabbed in the stomach. Season 5b she is tortured in a mental hospital and because she is a banshee she watches promotions of her friends dying. Season 6a she forgets Stiles and then has to convince people that he is real and that she isn’t crazy. And finally season 6b she can’t go to college, she is hunted and shot, and has to watch people turn on her friends. 

Yet despite all of the horrible things that have happened to Lydia she continues to be kind, to take care of people, figures out solutions to the pack’s problems, and becomes a hero. In season 5 Lydia tells Chris and Gerard Argent that she’s “not Allison.” This is a telling statement; Lydia doesn’t see herself as a hero. Mainly I think this is because despite trying to save her, Lydia was not able to save Allison. Instead it was the other way around, with Allison dying to save Lydia, most likely making Lydia feel as if she failed Allison. So yeah, Lydia’s not Allison, but that doesn’t mean she is not a hero. 

As the series progress we see Lydia take on the role of the ‘mom friend.’ She is the problem solver, she let’s people borrow her car, teaches Malia how to drive, boosts Kira’s self esteem, puts herself between her friends and the danger, and takes up Allison’s mantle of protecting Scott. Lydia and Scott arguably have the best relationship development of the series. They go from Lydia not caring that Scott exists in the pilot to Lydia running into danger to warn Scott knowing full well that she could be killed in the finale.

        Basically what I’m trying to say here is, if you are looking for a female character to look up to, look up to Lydia Martin. Throughout the series she battles with self doubt, PTSD, a mental breakdown, and multiple attacks on her life, and overcomes Every. Single. One. Trust me when I say, you won’t be disappointed by Lydia Martin.