| “ | "You told me why I never get sick. And you said I'd learn to heal--" "Then learn." "I can't. I don't know how, or where to start." "I told you once that Foxes and Wolves tend not to get along... But they're similar creatures, aren't they? You've seen wolves heal. How do they do it? [...]" "Pain. With pain." |
” |
Accelerated Healing is the power to rapidly heal all but the most severe and fatal of wounds. Most supernatural species exhibit this power to varying degrees; while natural shapeshifters such as Werewolves have the power to consistently heal their own wounds at an accelerated rate, unnatural beings like Chimeras have healing abilities whose efficiency depends on numerous factors, such as the combination of supernatural species that make up their Chimera nature, the severity of the wound sustained, and the manner in which they were wounded. Regardless, the accelerated healing ability of all unnatural creatures will still typically be inferior to that of true supernaturals.
Accelerated healing can be temporarily nullified or decelerated by certain means; for example, impalement through vital organs, exposure to electricity, fire, and/or substances that are known to weaken these creatures, such as Wolfsbane. This power can also be hindered by emotional barriers such as overwhelming guilt and lack of self-confidence, which can prevent some supernatural creatures from using powers at their full potential and can both hinder their ability to heal and potentially put the supernatural in question's life in danger.
In addition to regenerating from the majority of wounds, the accelerated healing ability possessed by supernatural creatures can have other aspects as well, including: an immunity to most human diseases and conditions (as evidenced by Kira Yukimura, whose passive Kitsune healing ability prevented her from ever getting sick, as well as the cases of Scott McCall and Erica Reyes, who were an asthmatic and an epileptic, respectively, before being bitten and turned into Werewolves cured them of these conditions); a greatly extended lifespan and a decreased rate of aging (as evidenced by Satomi Ito, the oldest known werecreature who is over 110 years old while maintaining the appearance of a woman in her mid-late 50s); and an inability experience intoxication caused by alcohol or illicit drugs as a result of their bodies healing the damage caused by these substances too quickly to be felt.
Beings with Accelerated Healing[]
Chimera[]
As far as it is known, all Chimeras possess accelerated healing to some degree, but, like their other powers, the strength of their accelerated healing varies based on the individual, the species from which they gained the power, and other attributes such as whether or not they have stolen the powers of others.
For example, when Hayden Romero was a Werewolf-Werejaguar Chimera, she was able to easily heal minor wounds, such as the claw gashes Tracy Stewart left on her wrist ("Dreamcatchers"), and the broken knuckles she sustained when she punched Liam Dunbar in the face ("Strange Frequencies"); however, more severe injuries, such as the surgical wounds inflicted by the Dread Doctors ("Ouroboros"), took at least a day to heal, and, according to Alan Deaton, the wounds she sustained in a fight with Sebastien Valet would have likely been fatal if she had depended solely on her accelerated healing factor, leading Scott McCall, at Hayden and Liam Dunbar's request, to give Hayden the Bite and turn her into a Beta Werewolf. ("Apotheosis")
Corey's third-degree burns after a day or so of healing.
Conversely, Corey Bryant and Theo Raeken both possess very strong accelerated healing powers that are nearly on par with their true shapeshifter peers (which, in the former case, is unusual given the fact that Corey is technically not even a shapeshifter). For example, Corey was able to heal from a nearly-fatal sting from the Scorpion Chimera Lucas within hours ("Condition Terminal"), and healed third-degree burns caused by Jordan Parrish's Hellhound fire within days, a feat that Peter Hale (whose burns were at most equally severe) needed six years and stolen Alpha powers to accomplish. ("Amplification"), ("Co-Captain") However, the fact that Scott McCall and Malia Tate used their Pain Absorption powers to help Corey trigger his healing on these occasions may have contributed to this incredible speed of recovery. After stealing the powers of Tracy Stewart and Josh Diaz, Theo was able to begin to heal from a snapped neck within moments, and was fully recovered in an hour or so, though he subsequently lost this additional strength after being imprisoned in the earth by Kira Yukimura for months. ("The Beast of Beacon Hills"), ("Apotheosis")
Darach[]
After sacrificing a trio of human healers, the Darach, Jennifer Blake, gained the power of accelerated healing. In addition to being able to heal herself in moments after Noah Stilinski shot her in the thigh ("The Girl Who Knew Too Much"), she was also able to heal others just by touching them, a feat no one else in the series has been able to achieve thus far; this was proven when she healed the wounds Derek Hale sustained in his pack's battle against the Alpha Pack ("Frayed"), ("Motel California"), and when she healed the blind Deucalion's eyes so he could see the cost of his pack's creation. ("Lunar Ellipse")
Hellhound[]
Parrish's fire-based accelerated healing causes his wounds to smoke as they regenerate
A Hellhound is capable of healing the body of its host at incredible speeds, though this power works differently than it does with other creatures—the cellular regeneration seems to be tied to his fire manipulation powers, as his wounds will smoke from the inside out as he begins to recover from his injuries. Jordan Parrish has healed numerous wounds, such as extensive claw gashes ("A Credible Threat") and impalement through the torso ("Amplification"), from Belasko, Theo Raeken, and the Beast of Gevaudan in this manner, though this power seems to work more slowly when he's in his human form compared to when he's in his Hellhound form, which enhances all of his powers, including his accelerated healing ability.
Kanima[]
Because of their highly enhanced durability, it is very difficult to wound a Kanima, but in the rare case that they are harmed, they can heal from their injuries at incredible speeds. Jackson Whittemore was once shot with an entire clip of bullets by Chris Argent, which healed instantly and barely slowed him down ("Frenemy") and after being shot in the forehead with a crossbow bolt by Allison Argent, he simply yanked the arrow out and ran away, indicating that Kanimas are even capable of regenerating brain matter. ("Fury") This also suggests that a Kanima's accelerated healing power is superior to that of a Werewolf.
Kitsune[]
Noshiko healing from numerous gunshot wounds after the riot at Camp Oak Creek in 1943
Kitsune all have accelerated healing abilities, regardless of which of the thirteen types of Kitsune that they are; however, the speed at which they heal is dependent on their age, experience, and number of tails, as well as the severity of the wound. As with other shapeshifters, their accelerated healing also includes a perfect immune system, but unlike the aforementioned shapeshifters, a Kitsune's healing ability grants them a lifespan of potentially a thousand years or more. For example, Noshiko Yukimura, a 900-year-old Celestial Kitsune, was able to heal from dozens and dozens of gunshot wounds in less than a few hours in 1943 when she still had all nine of her tails. In 2011, Noshiko healed from a cut on her palm within seconds even after sacrificing most of her tails, ("The Fox and the Wolf") but when she was stabbed in the side by a Berserker claw several months later, it took her more than several days to fully heal.("Time of Death")
Kira activating her accelerated healing ability for the first time
Meanwhile, the Nogitsune, a powerful 1,000-year-old Void Kitsune, purposely disemboweled himself after feeding on large amounts of chaos, strife, and pain, which allowed him to heal from his own self-inflicted wounds within hours, though it is unknown how many tails he had at the time (though any tails he may have had did not have physical representations on earth like Kira and Noshiko) and how that number affected his rate of healing. ("De-Void")
Like many born shapeshifters, Kira Yukimura's perfect immune system manifested itself passively from birth, but her accelerated healing ability was an aspect she had to consciously trigger with pain before it would start to work at all times on its own. ("The Fox and the Wolf") Once activated, Kira was able to heal from a stab wound to the chest that was inflicted by Scott McCall during the brief time he was a Berserker within several hours, a feat that caused her to gain her first Kitsune tail. ("Smoke and Mirrors") Several months after gaining this tail, Kira was impaled through the shoulder by one of the Skinwalkers and healed within an hour or so, aided in part by a medicinal patch placed on it by the Skinwalker who injured her. ("Codominance")
Löwenmensch[]
Löwenmenschen, like their lupin cousins, possess extraordinarily enhanced regenerative healing, allowing them to recover from most mild to moderate wounds within moments. Garrett was shown to have such a powerful healing factor that he was able to heal from the full-body injuries caused by being in the Dread Doctors's tank for seventy years, due in part to the green regenerative serum inside of it made from his blood.
Werecoyote[]
Malia instantly healing after removing a shard of broken glass from her forehead
Like their lycanthrope cousins, Werecoyotes possess an accelerated healing power that, depending on the strength-level and rank of the coyote in question, may be equal to that of a Werewolf. Malia Tate has healed from a claw gash wound from a Berserker in less than an hour ("The Dark Moon"), and has healed from numerous gunshot wounds in even less time. Since gaining her mother Corinne's powers, it has been speculated that her healing power is even more heightened.
Conversely, since Malia inadvertently stole and absorbed part of Corinne's powers during childbirth, Corinne's healing abilities were greatly diminished along with her other powers, causing her to heal much more slowly than a normal Werecoyote, albeit still faster than a regular human. ("The Sword and the Spirit")
The Werecoyote's accelerated healing power also includes an immunity to all human diseases and conditions, an extended lifespan, and decelerated aging, as well as a resistance to the intoxicating effects of alcohol and recreational drugs.
Werejaguar[]
Like other therianthropic species, Werejaguars possess incredible healing powers that are on par with a Werewolf of similar status. Kate Argent's accelerated healing abilities are so strong that, after Peter Hale's fatal claw gashes to her throat caused her to begin to turn into a Werejaguar, her healing power, augmented by the impending full moon, caused her to be resurrected. ("Code Breaker"), ("The Divine Move") Shortly after her return to life, Kate was able to fake her death by slitting her wrists with a straight razor, bleeding just enough to look as though she had died from exsanguination while replacing the blood loss quickly enough to fight her way out of captivity by killing six Hunters. ("The Dark Moon")
Ever since her resurrection, Kate has continued to heal from her wounds at an accelerated rate; she healed from a buckshot to the stomach within several minutes ("Orphaned"), and was able to go on the run from her brother Chris Argent and the Calavera Family of Hunters even despite having been shot in the chest with a yellow wolfsbane bullet minutes earlier. ("Smoke and Mirrors")
Werewolf[]
Werewolves possess incredible accelerated healing powers, though the strength of this power varies based on their rank, with Omega Werewolves healing the most slowly of their species and Alphas (especially Augmented Alphas) healing the most quickly. Minor injuries such as cuts, shallow stab wounds, sprained muscles, and broken limbs will heal within moments, while more moderate wounds, such as stab wounds to vital organs, can take hours. The most severe injuries, such as multiple organ trauma and full-body burns can take days. A Werewolf's healing factor is so great to the point it can even allow them to survive a gunshot wound to the head, as demonstrated when Beta Werewolf Quinn, member and second-in-command of the Primal Pack, managed to survive being shot in the head by Deputy Vargas, a Sheriff's deputy who joined Tamora Monroe and Gerard Argent's Hunter army due to the fear-inducement powers of the ancient shapeshifter Anuk-ite. ("Face-to-Faceless")
Derek healing after Brett scratched him with his claws
For example, the True Alpha Scott McCall has healed from a broken ankle as soon as the bone was reset, has recovered from stab wounds and gunshots to the chest and abdomen in less than a half-hour, and was even able to heal from dozens of injuries (including concussions, broken bones, and traumatic claw gashes to vital organs) inflicted by the Beast of Gevaudan after a good night's sleep. ("Maid of Gévaudan"), ("The Beast of Beacon Hills")
Isaac revealing he's become a Werewolf after his cut cheek heals within moments
Likewise, Derek Hale, while he was an Alpha, survived having a pipe impaled through his chest (which was twisted numerous times to torture him) for at least an hour and healed within that amount of time when it was removed ("Unleashed"), and also survived falling from three stories and landing on top of an escalator, sustaining multiple wounds in the process. ("Frayed") Even Liam Dunbar, a bitten Beta (albeit a preternaturally strong one), healed from a broken spine in several hours ("Damnatio Memoriae"), and his sprained ankle healed within hours of him being given the Bite by Scott, demonstrating that the ability to heal rapidly is one of the first powers a newly turned Werewolf gains. ("The Benefactor")
Additionally, a Werewolf's accelerated healing ability can also augment their durability, allowing them to survive even after having their heart rates lowered far below what a normal human could tolerate, such as when Scott McCall, Malia Tate, and Jordan Parrish managed to survive below-freezing temperatures in the Argent's freezer-machine, or when Kira Yukimura shocked Scott's heart with foxfire in order to slow his heart rate down to one single beat every several minutes. ("Memory Found"), ("A Credible Threat") This healing factor allowed Scott to fake his death in an attempt to lure out The Benefactor, much like Kate Argent did to escape the Calavera Family's captivity. ("Time of Death"), ("The Dark Moon")
Satomi's pistol-whip wound healing itself
The full moon, and especially supermoons, can augment a Werewolf's healing ability to incredible levels, as evidenced by Scott, who had been killed via severe organ trauma by Theo Raeken's claws and was dead for over fifteen minutes, and who was resurrected when his mother Melissa McCall used CPR to trigger his healing ability during the supermoon. ("Status Asthmaticus") The full moon also caused Liam's wounds from jumping through and breaking a glass window to heal almost instantaneously, enhanced by the fact that he was fully-shifted. ("I.E.D.")
The Werewolf's accelerated healing ability also includes an immunity to all human diseases, conditions, drugs, and alcohol, as well as an extended lifespan and decelerated aging. The former aspect was proven by Scott when he and Stiles drank more than half of a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey together; while Stiles became extremely drunk and could barely walk to the passenger seat, Scott was completely unaffected and sober, much to his frustration. ("Lunatic") This went on to be confirmed by both Scott and Liam later on in the series. ("Perishable"), ("Sundowning")
According to Derek Hale, a Werewolf with a certain level of experience can use their own force of will to prevent themselves from healing so long as they are conscious, though it is unknown if this applies to all creatures with accelerated healing abilities. ("Heart Monitor") This was shown to be true in Werewolves on several occasions, including: when Peter Hale consciously waited to heal the burn scars on his face after becoming an Alpha until he could use it for dramatic effect when he was battling Derek at the hospital ("Wolf's Bane"), and when Deucalion seemingly injured his eyes on purpose to appear as though he were blind to trick Theo Raeken and his Chimera Pack into thinking he hated Scott McCall and prevented them from healing until he was ready to reveal the truth. ("Apotheosis")
Limitations[]
Like all supernatural powers, there are limits to how effectively the accelerated healing power can work, and there are numerous substances, conditions, and circumstances that can cause the power to be weakened or temporarily neutralized.
For Chimeras, their healing power is often unpredictable because they are humans who have been artificially and scientifically transformed into hybrid creatures and are thus not truly supernatural themselves. As a result, their powers vary among individuals and may only be effective in healing certain wounds, especially in Chimeras who are rejecting their transformations and who are considered "failures" by the Dread Doctors. ("Lies of Omission") As a result, the strength of this power exists on a spectrum for this species, with some, like Theo Raeken, able to survive a snapped neck while others, like Hayden Romero, struggled to heal a surgical cut on her side. ("Apotheosis")
Jennifer Blake, as a Darach, only had a finite amount of power, and utilizing too much at one time would weaken her and leave her unable to access any of her powers, including healing, for a short time. ("Lunar Ellipse")
Young Kitsune such as Kira Yukimura who are just coming into their powers will likely have to consciously activate their healing ability by using pain as a trigger for the first time. ("Smoke and Mirrors") Additionally, when a Kitsune is severely injured, such as when Noshiko Yukimura was shot with several dozen bullets during the Camp Oak Creek riot, their bodies will shut down any unnecessary processes and prioritize what is needed to heal, causing their heartbeats to slow to the point where they can appear to be dead to others who are unaware of their supernatural nature. As a result, this leaves them very vulnerable to anyone who intends to harm or kill them while in this vulnerable state. ("The Fox and the Wolf")
Derek's body struggling and failing to heal after being poisoned by the rare and fatal Nordic Blue Monkshood wolfsbane.
Certain substances, such as Wolfsbane or Mistletoe, can be used against Werewolves, Werecoyotes, and Werejaguars to prevent them from healing effectively until their poisoning has been treated. As a result, Hunters often use these herbs in their weapons to further weaken their prey; Marie-Jeanne Valet took this concept one step further when hunting her brother, Sebastien Valet (who became the Werewolf known as the Beast of Gevaudan), ultimately killing him by mixing Wolfsbane and Mountain Ash into steel that was then forged with her blood under the light of a full moon, thereby creating the one weapon that could kill him. ("Maid of Gévaudan") Cora Hale, after being poisoned with Mistletoe by Jennifer Blake, was unable to heal from a head injury she sustained in a fight with Aiden. ("The Girl Who Knew Too Much"), ("The Overlooked")
The ninjato swords used by the Oni seem to at least be occasionally laced with a special toxin that can slow or prevent a shapeshifter's accelerated healing from working, as a cut they made on Derek Hale's shoulder took much longer to heal than it normally would, allowing the Nogitsune's flies to infect him through the wound. The whips of the Ghost Riders seemed to possess a rare special venom that could also disable a shapeshifter's healing ability, as shown when Alpha Löwenmensch Garrett Douglas sustained a gash in his back from one of the Ghost Riders' whips and this forced him to seek help in how to heal it. ("The Divine Move") ("Blitzkrieg")
Isaac's electrical burns took several days to heal, most of which were spent in the intensive care unit of the hospital.
In addition to Wolfsbane, werecreatures are also vulnerable to electricity, which can slow or halt their accelerated healing power in all but the most powerful of their kind; Vernon Boyd was killed after being shocked by large amounts of electricity, which prevented his body from being able to heal the claw wounds to his chest, and Isaac Lahey was hospitalized with electrical burns for several days after stepping into a puddle where a live wire had fallen. ("Currents"), ("Letharia Vulpina") Similarly, burns caused by fire also seem to be harder for werecreatures to heal than other wounds, as evidenced by Peter Hale spending six years in a coma while trying to heal from the burns he sustained in the Hale House Fire, and he only ultimately healed after killing his niece, Laura Hale, and stealing her Alpha powers, giving him the power boost necessary to finish healing.
Scott's emotional anguish prevents the wounds caused by Theo's murder attempt from healing
In some cases, strong emotional reactions can slow or even halt a werecreature's accelerated healing ability, as evidenced by Scott McCall, who, on two separate occasions, was unable to heal his life-threatening wounds as a result of the overwhelming guilt, insecurity, and self-loathing he was feeling. The first time this happened, Scott was devastated by Derek Hale's "death" during the Hale Pack's battle against the Alpha Pack, and, since he didn't know that Derek had actually survived, his grief became so great that he unconsciously prevented his body from healing his own wounds from their fight, forcing Allison Argent to stitch up the claw gashes on his rib cage to keep him from dying; once he learned that Derek had survived, his wounds finally healed. ("Frayed") The second time, Scott, after being resurrected after his death at Theo Raeken's hands, was so overwhelmed with guilt and self-loathing regarding the fractured relationships with the McCall Pack that the claw stab wounds on his chest remained open and bloody until after all of the pack members returned and reconciled with each other. ("The Last Chimera") Just like in the first instance, Scott's near-fatal wounds healed themselves after he and the rest of the pack reunited after rescuing Lydia Martin from Eichen House, reflecting their healed relationships. ("A Credible Threat")
Scott's wounds become infected and stop healing both due to the fact that they were inflicted by the Alpha Ennis as well as due to Scott's grief and guilt regarding Derek's "death."
Finally, if a Beta or Omega werecreature is wounded by an Alpha, their injuries will take much longer to heal than they ordinarily would as a result of the mystical Alpha spark they possess, making their ability to wound others more powerful. Additionally, a Werewolf who is in the process of evolving will temporarily lose their ability to heal at an accelerated rate, as evidenced by Derek Hale, who lost his powers for several weeks until he was "reborn" as an Evolved Werewolf who can full-shift into a true wolf like his mother, Talia, and his sister, Laura. This puts them at risk of serious injury or death due to the fact that they will be unable to regenerate as they normally do, such as when Derek nearly died after being attacked by one of Kate's Berserkers. ("Smoke and Mirrors")
It is possible, though unconfirmed, that sufficient brain trauma can kill a creature with accelerated healing; Desert Wolf once remarked that a headshot will likely kill her (albeit, at the time, her abilities, including her accelerated healing, were all weakened). ("Apotheosis")
Trivia[]
- Because this power allows supernatural creatures and pseudo-supernatural creatures like Chimeras to heal from injury at a very rapid rate, they are unable to get drunk on alcohol or high on drugs, as their bodies heal the damage that causes the sensation of being intoxicated too quickly for them to feel an effect.
- It is unknown how long a Werewolf, Werecoyote, or Werejaguar's lifespan is extended as a result of their accelerated healing ability, but the oldest known member of their species is Satomi Ito, a Werewolf who is somewhere between the age of 100 and 110 and has maintained the same appearance since 1943. This seems to suggest that these creatures can potentially survive several decades into their 100s as long as they are not killed before this point.
- Accelerated healing, along with super strength, is one of the most common powers possessed by supernatural creatures in the Teen Wolf series.
- According to Scott McCall, a shapeshifter's accelerated healing ability generally works most effectively when they are in their supernatural form, as told to Liam Dunbar to explain why his wounds from jumping through a glass window healed rapidly while he was transformed under his first full moon as a Werewolf.
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