Symbols

“	Hayden: "What is that?" Theo: "A symbol-- the symbol of an Alpha and his pack." Hayden: "Whose pack?" Theo: "Scott's."	”
	— Hayden Romero and Theo Raeken about the McCall Pack Symbol in The Last Chimera

In Teen Wolf, Symbols are written, carved, or stamped icons that are used to signify something; this may be a family, a pack, a species, an object, or a concept. Most Werewolf packs have a symbol, which they use as tattoos to identify their allegiance or as messages to other packs regarding their territory. Some Hunter families of supernatural creatures also have their own symbols, which they use to mark their ammunition.

Many of the symbols used in the series are said to be Druidic in nature, sometimes in order to identify certain materials or rituals that they use in their work. Symbols are also used as part of supernatural tradition as well; for example, the spiral is a symbol that is used to signify revenge or vengeance in Werewolf culture.

There are a multitude of symbols used in the Teen Wolf series, some of which have meanings that were never explored.

Conceptual Symbols

Ouroboros

The ouroboros is a symbol used by the Dread Doctors, which they used to adorn the entrances to their various laboratories in Beacon Hills, California and in Russia. The name is Greek and literally translates to "tail swallower," an apt translation given the fact that the symbol is of a snake or serpent swallowing its own tail. Its origins are in Egypt, where it was a symbol of the sun and its travel around the Earth, and in Gnosticism, it signifies eternity, making it an excellent symbol for the Dread Doctors' use, as their studies led them to obtain a form of immortality; there is also such thing as a double ouroboros, where there are two snakes swallowing each other's tails forming the infinity symbol.

The ouroboros is also a symbol that was used in alchemy. It was said to represent the "spirit" of Mercury and the theme of continuous renewal, as the snake itself is a symbol of resurrection due to its cycle of shedding its skin. The ouroboros also stands for the cycle of life and death. The symbol appears in other cultures as well as those mentioned above, such as in the Norse myth of Jormungandr, the serpent that coiled itself around the roots of Yggdrasil, the World tree, and Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec serpent god.

The ouroboros was first seen by Alan Deaton and his guide, Vadim when they were exploring an old nuclear reactor site in hopes of learning more about the Dread Doctors. Upon seeing an ouroboros on the wall outside of the entrance to the Dread Doctors' Russian laboratory, the two realized they were in the right place and discussed the legends and myths surrounding them. ("Ouroboros") The symbol was then seen again in the Underground Tunnels on a wall outside of the secret entrance to the Dread Doctors' Beacon Hills operating theater, both when Scott McCall, Malia Tate, and Mason Hewitt were searching for Liam Dunbar and Hayden Romero following their capture by the Dread Doctors, as well as several weeks later, when Scott and Liam were searching for the laboratory again; the first search yielded no results, but the second was successful. ("Ouroboros"), ("The Sword and the Spirit")

Spiral

The spiral is one of the world's most ancient symbols, with spiral-like carvings found in stone works dating all the way back to roughly 12,000 years ago in cultures all over the world: this includes decorative objects in Mezine, Ukraine; monuments in County Meath, Ireland; petroglyphs in Guanajuato, Mexico; roof tiles in ancient Chang'an, China; and the Nazca Lines in the coastal desert of Peru. In Werewolf culture in the Teen Wolf, the spiral is the symbol for revenge, and it is carved or scrawled, typically in public places, as a message to those who have wronged them that they will be seeking their vengeance.

It was first seen when then-Alpha Werewolf Peter Hale drew it in the fog of Scott McCall's car's window as a clue to why he was going on his killing spree—as revenge against those involved in the Hale House Fire that killed the majority of his family. ("Heart Monitor") The spiral was seen again when Scott showed Derek Hale a photo of a deer found in the Beacon Hills Preserve, which had been killed and had a spiral burned into its fur by Peter in order to draw Derek's sister Laura Hale back to town, giving him the opportunity to kill his niece and steal her Alpha power. ("Code Breaker")

In flashbacks to the early 2000s, the Alpha Werewolf Ennis was shown carving the spiral into the corrugated metal wall of the Abandoned Distillery with his claws as a message to the Argent Family of Hunters that he intended to get his revenge, and the spiral was drawn once again in the fog-covered window of Derek's loft in the present day by Peter Hale to illustrate that losing a member of one's pack to death is comparable to losing a limb. ("Visionary")

The spiral was drawn by Beta Werewolf and Derek Hale's younger sister Cora Hale after she had sneaked into Beacon Hills High School and she drew a spiral with her claws in the window of the door of Coach Finstock's office to lure Aiden Steiner, who was making out with his new girlfriend Lydia Martin in the office, into the boys locker room to kill him in revenge for his involvement in the deaths of her friends and Derek's Betas Vernon Boyd and Erica Reyes but she was bested and nearly killed. ("The Girl Who Knew Too Much")

The spiral was drawn for the last time by Peter Hale in the floor of his room during his imprisonment in Eichen House, implying that he planned to get revenge on the McCall Pack for locking him in there, until the lockdown caused by the McCall Pack members while rescuing Lydia Martin from the facility made the power go out and gave Peter the chance to escape from there. However, once he made it to his car in Derek's loft, he was captured by the newly arrived Ghost Riders. ("Radio Silence")

Interestingly enough, though the spiral is a Werewolf symbol, and Werewolves are moon-oriented creatures, the spiral is often interpreted to be a solar symbol. It is believed to be a symbol of creation and growth due to the fact that it is fundamental to nature, as evidenced by snails, seashells, whirlpools, hurricanes, tornadoes, and spinning galaxies, all of which are natural representations of the symbol. Most cultures are in agreement that the spiral represents cycles, such as nature's seasons and the life cycle of birth, growth, and death.

Druid Symbols

Bank Symbol

According to Stiles Stilinski, the logo of the First National Bank is a Celtic Druid symbol, but an exact representation of this symbol in Celtic symbology does not seem to exist. The closest approximation of this symbol is known as the Nestorian Cross; it is also known as the Assyrian Cross due to its association with the Assyrian Church of the East, though this is a cross that has been found across the world in places such as Khanbaliq (now Beijing), China, and in India. Crosses such as these with arms of equal length tend to have associations with typical groups of four, such as the four classical elements, the four seasons, or the four cardinal directions.

The symbol also bears some resemblance to the Celtic cross, a cross used by the ancient Celtic people dating as far back as 7,000 years ago. Though its origin remains a mystery, it is believed that the cross was an early symbol used to represent the Gallic sun god Taranis. The cross then became the symbol of the Celtic Christian Church after the majority of the Celtic people converted to Christianity. Just like the spiral, the Celtic cross is a solar symbol.

The bank symbol was first seen when Braeden, a mercenary hired by Marin Morrell to save Isaac Lahey, used her fingers to bruise half of the symbol on Allison Argent and Lydia Martin's respective forearms by squeezing them tightly. Though Allison and Lydia were confused by this at first, they eventually put it together (literally) when they saw that their bruises were mirror images of each other and formed the symbol used as the logo for First National Bank. Shortly afterward, the symbol was seen printed on the floor of the bank vault where Vernon Boyd and Cora Hale were being held hostage by the Alpha Pack ("Tattoo"), ("Chaos Rising") After Alan Deaton was captured by the Darach Jennifer Blake and was suspended by the ceiling of the bank vault by his wrists, Sheriff Stilinski was ultimately able to find and save him when he saw the same symbol printed on the label of one of the jars in his animal clinic. ("Currents")

Cernunnos

Alan Deaton and Marin Morrell, both of whom are Druid Emissaries, have been seen either wearing or possessing pendants of Cernunnos, also known as the Horned God, one of the two gods of the Wiccan religion and the consort of the Triple Goddess; in this aspect, the Horned God represents the sun, while his consort represents the moon. Cernunnos is a mysterious horned deity who was worshiped by ancient Celts during the Iron Age up until 1st century AD, making it an appropriate deity for present-day Druids to worship.

However, very little information about him exists—all that is known is his appearance is usually depicted as a man with deer antlers sitting in a meditative pose. Cernunnos is associated with animals (most frequently deer), fertility, and nature. Cernunnos also as associations with other gods and legendary figures in Celtic and Britannic mythology, such as Derg Corra, known as the Man in the Tree, Fionn (also known as Finn MacCuill, which, interestingly enough, is a Gaelic variation of the name McCall), and Herne the Hunter, among others. An equivalent to Cernunnos in Roman mythology is often said to be Mercury, and Cernunnos' symbol's visage is also believed to have influenced the commonly-accepted appearance of the Christian Devil.

It has been seen in the series on two occasions; the first was when Alan Deaton used a small coin with Cernunnos depicted on it to demonstrate how Derek Hale, Scott McCall, Isaac Lahey, and Stiles Stilinski would catch the Kanima and the Kanima Master by surrounding a warehouse with Mountain Ash. ("Raving") It was then seen again in the form of a pendant necklace worn by Marin Morrell when she was confronted by the Alpha Pack, accompanied by Scott McCall. ("Alpha Pact")

Five-Fold Knot

The five-fold knot is a symbol used by Druids in several aspects of their lives. It was first seen on one of the roots of the Nemeton when Gerard and Chris Argent were looking for hidden Werewolves in the Nemeton's root cellar. Chris explained that this symbol marked the Nemeton as the symbolic World Tree for the Beacon Hills Druids, making it sacred and powerful to them. ("Visionary")

The five-fold knot was seen again in Chris' study, where it was carved into the top of his desk and used as an illustration of the five-fold sacrifice ritual being performed by the Darach Jennifer Blake. Each of the knots represented a trio of humans who were sacrificed to bestow supernatural powers upon her: virgins (enhanced glamouring and seduction), warriors (superhuman strength, speed, and reflexes), healers (accelerated healing of herself and others), philosophers (superhuman knowledge and strategy), and guardians (presumably durability or invulnerability). A crude sketch of the five-fold knot was also drawn by Lydia Martin on the chalkboard of one of the philosopher sacrifices while she was in a Banshee fugue state. ("The Girl Who Knew Too Much")

In real life, the four outer knots of the five-fold knot represents the common four aspects in Celtic associations, with the center knot serving as the so-called "fifth element" of these associations:

• Numbers: One, two, three, four, five
• Cardinal Directions: East, South, West, North, Center
• Classical Elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, Spirit/Aether
• Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Transit

All in all, the five-fold knot is meant to represent balance in nature, which, according to Marin Morrell, is the main mission of a Druid. ("Echo House")

Ogham

On the many jars and cans of herbs and other magical implements in Alan Deaton's office at the Beacon Hills Animal Clinic are symbols written in the Celtic Oracular Alphabet known as Ogham. This alphabet dates back to the fourth century and is named after the ancient Celtic god of knowledge and communication, Ogmos, whose Greek counterpart is Hermes. This alphabet consists of twenty letters, each of which correspond to one of the sacred trees to Druids and which have their own theme or meaning. These letters are often used as a means of divination by modern-day Druids and other Neopagans in a manner similar to Norse rune-stones.

The main letter of the Ogham alphabet shown in the series is Luís (pronounced loo-weesh), which is a vertical line with two shorter horizontal lines extending from the middle of the right side. Luís was shown as the label on a jar of Mountain Ash in Alan Deaton's office, a very appropriate choice, as the letter represents the Rowan tree, and Mountain Ash is made from burning Rowan wood. ("Raving"), ("Dreamcatchers") Luís is also used to represent the concepts of protection and of instinctual knowledge.

Miscellaneous

Other symbols were shown on jars in Alan Deaton's office, but their meanings and use were not explored in the series. These symbols include the following:

Celtic Knot

The Celtic Knot was shown on a jar in Deaton's office which contained a brown powder. ("Unleashed") While it is primarily known as a Celtic symbol, similar symbols also exist in Chinese and Norse culture as well. Despite the symbol being well-known and recognized throughout the word in Celtic symbol guides, the true meaning of the Celtic Knot remains unknown due to the lack of historical documentation in Celtic culture; what little is known is that the symbol does not appear to mean "love," "loyalty," or "sisterhood," which are commonly attributed definitions. However, the continuous looping of the knot with no identifiable end seems to indicate an association with the concept of eternity and the interconnection of life.

Shield Knot

The Shield Knot is a very ancient symbol among many cultures that seems to have a universal meaning of protection and warding. In Mesopotamia, the symbol was meant to represent the invocation of the gods of the four corners of the earth in protective spells, while in the mystic Jewish practice of Kabbalah, it was used in prayers and spells to invoke the four Archangels. Celtic and Norse cultures also used it as symbolic protection in their respective cultures, and Christianity also incorporated it into their belief system, referring to it as the St. Hans Cross in honor of John the Baptist in the bible. Another more intricate form of this knot was also seen on another jar in Deaton's office. ("Unleashed")

Awen

The Awen, while not a genuine symbol in the ancient Druid practice, still has association with a number of modern groups. In Gaelic, awen means "inspiration" or "essence," both in terms of artistic inspiration as well as spiritual enlightenment. The three rays in the symbol are a representation of the harmony of opposites, with the left and right rays representing masculine and feminine energy and the middle ray representing the balance between the two. Incidentally, the Awen symbol resembles three claw gashes, making it an interesting symbol to be used by a Druid Emissary of a pack of Werewolves and other shapeshifters such as the McCall Pack. This symbol was seen on the label of one of Deaton's jars of herbs and other materials at the animal clinic. ("Unleashed")

Sun Wheel

Another symbol on the jars in Deaton's office is the Sun Wheel, a symbol in ancient Druidic tradition that typically involves a circle with six or eight spokes inside of it. It is also known as the Wheel of Taranis, the Celtic god of the sun and thunder, and represents the solar calendar; the spokes mark the position of the sun at the equinoxes and the solstices, and the solar cross and Celtic cross are both known to be adaptations of this symbol.

Triquetra

The Triquetra is a symbol made of one unbroken line that forms three interlocked vesica pisces. Though it is commonly associated with triple goddesses such as the Fates, the Norns, and the Morrigan, there is nothing known that confirms this belief. The symbol has connections to Wicca, several pagan cultures, as well as Christianity, and appears to universally refer to various trinities: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Christianity; the earth, sky, and sea; the Mother, Maiden, and Crone; or the mind, body, and soul. This symbol may or may not include a circle enclosing the tripartite aspect; the presence of this circle is typically used to emphasize the unity aspect of the trinity. This symbol was not only seen on a label in one of the jars in Deaton's office, but was also seen being drawn by a pseudoscientist under the employ of Lorraine Martin in her lake house during her attempts to understand her Banshee powers of predicting death. Interestingly enough, the symbol is often used to represent the Morrígan, a Celtic battle goddess (and sometimes referred to as a triple goddess) who is associated with Banshees and wolves. ("Riddled"), ("Monstrous")

Family Symbols

Fleur-de-lis

The fleur-de-lis is a stylized lily that is the symbol of the Argent Family of Hunters. It has been incorporated into an endless number of European coats of arms and flags throughout history, but it has historically been associated with the French monarchy in particular, which makes it an excellent symbol for a family like the Argents, whose origins are in the French aristocracy. The image was used in Christian religious art in the Middle Ages, which led to its association with the Virgin Mary to symbolize purity, chastity, female virtue and spirituality; this makes it an interesting choice for the Argent family, which boasts a matriarchal leadership. This concept of purity was not solely with regards to sexuality, but also in terms of converting to Christianity, as demonstrated during the baptism of Clovis, King of the Franks, in the late 5th/early 6th century. The symbol's three petals makes it another icon that refers to the Holy Trinity or trios in general, similar to the Triquetra.

The fleur-de-lis was first shown to be the symbol for the Argent Family when Derek Hale found several shell casings on the ground in the Beacon Hills Preserve and brought them to Chris Argent, who identified them as belonging to his believed-to-be deceased sister, Kate Argent. They were also shown to be stamped or brushed onto their ammunition when Chris helped his daughter, Allison Argent, forge a silver arrowhead stamped with a fleur-de-lis as a testament to the Hunter Code and as a symbol of her "graduation" from Hunter training. ("Insatiable") After Allison's death, Chris stopped stamping his bullets with the symbol, but his father Gerard Argent continued to do so. ("Raw Talent")

Skull

The skull is a symbol of the uppermost part of the human skeleton and is the symbol of the Calavera Family of Hunters. The skull is most commonly used to symbolize death and mortality, particularly in the Calaveras' home county of Mexico, where skulls and skeletons are an integral part of the celebration of El Día de los Muertos ("the Day of the Dead"). Interestingly enough, the word calavera also means "skull" in Spanish.

The skull was first shown to be connected to the Calavera Family after Derek Hale went missing; when Scott McCall, concerned by Derek's lack of communication, went to Derek's loft to see if he was there, he found dozens of bullet casings with the skull etched into them, which Alan Deaton identified as being the Calavera's symbol. The family also prints skulls on tarot-esque cards, which are then used as tickets to the club located in their compound. ("The Dark Moon")

Pack Symbols

Alpha Pack Symbol

The symbol of the Alpha Pack of Werewolves is what appears to be a triskelion, only instead of three spirals, the symbol has three angular lines in a somewhat triangular shape which bears a resemblance to two different but common symbols.

Trinacria

The Trinacria, also known as the triarca or trincaria, which means "triangular" and is a three-legged design used as the symbol of the island of Sicily. The original symbol literally has three human legs which are bent at the knee and which branch out from the center, which depicts the head of a Gorgon. The Gorgon represents the protection of the Greek goddess Athena, whose Roman equivalent is Minerva and who is the patron goddess of Sicily.

The Alpha Pack's symbol was first seen on the front door of the Hale House ruins, which then-Alpha Derek Hale, his uncle Peter Hale, and his Beta Isaac Lahey found after the defeat of Gerard Argent and the salvation of the Kanima-Werewolf hybrid Jackson Whittemore. Peter correctly interpreted the appearance of this symbol to mean that the Alpha Pack had heard of Derek's ascension to Alpha status and that his legacy as a Hale (particularly as the son of world-renowned Alpha Talia Hale) had attracted the pack's attention to the extent of wanting to recruit him. ("Master Plan") The symbol would be seen again later on the windows of Derek's loft, this time as a message to warn him that Kali would be coming to give him an ultimatum—he could kill all of his Betas and join them, or he and the rest of his pack would be killed. ("Currents")

Circumpunct

The circumpunct, also known as a "circle inside a circle" or a "circle-dot," is the symbol of the McCall Pack. This symbol, like the spiral, is one of mankind's most ancient glyphs and is significant in many ancient religions and traditions. Like many of the symbols discussed on this page, the circumpunct is a solar symbol whose round shape with the circle inside of it is meant to represent the sun. In Gnosticism, it symbolizes the most primal aspect of God, with the larger circle representing the "all-encompassing power and infinite limitlessness of God," while the dot inside represented humanity's place within God.

To the Greek Pythagoreans, it represented the monad, or the point of the beginning of creation and thus eternity. The symbol represents the sun to those who study astrology and astronomy, and it stands for gold to those who studied alchemy. In Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, this symbol represented both the sun and the sun god, Ra, whereas in Chinese oracular script, it both represents the sun and a single day in the calendar year.

This symbol seems to have a similar meaning across many of these cultures: the sun, which gives the Earth its life, is represented by the dot in the middle of the symbol, while the greater universe is represented by the larger circle around it. In Freemasonry, the dot represents universal consciousness, the inner line of the circle is universal intelligence, and the outer line of the circle is universal force.

The circumpunct also has similarities with other symbols as well, such as the nazar, a circle-dot-shaped amulet that is used by the Turkish people to ward against the "evil eye." In Christianity, the symbol has also been used to represent the Archangel Michael, who is also associated with the sun.

The symbol was first seen as a tattoo that Scott McCall got around his left bicep; he explained that it was a symbol he often drew with his fingers, but that the symbolism of the tattoo itself was as a reward for giving Allison Argent, his ex-girlfriend, space following their break-up and the death of her mother, Victoria Argent. The tattoo faded shortly after it was completed due to Scott's Werewolf healing ability, forcing him to have it burned into his skin and scarred into his muscles with a blow torch by Derek Hale, another Werewolf who went through a similar process to get his triskele tattoo. ("Tattoo")

It was later shown to have become the pack symbol shortly after Scott's death at Theo Raeken's hands and his subsequent resurrection, as Theo and his new "Beta," Hayden Romero, found that Scott had carved the symbol into the corrugated metal wall of the Railway Depot as a warning to him that he would reunite and rebuild his pack. ("The Last Chimera") The circumpunct was then drawn again into the dirt floor of the Underground Tunnels by Scott and his best friend Stiles Stilinski in order to symbolize their reconciliation and their vow to reunite their pack at all costs. ("Damnatio Memoriae")

Horned God

The Horned God, also described by Scott McCall as "a circle with a crescent on top," is the symbol of the pack known as The Primal. The symbol is significant in the Wiccan faith and is said to represent the "masculine polarity of the universe." It also believed to represent the archetypal horned Shaman, which explains its association with the ancient gods of the hunt and vegetation; these gods include the Greek gods Dionysus and Pan, the Greek satyr, the Celtic god Cernunnos (whose own symbol is used frequently by Druids), the legendary British figure known as Herne the Hunter, and the Egyptian god Ammon, among many others. Unlike many of the symbols discussed thus far, which are known as solar symbols, the crescent on the top of this symbol makes the Horned God a lunar symbol; as such, it is the symbol of the goddess Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt. With this in mind, the symbol is very appropriate for a pack of Werewolves driven by their primal urges that is composed of all men, with the exception of their Alpha, Mrs. Finch, and her daughter, Quinn.

The symbol of the Horned God represents masculinity in the Wiccan religion's duotheistic system of worship, as the Horned God is the consort of the female Triple Goddess of the Moon or another Mother Goddess. This god is associated with hunting, the life cycle, nature, sexuality, and the wilderness, which again makes it an appropriate choice to symbolize The Primal pack. The Horned God is also a dualistic god on his own, representing two-fold aspects such as bright and dark, day and night, summer and winter, etc., which is symbolized by his two horns created by the points of the crescent.

The pack symbol was first mentioned in a conversation between Scott McCall and Malia Tate, where they brought up The Primal in hopes that they may be able to join them in their fight against the Anuk-ite; Scott described their pack symbol as looking like a circle with a crescent moon on top after Malia explained that the pack had cut everything that made them human out of their lives. The pack symbol was later seen at The Primal's Lair, where the corpses of the dead pack members (including one that looked as though it had been flayed) all had the symbol tattooed on their arms or chests; in the case of the flayed corpse, the symbol was shown burned into the muscle of her arm, demonstrating the severity of the burns necessary to keep a tattoo visible on a Werewolf. ("Werewolves of London") Mrs. Finch was later shown to have the same tattoo burned onto her right deltoid when Scott attempted to coax her into shifting to trigger her healing process following her battle with the half of the Anuk-ite that had taken the shape of her deceased daughter. ("Genotype")

Stacked Rocks

The stacked rocks symbol, or symbol of ovals of descending size stacked upon one another, is the symbol of Satomi Ito's Werewolf pack. It is based on the Buddhist practice of stacking rocks, which seems to have several associations with the pack, including the Buddhist religious beliefs of everyone in the pack, the pack's policy against unnecessary violence, and their dedication to maintaining calmness and control over their transformations in their every day lives. Their symbol is of four ovals that decrease in size as they move upward.

The ritual of stacking rocks is a meditative Buddhist yogic practice that requires patience, focus, and calmness to perform correctly, traits that are all important in helping a Werewolf maintain control over their shapeshifting powers; this appears to be a new take on Satomi's original method of maintaining calmness, as she was originally known for playing the Eastern Asian strategy game Go in her early Werewolf life to keep her identity hidden from the military during her time in the Oak Creek internment camp through World War II. ("The Fox and the Wolf")

On their own, stones or rocks symbolize eternity and truth due to the fact that they can endure centuries of the elements while remaining largely unchanged. Humans throughout time have stacked stones for a number of reasons, including as monuments to their deities, as gravestones for deceased loved ones, as trail markers (particularly to symbolize those people who have come before and to assure oneself that they are on the correct path), and to direct oneself to certain stars or constellations. They have also been said to represent one's priorities in day-to-day life (stacking stones from largest to smallest) and how one navigates complex situations.

The concept of stacking stones was first mentioned by Lorilee Rohr as being a Buddhist practice taught to her and her packmates by her Alpha, Satomi Ito; when Lorilee's brother, Brett Talbot, was poisoned, injured, and fighting for his life, he stacked stones as a cairn, or trail marker, to help give Lorilee the clue she needed to find where he had gone to hide and heal. ("After Images") However, it was not known that Satomi's pack symbol was of stacked stones until Theo Raeken noticed the symbol had been tattooed onto the forearms of two of Satomi's Betas, Jiang and Tierney. ("Pressure Test") The symbol was then seen again in Argent Arms International's trophy room, where Gerard Argent had flayed the skin off of Tierney's forearm and placed it in an acrylic mount specifically to act as both a lure and as psychological torture for Scott McCall and Malia Tate, who were trying to rescue the two Betas. ("Triggers")

Triskelion

The triskelion, also known as the triskele or triple spiral, is a Celtic symbol used by the Hale Family to signify their Werewolf pack. The name comes from the Greek triskeles, which means "three legs." The symbol has a close association with the triquetra, another Celtic symbol used to represent trinities. The triskelion is a solar symbol that signifies motion of action, cycles, progress, revolution, etc.; this can include representations such as pregnancy (with each spiral representing a trimester, or three-month period of time, equaling the nine month length of a human pregnancy) and reincarnation (as the symbol is drawn with one continuous line to represent the movement of time).

It is a common element in the art of the Celtic people and is carved into the neolithic Newgrange tomb in Ireland. Like many tripartite symbols, the triskelion represents common trio concepts such as: earth, water and sky (the Celtic concept of the domains of material existence); mother, maiden, crone; mother, father, child; life, death, rebirth; past, present, future; mind, body, soul; creation, preservation, destruction; etc. It is also believed to represent the three Celtic worlds: the spiritual world, the present world, and the celestial world, as well as the new moon, the half moon, and the full moon, an interesting association for a family of Werewolves.

In the Hale Family and Hale Pack, the symbol is said to mean "Alpha, Beta, Omega," which is used to remind them that, as Werewolves, they can always rise to one rank or fall to another, with Betas becoming Alphas by killing one (or, in rare cases, rising from their own force of will as True Alphas) and Alphas sacrificing their powers to become Betas or Omegas. The symbol was first seen on Derek Hale, who had the symbol tattooed in black ink on his back between his shoulder blades. ("The Tell") It was then seen carved into the top of a trunk Derek had of chains and other restraints in order to keep his new Betas Isaac Lahey, Vernon Boyd, and Erica Reyes contained in the Railway Depot on their first full moon; it was then that Derek explained to them the meaning of the symbol to his family and to Werewolves in general. ("Party Guessed")

The symbol has also been seen on other Hale Family artifacts, such as the Triskelion Urn, a box made of wood from the Nemeton by Alan Deaton that contained Talia Hale's claws and had the symbol carved onto its lid, and the Triskelion Medallion, a large bronze coin with the symbol stamped into it, which Talia used to train new Betas by giving it to them to use as a focus when using the mantra "Alpha, Beta, Omega" to maintain control on full moons. ("More Bad Than Good"), ("117")

Species Symbols

Double-Face

The double-face symbol, also called the two-face symbol, represents the Anuk-ite, an ancient indigenous American shapeshifter who is made up of two beings. According to Alan Deaton, a Druid, the Anuk-ite represents duality, and often has one beautiful face and one hideous face; after the creature escaped the Wild Hunt, its duality was due to one half being a human and the other half a Werewolf. When the two halves are merged to become one, the symbol comes to represent disharmony, as the Anuk-ite takes the subtle fears of otherwise peaceful beings and amplifies it, turning their good will into paranoia, anger, violent, discord, and hate.

The double-face symbol is most often associated with Janus, the ancient Roman god of beginnings, endings, gateways, doorways, passages, transition, time, making him what is known as a liminal god. Janus is typically depicted as having two faces, as one of his gifts was seeing time and his two faces were used to see both the past and the future. Janus' similarity with the Anuk-ite is interesting, as his status as the god of beginnings and endings, he was involved in both war and peace, just as the Anuk-ite sought to start war in order to cause and feed on the resulting fear that comes from conflict.

The symbol was first seen on a large piece of stone that was broken from the wall of the Hellhound Halwyn's cell in Eichen House; after learning that a creature who was both inducing fear and becoming empowered by it was released from the Wild Hunt's Phantom Train Station, Alan Deaton visited the cell to get some answers, nearly dying from the strength of the fear aura that had been left there by the Anuk-ite. However, Deaton was only able to see half of the symbol, which was unintelligible until Corey Bryant was able to use his power of Adaptive Camouflage and its related enhanced sense of sight to see the other half, drawing it onto the stone so that Deaton and Mason Hewitt could see it for themselves. The double-faced symbol is what led Deaton to realize that they were dealing with the Anuk-ite. ("Pressure Test")

Jiko

Jiko, which can also be referred to as onore, is a symbol in the Japanese kanji language used by Oni and Kitsune. According to Katashi, a Japanese man and survivor of an Oni attack, the symbol means "self" or "oneself" and is used by these creatures to symbolize that a person is themselves, or, rather, that they are not possessed by spiritual creatures.

The symbol was first seen branded on Isaac Lahey's neck, right behind his left ear, by an Oni who had tested him to make sure he was not possessed by the Void Kitsune known as the Nogitsune being pursued by the Oni's summoner, Noshiko Yukimura (although this was not known at the time). After showing up at Derek Hale's loft during a party being thrown by Danny Mahealani and Ethan Steiner, Ethan, his twin brother Aiden, Derek, and Lydia Martin were all scanned and branded behind their left ears with the same symbol. ("Illuminated") The following day, the Oni arrived at the McCall House and, though they put up a fight, the Oni ultimately scanned and branded Scott McCall and Kira Yukimura with the symbol.

The last person to be scanned and branded with the symbol was Stiles Stilinski; the first time it was attempted, the Nogitsune, who was possessing him, awakened, took control of his body, and used it to kill three of the Oni by pulling out the firefly that animated it. ("Silverfinger") The second attempt successfully occurred after the Nogitsune was exorcised from Stiles' body using a modification of the mind manipulation ritual performed by Scott McCall, confirming that the Nogitsune had left his body for good. ("Insatiable")

In addition to being used by Oni to mark those who have been confirmed to not be possessed by dark spirits, the symbol was also used by Noshiko Yukimura in 1943 when she carved it into the stone wall behind which she buried the body of her lover, Corporal Rhys, who was briefly possessed by the Nogitsune; she later explained that she used this symbol as a sort of grave marker to signified that Rhys died as himself and not as a monster like the Nogitsune. ("Echo House"), ("De-Void") The symbol also made appearances in Stiles' dreams and hallucinations while he was possessed by the Nogitsune, possibly due to his mind trying to communicate to himself about what was really happening. ("Riddled")

Trivia

• The majority of the symbols used in Teen Wolf are from ancient Celtic cultures. This fits well with Stiles Stilinski's statement in Season 3's The Benefactor that many of the symbols that were popping up during the Darach sacrifices and the arrival of the Alpha Pack were used by Celtic Druids.

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