Fans are devastated that Dylan O'Brien isn't coming back to portray Stiles Stilinski in the upcoming movie that's bringing back Teen Wolf. He was a beloved character, sometimes seemingly even more universally loved than Scott himself.
Stiles captured the hearts of the audience with his dry sense of humor, using sarcasm as a defense mechanism and using his wit to help Scott navigate the supernatural life. He became a huge part of the show, growing meaningful connections with every character, making him synonymous with Teen Wolf.
Lies Of Omission (S5, E9)
This episode features the aftermath of Stiles killing Donovan in self-defense. The audience knew the entire time it would eventually get out. Stiles didn't do himself any favors by keeping it quiet, even though it was understandable and very likely the result of his PTSD in part.
Scott finds out about it from Theo, who leaves out some very important detail and thus begins the biggest fight Stiles and Scott have ever been in. They both lash out, operating with limited information, Even though it's a horrible, complicated situation, it was nice to see Stiles reminding Scott that a part of his pack is more human than the other. But Scott not believing Stiles was one of the most heartbreaking (and well-acted) scenes on the show.
Party Guessed (S2, E9)
Even though Stiles shines in emotional episodes, he can also be funny. This episode is the best of both worlds. Stiles is attending (or crashing) Lydia's birthday party, struggling to decide what to get her. His present ends up being too big to fit through the door, and this is a rather cringe-worthy moment on the show, showcasing his early obsession.
But it also has an emotional scene of Stiles hallucinating his father. It represents all the fears and insecurities in a single speech - how he's stupid and unworthy, how he killed his mother. It was saddening to see Stiles' dad tell him he ruined his life, even if it wasn't real, and Stiles' reaction was equally heartbreaking.
The Overlooked (S3, E11)
One of the things that made Stiles so relatable and lovable to the audience was his occasional struggle with mental health. In this episode, this is showcased when he's having a panic attack thinking about losing the only parent he has left. This is understandable because he is the only one in the pack without any supernatural abilities to protect his loved ones.
But the thing that makes this episode so great is that it marks the beginning of when things started to change between Lydia and Stiles. If he was obsessing about her before, she is now shown to be his emotional tether, someone who can pull him back. This is further illustrated when she stops his panic attack by kissing him. According to Lydia in season 6, this was the moment when it all changed for her.
Weaponized (S4, E7)
Though many episodes emphasize how smart Stiles is, this is one of the best ones. When almost everyone is incapacitated by the weaponized virus, Stiles is the one left to figure everything out before the time runs out.
He ends up saving everyone, getting the antidote to them before it's too late, and using the last of his powers to communicate that to Scott. He also has a heroic moment where he stares at a barrel of a gun and doesn't look down or away. He might not be able to defend himself like a werewolf, but he does not cower in the face of danger.
The Divine Move (S3, E24)
Void Stiles was the celebration of Dylan O'Brien's acting skills. The fans enjoyed the pack fighting to bring Stiles back and defeat the Void, but the culmination of the events was one of the best episodes on the show. Stiles fights back with the last of his power and assists the pack in saving him.
Lydia has told him before that he's always the one who figures it out, and she was right. Stiles figured out that the Nogitsune's warriors are an illusion, and the pack successfully pushes through and defeats the Nogitsune once and for all. It still leaves Stiles with emotional scars and the terrible price they pay is losing Aiden and Allison in the fight.
Lie Ability (S5, E16)
Following the events in which Stiles was forced to kill Donovan in self-defense, this episode set things in balance again. Like Stiles' dad told him, sometimes a counterbalance is needed, and in this episode, the pack sets on saving Lydia from Eichen House.
This is another episode where Stiles' affection for Lydia is emphasized. The quote spoken seasons earlier "If you die, I will go out of my freaking mind" almost comes true. The audience can see Stiles' desperation when he asks Lydia to wake up. The best moment, however, comes when Lydia tells her mom that Stiles saved her. The look on Stiles' face is a perfect callback to the moment between him and his dad in 'Damnatio Memoriae'. This is one of the best episodes overall.
Motel California (S3, E6)
The episode made the audience finally understand that Scott and Stiles were the ultimate love story of the show. It was Stiles who brought Scott back from the edge. When Scott is experiencing inner struggle, Stiles shows him they're in this together and steps into the gasoline and takes hold of the torch.
It speaks volumes of Stiles' character and the lengths he was willing to go to save his friend. Their bond is the thing that ultimately brings Scott back, and to this day this is still a fave scene for Sciles fans and delivers one of the most iconic quotes on the show.
Riders On The Storm (S6, E10)
This was one of the best Stiles episodes because it features the anticipated reunions of everyone in the pack as well as the reunion of Stiles and his dad. Stiles returns through the portal created by Lydia. After he returns they finally kiss after 6 seasons of anticipation, but since the episode is action-packed they don't get much time for a proper reunion.
This episode also features the return of funny sarcastic Stiles, as he wittily says "a Stiles" when hitting a bad guy on the head with a baseball bat. It's just an emotional episode with a lot of cute Stiles moments that make the audience realize just how much they missed him.
3x18 Riddled (S3, E18)
The Nogitsune storyline was one of the best ones in the show. It was a combination of good narrative and Dylan O'Brien's acting skills, and it was strong in this episode. The Nogitsune plays with Stiles' mind, making it seem he has the same type of dementia his mother suffered from.
His connection with Scott was portrayed in a brilliant way, from Scott finding out he might have the same condition as his mom and offering him the bite as the cure, to Stiles calling Scott frantically when he didn't know where he was or how he got there. Stiles in this episode was unlike any other, and many still think of 'Riddled' with tears in their eyes remembering an exhausted Stiles calling Melissa "mom" or a defeated Stiles opening up to Scott in front of the MRI machine.
Radio Silence (S6, E5)
In what was probably one of the most heartbreaking episodes of Teen Wolf, Stiles was the main focus. This is the episode where things finally start moving forward after being at a standstill for a few episodes. The fans finally find out what happened to Stiles, while his friends slowly begin putting the pieces together.
It's one of the ultimate episodes that proved that Stiles is absolutely able of carrying the storyline. His connection to Scott and Lydia is the driving force of this episode, as well as his emotional connection to the Jeep, which has also been a sentimental object for many seasons. O'Brien ultimately proves that he's capable of so much more than just delivering funny lines, and this is the best episode for Stiles because the fans can see how important he is to everyone.