Teen Wolf: The Movie was released on Paramount+, and it's clear the show's creator, Jeff Davis, struggled to balance all the beloved characters' storylines because Malia deserved more. Malia was introduced halfway through Teen Wolf's run and became an essential character. When Scott and Stiles found her, she had been living as a full coyote for eight years, so viewers watched as she adjusted to human life. Malia, the daughter of Peter Hale and the Desert Wolf, was adopted and raised as Malia Tate until she turned and accidentally killed her mother and sister. Malia's tragic backstory and link to the Hales made her a compelling character with endless possibilities.
The release of Teen Wolf: The Movie on Paramount+ ushered in a new era of teen wolves, as Jeff Davis also released his new werewolf show Wolf Pack. The Teen Wolf movie is the end of an era, so Malia and the rest of Scott's pack should've been given more satisfying endings because it's likely the last time fans will see them. Given her prominent role in the pack, Malia deserved more than being relegated to a supporting role. For a character with such a rich backstory, they hardly used her or even acknowledged her growth, given her past struggles.
Malia Was Wasted In Teen Wolf: The Movie
Malia had the potential to be Teen Wolf's most improved character. After spending years as a coyote, Malia had the emotional depth and knowledge of a 9-year-old. Some progress was seen during her time on the show, but 30-year-old Malia could've been so much more. Crystal Reed's return as Allison Argent in Teen Wolf: The Movie took much of the film's focus, so Davis had a difficult job balancing all the other characters' storylines. Still, all Malia needed was an emotional scene to show viewers how much she's grown. Instead, she felt like a stunted child who was used for laughs and sex scenes.
It’s perfectly fine that Malia doesn’t conform to societal norms because she wasn’t exactly raised in society. So Malia having no filter and being a sexually liberated woman isn’t the issue. The problem is that that’s all she seemed to be in the movie. She completely lacked emotional depth, aside from one scene showing her heartbreak seeing her cousin, Eli, taken by the Oni. Derek’s death in Teen Wolf: The Movie was another wasted Malia moment. Derek is the closest thing Malia has to a family, and the audience doesn’t even see her reaction to his death. Malia’s character felt hollow, which was a shame, given her potential.
Malia Should Have Been Given More Than Romantic Storylines
Malia was always more sexualized. In her first Teen Wolf scene, she is completely naked, and in one of the first scenes where viewers get to know a little about her, she ends up having sex with Stiles. Although, most of the time, these scenes made sense for Malia because she was very free with her body and often acted on impulse. The Teen Wolf movie had more swearing and nudity than the MTV show because of the streaming service’s lesser restrictions, and as a result, the opportunity was used through Malia. In her first scene in the movie, she's completely naked and about to have sex with Parish.
The difference between Malia in MTV’s Teen Wolf and Malia in Teen Wolf: The Movie is time. In the show, Davis had time to explore Malia’s sexual and emotional side, so she had more than just romantic scenes. In the movie, Davis’ time was limited, so only keeping her romantic storyline felt cheap. As a result, Malia’s movie scenes were limited to her with Parish, which felt forced, and her awkward reunion with Scott, which offered no answers on what happened to them as a couple. However, Malia wasn’t the only underutilized character because Jackson’s Teen Wolf return was also underwhelming.
Did Malia Really Stay In Beacon Hills For 15 Years?
In Teen Wolf season 6, episode 11, Malia is eager to go to France. So much so that she was willing to deny the existence of a new supernatural threat in Beacon Hills, but she eventually postponed her trip to stay and help. Assuming Scott and Malia remained a couple during the two-year time jump, Malia likely stayed in Beacon Hills with Scott. However, knowing the two eventually broke up and Scott and the rest of the pack left Beacon Hills, it is unlikely Malia stayed. There is also little keeping Malia in Beacon Hills in Teen Wolf: The Movie other than Derek, Eli, and Parish.
If Malia was willing to leave Scott and her other friends behind for France, it would be out of character for her to stay for Parish and the Hales. Similar to how Teen Wolf: The Movie explained Stiles not returning, Malia’s last 15 years were barely discussed. Instead, viewers were left to guess what happened based on context clues. Malia’s relationship with Parish and access to the Hale auto shop lead the audience to believe she frequents Beacon Hills. Similarly, her knowledge of Eli’s trouble shifting means she has a relationship with Derek and Eli. However, whether she currently lives there or has ever left is never confirmed.
It made sense not every character would get the screen time they deserved in a movie format; however, Malia should’ve had a different storyline. Malia’s character growth is seen in the relationships she develops, and in the one scene she had with Lydia in Teen Wolf: The Movie, she says she wanted to miss her. Davis should’ve explored Malia’s growth emotionally through her family and friends instead of a new romantic partner. Derek and Malia lost their entire family and, as a result, shut down emotionally. Not using Teen Wolf: The Movie to explore their family dynamic and learn to let their walls down together was a missed opportunity.