Part of the drama in the supernatural adventures of Teen Wolf comes from plans going awry and Scott McCall's pack having to make some quick decisions. While several of the characters don't always make the best decisions, they do try. That's especially true of Scott McCall himself.
Scott might not always be the best strategist, and he might have to rely on his friends to come up with the best plans, but that doesn't mean all of his decisions are bad ones. In fact, he has pretty good instincts, and a commitment to doing the right thing that leads to him becoming a True Alpha. His best decisions in the series come from his desire to do the right thing.
Scott Refuses To Become Derek's Beta
At the start of the series, Scott initially believes that Derek Hale is the Alpha who bit him, but that's not the case; it's his uncle Peter. When Derek is able to defeat Peter and become the Hale family Alpha himself, he offers Scott a place by his side.
As the mythology within the series demonstrates, supernatural beings are stronger when they belong to a pack, but Scott still refuses to be Derek's beta, or a member of his pack at all. That initially seems like a poor decision because it means Scott won't have as much protection, but it ends up working in his favor. It forces Scott to rely on his own strength - and the strengths of his friends - to grow instead of falling back on Derek's leadership.
Scott Trusts Melissa With His Secret
It seems to be a rule in genre television that if a teenager develops super powers or a secret identity, they don't tell their parents. Scott is no exception as he keeps his werewolf adventures a secret from Melissa McCall as long as he can. One of his best decisions in the series is finally coming clean and telling her the truth.
Keeping Melissa out of the loop meant that she was in more danger since she didn't know the truth about people she met, like Peter Hale. Once Scott tells her the truth, she might be worrying about him a little more, but she's also more willing to accept his inconsistent schedule and support him in his efforts to help others. Her medical knowledge is also something that helps Scott and his friends repeatedly.
Scott Befriends Derek's Betas
Even though Scott doesn't want to be in Derek's pack, he doesn't outright reject the betas that Derek does add to his ranks. And while Boyd, Isaac, and Erica are initially hostile to Scott and his friends, Scott still tries to be civil with them and show them that there's another way to operate as a werewolf.
The good will toward the trio goes a long way in getting them on his side. While it doesn't end up working out for Erica and Boyd as their running away sends them straight into the path of the Alpha pack, it does for Isaac. Isaac not only becomes a member of Scott's pack, but he lives with him for a while before traveling with Chris Argent. Isaac becomes a stronger and more empathetic werewolf after his interactions with Scott, and Scott gains a true ally.
Scott Maintains A Friendship With Chris
When the Argent family makes their Teen Wolf debut, they are clearly set to be the villains after the werewolf at the center of the story. Allison and Chris Argent, however, take the family down a different path as their arcs develop. If Scott had allowed his first impression of Chris to define how he interacted with him, he never would have maintained a friendship or an alliance with him.
It's likely difficult for both parties to maintain contact after Allison's death, but they do it anyway. Even after leaving Beacon Hills, Chris turns his life toward helping to protect supernatural beings and becomes a hugely important ally for Scott. Despite not having supernatural powers of his own, Chris has the experience and the knowledge that Scott and his pack don't.
Scott Works For A Veterinarian
Scott's whole world can't just be leading a pack of supernatural creatures. He tries to maintain aspects of his everyday life from before his transformation, including his job working for a veterinarian who just so happens to have a lot of supernatural knowledge himself.
Scott's job for Alan Deacon allows him to understand the more animal-like nature of his werewolf side - and that of his friends as they become supernatural creatures. Like the friendship he maintains with Chris, it also allows him someone in his life who has a lot more experience existing in the supernatural corners of the world.
Scott Allies With Peter Hale
Scott and all of his friends learn very quickly that Peter Hale isn't to be trusted. He always has something up his sleeve, and everyone is aware to keep their eye on him.
Despite that, Scott is also aware how strong of an ally Peter can be. Even though he doesn't trust him, he knows that Peter's self interests can also help the pack more often than not. He's willing to team up with Peter when the pack could use Peter's particular brand of ruthlessness, or when he knows that Peter will do whatever has to be done to protect his daughter. Despite Peter's desire for more power, he's not completely evil, and it works in Scott's favor that he recognizes that.
Scott Maintains Relationships With Other Packs
Though much of what the audience sees of the supernatural centers on Scott's pack, it doesn't mean there aren't numerous others in the Teen Wolf world. Scott has allies in multiple other packs. While the likes of Isaac Lahey and Cora Hale don't return to his aid after they leave the series, he does still maintain contact with members of other packs, building a safety net for supernatural beings as he does.
Members of Satomi Ito's pack, for example, come to Scott for help when they need it, and he, in turn, trusts them to help him. Likewise, Jackson Whittemore is still an ally of Scott's despite moving to England after becoming a werewolf, and he returns, along with his boyfriend Ethan to help Scott save Beacon Hills. Having allies in other packs means that no matter where Scott goes, there's someone he can trust, and that Beacon Hills can become a safe haven for supernatural beings.
Scott Tries To Control His Aggression
Scott has to work hard to "wolf out" when he first becomes a werewolf, and he does that largely by calming himself down with Allison's presence. Over time, however, he trains himself to maintain a sense of calm that means he can still live his normal life, like playing lacrosse.
His tendency to not give into his aggression also means that nearly every supernatural being he crosses paths with grows to respect his decisions, even those who initially come to him as an enemy, like Peter or Deucalion. Scott's choice to take a less violent approach to being a werewolf makes him someone people can trust.
Scott Follows Stiles' Plans
If there's one thing the audience knows about Scott, it's that he's not the best strategist. He leaves the planning to his best friend Stiles. That's a good thing because Stiles usually makes much better decisions than Scott when it comes to the world of the supernatural.
After all, the first time Scott created a beta werewolf, he ended up kidnapping Liam instead of going to Stiles for advice, and that didn't exactly go over very well. Allowing Stiles, and often Lydia as well, to be the one putting together the puzzle pieces and coming up with the bones of a plan means that Scott is more likely to find success in conflicts.
Scott Puts The Flare Down
In the episode "Motel California," werewolves are affected by hallucinations during an overnight school trip. Scott feels so much guilt for his actions as a werewolf that he's ready to end his own life with the help of a flare and some gasoline, but Stiles manages to talk him down.
If Scott hadn't decided to put down the flare, the series would have gone in a very different direction, and the pack as the audience knows it likely wouldn't have existed at all. The times Scott saved Beacon Hills might have instead led to a lot more tragedy.