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Dr. Alan Deaton is a recurring character in Teen Wolf and is played Seth Gilliam.

He is a veterinarian at Beacon Hills Animal Clinic where he is Scott McCall's boss and becomes a mentor to Scott and his friends on all things supernatural.

He's the older brother of Ms. Morrell who is also a Druid.

Biography

He is the former Druid Emissary to The Hale Family and had a very close bond with Talia Hale. His reputation stretched far enough that The Argent Family knew of him. However, only Talia and eventually Laura Hale knew of his existence within the pack.

Some time before her death, he made a promise to Talia that he would look after Derek. When Talia and most of her family died in a fire, he "retired" from his supernatural duties.

When Scott was bit by Peter, he decided to help him adjust to his new life without revealing too much about his past and subsequently brought himself out of retirement. However, he came clean when Stiles Stilinski figured who he was when a Darach began committing murders. Since then, he has been assisting Scott's pack in their supernatural investigations.

Season 1

Deaton is questioned about recent animal attacks and whether or not he is The Alpha. After saving Scott from an attack, he reveals that he doesn't only treat animals. (Read More...)

Season 2

Deaton refuses to tell Scott how he knows about werewolves until the emergence of Gerard and the Kanima. He shares his knowledge to Scott and is revealed to know of other threats coming to Beacon Hills. (Read More...)

Season 3

Deaton reveals himself to be a Druid and explains its mythology and the correlation between them and recent sacrifices. He is nearly sacrificed himself and helps reignite the Nemeton in order to stop the Darach.

After learning that Stiles Stilinski is being possessed by a Nogitsune, he poisons it with Wolf Lichen in order to temporarily neutralize it in efforts to find a permanent solution. (Read More...)

Season 4

Deaton helps save supernaturals in the middle of The Benefactor's dead pool and investigates Derek Hale's sudden power loss at the hands of Kate Argent. (Read More...)

Season 5

When the Dread Doctors appear, he leaves to look for answers only to be captured by the Desert Wolf.

After being rescued by Malia Tate, he informs the pack of Dr. Valack's past deeds. (Read More...)

Season 6

Deaton examines the blue shard of glass from the sheriff's impound lot as Scott tells him that pieces of his memory are missing. Deaton suggest that Scott's subconscious is trying to tell him what's missing. The easiest way to figure this out would be to sleep. (Read More...)

Deaton visits Eichen House and finds a slab with a drawing of a creature that Halwyn trapped in the Wild Hunt. He, Mason an Corey eventually deduce what the creature is. (Read More...)

He appears in a flashback from Pressure Test as Scott counts him among his allies. (Read More...).

Teen Wolf: The Movie

Now living in Los Angles, he still works as a veterinarian and is working next door to Scott's animal shelter.

When Chris Argent arrives to see him and Scott about Allison potentially being stuck between life and death, Deaton cautious about the possibility. His fears are confirmed when he free Chris from the Nogitsune's influence. The two head to Beacon Hills to warn Scott and the pack.

Development

In a recent interview with Teen Wolf News, Jeff Davis explained his thought process when developing the Deaton character.

Druid mythology fascinated me. The nature aspect of it. Deaton was always supposed to be an Obi-Wan Kenobi character. I had the idea of him saving Scott, carrying him back from the woods, very early on.

Davis says there were some obstacles to his vision. First, forces within MTV hated the idea and insisted that Deaton should just be an average veterinarian. Davis remained steadfast in his vision for creating a unique mythology for the universe and pushed the point until the network acquiesced.

There was also internal debate within the writers' room. Once Seth Gilliam got the part, there was some concern that placing an African American actor in a mentor role could be construed as reinforcing a negative racial trope.

In reality, the character as written was not African American or any specific ethnicity - JR Bourne had originally auditioned for the role - and Davis explains he never imagined the Deaton character as some sort of mystic.

To me he was much more than a magical character though. He was a father figure to Scott, had a relationship with Derek’s mother, believed himself to be a protector of all supernatural creatures in Beacon Hills and was beautifully played by Seth Gilliam.

Davis was so impressed with the performance that, during a period when there was talk of a possible Teen Wolf spinoff series, Davis crafted something with Gilliam in mind as the lead. Deaton would have become a bit of a Professor X to a new group of teenage supernaturals given over to his care in order to learn to use their abilities. The series, with the working title Echo House, would have taken place at Eichen House. The idea never came to fruition.

Gallery

Quotes

  • I'm a veterinarian” — Dr. Deaton to Isaac in Raving
  • I’m sure you’re well aware of what your abilities can do for you. Improve strength, speed, healing; ever wonder what it could do for others?” — Dr. Deaton to Isaac in Battlefield
  • If a druid went down the wrong path, the wise oak was sometimes said to have become a dark oak. There's a Gaelic word for that as well, Darach.” — Dr. Deaton to Stiles and Lydia in Unleashed
  • It's rare, it's something that doesn't happen within 100 years, but every once in a while, a beta can become an Alpha without having to steal or take that power. They call it a true Alpha. It's one who rises purely on the strength of the character, by virtue, by sheer force of will.” — Dr. Deaton to Scott in Currents
  • Someone is trying to make supernatural creatures with non-supernatural means. And whoever they are, they're somehow managing to between science and the supernatural.” — Dr. Deaton to Scott and Kira in Condition Terminal
  • I've lived in the world of the supernatural a long time... But I'm still a doctor. Still a man of science. Something like this happens, it rattles the foundation of everything you believe. Something like this shakes you to the core.” — Dr. Deaton to Scott and Kira in Condition Terminal
  • The rules... the rules have changed.” — Dr. Deaton to Scott and Kira in Condition Terminal
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