Trophic Cascade

**Trophic Cascade** is the eighth and final episode of the first season of the Paramount+ original supernatural drama, *Wolf Pack*. It aired on March 16, 2023.

## Synopsis

Ramsey has the arson suspect in her custody, but the pack finds a suspect of their own as Garrett learns a surprising truth about his children.

## Plot

Baron lies on the floor of the medical freezer, in and out of consciousness after being stabbed by Austin. The pack debates on what to do with him; whether they should take him to the hospital or simply remove the silver-coated knife, which could possibly result in him transforming back into a werewolf. Nevertheless, Everett pulls the blade from Baron's chest.

The trauma of being stabbed has Baron trapped inside his own mind, reliving memories belonging to his pack mates. Baron awakens in the hospital. He looks in the mirror and sees Everett as his reflection before being approached Dr. Salgado and Nurse Hughes. They refer to him as Everett and call his parents inside, who they refer to as Mr and Mrs. Lang, but in actuality appears to him as Garrett and Kristin. Baron insists that his name isn't Everett, though they ignore him, with the doctor proceeding to ask if he has experienced any hallucinations during the sessions, to which Baron replies that he saw fire, alarming Garrett and Kristin, who reach for their guns. Dr. Salgado then instructs Nurse Hughes to give Baron 90 milligrams of silver, causing Baron to scream out in agony.

Baron now finds himself in a memory of Blake's, with Garrett and Kristin once again playing the roles of his parents, who are arguing over the fact that Blake's mother refuses to allow her father to see her phone. The constant bickering between the two of them leads to Danny lashing out and swatting away his fidget cube. Baron exclaims for Danny to stop hitting as Blake's mother and father fight in the front seats for control of her phone, which results in a car crash, leading Baron into the next memory.

Now in a memory of Harlan's, Baron is at the Briggs house, where he watches as Garrett retreats into his office with a case of silver bullets and instructs Prisha to keep the gun close by and loaded. This is a week after Luna killed her horse, which Garrett reveals to Prisha wasn't an accident, though Luna doesn't actually remember any of it. Young Luna then calls out to Harlan, with Baron telling her to go back to sleep. She asks if she did something wrong, but Baron simply says that it's his problem and grabs Luna's hand to take her back to bed.

Baron is now a memory of Luna's, seated in class, where she is confronted by Austin, who has discovered her drawings of him. They fight for control of her journal, with Austin then displaying a picture of a wolf. The class, which was just full of students previously, is now empty and illuminated by a red light, with only Everett and Baron present. Everett recounts the attack on the highway and how he was terrified. He reminds Baron of all the people he killed, to which Baron replies that it was the fire's fault, as he recalls getting caught in the flames, which changed him. Everett then charges towards Baron with the silver coated knife, sending him to another memory.

Appearing as Harlan once more, Baron sits next to Cyrus in the woods, where they discuss how Harlan's friends don't like him and won't accept him as part of the pack. Baron reveals that he doesn't want the pack to accept Cyrus because he's a clear threat, and he will kill anyone who threatens his pack. When Cyrus asks why, Baron replies that he has to kill and that he can't help himself. Cyrus will most likely die, and his only chance of survival is to run, Baron advises.

Baron is now running naked throughout the woods. This is when he crosses paths with young Harlan. Baron tries to explain that they're the same and that he has no intention to hurt him. However, Garrett isn't convinced and opens fire, shooting Baron in the chest multiple times.

Back in the real world, Everett has pulled the knife from Baron's chest and taken him back home, where Blake, Harlan, and Luna attempt to save his life. Harlan refuses to take him to a hospital. He then begins to have a panic attack, which he initially blames on Everett, though Everett insists that Harlan's panic attack is his own anxiety. Blake makes note of the silver still visibly in his blood and worries that it may be the only thing keeping Baron from changing. Just as they're out of ideas, Everett gets a call from the unknown caller, who reveals that Baron's bleeding won't stop until they get the silver out. Either they find a way to remove it, or let Baron die and break the bond. He claims that Everett and Blake can already feel it. They felt it as soon as the knife went in. Their strength and speed comes from Baron. If he dies, the bond and power will fade; they'll be human again. With this in mind, Blake decides to let him die.

Garrett and Ramsey have arrived at the medical freezer, where Garrett reports to Ramsey that the kids are claiming to know nothing about the break in. Admittedly, Garrett isn't sure they're telling the truth. Ramsey advises Garrett to go home and get some rest. While Garrett understands that he's asking a lot, he needs her to hold out with him a little longer. Ramsey assures him she'll deal with the mess and tells Garrett once more to go home.

The pack discuss their next course of action, with Everett being reluctant to tell Garrett about Baron, fearing that he'll only turn him into the police. As Harlan listens for his heart beat, which sounds the same, Luna reveals that while he doesn't smell well, she doesn't think he's dying either. Blake wonders what else Baron is capable of. They each get one ability, but she wonders what his is, to which Everett reminds her of his ability to turn people into werewolves.

On the way back home, Harlan and Luna discuss what to do with Baron. They can't leave him at Everett's forever, but they can't let him die either. Luna proposes to speak with their dad, or at least Prisha, leading Harlan to reveal that Prisha has always known about them. At least since the incident with Luna's horse

Everett and Blake awaken the following morning to find Baron still unconscious in Everett's bed. Blake wouldn't feel bad if Baron did in fact die, given that he's a mass murderer, but Everett reminds her that they could've just as easily killed Garrett the other night. Whilst Blake may want her life to go back to normal, Everett doesn't. He doesn't have anxiety anymore. Rather than simply allowing their powers to go away with Baron's death, Everett would rather learn how to control it. They could protect anyone, but Blake is more concerned about the people they may hurt.

Garrett has brought Harlan and Luna down to the station for some follow-up questions regarding the party at Tia's. But first, Ramsey gives Harlan fives minutes alone with Cyrus, insisting that it's not some kind of tack trick to spy on him. Before parting ways, Ramsey asks Harlan to tell her anything that may help Cyrus. Harlan replies that he didn't set the fire and explains that he's really good at knowing when someone is lying. Ramsey then asks if he can tell if she's lying or not when she says that she also doesn't believe that Cyrus is the arsonist either. Harlan asks her to repeat herself, which she does, with a steady heartbeat, indicating that she's telling the truth.

Harlan enters Ramsey's office and turns on the white noise machine, which unexpectedly allows Luna to overhear Harlan's conversation with Cyrus. While Cyrus wasn't lying about not being the arsonist responsible for the wildfire, he did set a fire when he was nine years old. He was curious about his dad and fire. He wanted to watch something burn, and so he set an empty housing development ablaze. Cyrus fears they will use this against him, but Harlan assures Cyrus that he will get him out of this and kisses him. Ramsey enters and escorts Harlan out. She then turns off the white noise machine, which startles Luna, with whom she locks eyes.

Officer Jang tells Ramsey that they need to open up the freezer downstairs, as they have 18 bodies coming in, including Officer Trent Miller. They were found at the construction site after someone called in an anonymous tip. Fearful, Garrett tells Harlan and Luna to go straight home. Harlan is reluctant to comply and tells his father that he has to get Cyrus out if he wants to earn his trust.

Stuck babysitting, Blake has no choice but to bring Danny along when she returns to Everett's, where Danny is reluctant to enter Everett's room after noticing Baron lying on the bed. "Fear and pain," he says.

Luna reveals to Harlan that she could hear his entire conversation with Cyrus due to the white noise machine. Even more surprising, it appeared as if Ramsey was also aware of this. Harlan then finds a recording in his pocket, presumably placed there by Ramsey. It's the final recording from Garrett's time trapped in the wildfire. Hearing his final thoughts bring tears to their eyes and leads them to want to tell him the truth about Baron.

With the bodies having been discovered, the FBI will surely be coming to take over the case. That said, Ramsey urges Garrett to tell her the truth about everything he knows. He asks if she trusts him. Not at first, but that changed after she saw him with Harlan and Luna. Unbeknownst to Garrett, Ramsey has been spying on him and the twins for some time, frequently visiting the house, going room to room as they slept, brushing the hair from Harlan's face and snuggling in the bed with Luna.

Danny reveals to Everett and Blake that he saw Baron in the parking garage. Danny emphasizes that it was the parking *garage*, and not the parking *lot*. However, Everett questions how Danny would recognize Baron, who would've presumably been in his werewolf form. Blake then recalls a previous conversation with Danny and asks if he saw Ramsey in the parking garage too, which Danny reveals he did. She introduced herself and shook his hand. Everett also recalls that one the day of the full moon, Ramsey came by his house to talk to him and shook his hand as well. She then spoke to Blake at the motel immediately after and shook Blake's hand too. This leads Everett to conclude that the Ramsey marked each of them so that they would no longer appear as a threat to the werewolf. Everett wonders exactly how much she knows and even suspect she could even be the voice on the phone. Before they can dig further, Garrett barges in with Harlan and Luna, asking for Baron.

Garrett instructs the kids to put some clothes on Baron, so they can take him to the hospital, as his knife wound has yet to heal. Blake has decided to stay behind, revealing that her dad will be arriving soon to pick her and Danny up. As for Ramsey, they still aren't entirely sure if they are even right about her. If Baron dies, they go back to normal, which is all Blake wants for herself.

Garrett arrives at the hospital and checks Baron into the ER. Meanwhile, Everett, Harlan, and Luna remain in the garage, that is until Everett decides to go into the hospital against Garrett's wishes. Harlan follows him, refusing to leave Everett alone. Luna claims that Everett can take care of himself and says that there is no pack and that there never was.

Roberto arrives at Everett's, accompanied by Ramsey and Social Services, who will be taking Blake and Danny into their custody for the time being. And with Danny being special needs, he and Blake will be separated. Roberto has to file some kind of appeal in the meantime. He apologizes for all of this and leaves with Danny. As Blake attempts to follow him out, Ramsey intervenes. She remarks that Blake has beautiful skin, but that it wasn't always like that. Something helped change things for the better. Ramsey wonders what Blake thinks about changing Danny for the better as well. While Blake may claim she doesn't want Danny to change and that he's fine the way he is, they both know she's lying, with Ramsey making note of Harlan's ability to detect lies.

As Everett awaits Harlan's return after being refused entry, he is approached by his father, who has ordered a 72 hour hold on Everett due to his recent behavior and refusal to take his medication. Everett insists that he's not a danger to others, but David accuses Everett of threatening his mother. She swore that Everett was going to become physically violent with her after he ripped car keys from her hands. Not to mention that Everett brought Baron in with a knife wound and the fact that there's blood all over his room. Everett pleads with his dad not to do this as he is taken away.

While searching for Everett, Harlan bumps into Cody in the halls of the hospital, who has a bag filled with stolen medicine. The hospital is where he gets his merchandise, though he specifically gets it from his dad, who's a terrible father but manages to hook Cody up. Harlan then asks Cody what's his last name, to which he reveals it is Malcolm.

Meanwhile, Malcolm wheels Baron through the hospital, revealing that he's taking him to his mother, who has been trying to find him for a long time. She started the wildfire to bring him out of hiding and killed so many people in the process, leading Baron to recall the moment his body was engulfed in fire and how it caused him to change.

Ramsey arrives to find Garrett in Baron's hospital room, though Baron is missing, with nothing left behind but Malcolm's old firefighter helmet. While Ramsey isn't entirely sure what this means, she does reveal that the FBI has arrived and that she's out. Just like Garrett asked of her, she's now asking him to trust her.

Harlan returns to the lobby but is unable to find Everett. At this point, he is approached by Officer Jang, who places him under arrest for Officer Miller's murder.

Gun drawn, Ramsey makes her way to Fire Department 45, where Malcolm awaits with a silver-plated ax in hand. She demands to know where is Baron, but he begins firing at Ramsey with silver bullets. She dodges the gunfire and even manages to shoot Malcolm in the leg. Garrett enters and begins firing as well. Whilst Ramsey pursues Malcolm, Garrett goes to help Baron. Having picked the ax back up, Malcolm attempts to lure Ramsey to him, but her phone rings. It's the mystery caller, who says that the pack wouldn't be alive without him, as he's helped them every step of the way. And he's still helping them because he called Garrett first to tell him the truth about Kristin. Having learned that she's not who she claims she is, Garrett holds Ramsey at gunpoint while assisting Baron. Ramsey reveals that she's Harlan and Luna's mother, and that Baron is their brother. She knew Blake, Everett, Harlan, and Luna could make Baron human again, but they're slowly learning this information, and they don't quite trust Ramsey yet. Neither does Baron, though Ramsey insists that he should. Baron has what used to be called the power of transmutation, meaning he turns people into werewolves. Every member of the pack has an ability. Ramsey's ability is healing, not only herself, but others as well, taking away Baron's wound.

After Ramsey heals Baron, Malcolm opens fire, with Ramsey shoving Garrett aside and going after him. She tackles Malcolm
into the fire engine, and he then grabs the ax once more, charging at Ramsey, who evades his attack. However, he manages to get a hit in and says that she's been human for too long, claiming she's not as strong as she thought, which angers Ramsey, whose eyes glow as she as crushes his throat, but then Garrett shoots Malcolm in the shoulder and reminds Ramsey that she needs Malcolm alive. Harlan and Luna would've been next if Malcolm had succeeded in killing her. Ramsey then reveals that a Trophic Cascade is a predator's impact on an ecosystem. When they brought the wolves back to the Yellowstone National Park, the elk were no longer safe because the wolves kept them in check. It had such a profound effect and changed the flow of rivers. That's the power of an apex predator. Garrett suspects that Ramsey only wants Baron to create more wolves, but she claims that she simply wants her family back. She knew Garrett was a good parent and wants his help to protect their children. Baron is going to need both of them, with Ramsey proposing that Garrett become a werewolf as well.

## Cast

* Bella Shepard as Blake Navarro
* Chloe Rose Robertson as Luna Briggs
* Tyler Lawrence Gray as Harlan Briggs
* Sarah Michelle Gellar as Kristin Ramsey
* Rodrigo Santoro as Garrett Briggs
* Gideon Emery as Malcolm
* Chase Liefeld as Baron
* Rio Mangini as Austin
* Lanny Joon as Officer Jason Jang
* Hollie Bahar as Ranger Prisha
* Zack Nelson as Cyrus
* Kenny Alfonso as Dr. Salgado

Co-starring* John L. Adams as David Lang
* Nevada Jose as Danny Navarro
* Rainer Dawn as Cody
* Bria Brimmer as Nurse Hughes
* Aisling McBee as Young Luna
* Julian Wanderer as Young Harlan