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Scott doesn't care about power-- he cares about people. ”
— Ethan about Scott
Though Scott had a bout of immature teenage behavior during his first few years , his time
caused his personality to shift to one that is much more compassionate, selfless, and kind. In fact, it was, in part, due to his strength of will, his virtue, and his ability to retain his humanity that allowed him to ascend to the rare rank of True Alpha, something that usually only occurs in the Werewolf world once every century at most. Scott struggled greatly in controlling his lycanthropy during the first few months after he was turned, but with time and experience, he was able to find an anchor that allowed him to remain in human form on full moons and even supermoons without involuntarily transforming.
Despite all the power he wields as a True Alpha, he is uncomfortable with flaunting his power over others, even to defend himself, due to the ways Alphas like Peter or Deucalion forced their wills upon him while he was a Beta. This characteristic was demonstrated on both Liam's first full moon and his first supermoon as a Werewolf, during which Liam lost control and viciously attacked Scott, who only used the bare minimum amount of power to block his blows.
“ Scott's always been about one thing-- saving his friends. He will do anything and everything to save the people he cares about. When there's no chance of winning? He keeps fighting. When all hope is lost? He finds another way. And when he's beaten down? He stands up again! You wanna earn a place in his pack? You want redemption? Find another way to stand and fight! ”
— Derek Hale to Ethan and Aiden about Scott
Scott has been described by several people to be uninterested in the power-hungry nature of many Alphas and is known for doing whatever is necessary to protect those he cares about. He is very prone to giving second chances, does not believe in no-win scenarios, and has been shown as entirely willing to be tortured or killed in defense of his family, pack, and fellow Beacon Hills citizens. However, Scott's intent to keep his loved ones safe means that he is not immune to making unwise decisions out of desperation to protect them, especially if they were caused harm because of his mistakes; this was evidenced by his willingness to forcibly search through Corey's memories, and his decision to enact a risky plan to try to catch one of the Dread Doctors that resulted in Liam and Hayden being captured.
Likewise, his desire to see the best in people and his trusting nature have been shown to create problems in his life as well. Regardless, Scott's moral code has evolved to the point that he unwilling to kill unless it is absolutely inevitable, and Scott's only kill of the series, the Beast of Gevaudan, was done out of necessity, as well as the fact that there was no redemption for Sebastian, and he had already been dead for over two hundred years. This rule of his especially extends to newly-created and/or out-of-control supernatural creatures or pseudo-supernaturals like Chimeras, for whom he usually advocates a second chance in order to rehabilitate the new supernatural creature rather than to neutralize them.
Scott's second death and resurrection changed him to a degree. While he is still the compassionate and empathic person he was before, he has also become more confident and self-assured, no longer seeming to doubt himself or his decisions and even coming up with a plan that allowed the pack to defeat Theo and the Beast, and allow Malia to stop her mother without killing her. This change, however, has also allowed his personality to become more predatory than it once was. While his moral code is still intact, he is much more willing to use more force in his fights, shown during his battles against the Beast, as well as the Ghost Riders. The adversity he has faced since being turned has galvanized him into a better leader who has perfected the skills necessary to lead his pack. His intellectual strength and tactical skills have improved to such a degree that even Peter Hale, who prides himself as being a "scheming schemer" who is always one step ahead of everyone, was forced to admit that Scott has a remarkable talent for overcoming any odds, due in part to Scott's capacity for empathy and his superhuman senses, both of which help him to better understand his enemies and their weaknesses.
“ It's not up to them-- it's up to you. You have to want this, because they're gonna keep coming at you. They're gonna keep knocking you down. And you have to get back up. You have to show them that you can get back up. Leaders don't run! ”
— Scott to Liam Dunbar about being team captain and alpha
Scott's ability to see the good in everyone has allowed him to bring out the good in those around him as well, and the majority of those who join his pack become better people than they were before. His influence has even helped to redeem many characters, such as Allison, Derek, Isaac, Ethan, Aiden, and Deucalion, among others. This has also made him a foil to characters such as Theo, who tries his best to bring out the inner darkness in those around him, believing that it will make them stronger, whereas Scott does the opposite, believing in others so strongly that they evolve into the best versions of themselves.
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