Yellowjackets Recap: It’s Done

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You can now stream the celebration known as Thanksgiving (Canada) on Paramount+. It will have its television premiere on Showtime Network this coming Sunday.

Greetings! It seems a fresh set of participants has joined our “Yellowjackets” discussion group. Their arrival could stir things up and potentially reinvigorate the conversation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like we can bring back Ben, as he’s already departed from this chat forever.

In the “Canada Thanksgiving” episode, penned by TV critics and real-life couple Emily St. James and Libby Hill, a multitude of events unfolded. Before joining the hit series Yellowjackets, the duo was renowned for their discerning eyes in the world of television. When they were brought on board as writers for this season, I was incredibly excited. Their debut writing credit for the show did not disappoint; however, there are some notable ups and downs throughout the storyline.

To start with, let’s discuss poor Ben. His ordeal will forever linger in my thoughts. The actions of the Yellowjackets towards him are inhumane. Following Akilah’s vision, they have kept him confined in a cage that also holds animals round-the-clock. He has no freedom to move, bathe, or even change his soiled clothes. His contact with others is minimal. His mental state is deteriorating rapidly, and he yearns for death. Frankly, this treatment is as cruel as anything seen on ‘Game of Thrones’. As the months pass and summer turns into autumn, the group allows Ben to remain on the ground in a state of both psychological and physical agony. They have robbed him of every trace of humanity, and yet they act bewildered when he stops eating, wishing to end his life already.

In the wilderness group, many ethical compromises have been made for survival’s sake, and it appears only Natalie seems to empathize with Ben’s pain. Yet, she allows the situation to continue as it pleases the group. The series ‘Yellowjackets’ frequently explores how detrimental group mentality can be towards individuals, and Ben’s treatment emphasizes how warped notions of right and wrong can become under peer pressure. As things in the forest grow increasingly depraved (as hinted at by the ritual from the premiere yet to unfold), the way they treat Ben during his final days is abhorrent and shocking. When he stops eating, no one suggests treating him with basic human dignity, such as allowing a bath or offering shelter. Instead, Misty leads a team to force-feed him through a tube (the origin of which remains unclear).

The notion that Ben serves as a “beacon of hope for rescue” keeps the group optimistic, but no tangible actions are taken towards leaving during this period. Once again, I find myself questioning what else the group might be doing besides relying on Akilah’s cave prophecy and Ben’s lucky charm. However, the harrowing incident of force-feeding pushes Natalie over the edge, who appears to be the only Yellowjacket with a functioning moral compass. As a leader, she holds more power than the other girls, and she is aware that euthanizing Ben could cause bigger issues. Despite this knowledge, she chooses to go through with it.

Under the cover of night, Natalie makes her way towards the enclosure for the animals. Travis notices this and initially attempts to halt her, yet recognizes that her actions are justified. His expression suggests remorse over leading the group to follow Akilah’s visions, though it is unclear. Instead, Travis decides to watch over her, allowing Natalie to enter the enclosure. Ben awakens in a state of alarm but swiftly calms down upon seeing Natalie and recognizing her presence. With a knife in hand, Natalie moves to cut his throat, but Ben — the mentor who taught these girls survival skills and living off the land — gently directs her hand towards his heart instead. As Natalie prepares to stab him there, he mutters a grateful “thank you.” His demise is swift, and compared to the torture he’s endured as a captive in the camp, it brings a measure of relief from pain.

In the world of movies I adore, when the other girls uncover Natalie’s actions, it feels like they might take violent revenge. Yet, we’ve already seen a remorseful and sharp-tongued Natalie in the adult timeline (oh, Juliette Lewis, we miss you dearly!), so her demise in the wilderness is out of the question. Instead, the group devises an alternative way to undermine her. Lottie suggests that Natalie be dethroned as leader and that ruthless Shauna take charge instead. The group silently consents to this change. As their new leader, Shauna’s first act is to mete out a punishment for Natalie. There will be a feast in honor of Coach Scott, and Natalie will be tasked with its preparation.

It appears that Shauna may have taken on the role of Antler Queen, doesn’t it? After having two previous queens – Lottie serving as an unofficial ruler and Natalie holding an official title – it’s uncertain if Shauna will maintain her dominance leading up to the Pit Girl scene in the premiere. However, she seems poised to hold power for quite some time. Interestingly, despite her ruthless demeanor, Shauna does provide guidance to Natalie as she begins to butcher Coach’s body for the Ben-B-Q.

In an intriguing twist, the group’s decision to devour Ben instead of providing him a dignified burial serves as a significant turning point for them, hinting at a darker evolution within their ranks. With an abundance of food sources like Akilah’s livestock and game they’ve hunted, it leaves one pondering whether they are consuming Ben out of a misguided respect for their Coach or as a response to the wilderness’ supposed demands.

The show Yellowjackets is filled with death. In the current storyline, Shauna returns home from her brief detective adventure in the city and informs Jeff that Lottie has passed away. Her failure to contact him about this tragic event or her reason for being away underscores her self-centered nature. Callie listens in on their conversation and rushes to give Shauna a mysterious tape she found during the premiere. This sets Shauna on edge, leading her to believe that someone is attempting to eliminate not just her, but all the remaining Yellowjackets as well.

The Sadecki family seeks refuge at the Jolly Hitcher. Shauna contacts Van (through Tai, as their relationship wasn’t particularly close) to ask if she has a Discman player. She confirms ownership and promises prompt delivery. Both Van and Tai have been staying at a more luxurious hotel than the Jolly Hitcher, and Tai is indulging in a self-pampering spree, enjoying lavish spa treatments (bedazzled nails!) and ordering the priciest items from room service. Van feels slightly uncomfortable with this extravagance, but goes along with it. When Van inquires about her actions, Tai explains that her life is chaotic and she’s trying to maintain control over whatever she can.

During the episode, an unusual situation unfolds for Van when she encounters two strange communications from Tai. Initially, while searching for the DAT player, Van stumbles upon a vintage light-up phone that rings without any external power source. Upon answering, she hears Tai’s distressed voice saying, “Van? Um… I can’t… Help.” Later on, Tai suddenly awakens in a panic, calling out to Van, “Van! Van, please! You gotta help me!” These two instances of pleading for help seem peculiar and may hint at the inner turmoil that Tai is currently experiencing. As we discovered last week, “Other” Tai emerges during intense emotional moments (such as during sex or when feeling anxious about having to shoot Ben) and during sleep. The phone call feels like a hallucination for Van, but the possibility that Tai might be being tugged in two different directions as her life falls apart is intriguing.

After a long wait, Van and Tai join Shauna to listen to a mysterious recording. When they press play, an unknown woman’s voice says “Testing,” followed by the wilderness teens laughing and howling, similar to their behavior at the end of the episode. The women are astonished that such a tape exists. Van remarks that only those who know about it are either deceased or in the car (this is a reference to Misty’s disappearance). However, Shauna discovers that Callie has been secretly recording their conversation and quickly leaves.

In this scene, Misty is conducting further investigations. With the aid of two garbage bags handed over by Walter in a limousine, Misty stumbles upon a vital clue – an empty Chinese food container. This item leads her to a specific restaurant where she encounters Lisa. Now, you might recall Lisa from earlier events, but it’s been some time since we last saw her. In the previous season finale, Lisa was Lottie’s follower whom Misty attempted to eliminate during their adult pursuit. Unfortunately for Misty, she missed her target and ended up killing Natalie with a syringe filled with fentanyl instead. This mistake is brought up by Lisa during their encounter in this episode. Lisa expresses indifference towards the entire situation, stating that she just wants to lead a peaceful life. The day Lottie passed away, she had given Lisa $50,000 cash and a note saying “I’m sorry.” Lisa also shares with Misty that she witnessed Tai with Lottie on the day of her demise. Isn’t that intriguing?

Since Lottie wields such significant power in the wilderness – she single-handedly appoints Shauna as leader following Natalie’s apparent act of disloyalty – it becomes clear why the series might not want her grown-up counterpart meddling with present events. Lottie functions best as a mystery, embodying the group’s ideologies and frequently arbitrary actions. As the episode concludes, we focus on the Ben-B-Q banquet, where Lottie grows increasingly agitated as Ben’s destiny doesn’t seem to align with Akilah’s prophecy. Yet, suddenly, it does.

As Lottie takes the lead, the girls start to sing, shout, and dance near the fire, accompanied by the ominous chanting from the soundtrack. The scene seems set to conclude with the team embracing their wild, feral selves, feasting on their former coach, when Lottie spots something in the woods. At first, she believes it’s Ben, but upon closer inspection, a man emerges from the trees, followed by another person. In a chilling nod to “Lord of the Flies,” the decapitated head of a man is shown prominently. The man greets them cautiously with a “hello.” Lottie’s response to this startling revelation is swift and sharp: “No!” As the camera sweeps across the faces of the other Yellowjackets, their reactions vary greatly: Shauna looks shocked, Van expresses joy, and Natalie appears overwhelmed by her emotions.

And then? The man looks down, spots Ben’s bloody head, and freaks out. End scene.

Has our rescue arrived at last? Is this the turning point in our story? The arrival of strangers in the wilderness could inject new excitement and alter the course of events, deviating from repeated survival strategies and wilderness reverence. It’s bound to stir up the group dynamics too, as they grapple with the fact that someone has seen their brutal feast. That leaves us with many unanswered questions for next week.

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz

In this camp belonging to the Yellowjackets, you’ll find Nelson Franklin, who I recognize from his roles as the charming Robby on “New Girl” and the ever-patient Will in “Veep.” He’s a busy guy with a knack for comedy that shines brightly, like when he hilariously reacts to discovering a man’s head on an altar in the wilderness. I can’t wait to see more of his performance as the story unfolds throughout the season.

This season, I’m a bit puzzled about Callie’s behavior, but when she tells Shauna that they’re both the same age now as they were during their wilderness ordeal, it struck me as echoing a psychological concept. As our children reach the age we were when we went through certain traumatic experiences, we may find ourselves revisiting those memories. It seems like Shauna is going through this, whether she acknowledges it or not. Add to that the fact that strangers are tampering with her car brakes and leaving threatening messages at her door, so she’s dealing with more than just personal issues.

Previously, I’ve shared my affection for Elijah Wood and my anticipation towards the development of the Walter storyline. However, things have been moving rather slowly, which could potentially lead to me losing interest. Could you clarify if Walter is responsible for Lottie’s death or if he has a plan to seek revenge on Misty? Provide some explanation for why this character continues to be part of the show, I’d appreciate it!

I’m slightly puzzled by the title of this episode, “Thanksgiving (Canada).” If I interpret it correctly, it seems to be signifying the passing of time. Given the title, we’re approximately 16 months after the crash, and it appears that rescue is imminent but not yet here. It makes me wonder if instead of a traditional turkey meal, they might be celebrating with roasted Ben for their festivities?

Which body part of Ben do you believe Lottie might be chewing when she begins her chant, and should we perhaps be curious about that detail?

• If Ben didn’t start the cabin fire, then who did?

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2025-03-14 17:59