Editor’s note: The following recap includes spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 9.
As Yellowjackets nears its thrilling Season 3 finale, the tension reaches an unprecedented level. In Episode 8, Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) made a controversial choice to refuse rescue for the rest of the group, driven by her instincts and fears shared with Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Lottie (Courtney Eaton). Episode 9 delves into the aftermath of this critical decision, revealing how it fractures the team dynamics. Simultaneously, the present-day narrative intensifies with the confrontation between Melissa (Hilary Swank) and Shauna (Melanie Lynskey), which significantly impacts all survivors — both physically and emotionally. This episode delivers high-stakes drama across timelines, culminating in two shocking fatalities, solidifying the notion that Season 3 is indeed Yellowjackets‘ most deadly season to date.
A New Strategy Emerges in ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 Episode 9
After Shauna’s drastic decision to thwart the rescue plan, tensions at the camp escalate dramatically, leading to the formation of new alliances among the group. Kodi (Joel McHale) expresses his desire to leave the camp, regardless of Shauna’s authority, but is temporarily detained when she holds him at gunpoint. This act of defiance results in both him and Hannah (Ashley Sutton) being confined in the animal pen while the group deliberates their next move. Tai conveys to Van (Liv Hewson) the unsettling reality that the frog scientists lost their sanity after witnessing Coach (Steven Krueger)’s fate; this underscores the gravity of their situation. Van delivers a sobering reminder that they barely survived the winter, an ordeal that involved dire choices, while Tai remains unfazed, confident they can endure another harsh season if they remain clever in their planning.
In a separate part of the forest, Travis (Kevin Alves) is busy arranging twigs and branches on the ground, and as he tests the weight of his makeshift trap with a log, it activates a deadly pit of spikes designed to ensnare whatever creature falls in. He later invites Lottie to join him in the woods, expressing that he feels a connection to something ominous. The realization dawns on him: Travis is contemplating a plan to sacrifice Lottie to secure their escape. When they arrive in the woods, he confronts her, claiming she jeopardizes their chances of rescue, but Lottie insists she only wants him to sense Javi (Luciano Leroux)’s presence with them. As the wind begins to swirl dramatically, Lottie walks further into the woods, but when a twig snaps underfoot, she suddenly catches on to Travis’s intentions. She turns back to him with a knowing smile, and he shakes his head in disbelief as she walks away, narrowly avoiding the trap he set for her.
Back at the camp, Shauna overhears whispers about her leadership and pulls together those she trusts: Melissa (Jenna Burgess), Misty (Samantha Hanratty), Tai, Van, and Lottie. Feeling paranoid that everyone is conspiring against her, Shauna proposes that Misty spies on the others since she’s already been ostracized from previous meetings. However, Misty’s undercover mission backfires when the other group quickly becomes aware of her presence and withholds any information from her. This opposing group, which includes Natalie (Sophie Thatcher), Mari (Alexa Barajas), Gen (Vanessa Prasad), and Akilah (Nya Sondaya), is acutely aware that they cannot survive another winter, with Akilah openly stating her fear of being the wilderness’s next victim. However, according to Nat, they have an alternative plan. Later that night, Mari takes Hannah into the woods, where Natalie hands her a knife, instructing her to wait until the camp is asleep to free herself and Kodi, and then rendezvous with them in the woods. This marks the initiation of Rescue Plan 2.0.
Wilderness Conflicts Escalate in ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 Episode 9
The relationship between Shauna and Melissa has become one of the most surprising yet compelling dynamics in Yellowjackets Season 3. However, their interactions have increasingly revealed a toxic pattern, culminating in a pivotal confrontation in this penultimate episode. Melissa, tasked with overseeing Kodi and Hannah in the animal pen, engages in a heartfelt conversation with Hannah, who confesses she has a 10-year-old daughter waiting for her back home. This confession evokes deep sympathy from Melissa, leading to lighthearted banter. However, when Shauna unexpectedly arrives and witnesses their exchange, she harshly chastises Melissa for showing kindness to Hannah, suggesting that Hannah’s claims about her daughter might be fabricated merely to win Melissa’s sympathy.
Feeling overwhelmed by Shauna’s negativity and cruelty, Melissa storms away, prompting Shauna to angrily pursue her. In a dramatic public scene, Shauna shouts, “No one cared about you until I came along,” leaving Melissa momentarily stunned while the rest of the group watches in shock. Melissa, feeling hurt, questions why Shauna can’t simply act like a decent human being. Shauna responds with a cold dismissal, stating, “You’re nothing.” This catalyzes Melissa to turn to the group, confessing that Shauna is indeed unstable. This outburst crosses a line for Shauna, leading her to point her gun at Melissa. In a shocking twist, Melissa dares Shauna to pull the trigger, and in a moment of unexpected violence, Shauna fires the gun. Although the bullet merely grazes Melissa’s arm, the psychological impact is profound, causing her to react in a humiliating display of fear, leaving Shauna with a twisted sense of satisfaction as she walks away, leaving Van to comfort a visibly shaken Melissa.
The Season’s First Snowfall Arrives in ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 Episode 9
As night descends, the atmosphere grows increasingly charged. Shauna is filled with rage over her altercation with Melissa, while Melissa makes her way into Gen’s tent, declaring that she is done with Shauna and wants to join the other survivors’ plan. Kodi reassures Hannah that they should be able to escape soon, but before she frees them, she confronts him about another name inscribed on his bag — a concern raised by Edwin (Nelson Franklin) earlier in Episode 7. Kodi hastily claims he acquired the bag at a thrift store, urging Hannah to untie them quickly. Meanwhile, Shauna realizes the significance of the hair strand she pocketed from Hannah and rushes to the animal pen, discovering that Hannah and Kodi are attempting to escape. Holding them at gunpoint, Shauna demands to know the source of the knife. In a moment of deception, Hannah blames Kodi to protect Natalie, revealing her mistrust of him. Enraged by the accusation, Kodi lashes out, which prompts Hannah to retaliate by stabbing him in the eye, resulting in his death. She then presents the bloodied knife to Shauna, pleading, “Please. I want to be involved in this.”
Witnessing this chilling scene unfold, Gen and Melissa flee into the woods to inform Mari, Akilah, and Nat of the chaos that has transpired. The stark reality sets in: they are not going home. This realization hits Nat with overwhelming despair, leading her to collapse onto a nearby stump, weeping. Compounding their troubles, the first snow begins to fall, indicating the onset of another brutal winter with no prospect of rescue in sight. In the distance, Natalie spots someone running through the woods and follows the figure, ultimately finding Misty as she attempts to retrieve the black box she destroyed back in Season 1. Earlier in the episode, Van had made an unsuccessful attempt to repair the SAT phone used by the scientists, but the black box contains the crucial component they need for repairs. When confronted, Misty enthusiastically shares that she may have discovered a way to facilitate their rescue, but all Natalie can focus on is the fact that Misty has known the location of the transponder all along. Misty’s long-held secret is finally revealed.
Related
Yellowjackets Creators Discuss Melissa and Shauna’s Relationship as a “Profound Catalyst for Shauna’s Character Development” in Season 3
They also delve into Jenna Burgess’s transformation from Hat Girl to Hilary Swank and reveal who truly holds the power in the wilderness.
Van Embraces Her Inner Goonie in ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 Episode 9
Episode 8 notably lacked the presence of Van (Lauren Ambrose), so Episode 9 quickly rectifies this by introducing her in a hospital setting, where she experiences a vision of her younger self. In this vision, Teen Van references The Goonies and its classic hero’s journey, which confuses older Van. Teen Van emphasizes the message “X marks the spot” just before Van awakens to Taissa (Tawny Cypress) at her bedside. As soon as Van sees the tears streaming down Tai’s face, she understands her prognosis isn’t promising, but they cannot remain in the hospital either, prompting Tai, Van, and Misty (Christina Ricci) to embark on a mission to find Shauna.
Meanwhile, Shauna is still at Melissa’s location, taunting her with a piece of human flesh and daring her to consume it. After enduring Shauna’s psychological torment, Melissa finally succumbs and takes a bite, but just as Shauna believes she has succeeded, Melissa unexpectedly spits the flesh back at her, catching her off guard and reclaiming the upper hand. Seizing the opportunity, Melissa grabs her keys and speeds away in her car, but unfortunately, her fuel reserves are critically low.
As Tai drives, Misty spots Melissa stranded on the roadside and is taken aback. Melissa attempts to escape, but Tai swiftly follows and blocks her path with the car. Pursuing Melissa on foot, Tai tackles her to the ground, and Misty approaches wielding a tire iron. Although none of them are clear on how Melissa is still alive, it’s evident she won’t last long if she resists. This threat compels Melissa to comply and join them. Meanwhile, Van, still recovering from her hospitalization, notices a road sign prominently displaying an “X.” Clearly, their paths were meant to converge on Melissa, right?
The Showdown: Melissa vs. the Yellowjackets in Season 3 Episode 9
Once Melissa is successfully brought into the car, Tai drives them toward her residence. Melissa urgently informs them that Shauna has lost her grip on reality, particularly after attempting to force her to consume her own arm. The group is understandably horrified by this revelation, and when they learn that Melissa had sent a tape to Shauna, they all ponder the same pressing question: “What did you expect Shauna’s reaction would be?” Melissa, wanting to distance herself from Shauna, pleads to be let out of the vehicle, but a single threat from Van silences her. As they arrive at the house, Shauna is busy cleaning up the aftermath of her confrontation with Melissa when she hears a noise from outside. Grabbing a knife for self-defense, she relaxes upon recognizing Van’s voice, who tries to explain the situation. However, this moment of calm is short-lived when Melissa also enters the room, escalating the tension.
The situation quickly spirals into chaos as Misty accuses Shauna of Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) murder, citing DNA evidence and presenting a receipt that indicates Shauna had been in the city on the fateful day. This revelation connects back to Jeff’s (Warren Kole) earlier concerns about karma and Shauna’s decision to return a “missing” cat after finding a similar one at a shelter. Misty finds this narrative hard to swallow, but to Shauna, it’s only logical that Melissa is responsible for Lottie’s death, asserting that she sent the tape and is likely also behind the brake failure and freezer incident. Misty begrudgingly admits that the freezer mishap was her fault, revealing that she had neglected the lock for months and thought a little freezer time wouldn’t hurt Shauna.
Taissa remains skeptical about Shauna’s involvement in Lottie’s murder, but the pressing matter at hand is the fallout from Shauna and Melissa’s confrontation. Misty storms out, declaring that the cleanup is Shauna’s responsibility, which is indeed a valid point. Taissa then ties up Melissa for safety reasons, reflecting on how this situation echoes her past with Adam (Peter Gadiot). Shauna chastises Taissa for bringing Adam into the conversation, but it becomes evident that Melissa correctly deduces Shauna’s pattern of erratic behavior and false accusations. In retaliation, Shauna reveals that Melissa is married to Hannah’s child, shocking Tai and Van. They restrain Melissa by the fireplace, with Van stepping outside briefly, giving Melissa a chance to concoct a sinister plan as she closes the fireplace flue.
A Tragic Loss in Season 3 Episode 9
Returning from outside, Van, equipped with an oxygen mask, finds the house eerily silent. The unsettling reason becomes apparent as she discovers both Tai and Shauna unconscious on the floor, while Melissa lies in a dazed state. Van reopens the flue after Melissa discloses her actions, then drags Tai outside and administers the oxygen mask, encouraging her to breathe. While Tai is unconscious, she hallucinates a glowing phone, and when she answers, she hears Van’s voice calling her. In a clash between her other self and her real self, the real Tai prevails with the declaration, “You’re not what she needs.” Upon regaining consciousness, Tai realizes that her true self has returned. Van quickly returns to the house to retrieve Shauna, then heads back in for Melissa armed with a knife.
As she unties Melissa, Van holds the knife threateningly over her. Melissa argues that this isn’t her only option — if Van lets her go, they can end this right now. Van reveals her cancer diagnosis and suggests that if she kills Melissa, she might be granted a chance to live. Melissa, however, dismisses the idea that any of their sacrifices in the wilderness were genuine. After a moment of hesitation, Melissa suddenly grabs the knife from Van’s hand and plunges it into her own chest, informing Van that she has no such hesitations.
In a sudden transition, the scene shifts back to the plane, which is now empty, reminiscent of the Season 2 finale when Natalie (Juliette Lewis) faced her final moments there. Van finds herself alongside her teenage self, just as at the beginning of the episode, watching their own tragic fate play out on a movie screen. Shauna and Tai, now conscious, enter the house and are met with the horrifying sight of Van lifeless on the floor. Tai immediately cradles her in her arms, screaming and crying out for her. Van is furious with her younger self for sending her into the house when she knew it would lead to her demise, but her younger self tearfully insists it wasn’t her decision; it’s simply how their story unfolds. Van recalls their earlier discussion about The Goonies and reflects on how she was meant to be the hero, while her younger self reassures her that she was indeed heroic. Van’s act saved Shauna and Tai, and she ultimately returned the true love of their lives. “Show me a better treasure,” Teen Van challenges. As she tells her older self that surviving this ordeal was never the reward, Van begs to learn the ending, but her younger self simply smiles and responds, “Where would be the fun in that?”
The Yellowjackets Season 3 finale is set to premiere on Friday on Showtime.
