Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5 Recap: “Did Tai Do That?”

We are halfway through Season 3 of Yellowjackets, and the show has thrust its survivors beyond a point of no return. In the past timeline, the Yellowjackets struggle to survive in the woods, embracing the Wilderness as an entity that demands them to become more ruthless. In the present, the survivors try to overcome their shared trauma while fate keeps throwing new threats their way. So far, Season 3 has not been as eventful as the previous two, still, as we pass the mid-season mark, all the pieces have been carefully placed on the board so that the story can finally move forward.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5

Following the shocking discovery of Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) dead body at the end of the previous episode, Episode 5 delves into the aftermath as the survivors become increasingly suspicious of one another. The episode draws powerful parallels between past and present timelines, particularly examining the moral compromises each character makes in the face of difficult choices. As Coach Ben Scott (Steven Krueger) faces his execution in the wilderness, the present-day survivors confront their own demons while investigating the mysterious circumstances of Lottie’s death. Furthermore, the episode further develops the show’s exploration of duality, particularly through Taissa’s character, whose wilderness-influenced “other self” begins to resurface with potentially dangerous consequences.

Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5 Recap

Episode 5 of Yellowjackets Season 3 might feature the cruelest scene of the show yet. Before we get there, let’s break the episode down, scene by scene.

Personal Effects

The episode opens in the present timeline at a morgue where Misty (Christina Ricci) stands over Lottie’s body. In a shot that blurs past and present, we momentarily see Teen Misty (Sammi Hanratty) standing in the same position, looking at Teen Lottie’s (Courtney Eaton) body on the morgue table. This haunting image emphasizes how the Yellowjackets survivors never truly escaped the wilderness—they remain those same teenage girls, forever connected by tragedy despite the passing decades.

Coroner Fred (Brendan Riggs) approaches and asks Misty if this is the person she was looking for. After Misty confirms Lottie’s identity, she inquires about personal belongings. Fred explains that protocol dictates that personal effects can only be released to the next of kin. Misty counters that Lottie was like a sister to her in all ways that matter, but Fred presses her on whether they were legally related. Undeterred, Misty shifts into investigative mode, casually mentioning how troubling it would be if items went missing from the morgue — like a fancy watch from a deceased man a year ago that mysteriously appeared on eBay. The implication hangs in the air as Fred attempts to feign ignorance. Still, Misty reassures him that as a fellow “Citizen Detective,” she wouldn’t raise such concerns without concrete evidence that Fred is guilty of misplacing the watch.

Fred quickly capitulates, agreeing to release Lottie’s belongings in exchange for Misty’s discretion. While he retrieves the items, Misty meticulously collects dirt samples from beneath Lottie’s fingernails. Upon his return with a plastic bag of personal effects, Misty snatches it, tells Fred she owes him one, and helps herself to crime scene photographs of Lottie’s death before departing the morgue.

Morbid Meeting

The scene shifts to Misty’s living room, where Van (Lauren Ambrose), Shauna (Melanie Lynskey), and Taissa (Tawny Cypress) sit tensely on a couch. Misty pointedly thanks Van and Taissa for coming, deliberately omitting Shauna’s name — a clear indication she still harbors anger from their previous conflict. When Misty announces Lottie’s death, shock ripples through the group. Shauna mentions having seen Lottie just days before, while Van wonders if Misty is sure.

Misty explains that Lottie died the previous day, showing the stolen morgue photos as proof. According to the coroner, Lottie’s death has been ruled accidental, apparently a fall down the stairs, but Misty characterizes the situation as “fishy.” The atmosphere grows hostile when Shauna pointedly asks about Misty’s whereabouts the day before, implying she might be responsible for Lottie’s death. Visibly offended, Misty highlights the absurdity of committing murder then gathering everyone to discuss it. Van sardonically notes that killing Lottie sounds “on brand” for Misty, while Shauna suggests the meeting itself might be a calculated attempt to deflect suspicion.

When Misty claims she was at work, Shauna counters that Misty left early, her whereabouts unknown, coincidentally when Shauna found herself locked in a freezer at the nursing home. Shauna adds that Misty had reason to resent Lottie, who bears some responsibility for Natalie’s (Juliette Lewis) death. Increasingly agitated, Misty vehemently denies any involvement, declaring that if they suspect her of murder, they aren’t her friends. She vows to uncover the truth about Lottie’s death, insisting that’s what Natalie would want, before dramatically storming out of her own house. After an awkward moment, Van comments on this odd exit just as Misty returns, instructing them all to leave.

[Intro plays]

Animals In a Pen

The timeline shifts to the past, where Akhila (Nia Sondaya) carries a baby goat into the animal pen now serving as Coach Ben’s (Steven Krueger) prison. Ben sits bound to a large log centered in the pen. Noticing the young animal, Ben asks if this is the offspring of the goat Akhila found dead yesterday. She responds with a silent nod, maintaining minimal interaction with the prisoner.

Ben observes that the baby goat is quite young and will likely need special feeding care, adding that his mother used to foster kittens and possessed the same affinity for animals that Akhila demonstrates. Despite his attempt at connection, Akhila remains guarded, seemingly reluctant to engage in conversation. Recognizing her reticence, Ben abandons pleasantries and directly asks what the girls plan to do with him. Akhila responds she doesn’t know, suggesting the truth is too grim for her to speak about it out loud.

[RELATED: Yellowjackets: What Happened to the “Bonus” Season 2 Episode?]

Missing Phone

Back in the present timeline, Misty methodically examines Lottie’s personal effects in her home. She scrutinizes each item, smelling Lottie’s clothes and analyzing jewelry for potential clues. Her expression grows increasingly puzzled, suggesting something important is missing from the collection. Picking up her phone, Misty calls Fred at the morgue to inquire about Lottie’s cell phone. Fred confirms the device wasn’t found with the body, raising questions about its whereabouts. As Misty ends the call, her expression reveals her analytical mind working through the implications of this missing piece of evidence and how it might relate to the circumstances of Lottie’s death.

Burn the Witch

In the wilderness timeline, the Yellowjackets have gathered to determine Coach Ben’s fate. Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) pleads, “There’s gotta be another way,” clearly uncomfortable with the execution plans being discussed. Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown) counters firmly that capital punishment “is the only thing that makes sense,” emphasizing they can’t keep Ben penned up indefinitely.

Lottie (Courtney Eaton) holds up a drawing made by Travis during Ben’s trial, explaining it represents what “It” desires. Growing impatient with the deliberation, Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) argues that if they continue debating, Ben will simply die of old age in captivity. With disturbing practicality, she proposes setting Ben on fire as poetic justice for allegedly burning their cabin, an idea that provokes immediate protests from Mari (Alexa Barajas).

Natalie forcefully opposes Shauna’s suggestion, stating that such torture isn’t justice. Melissa (Jenna Burgess) defends Shauna, reminding the group that Ben purportedly intended for them to burn. Seeking a more humane resolution, Natalie proposes a firing squad to provide Ben a quick death. When Van (Liv Hewson) raises the question of who will perform the execution, Shauna suggests Natalie, the team’s best marksman — a calculated power play, knowing Natalie harbors doubts about Ben’s guilt.

Natalie points out that at close range, accuracy won’t be an issue for any of them, and suggests they draw cards to determine the executioner, consistent with their established decision-making process. Van proposes using the King of Hearts, known as the “suicide king,” to select who will pull the trigger, further ritualizing their increasingly tribal governance.

Fast and Furious

The scene transitions to present-day Shauna waiting in her parked car outside Misty’s home. As Misty drives away, Shauna begins following her, unaware of a third vehicle parked nearby that soon joins the pursuit. This mystery car with the license plate “NOTWLTER” aggressively tails Shauna, who abandons her surveillance of Misty to turn into an alley. When the pursuer continues following, Shauna executes a defensive maneuver, hitting her brakes and forcing the mystery car to bump into her vehicle.

Armed with pepper spray, Shauna confronts the driver, who turns out to be Walter (Elijah Wood). He apologizes for his overzealous driving, admitting that car-tailing isn’t his strongest skill. When Shauna demands to know why he was following her, Walter explains he’s appointed himself “chief citizen detective” investigating Lottie’s murder, with Shauna among his suspects. Shauna immediately goes on the defensive, but Walter calmly points out that her history with Adam (Peter Gadiot) makes her capability for murder well-established.

Shauna cleverly turns the tables, noting that both Misty and Walter have their own body counts. Walter confidently states that Misty didn’t kill Lottie, prompting Shauna to suggest he could only know that if he himself were the killer. Appreciating her perceptiveness, Walter proposes they form an alliance to uncover the truth, revealing he knows Misty’s destination and inviting Shauna to join his investigation.

The King of Hearts Is Chosen

In the past timeline, the Yellowjackets gather in a circle as Van distributes playing cards among them. Tension hangs in the air as Natalie counts to three, signaling everyone to reveal their cards simultaneously. The camera revolves slowly around the circle, capturing each girl’s reaction as they look at their own card and then at those held by others. Finally, the focus lands on Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), who holds the King of Hearts, marking her as the designated executioner.

Where Did Taissa Go?

In a present-day restaurant, Taissa and Van sit across from each other at a table. Taissa studies the menu enthusiastically, suggesting they order multiple dishes to share, but Van appears distracted and troubled. Noticing her partner’s discomfort, Taissa asks if Van is alright. Van confesses that Lottie’s death feels wrong. Van says that after surviving the wilderness horrors, Lottie wouldn’t die in a simple accident. Taissa dismisses this concern, pointing out that nothing about their experiences makes logical sense.

The conversation takes a suspicious turn when Van inquires about Taissa’s whereabouts the previous day. She notes that while the train ride to their meeting point should have taken fifteen minutes, Taissa took a full hour to arrive. Taissa offers reasonable explanations — getting cash, arranging the horse carriage, navigating New York’s chaos — but Van’s persistent questioning suggests deeper doubts. When she presses Taissa about whether that’s the complete story, Taissa becomes defensive, sarcastically asking if Van suspects she killed Lottie before their pretzel date. Their increasingly tense exchange is interrupted by Taissa’s phone ringing. It’s Simone calling, momentarily defusing the situation but leaving the underlying suspicions unresolved.

Lottie-pops

Misty enters an upscale apartment hotel, the same one where Lottie had been staying before her death. With practiced stealth, she slips through a door marked “Authorized Personnel Only” and descends to the basement where Lottie’s body was discovered, now cordoned off with police tape. Using her phone as a flashlight, Misty examines the scene with meticulous attention. She notices scratch marks on the walls and compares them to the dirt samples collected from beneath Lottie’s fingernails, confirming they match and indicating Lottie had frantically clawed at the walls during her fall.

The scene transitions to the hotel reception, where Misty chats amicably with a receptionist named Cliff (Tom Pickett), feigning shock over her high school friend’s death. When Misty inquires whether Cliff saw Lottie the day before, he explains that another receptionist, Mike, was on duty then and reported nothing unusual about Lottie’s demeanor.

As Misty prepares to leave, Cliff offers her a lollipop to lift her spirits, mentioning he always gave these candies to Lottie when she was upset, affectionately dubbing them “Lottie-pops.” This casual comment catches Misty’s attention, prompting her to ask how Cliff knew Lottie as a child. He reveals that the Matthews family moved to the penthouse in the late 1970s, and Lottie lived there until her parents divorced. After that, she relocated to New Jersey with her mother while her father remained.

Cliff expresses concern about Mr. Matthews’ declining health, and when Misty inquires, confirms that Lottie likely saw her father the day she died, having lived with him for weeks. This revelation directly contradicts Lottie’s claim to Shauna about having nowhere to stay after leaving the psychiatric facility. Accepting the offered lollipop, Misty’s mind races with the realization that Lottie’s missing cell phone might still be in her father’s apartment, providing a new lead in her investigation.

Shooting Practice

In the past timeline, Taissa holds a rifle, aiming at a tree decorated with a crude sad face meant to represent Coach Ben. Van stands beside her, providing guidance and encouragement to pull the trigger. Despite the straightforward target practice, Taissa hesitates, experiencing unsettling flashes of Coach Ben from their life before the crash. When Van asks what’s troubling her, Taissa insists she can’t handle the task, dismissing the target as “a stupid tree” rather than their actual coach.

Van attempts to lighten the mood with humor, joking that the tree bears a striking resemblance to Ben. When Taissa doesn’t respond to the levity, Van apologizes, explaining she’s simply trying to help them navigate this difficult situation. Taissa sharply reminds Van that there’s no “us” in this predicament; she must perform the execution alone. Though Van wishes that Taissa had drawn a different card, she acknowledges they must adhere to their established rules.

Revealing her fears, Taissa wonders aloud about the consequences of missing her mark and merely wounding Ben further. Van grimly jokes that in such a case, Ben would “really want to die,” before reassuring Taissa that her aim cannot fail at five feet distance. When Taissa sarcastically asks if this close-up view of Ben’s death should somehow comfort her, Van erupts in frustration, reminding Taissa that Ben allegedly tried to murder them all in their sleep.

Taissa’s halfhearted response prompts Van to question if she genuinely believes in Ben’s guilt. Though Taissa affirms she does, she thoughtfully adds that declaring someone should die is different from personally carrying out the execution. This vulnerability inspires Van to propose an alternative. Recalling Taissa’s sleepwalking episodes during winter, she suggests they might summon this “other Taissa” to perform the execution. Initially dismissing the idea as absurd, Taissa reconsiders when Van persists, describing this alter ego as “fearless” and suggesting they have nothing to lose by attempting to conjure Taissa’s darker self.

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Not Looking for Company

Elsewhere in the woods, Shauna sits alone, methodically sharpening her knife with practiced precision. When Melissa approaches, Shauna curtly states she’s “not looking for company.” Embarrassed by the rejection, Melissa leaves behind a gift before turning to depart. Curious despite her initial coldness, Shauna examines the package to discover a handcrafted knife holster.

Intrigued by this token of affection, Shauna calls Melissa back to ask a surprisingly vulnerable question: why does Melissa like her? The question catches Melissa off guard, as if the concept of Shauna being likable shouldn’t require explanation. She observes that both Jackie (Ella Purnell) and Jeff treated Shauna poorly in the past, and more significantly, Shauna “totally let them.” In the wilderness, however, Shauna has transformed, no longer afraid of her “bad parts,” a quality Melissa genuinely admires.

This honest assessment penetrates Shauna’s defenses, softening her demeanor. The moment marks a shifting dynamic between them as Shauna allows herself to accept both the gift and the affection behind it, thanking Melissa with unexpected sincerity.

Dinner Is Served

Misty approaches the animal pen carrying a tray with a whole baked fish with vegetables, a stark contrast to the survivors’ usual fare. As she enters, Ben eyes the food with surprise, ironically commenting about the meal not containing human organs and wondering what he did to deserve such special treatment. Misty’s composed facade crumbles as she falls to her knees in tears, revealing the grim truth: a firing squad will come for Ben at dusk.

She apologizes profusely between sobs, insisting she did everything to save him. Ben gently reassures her, acknowledging her efforts on his behalf. Facing his imminent mortality, he grimly observes that he’ll die in the woods, remembered as a monster who supposedly tried to burn teenage girls alive, while in the real world, he’ll barely be remembered at all.

Misty attempts to comfort him, calling him decent and kind, before adding the disturbing observation that he was her “first boyfriend, and amputation” — a statement that reveals her continued inability to distinguish between appropriate boundaries and her own disturbing obsessions. After saying goodbye, she departs from the animal pen, leaving Ben alone with his final meal.

Let’s Go Spelunking

In another area of the camp, Lottie approaches Akhila to ask if she’s ready to return to the caves. When Akhila hesitates, expressing reluctance to leave immediately, Lottie insists she feels “It” has more to communicate through Akhila. Sensing the girl’s apprehension, Lottie reminds her that she initially wanted to explore the caves and shouldn’t hesitate now, promising to remain by her side throughout the experience.

Travis approaches, torch in hand, prepared to join their expedition. When Akhila finally agrees, albeit with visible trepidation, the three depart from camp. Their journey represents the deepening division within the group. While most survivors focus on Ben’s fate, Lottie continues her pursuit of supernatural guidance, drawing Akhila further into her spiritual beliefs while potentially exploiting Travis’s loyalty for her own purposes.

Chocolate Rugelach and Lies

In the present timeline, Misty approaches the penthouse door at the appartment hotel, carrying a box as a prop for her deception. When she rings the doorbell, a nurse named Nora (Halia Hirniak) answers, stating that Mr. Matthews is resting and cannot be disturbed. Before she can close the door, Mr. Matthews himself appears behind her, asking with confusion if “they” have arrived early for a meeting. Despite Nora’s attempts to manage the situation, Mr. Matthews insists on answering his own door, revealing his diminished mental state.

Seizing the opportunity, Misty introduces herself as “Mary from the fifth floor,” offering chocolate rugelach as a condolence gift after hearing about his daughter’s death. Mr. Matthews sharply states he’s never seen her before, but Misty smoothly dismisses his certainty, calling him “Marty” and implying his objection stems from memory issues. Though he accepts the pastries and attempts to end the conversation, Misty fabricates a story about Lottie mentioning a package intended for Misty, requesting permission to search for it inside the apartment.

Despite his reluctance and mention of an upcoming meeting, Mr. Matthews allows Misty entry but insists she be quick. Once inside, Misty boldly hangs her coat despite his protests. While distracting him with conversation, she surreptitiously searches Lottie’s coat pockets, discovering a receipt for a $50,000 withdrawal Lottie made shortly before her death, a significant clue suggesting Lottie anticipated trouble or planned to disappear.

To gauge Mr. Matthews’ reaction, Misty pretends to have seen Lottie with someone in the lobby the previous day. He dismissively attributes this to “one of the cult nutsos,” prompting Misty to suggest someone might have pushed Lottie down the stairs. He vehemently denies this possibility, insisting her death was accidental, while adding the cryptic comment that “Art down at the station knows his foundation won’t see a dime if he says otherwise.”

Their exchange is interrupted when Misty hears Walter calling Mr. Matthews from another room. Investigating, she discovers Walter and Shauna wearing matching “Giga Guys” uniforms complete with red caps, posing as internet technicians. When Mr. Matthews innocently asks if they’ve also fixed Misty’s internet, Shauna seizes the opportunity to mock Misty, claiming they helped with her “porno viruses.”

After Nurse Nora arrives with medication and Mr. Matthews leaves to take a phone call, Misty confronts Walter about choosing Shauna “of all people” as a rebound. Though they insist their relationship is “strictly professional,” Misty remains skeptical. Spotting a nearby laptop, she quickly deduces Walter is attempting to hack Lottie’s internet history. When Walter offers to share his findings if Misty joins their team, addressing her as “Agent Gray,” she bitterly responds that she’d “rather jump out the window” before walking away, as Walter declares, “let the best citizen detective win.”

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The Best Way to Lose Control

Back in the wilderness, Van and Taissa walk through the woods discussing strategies to summon Taissa’s alter ego. Van suggests they “listen to the trees,” clearly improvising without a concrete plan. Taissa points out that previously, her episodes occurred during sleep, and she would wake up in the woods following the mysterious Man With No Eyes. When Van acknowledges Taissa hasn’t sleptwalked in months, a realization suddenly strikes Van: another trigger for Taissa’s transformation was their intimate encounters.

When Taissa asks if this suggestion is merely an excuse to “get into her pants,” Van flirtatiously replies that “everything is.” Their playful exchange evolves into passionate kissing as they attempt to trigger Taissa’s darker self, the forest around them fading from focus as they test whether intimacy might summon the wilderness-influenced personality they seek.

A Conduit For the Wilderness

Lottie, Travis, and Akhila arrive at the cave entrance where previous explorations resulted in hallucinatory experiences. Akhila voices her doubts, questioning whether visions induced by the cave gases truly represent meaningful communication or are simply chemical reactions. Lottie confidently explains that the gases serve merely as a conduit, connecting Akhila to the Wilderness just as mushrooms facilitated Travis’s spiritual experiences.

Though visibly frightened by the dark entrance, Akhila agrees to proceed after Lottie assures her that “It” will protect her. When Akhila requests a moment to collect herself, Lottie steps away, giving her space. Travis takes this opportunity to suggest to Lottie that perhaps they should abandon the experiment altogether. Though Lottie questions his hesitation, Travis’s concern reinforces suspicions that he might have fabricated his visions to avoid becoming Lottie’s lab rat in her spiritual journey.

Nevertheless, trapped in his deception, Travis approaches Akhila with a lantern, promising to remain nearby and pull her out immediately if she loses consciousness. When Akhila tells Travis he’s the only person she truly trusts, his expression reveals profound guilt at his participation in Lottie’s potentially dangerous scheme. Armed with lanterns and rope for safety, the three venture into the cave’s darkness.

Solid Concrete Walls

In Mr. Matthews’ apartment, Misty stealthily navigates the hallways until the owner surprisingly confronts her. She quickly claims to be heading to Lottie’s bedroom to search for her supposed package. When Walter and Shauna appear, Walter attempts to remove Misty from the situation by telling Mr. Matthews they need to perform additional repairs in the back room that might be hazardous.

As Misty insists she’ll “only take a second,” Mr. Matthews suggests she return another day. Thinking quickly, Misty comments that when she had internet issues on the fifth floor, technicians had to run cables outside her apartment because the walls were too thick for internal wiring. Though Shauna tries to disprove this claim by knocking on the wall, the solid sound confirms Misty’s assertion about the building’s concrete construction.

Cornered by his own cover story, Walter has no choice but to follow Mr. Matthews’ instructions to run cables outside the building, leaving Misty free to search Lottie’s bedroom alone.

A Quick Encounter

Taissa and Van arrive at a park where Simone (Rukiya Bernard) waits with their son Sammy (Aiden Stoxx), who plays with a dog nearby. Taissa approaches cautiously, clearly nervous about this reunion, and thanks Simone for arranging the meeting. Simone coldly responds that it wasn’t her choice, Sammy had been asking for his mother, making it clear this encounter is for the child’s benefit, not Taissa’s.

While Taissa approaches her son, Van sits beside Simone on a bench. Simone stares judgmentally at Van before asking if she’s “her” in a tone loaded with disapproval, suggesting she blames Van for her family’s dissolution. Meanwhile, Sammy’s reaction to Taissa is devastating; he steps away with his dog clutched protectively in his arms, visibly afraid of his mother. Recognizing her son’s distress, Simone quickly intervenes, taking him from the park and cutting short what was already a painfully brief reunion, leaving Taissa to confront the reality that her son now fears the person who once represented safety and love.

Mutually Assured Destruction

In the hallway outside Mr. Matthews’ apartment, Walter continues his technical efforts to hack into Lottie’s phone through the home’s WiFi, complaining about the unexpectedly robust firewall protection. Shauna thinks aloud about the inconsistencies in Lottie’s story, particularly her claim of having nowhere to stay despite her father’s apartment being available from the moment she left the psychiatric facility.

When Walter suggests Lottie might have simply needed a friend rather than accommodation, Shauna dismisses this simplistic interpretation. Walter counters that relationships are fundamentally binary — “you’re either a friend or not” — and by that measure, Shauna certainly isn’t Misty’s friend, given her recent treatment and accusations. Offended by this assessment, Shauna points out the hypocrisy of Walter criticizing her friendship with Misty while simultaneously sabotaging her investigation.

Shauna mockingly suggests Walter’s competitive behavior represents a misguided attempt to win Misty back, adding that she wouldn’t be surprised if he killed Lottie just to gain Misty’s attention. In response, Walter plucks a hair from his head and offers it to Shauna as DNA evidence she could use to verify his innocence — but only if she reciprocates with a sample of her own. When Shauna refuses this exchange, Walter implies she must be hiding something, adding that “mutually assured destruction can be devastatingly effective” as an investigative strategy.

Without warning, Walter lunges forward, attempting to grab one of Shauna’s hairs. She evades his grasp and storms away, forgetting her “Giga Guys” cap in her haste. Walter examines the abandoned hat with methodical precision, triumphantly discovering a loose hair and securing exactly what he wanted without Shauna’s cooperation, potentially giving him leverage in both the investigation and their personal power struggle.

A Blood Sacrifice

In the wilderness, Van and Taissa dress themselves after their intimate encounter. When Van asks if Taissa experienced any personality shift, Taissa initially responds with blank eyes, asking where the gun is and momentarily suggesting their plan succeeded. Then, Taissa breaks into a smile and completes her joke by saying she needs the weapon to “blow her brains out because that obviously didn’t work.” Disappointed by this failure, she suggests they return to camp.

As they walk through the forest, they hear an animal squealing. Investigating the sound, they discover one of their traps has caught a rabbit. Taissa jokes that the Wilderness has provided their dinner, to which Van adds there’s “one other thing” the Wilderness desires. “Blood,” Taissa ominously completes her thought.

Taking the captured rabbit, Taissa accepts a knife from Van, who instructs her to remain present during the killing, following Lottie’s spiritual practices. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Taissa focuses intensely on the animal before decisively slicing its throat. As blood drips into the undergrowth, Taissa narrates her sensory experience, smelling the rabbit’s blood and feeling its heartbeat gradually slowing between her fingers.

As the rabbit dies, a strange wind sweeps through the woods, as though the Wilderness itself acknowledges their sacrifice. Van looks expectantly at Taissa for signs of transformation, but Taissa disappointedly confirms she remains unchanged despite the ritual killing, suggesting that summoning her alter ego requires more than simple bloodshed.

The Chosen One

Inside the caves, Lottie methodically ties rope around Akhila’s waist while the girl anxiously questions how deep she needs to venture. Travis advises her to return to the same location where she previously experienced visions, while Lottie explains they’ll retrieve her when the rope stops moving, indicating she’s reached her destination. As Akhila begins her solitary journey deeper into the cave, Lottie instructs her to listen carefully to her surroundings, seeking communion with the Wilderness.

From a safe distance, Travis expresses his misgivings to Lottie, who firmly reminds him that the Wilderness identified Akhila as the chosen one through his own visions — a responsibility he now seems to regret claiming. When Travis attempts to follow Akhila, concerned for her safety in the toxic environment, Lottie physically blocks his path, insisting they wait for the process to unfold naturally.

As Akhila reaches the section containing poisonous gas, she loses consciousness, her body slumping to the cave floor. Noticing the rope has stopped moving, Travis covers his face with a rag and rushes to find her, calling her name with increasing urgency. Lottie follows close behind, similarly attempting to protect herself from the noxious fumes. After locating Akhila’s unconscious form, Lottie untethers her, and together they carry her to safety. While Travis frantically attempts to revive her, patting her face and checking her breathing, Lottie suggests they wait for Akhila to naturally emerge from her vision-state, her faith in the process unshaken despite the evident danger.

Are We Having Fun?

In Lottie’s bedroom, Misty conducts a thorough search, methodically checking potential hiding places until she triumphantly discovers a phone hidden under a pillow. Her victory is short-lived; when she attempts to access the device, she discovers it has been reset to factory settings, erasing any evidence it might have contained. Walter, who has silently entered the room behind her, smugly declares “Checkmate,” revealing he cloned Lottie’s phone before wiping it clean, offering to share its contents only if Misty approaches him with appropriate humility.

When Misty demands to know his motivation for this competitive interference, Walter simply replies they’re “having fun,” treating their investigation as a game despite the gravity of Lottie’s death. Disgusted by this characterization, Misty declares she can’t believe she once allowed someone “as despicable” as Walter to bathe her beloved bird Caligula, a cutting remark that visibly wounds him. Maintaining his composure despite the emotional blow, Walter turns away, addressing her formally as “Agent Grey” before departing, leaving Misty alone with a useless phone and mounting frustration at being outmaneuvered.

An Honest Exchange

The camera pans across the many Yellowjackets photographs adorning Lottie’s bedroom as Shauna stands in contemplative silence, remembering her friend. When she closes her eyes, we see flashes of Lottie from both adulthood and their wilderness days, including disturbing glimpses of scenes yet to unfold in which Teen Lottie is covered in blood.

Shauna’s reminiscence is interrupted by Mr. Matthews, who startles her by addressing her as Lottie and instructing her to clean her room. Playing along with his confusion, Shauna agrees to tidy the space. As the camera shifts to show Mr. Matthews’ perspective, we see Teen Lottie standing where Shauna was, the visual filter indicating we’re witnessing a decaying memory through his deteriorating mind.

In this layered scene, Mr. Matthews laments that he isn’t “one of the crazy voices” in Lottie’s head, suggesting maybe then she would listen to him. He expresses frustration at her defiance before apologizing, admitting he’s doing his best in a difficult situation. When Lottie asks if he thinks it’s easy for her, he acknowledges his inability to understand her experiences, though he wishes he could bridge this emotional gap.

Returning to reality, we see Shauna has replaced Lottie in the scene, responding to Mr. Matthews with compassion. Smiling at what he perceives as a moment of connection with his daughter, he suggests they order Chinese food and watch “the new Scorsese” film. As he departs to retrieve a menu, Shauna impulsively embraces him, offering comfort. Left alone after his departure, Shauna’s expression reveals her newfound understanding of the challenges Lottie faced with her father.

Change of Scenery

At Taissa’s home, she sits in Sammy’s former bedroom, clutching his clothes and seeking connection with the child who now fears her. Her mind returns to their brief park encounter, replaying Sammy’s devastating question: if she was “still his mommy,” and her heartfelt assurance that she would “always be his mommy, no matter what” — a promise rendered hollow by his hasty retreat from her presence.

Van enters the bedroom, kneeling before Taissa and holding her hands. When Van apologizes that things didn’t unfold as Taissa hoped, Taissa suggests a “change of scenery,” explaining she needs to leave the house and its painful reminders of family life. Van readily agrees to this proposal.

Bring Her Back to Us

In the past timeline, Lottie kneels over Akhila’s unconscious body, rhythmically chanting “Bring her back to us” while Travis anxiously reminds her he warned against this dangerous experiment. After tense moments, Akhila finally awakens with a desperate gasp for air, her eyes wide with the impact of her vision.

As Travis and Lottie comfort her, Akhila immediately begins sharing what she experienced. Her vision unfolds visually for viewers, who see Akhila standing at the edge of a massive cliff, unable to see its bottom through swirling mist. Before she can retreat from the precipice, she notices something before her: a giant Coach Ben, his limbs bound, creating a human bridge across the chasm. In describing this image to Lottie and Travis, Akhila emphasizes that Coach Ben prevented her from falling into the abyss, serving as their literal pathway to safety.

When Lottie eagerly asks what lay beyond Coach Ben, Akhila initially recalls only darkness. However, as she continues narrating, we see the vision expand: fog dissipating to reveal city lights on the distant side, accompanied by the sounds of car horns and urban life. In response to Lottie’s question about her emotional state during the vision, Akhila simply states she felt “hope,” a sentiment largely absent from their wilderness existence.

The Firing Squad

Inside the animal pen, Ben holds the baby goat in his arms, finding momentary comfort in the innocent creature. His solitude is interrupted by whispers of Paul’s voice urging him to “come home,” a hallucination born of extreme stress. Melissa, Gen (Vanessa Prasad), and other Yellowjackets arrive to collect him for execution. Gen places a bag over his head, obscuring his vision before they drag him from the relative safety of the pen.

The scene reveals that Ben never touched the elaborate meal Misty prepared, perhaps his small act of defiance or simply an acceptance that nourishment no longer matters. The girls march Ben through the forest to a clearing where they position him against a tree, removing the blindfold so he can witness the assembled team prepared for his execution. 

Natalie, visibly trembling and crying, removes her necklace — Jackie’s necklace — and places it around Ben’s neck. While close enough to whisper without others hearing, Ben pleads with Natalie, telling her she doesn’t have to kill him. Natalie can only respond with a tearful “sorry” before rejoining the firing squad. With nothing left to lose, Ben confronts the group, questioning how they can truly want to kill him after everything they’ve shared. He notes they can barely look at him, urging them to recognize their shared history and humanity — that the barbaric actions they contemplate contradict their true natures.

When Gen attempts to replace the bag over his head, silencing his appeals, Ben struggles against this final indignity, defiantly declaring that if they intend to kill him, they must look him in the eye while doing so. Gen angrily insists he doesn’t deserve that consideration and forcibly covers his face despite his resistance.

As Ben continues begging in darkness, asking what kind of monsters they’ve become, Taissa prepares to shoot, her hands shaking violently with the emotional weight of her task. Suddenly, her demeanor transforms completely: her grip steadies and her expression hardens. Van recognizes this shift immediately, seeing the emergence of Taissa’s alternate personality, who calmly assures her “everything will be alright” before taking precise aim at the bound coach.

At the critical moment, Travis lunges forward to push Ben aside while Lottie simultaneously forces the rifle upward. A gunshot echoes through the forest as the bullet harmlessly strikes the trees above. When Taissa demands an explanation for this interference, Lottie declares they cannot kill Ben yet because he serves a greater purpose. Akhila, still weakened from her cave experience, joins them to confirm the revelation from her vision: “Ben is our bridge home.”

The Bad Parts of You

As evening settles over the camp, Ben finds himself back in the animal pen, his temporary reprieve from execution bringing uncertain relief. Shauna and Melissa enter the enclosure, Shauna prominently carrying her knife. When Ben reminds them of Lottie’s pronouncement about his purpose, Shauna wordlessly hands her knife to Melissa and instructs her to “do it.” As Melissa hesitates before this brutal task, Shauna encourages her using Melissa’s own earlier words about embracing the “bad parts” of oneself.

PJ Harvey’s haunting “Rid of Me” provides a disturbing soundtrack as Melissa approaches the bound coach, knife in hand. Despite his desperate attempts to escape, Ben remains securely tied to the central log. In a shocking act of calculated cruelty, Melissa grabs his remaining leg and viciously slices his Achilles tendon, permanently crippling him without killing him. As Ben’s agonized screams fill the air, Melissa smiles with disturbing satisfaction before returning the bloodied knife to Shauna.

The other survivors watch in horror as Shauna and Melissa exit the pen. With chilling pragmatism, Shauna announces to the group, “Ben is not going anywhere now,” a solution that preserves his life as their “bridge” while ensuring he cannot escape. Disgusted by this unnecessary brutality, Natalie confronts Shauna, telling her she doesn’t have to “enjoy this so much.” Shauna retorts sharply that Natalie doesn’t have to pretend she’s a saint.

As Shauna leads Melissa away by hand toward her tent, the rest of the group remain frozen in place for a moment, until they each retreat to their sleeping places. Ben’s agonized cries echo through the camp, a haunting testament to their continuing descent into savagery and moral compromise.

[Credits roll]

How did you enjoy Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5? What do you think will happen to Ben now? Join the discussion in the comments!