Yellowjackets season 3 continues to push boundaries and test philosophy in the most dire circumstances in episode 6 by turning elements of last week's episode inside out.
There is never a dull moment with this show. Yellowjackets has a knack for leading unsuspecting folks down one direction only to take a sharp left turn, leaving them completely bewildered as if the series is not traumatizing enough. Anyone who thought fate was sealed at the end of episode 5 would be immediately proven wrong by episode 6.
Disclaimer: This article contains minor spoilers for Yellowjackets season 3.
In episode 6, "Thanksgiving (Canada)", roles are reversed in the wilderness following Coach Ben's last-minute pardon from his death sentence due to Akilah's vision revealing him to be their bridge back home. Now the girls want to keep him alive while he wants to be dead, so he can be out of his misery since escape stopped being an option after Melissa (Jenna Burgess) cut the Achilles tendon in his remaining foot.
The present day deals with Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) scrambling to decipher a digital audio tape given to her by her frantic daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) who got it from an unidentified stalker. Meanwhile, Misty (Christina Ricci) reaches closer to discovering who killed Lottie (Simone Kessell).
Withering Mercy for Ben
Looking at Ben (Steven Krueger) is painfully depressing. The tribe has him tied up and severed in high volumes of pain. They only keep him alive by bringing him food every day, which accomplishes nothing in relieving him of his suffering. Ben is hurt, tired, and deprived of dignity and freedom. He deeply regrets his execution being canceled because death is the only way to guarantee rest at this point.
Throughout the episode, he refuses to eat and begs Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) to take him out. Still, she initially denies his request because she does not want to take away anyone's hope of going home, including his own. Sadly, she fails to realize his hope is already dead and he's just waiting to catch up until she concludes that keeping alive in so much agony is not being fair to him.
Natalie has always had the strongest moral compass among the Yellowjackets, which is why she was appointed to be their leader. She is always trusted to do the right thing and what's best for her people, no matter what, but those are not the same. The moral dilemma Natalie faces is the anchor of this episode. She gradually advocates for the coach's killing until she takes the matter into her own hands at the cost of her rank.
The Queen Falls, A Tyrant Rises
The transition Natalie goes through in the episode is bittersweet. Seeing her finally deliver the mercy killing Ben wanted only to lose her rank to Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) stirs a mess of emotions. Viewers can feel gratification from her selflessly killing Ben, but it is impossible to avoid the fear and woe that comes from knowing the price she has to pay.
Natalie is not in charge anymore, Shauna is. Shauna is technically the primary protagonist in this ensemble series and there is a worthy argument supporting why she should have been the leader in the first place. However, there is one problem; she is the absolute worst.
Yellowjackets has never been about good vs evil, only survival of the fittest, so it makes sense having a flawed protagonist, but Shauna might be the antagonist of her show. She is jealous, vindictive, and malicious. It is difficult to hate her knowing the trauma she endured, but it is more difficult to admire her or justify her actions. Nélisse seems to know this as she portrays the character provocatively, like she is daring anyone to detest her, presenting an interesting contrast from Thatcher's Natalie, who welcomes everyone to love her.
The Present Is Not A Gift
The present-day arcs are not as engaging this time, they fall in the shadow of the past savagery in the wilderness.
Callie, her mom Shauna, along with other adult counterparts, are still entertaining because of the talented cast, but their stories feel largely disjointed, struggling to be held together by Lottie's murder-mystery subplot. The most interesting piece of the puzzle follows the digital audio tape Callie reveals to her mother. It was left by an unknown creep who may or may not have killed Lottie. Callie wants to push through her fears to take a more proactive approach to protect her family, unfortunately for her, Shauna and her husband refuse to let her because they finally come to terms with the possibility of them being the worst parents in the world.
Since then, Shauna sinks into her obsession to uncover what's on the tape, so she calls Van (Lauren Ambrose), who is away in a hotel suite with Taissa (Tawny Cypress), for a DAT player. Meanwhile, Misty interrogates Lottie's former disciple Lisa (Nicole Maines).
That DAT saga takes a backseat for a revolving door of distracting interpersonal drama among the adult Yellowjackets. Other than Shauna, their issues interrupt the episode's progression, less time on that would have made a huge difference.
The Wilderness Reigns
The journey the young Yellowjackets face with Natalie, Ben, and Shauna gives the sixth episode a rich spicy flavor worthy of praise. Their arc is magnetic with the right amount of turmoil to keep you hooked. Their adult counterparts are still portrayed wonderfully by the actors behind them, it is just unfortunate seeing their present surpassed by their past in terms of story and progression this time.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
About Yellowjackets
Season Premiere Date: February 15, 2025
Episode Count: 10
Executive Producer/Showrunner: Ashley Lyle
Writers: Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Elise Brown, Rich Monahan, Katherine Kearns, Karen Joseph Adcock, Ameni Rosza, Sarah L. Thompson, Liz Phang, Libby Hill, Emily St. James, Jonathan Lisco, Terry Wesley, Julia Bicknell, Chantelle Wells, Cameron Brent Johnson, Alisha Brophy
Directors: Eva Sørhaug, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Ben Semanoff, Bille Woodruff, Karyn Kusama, Anya Adams, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jennifer Morrison, Bart Nickerson, Deepa Mehta, Jamie Travis, Ariel Kleiman, Eduardo Sánchez, Liz Garbus, Scott Winant, Pete Chatmon, Jonathan Lisco
Production: Lionsgate Television, Beer Christmas Ltd. Showtime Networks
Distribution: Showtime and Paramount Plus
Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Sophie Nélisse, Tawny Cypress, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Christina Ricci
Synopsis: Yellowjackets is a horror story and teen drama about an elite high school girls' soccer team stranded in the remote wilderness after a devastating plane crash, forced to adapt in harrowing ways. The series follows a non-linear narrative to reveal the depths in which their adult lives were molded by their shared loss of innocence.