The premiere of Yellowjackets' third season kicks off with a hauntingly familiar tableau: Shauna dashing through the dense woods, an image that has become a recurring motif throughout the series. This time, she is in hot pursuit of Mari, her teeth bared in a playful yet fierce game that doesn't sit well with Shauna's competitive spirit when she's on the losing end.
The chill of the biting winter has somewhat subdued the girls' spirits, yet the haunting specters of their fallen comrades continue to cast a shadow over their perceived Eden. To cope with the endless hours, they indulge in games, but Shauna increasingly finds herself detached from the main group's camaraderie.
A rift runs deep between Shauna and Mari, a wound salted by the horrors Shauna has borne witness to. The others grapple with their own demons, but Shauna's burden is especially heavy—her best friend and an innocent baby lost to the wilderness, and the constant murmurings of miracles and sacrifices serve only to darken her disposition further.
While her peers listen to Van's bravado about their resilience as formidable women, Shauna takes solace in chronicling her experiences, her words a stark contrast to the group's collective defiance.
Meanwhile, the group clings to the belief that Coach perished during the harsh winter, starving or freezing to death. In stark reality, he thrives, cunningly springing traps in the woods and stumbling upon a bounty of food and supplies. Following cryptic clues, he unearths a clandestine underground cache, hidden beneath the forest floor.
With this newly discovered pit, Coach devises a trap, cleverly concealing it under a veneer of dirt to lure unsuspecting prey. This moment echoes back to season one, where a similar spike pit played a pivotal role. Could this be the same ominous location, whispering secrets of survival and peril from another lifetime?Meanwhile, Travis, in an elevated state of mind, meanders through the dense woods until he stumbles upon Lottie, who stands there lost in thought. She opens up to him about her vivid hallucinations, and they find a shared understanding. However, Travis's revelry takes a turn for the worse when the trees begin to scream out in an unsettling manner, sending shivers down his spine.
That evening, the Summer Solstice festival proceeds despite the underlying tensions. Shauna, with a malevolent gleam in her eye, openly spits in Mari's food but lies about her actions to the group. This deceitful act eventually escalates into a fierce confrontation between the two women, resulting in their confinement to house arrest as punishment.
Elsewhere, the remaining members venture out to celebrate and pay homage to their fallen comrades. They light sky lanterns at the graves of Javi and the others, allowing them to drift skyward in a poignant tribute. But just as they release the lanterns, eerie, menacing screams echo through the woods, casting a pall of fear over the celebration.
When morning breaks, Coach returns to the pit, anticipating the sight of a captured deer. Instead, he discovers Mira, her leg visibly broken and her expression one of pain and distress.In the present moment, Shauna and the others engage in solemn preparations for Natalie's funeral. Misty, immersed in her grief, continues to listen to her meditation tapes, seeking solace in their calming whispers. Meanwhile, Walter has uncovered a key to a storage unit, potentially holding the answers that Misty desperately needs.
Shauna, her patience worn thin, scolds Callie for neglecting the dishes, but her mind is elsewhere, preoccupied with the looming memorial service. Despite her distress, everyone gathers as planned. After a heartfelt eulogy from Natalie's mother, the attendees share their condolences and memories. Shauna, raw and honest, confesses her shortcomings as a mother and wife, pondering whether anyone would remember her if she were to pass away.
Yet, amidst the mourning, one figure is conspicuously absent: Misty. Armed with the key, she ventures into the storage unit, sifting through Natalie's belongings with a heavy heart. She carefully categorizes them into "treasured keepsakes" and "discardable items," each decision a poignant reminder of her lost friend. When she discovers Natalie's jacket, she can't resist taking it as a keepsake, a tangible connection to her friend.
Driven by an unspeakable sorrow, Misty heads to the bar, ordering a whiskey with a sway in her step. Donning Natalie's jacket, she parades around the room, a newfound swagger in her stride. She consumes seven shots in quick succession, her grief and anger fueling an escalating tension. Eventually, she finds herself in a confrontation with a couple of guys at the pool table, her alcohol-fueled emotions boiling over.
Stumbling home, drunk and desolate, Misty is surprised when Walter appears, offering her a ride. He explains that the bartender tried to contact her friends first, but nobody answered until they reached Walter. In the backseat of his car, Misty's defenses crumble. She weeps openly, her grief unleashed as she laments Natalie's death and blames herself for the pain she's feeling.
Upon returning home, Taissa finds herself tasked with tending to Van, whose spirits are far from high. Illness plagues her body, yet Taissa, seeking forgiveness for their strained past, suggests a dining outing as an olive branch. However, the endeavor falls flat, leaving both feeling underwhelmed. In a spontaneous decision, they flee the restaurant without settling the bill, the waiter in hot pursuit. Tragedy narrowly avoids him as he dodges a speeding bus, only to suffer a heart-stopping attack moments later.
At school, Callie unexpectedly receives a SwiftEats delivery from Randy, while Shauna, rummaging through her daughter's drawers, decides to indulge in her weed stash. The tranquil high is short-lived as Shauna's phone buzzes. Randy's order harbors a grim twist—raw entrails, which Callie hurls at her gossiping tormentors. Shauna, partially clouded by marijuana, brushes it off with indifference. Jeff, however, is alarmed, linking Callie's erratic behavior to Shauna's dark past, including their encounter in the woods and Shauna's murderer status.
That evening, Jeff ventures to the gym while Shauna engages Callie in a candid conversation. Callie justifies her actions, explaining she wanted to teach those gossiping girls a lesson, adding she even recorded the entire episode. Shauna, intrigued, labels it "fucking hilarious" and demands a replay.
Later that night, an envelope addressed to Shauna arrives at their doorstep. Curiosity piqued, Callie opens it to discover a tape inside.
