“This place doesn’t want to be governed.”
It’s not so much that absolute power corrupts absolutely in ‘Yellowjackets,’ but rather, the pursuit of it is intoxicating. Natalie’s “Antler Queen” administration has been thriving, as shown in “It Girl,” complete with food, a (somewhat) established order, and an emotional support duck. However, the fissures within this peacetime would never remain that way. She’s facing pressure for a variety of reasons.
The most intriguing aspect of “Dislocation” is much of the synergy between the rescue and present-day timelines. The threads are stronger with certain characters than others (more so with Lottie and Misty). Nevertheless, ‘Yellowjackets’ is at its best when it puts the pieces together, and you can track why certain behaviors exist. Coyness regarding the supernatural aspects of the story is still at play. Depending on which side you stand, there’s an entity that is claiming souls in the present-day timeline. Or “it” is a result of a nice cup of drug-induced tea and psychosis. I’m starting to be more on the side of a group of young adults living through a highly traumatic experience and having shared delusions about what happened to rationalize the bad things.
To start, the elephant in the room of Coach Scott looms over the happenings of the wilderness. Natalie knows he’s around (and Misty does, too). He’s not a terrible person, so I’m not surprised he helps Mari with her dislocated kneecap. I’m inclined to believe that Coach Scott didn’t see the cabin burning down. However, Van said in her extravagant story in ‘It Girl’ that the cabin burned for around 12 days. Didn’t he see any of that? You also have to remember that Coach Scott was terrified of the girls. (Can you blame him?) Javi’s death (and consumption) was the straw that broke the camel’s back. While Coach Scott is most likely innocent, the girls won’t think so.
L-R: Samantha Hanratty as Teen Misty and Kevin Alves as Teen Travis in Yellowjackets, episode 2, season 3, streaming on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, 2025. Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
Mari may not be long for this world if the theme of hot chocolate as a specter of death throughout Yellowjackets holds true. If you remember, Jackie had a dream of drinking hot chocolate in season one, and Walter poisoned Kevyn with it in season two. We see throughout the trailers that Shauna will make a power play – Misty certainly gave that a boost in what she told her about Natalie knowing where Coach Scott is. When the girls find Mari with Coach Scott, that will probably be Mari’s death kneel. Van and Taissa’s conversation about aspirational goals is also interesting because one person pushes the other in one direction. Will Tai throw her hat in the “Antler Queen” ring? That remains to be seen.
The other aspect of a power struggle is what’s happening with Lottie and Travis. As the theme of the present timeline suggests, Lottie has a disarming quality that she can use to guide you to wherever she wants to go. That’s precisely why running a “wellness center,” or cult, worked for her. Using Travis as a conduit for connecting with the “presence” is sad to watch, knowing what happens to him leaving the wilderness. Given his revelation that “it” is present in Akilah because of her animal nurturing abilities, I wonder if Lottie will start to gain her “religious” disciples in this way. I’m hard-pressed to believe Akilah will drink the mushroom tea willingly. Also, Travis and Lottie could be going off pure hallucinogenic assumption because Akilah is like Snow White in the forest. Either way, two major themes will come to a head soon: the need for retribution and the search for meaning.
L-R: Sophie Nélisse as Teen Shauna and Jenna Burgess as Teen Melissa in Yellowjackets, episode 2, season 3, streaming on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, 2025. Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
In the present, we have babysitter Misty, who is still under the impression the surviving Yellowjackets want to be her friend. If it’s not apparent in the flashbacks, Natalie and Shauna look at her as annoying, but valuable in that Misty will do almost anything to cull favor from there. Walter might have his own nefarious reasons for separating Misty from the rest of the crew. In that regard, it’s hard to say he’s wrong. Misty is the “call me if you need something” friend, and only that to the remaining adults. Given Misty’s state, Shauna didn’t even drive her home. Everybody is mourning the loss of Natalie in their own way, but Misty is the person who is impacted by it the most. Will she finally stand up for herself? I hope she does.
Returning to Lottie, we are starting to see how she influences Callie. There’s no way I would have let her stay in my house after everything that went down in the season two finale. I know forgiveness is a fantastic trait to have, but Lottie tried to sacrifice Shauna. However, Lottie has the answers to Callie’s questions regarding what happened in the wilderness – or her interpretation of it. ‘Yellowjackets’ is based upon the narrator through which you see the world. Shauna and Misty aren’t forthcoming about what happened, so Lottie is happy to fill that void. The problem with that is that Lottie’s filter paints the story. I don’t know if Callie will be drinking mushroom tea anytime soon. But there’s an opening for Lottie to lead her down a rabbit hole.
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Shauna is still in her own world, embodying the “speak to the manager” energy that comes to fruition at the end of “Dislocation.” Good on her for telling the pretentious hotel guys about themselves at the dinner. On the flip side, could she have at least faked the funk for Jeff a little bit? If everybody has secrets, Shauna has a potential big one in the form of an actual person – Melissa. It’s not a coincidence the show does an intercut between Shauna and Melissa kissing in the past and adult Shauna trying to find out who owns the cell phone in the present. (this is Hilary Swank, right?)
It’s a quick interaction but tells us much about their potential path. Shauna has disassociated from the entire group and doesn’t hate Melissa. Melissa comes up and showers her with compliments—something Shauna hasn’t had in a long time. After the potential assault, Shauna kisses her. It could be a possible romantic relationship later. Right now, I think this one is of necessity for Shauna. Now, she has someone other than Misty who will back her once she challenges Natalie.
Tai and Van continue their “now we can love one another” honeymoon. There’s the matter of repaying the restaurant they stiffed. It’s there where Tai finds out the waiter died (I assume this is the handy work of The Man With No Eyes). With “It Girl,” I said other suspects lit the cabin on fire. The way Tai is locked into the candle burning at the altar is another flashing light saying she was probably the culprit.
There are episodes in the second season of ‘Yellowjackets’ where you beg the show to answer something. The beginning of ‘Yellowjackets’ season three is stage setting. “Dislocation” explains why behaviors continue and intrigues the audience with its promise that everything in the past will fall apart.
Speaking To the Manager Energy
- Christina Ricci’s comedic timing continues to be a joy in this show. It was funny to see Misty avoid Lottie’s mambo jumbo by alphabetizing the cabinet.
- Is anybody else getting serial killer vibes from Walter?
