Friends, Romans, Countrymen

## Episode guide

**"Friends, Romans, Countrymen"** is the premiere of the second season of *Yellowjackets*. The "teen plotline" in the wilderness picks up two months after the events of the first season finale "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi," while the adult plotline continues in the immediate aftermath of the first season. The episode premiered March 24, 2023 on streaming and March 26, 2023 on Showtime.

## Summary

Two months into winter the survivors cope with falling rations, low morale and their latest disastrous attempt to freeze a teammate out of the game.

Shauna explores the secondary market for Yellowjackets memorabilia, while Taissa, Misty and Natalie all seek out best friends both old and new.

## Plot

### A return

Nataie and Travis are setting off for a trip into the woods. Lottie tells them to wait, applying a concoction to their hands, lighting a candle and performing a ritual. Natalie suggests that she cut the "Wicca bullshit," that it's not doing them any good, but Lottie points out that they keep coming back safe.

In 1998, the surviving Yellowjackets are returning from having been rescued from their ordeal. There is a massive crowd of reporters, many of the shout questions, often addressed at the individual Yellowjackets, trying to get them to tell them something, anything. At some point after this, Lottie's parents have taken her to a psychiatrist. Lottie's mother, Emilia, tells him that Lottie has been barely sleeping or eating, wandering the house at odd hours of the night. The psychiatrist tells him that he has seen their frustration before, but Lottie's father, Malcolm, tells him to just tell them whether or not he can fix her.

Lottie is next seen being given electroshock therapy. She screams, but afterward, she is in a room with a roommate who is muttering to herself "Shut up, shut up!" apparently hearing voices in her head. Lottie comes over to her and calms her. She tells her that they can make her better, the same as they did with her. In the present day, however, Lottie is outside on a stage in front of a lake, with mountains in the background. She tells the assembled crowd before her that nobody can help them, not even her, that the truth is there's only one person that can help them: themselves. She tells them that they must find their truest, most authentic, primal and elemental selves, that we are the ones making ourselves sick and the rest of it doesn't matter, that it's not real. Back in 1998, the reporters continue to clamor, trying to get answers from Lottie as she prepares to board a vehicle. She turns around and lets loose a terrifying scream.

### Reckoning

In the present day, Shauna is a darkened room with a glass of water, seemingly alone. However, a distorted male voice comes at her, telling her to state her name for the record. After she gives it, the voice asks her if she understands her rights. When she says she does, the voice asks her why she killed Adam Martin. She says she didn't and the voice asks "Didn't what?" She says she didn't murder him and it points out that it didn't say anything about murder. The voice asks how the sex was. "Mindblowing, or just really, really hot?" Shauna replies that "they" won't definitely ask that, and it is revealed that the voice is actually Misty Quigley, using a voice-changer, as she asks if Shauna couldn't get it up.

Shauna tells Misty that she thinks that they're done. Misty tells her that she was a disaster. She tells her that the only thing you should ever say to the police is "I want my lawyer," indicating a cookie cake that she baked with the phrase "I want my lawyer" written on it in icing to clue Shauna into this. Shauna tells her she's going to go and she whines that Taissa and Natalie aren't even there yet. Shauna tells her that they're an hour late, which is on time for people who *aren't coming*. Misty says that this is what she gets for trying to help a friend, saying that she has a lot at stake too. "We were careful, right?" asks Shauna and Misty tells her that they missed something, that she can feel it. She asks if Shauna got rid of Adam's stuff, but Shauna's reply is unconvincing. Misty urges her to at least have some punch before she leaves.

Taissa, meanwhile, is at an animal shelter, looking for a dog to replace Biscuit. The volunteer there suggests that she might take Taissa back to the playroom to get better acquainted with one of the dogs, but Taissa indicates one named Steve, saying that she'll take him. The volunteer mentions some paperwork, but when Taissa mentions having to take a phone call, she says that she'll take care of it. She playfully addresses Taissa as "Madam Senator" and tells her that she phone-banked for her. Taissa thanks her, saying that every vote counts. Back in her car, Taissa talks with her campaign manager. The manager tells her that they're going to have to smooth things over with the teacher's unions because they can't deliver half of what they promised and also mentions the re-election campaign, leading Taissa to note that she hasn't taken office yet. She hears the dog barking and asks if it's Biscuit, but Taissa tells her she'll call her back.

At home, Misty logs in to the citizen detective website. She discovers a recently posted chat thread regarding the disappearance of Adam Martin. Most of it is the usual nonsense and speculation, but Misty's attention is drawn to a post from a "PuttingtheSickinForensics" who states that he somehow managed to gain access to Adam's credit card records. He states that there recent purchases of things such as a mini-golf outing and lingerie and speculates as to the existence of a "mystery lady friend." "No!" mutters Misty, but then comments to herself that he's grasping at straws.

### Speaking with the dead

Meanwhile, at her home, Shauna enters the living room to find her daughter Callie on the coach with her boyfriend, Kyle. She is warmly greeted by Kyle, but Callie ignores her. When Shauna presses the point, she tells Kyle that he should probably go, saying that she has to study for a biology test. He tries to make light of it, but she tells him to not be so clingy. Afterward, Shauna asks her if everything is alright between them and she tells her that she might have to dump him. "Unless I get lucky and he just disappears," she comments pointedly. Shauna asks her if there's anything she wants to ask her and Callie asks if there's anything she wants to *tell* her. She comments that Adam Martin's disappearance was on the news, saying that Jeff deserves to know what is going on. When Shauna, however, tells her that Jeff already knows, she backpedals, asking how she could do that to him.

Back in the woods, Shauna sits in the meat shed by the cabin, having conversations with an imagined version of Jackie, her corpse sitting before her and preserved to some degree by the cold. Jackie tells her that her future is decided, that she will live in an apartment as a stay-at-home mom with a million dollars and married to Jeff. "So basically I'm gonna be my mom" comments Shauna and Jackie notes that her mom definitely doesn't have a million dollars. Shauna tells her that she doesn't want to think about her future right now, that she's all about living in the moment.

In the attic of the cabin, Taissa and Van are discussing their sleeping arrangements, which involve Taissa being tied up to her so that she doesn't sleepwalk. Taissa is bothered by Van's hands being hurt by it, but Van tells her it's worth it to keep her from sleepwalking at night. She tells her that it's her decision, quipping that maybe she just wants her to tie her up. Downstairs, the group complains about Shauna not being there with the meat yet and Mari asks if they're not going to talk about the fact that Shauna is spending her days in the shed talking with dead Jackie. Coach Scott tells her to give her time, that she's still grieving. "Or she's gone full-on Norman Bates," comments Mari. They speculate on what Jackie and Shauna might be talking about, then chastise Crystal for annoying them with singing and humming.

Back in the shed, the Jackie hallucination tells Shauna that if she doesn't want to talk about the future, then maybe they should talk about the past. She asks how it was that things started between her and Jeff. Shauna asks her if she remembers a party where the cops came and everyone ran away. She found herself with Jeff at the time and the two of them ran through the woods and kept walking. At the time, he and Jackie had just had their millionth fight, him saying that he wasn't sure if he still wanted to be with someone who wouldn't have sex with him. Shauna told him that she felt the same way.

Jackie asks what happened next, if he kissed her. "You kissed him," she realizes. She asks Shauna why. Shauna says that she doesn't know, but Jackie tells her that she wants to hear her say it. When Shauna doesn't, she starts pressing the point and Shauna starts shaking the Jackie corpse. To her horror, she ends up dislodging one of the corpse's ears. Unable to reattach it, she pockets it instead. She then returns to the others with the day's serving of meat, telling them that she had to cut back on the rations again and warning them that there's not much left.

### Simone's warning

In the present day, Shauna puts in a call to Jeff. She tells him that Adam Martin had an art studio. He curses, asking her what she thinks is in there. She tells him that this is the problem, that she doesn't know. Elsewhere, Taissa is waiting outside her son Sammy's school, Parkside Elementary. As he exits, he sees Taissa waiting with the dog, Steve. He rushes over excitedly, his face lighting up. However, as he moves to try to pet the dog, Simone races up. She curses, telling Taissa to stay away from Sammy.

Taissa asks Simone what is going on and she tells Sammy to go and wait over by the fence, popping a pair of headphones on him. Taissa tells him to listen to his mommy, saying that they just have a "crossed wire situation." She asks Simone what is going on and Simone tells her that she found the "thing" in the basement. Simone asks her what she's talking about and she tells her that she's not well and that she needs to get real help or else she'll never see Sammy again. Simone tells her she has no idea what she's talking about and she says that she'll put it in terms she can understand: she needs to step down from office and seek treatment for whatever is happening to her, or she will go to the press. She leaves, taking Sammy with her.

Back in 1996, Natalie is out with Travis. They see something and Travis starts shouting Javi's name, but it turns out to be only the skeleton of a fox. Natalie calms him down, telling him that they need to be heading back, that it's going to be dark soon. Travis says that they need to be getting up earlier and searching further, that perhaps Javi could have found another cabin. Natalie agrees that they could start another hour before sunup. Travis agrees that they should head back, that it won't help anyone if they get lost in the dark, and Natalie marks the location.

In the present day, Misty pays a visit to the hotel where Natalie was staying. She asks the manager at the desk about what happened to her, but he is dismissive of her, saying that he'll check his records, only to sit and do nothing. She presses the matter, saying that something must have happened to Natalie, and he tells her that "something" happens to everyone. Unamused, she threatens him by reciting his full name, address and social security number, saying that some things that happen to people are worse than others. In response, the manager tells her that the one thing they have at the hotel is discretion. He asks her if she's ever stayed there before, but then says that it doesn't matter because even if she has, she hasn't. He tells her that anyone who wants to know anything better have a warrant. She tells him that she has two days off from work, an abnormally large bladder and a novel, and she'll just stay there. Groaning, he tells her that Natalie took off, leaving cash and splitting in the middle of the night.

### What happened to Natalie

Jeff and Shauna pay a visit to Adam's art studio. Jeff asks her if she's sure it's his and she tells him that she is. They head inside, and discover to Shauna's horror that the studio is filled with portraits of her, despite her never having posed for him.. Jeff asks Shauna what she's thinking. She tells him that the thought of him with someone else always scared her, but it also weirdly turned her on. She says that it used to make her feel like she was some sort of pervert. He asks her what she feels like now and she tells him that she likes the way she is. They have sex right there in the art studio.

Back in the wilderness, Shauna arrives with the meat. Misty tries to help with the preparation, only to be rebuffed by Mari, who tells her that she knows the rules. Misty complains that it's not like she's going to try to poison anyone... again. Mari, however, tells her that she drew the four and she has to go get the water. Misty whines that she's been doing it every day and it's freezing outside. In the present day, Jeff and Shauna destroy the portraits using paint thinner. In the past, Misty encounters Crystal, who is once again singing. She shouts at her to shut up. She apologizes, saying that she had to go and it helps to grease the skids. She says she knows it's annoying to people who weren't in the theater like her, that she tells herself every morning to stop doing it because she knows it's annoying people, but she can't help it. She tells Misty that she should try it sometime, that it helps. Misty tells her that she can't sing. She replies that anyone can with a good vocal coach, offering to be hers. Misty is dubious, but she suggests that they could harmonize and Misty seems pleased by the idea.

Natalie talks with Coach Scott. She shows them the maps that she and Travis have made. He's impressed, but she notes that they've been searching for weeks without any sign of game, or Javi. They both agree that it would be wrong to express these fears in front of Travis, that he would be broken up. Back in the present day, Misty sits on Natalie's bed in the hotel room. She tells herself not to cry, that babies cry, but has trouble holding it in. She then, however, notices the signs of forced entry on Natalie's door and a camera outside. She is back on the case.

Somewhere in a remote wilderness in a cabin, Natalie is handcuffed to a bed. The door opens and Natalie asks the woman enters who she is, cursing at her. The woman calls it rude and Natalie points out that they kidnapped her and strapped her to a bed. The woman tells her that she's not supposed to talk to her and Natalie replies that it doesn't matter, that the symbol pendant she's wearing tells her all she needs to know. Though the woman goes cautiously, Natalie points out that she can't do anything to her, chained up as she is. The woman has brought food and water, but Natalie points out that she can't eat it unless she undoes at least one of the handcuffs. "You're not a lefty, are you?" asks the woman, undoing one of the handcuffs, and Natalie quips that she'll make a solid kidnapper out of her yet as she leaves.

### The beginnings of madness

Shauna and Jeff return home, where Natalie has brought out the grill with the intention of using it to burn Adam's ID, another drawing her made of her, and her journals. Jeff arrives with franks and beans. She asks what they are for and he suggests that they use them to cover the fact that they're grilling out in November. She agrees it's smart and they stoke the fire, setting fire to a nearby tree in the process. After putting it out, they head inside to have a meal. Meanwhile, Taissa returns home. She goes to the laundry room and, to her horror, discovers the shrine which Simone had found previously, with Biscuit's heart and head, apparently entirely unaware of having made it in her sleepwalking. Steve runs in behind her and gasping and crying, she tells him that that it was a mistake and she's going to do better with him. Back at the Sadecki household, Callie is sulky throughout dinner and asks for a veggie burger, which Jeff heads off to make.

In the cabin of the wilderness, Natalie and Travis sit watching a fireplace. Natalie jokes that she's enjoying the "stone age TV." Travis tells her that he knows that she thinks Javi is dead and she says that it has been two months. Hearing this, Travis starts hyperventilating, apparently going into a panic attack. Lottie comes over, helping him in a breathing exercise. As she does so, she has a vision of a clearing with a stump, filled with candles like the ones from her vision during her baptism with Laura Lee. She tells Travis that his brother is alive, that she knows he is, and he should get some rest. After, Natalie takes her aside, asking what this was about. She says that giving Travis false hope will just make things worse, but she tells her that there is no false hope, only hope. Natalie asks her if she read this on a fortune cookie. Lottie asks what she wants from her, that she just said what she felt and she tells her she wants to say a lot less.

Back in the cabin where Natalie is being held in the present, the kidnapper returns again. Natalie manages to get the drop on her, using a fork to impale her in the hand, knocking her out and leaving her on the floor. She frees herself from the other handcuff and flees outside. She discovers a sign saying that she is at "Camp Green Pine" and a group sitting in the distance. She is spotted by a couple of individuals near the sign and starts running.

In the past, Van and Taissa are sleeping chained together still to keep Taissa from sleepwalking. Taissa starts kissing Van, only to unexpectedly bite her and draw blood. She is shocked at what she has done, saying that the arrangement is a bad idea. Van, however, tells her that she can handle it, that she's not scared of her and never will be. To prove the point, she writes "I love you" on Taissa's arm in her own blood. Taissa asks if it's really how she's choosing to say "I love you" for the first time and Van insists that she say it back.

In the present, Natalie makes her way through the woods, fashioning a stake from a tree branch and evading pursuit, she discovers Lottie leading a strange ritual involving burying a man, with a group of individuals wearing animal masks. She asks Lottie why she shouldn't cave her head in and bury her also. "Because I have a message from you. From Travis," Lottie tells her. In the meat shed, Shauna paces around, carrying Jackie's ear in her hand. In the present, Callie goes outside and inspects the grill. She discovers a remaining piece of Adam's ID, still showing his face. Natalie and Travis continue to search the wilderness. They discover a strange clearing where moss is still growing despite it being the winter, somewhat like what Lottie saw in her vision. Travis, however, doesn't seem very interested. "Well, come on," he tells her. Shauna considers the ear. She pops it into her mouth and chomps down.

## Cast

### Starring

* Melanie Lynskey as Adult Shauna
* Tawny Cypress as Adult Taissa
* Sophie Nélisse as Teen Shauna
* Jasmin Savoy Brown as Teen Taissa
* Sophie Thatcher as Teen Natalie
* Sammi Hanratty as Teen Misty
* Steven Krueger as Ben Scott
* Warren Kole as Adult Jeff
* Courtney Eaton as Teen Lottie
* Liv Hewson as Teen Van
* Kevin Alves as Teen Travis
* Simone Kessell as Adult Lottie
* Lauren Ambrose as Adult Van

with

* Christina Ricci as Adult Misty

and

* Juliette Lewis as Adult Natalie

### Guest starring

* Ella Purnell as Jackie Taylor
* Nicole Maines as Lisa
* Nia Sondaya as Akilah
* Sarah Desjardins as Callie Sadecki
* Alexa Barajas as Mari
* Nuha Jes Izman as Crystal
* Rukiya Bernard as Simone Abara

and

* Elijah Wood as Walter Tattersall

### Co-starring

* Mya Lowe as Teen Gen
* Jenna Burgess as Teen Melissa
* Luciano Leroux as Javi Martinez
* Aiden Stoxx as Sammy Abara-Turner
* Khobe Clarke as Kyle
* Thomas Nicholson as Malcolm Matthews
* Tanya Jade as Emilia Matthews
* Caitlynne Medrek as Roommate
* Michelle Choi-Lee as Campaign manager
* Cari Leslie as Volunteer
* Andy Thompson as Larry (manager)
* Shawna Clarke as Official
* Annabelle Loi as Reporter #1
* Maggie Ma as Reporter #2
* Caroline Shaw as Featured vocalist

## Trivia

* Songs featured in this episode include "Seventeen" by Sharon Van Etten, "Drown" by Smashing Pumpkins, "A Night in Rio" by Graham Francis de Wilde, "#1 Crush" by Garbage, "Last Resort" by Papa Roach and "Cornflake Girl" by Tori Amos.

## Gallery

### Videos

Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 1 Behind the Buzz - SHOWTIMEYellowjackets Season 2 Premiere- Cast Q&A - SHOWTIME