Storytelling

## Episode guide

**"Storytelling"** is the ninth and final episode of the second season of *Yellowjackets*. It premiered on May 26, 2023 on streaming and May 28 on Showtime.

However, on June 2, 2023 it was revealed by showrunner Ashley Lyle that a "bonus episode" of the series set between the second and third seasons will be released. The nature of this bonus episode is unknown, though some have speculated that it may include Jason Ritter, husband of show star Melanie Lynskey, who was announced as having been cast for Season 2, but not did not appear in any episodes.

## Synopsis

Heavy is the head that wears the antler crown is a lesson you don’t learn until much later in life... if you ever even learn it at all. Everything’s about to get really wild(erness), and we’re so excited (so excited!) and so, so scared to find out who paid attention to what lessons and when. So, on the count of three, you may pick up your pencil, open your testing booklet, and start this finale exam. One… Two… Season finale.

## Plot

### The charade

Natalie returns to the cabin. Travis is thrilled to see her, but she can barely even look at him. The reason becomes clear as the other Yellowjackets filter in behind her, Javi's body on a stake. Natalie tells Travis that it happened so fast, that the wilderness chose. "No, no, no!" he pleads, running over to his dead little brother's body. The others head inside, including finally Natalie, as he sobs over the body. In the present day, Lottie again tells the others that it chooses. She reaches for the cup with the phenobarbital solution and they shout at her to stop. Shauna tells her to just put it down, continuing that if they want to get it what it's asking for, they have to do it the way they did before, give it a hunt. The others protest, but Shauna says that Lottie is right, that whatever they communed with is still in them. Lottie hugs her tightly, saying she knew she wasn't the only one who felt this way.

Wrapped in Lottie's embrace, Shauna starts making faces that clearly indicate that the others are supposed to play along. "We have to stop fighting it," agrees Taissa and Shauna says they have to do it right. She tells Lottie that she has to make sure that none of her people from Camp Green Pine are there for this, that it's just about them. "The woods will be ours tonight," she agrees, and leaves the room. Once she's gone, Natalie asks Shauna why she's humoring her. Shauna replies that she bought them some time to figure out what to do with her. Misty says that considering her history it likely wouldn't be difficult to have her committed again. Taissa agrees that this is a good idea, but Van gets up, looking troubled. Misty says she could easily call Lottie's attending physician, but Natalie says they can't just hospitalize her and call it a day. "Agreed," replies Van and they ask her why. She says it isn't just about Lottie's mental illness, that they went through what she did in the wilderness too. Natalie says that they got over it, but Lottie thinks it's talking to her again. She asks if they've all forgotten where that leads.

In the cabin, Misty visits Lottie, still laying in bed, trying to recover from her injuries. Lottie asks her why Travis was screaming and she tells her that they're going to eat Javi. "What?!" asks Lottie, confused and Misty tells her that they didn't kill him. She tells her that she told the others what she said about not wanting to go to waste. "But we need you, Lottie," she tells her, explaining the ritual that they made and how Natalie ran and Javi fell into the ice. "Misty..." pleads Lottie and she says that it's good, that they have food now. Lottie tells her she didn't want this, asking how she could let them. "How could *I*?" Misty shoots back. She tells her that she started it and it will save them all, so she'd better not start making people feel bad about it now. She returns downstairs and tells the others that Lottie says she's pleased with the wilderness's choice, that Javi will save them. "Shauna?" she asks and Shauna gets up, taking up the knife. They head outside, where Travis is still crying over Javi's body. He turns and stares, rage written on his face, but mostly grief. "No," he pleads weakly. "I'm sorry," he tells Javi, then gets up and heads inside. The others remove Javi's clothes and lay him out, only Natalie thinking to at least provide a cloth to give him a bit of modesty. Van turns away Javi's head as Shauna braces herself, covers her eyes with her balaclava, and begins cutting entirely by feel. She tells the others they should leave as the blood begins to drain into the snow.

At Camp Green Pine, Misty raids a cabinet, finding an empty bottle of Lottie's medication and the name Dr. Brandt. She breaks open another and finds a large bin containing people's personal effects, including her own phone. The door opens and she hinds behind the cabinet. Someone enters and her phone starts buzzing. "Misty?" asks the voice of Walter Tattersall, holding up his own phone. She asks what he's doing there and he tells her he's there to help. In another room, Taissa and Van sit making masks. Van tells Taissa she doesn't feel good about the plan. Taissa tells her that Lottie is sick and Van replies that she isn't, or that if she is, so is Taissa. She says that they need to try to reach her, that being locked up in some psych ward won't help her. She asks if they didn't all swear they would protect each other. Meanwhile, Natalie sits burning Queen cards other than the Queen of Hearts, while Shauna dulls knives.

### No shame

Jeff and Callie are on the road, Jeff telling Callie that it's not as easy as it seems to simply disappear to another country. She asks what his solution is, if it's to just let Shauna go to jail. He says he doesn't know, that he saw Shauna almost shoot someone the other day. "Mom has a gun?" asks Callie and he explains about the carjacking incident. He tells her that he made Shauna leave it with him. "This is it," he tells Callie and they pull up in front of the gate to Camp Green Pine. "So you have a gun?" she asks and he tells her it's in a safe place. She reaches for the glove compartment and he tells her not to open it as a group of three acolytes appears. He pulls back, suggesting they find another way in, as another car appears behind them. It pulls up to the gate and inside are Kevyn Tan and Matt Saracusa.

Natalie meets with Lisa. She tells her that she needs to talk with her, that something's happening that night and she needs her to leave while she still can. She asks what and she pleads with her to just go, to have a life. She heads for the door, then turns back. She tells her that she appreciates her trying to teach her forgiveness, that it's a nice idea. In the wilderness, Coach Ben Scott arrives back from the secret tree hole and discovers Shauna at work on Javi's body. He stares in shock, seeing the clothing and the blood, and realizes just what he is looking at. Natalie comes up behind him, asking where he's been. He asks her what happened, then tells her to listen, that he figured out where Javi was hiding. He tells her that the two of them together could survive the winter there. "Do you hear me?" he asks when she makes no response and he tells her she's not like the others. She tells him that she's worse, that she let him die in her place. She continues that it was supposed to be her, that he's a good person and he doesn't belong there. He stares. In the cabin, Travis tells Van that she should be ashamed. She replies that she isn't, that she's glad that she's alive, and he is too. She says that none of them who are still there should ever feel ashamed of that. She tells him to let his brother save him, that he owes him that after everything he went through out there.

At the Camp Green Pine kitchen, Walter stands, whisking something in a bowl and singing. He turns to see Kevyn Tan, asking how he got in there and saying that he's calling the police. Kevyn tells him that he is the police, that he's just there to ask a couple of questions. Walter asks if he's a detective and Kevyn tells him it's not unusual. Walter tells him that he's a detective too, a citizen detective, asking if he's ever heard of them. "My manners," he comments, handing him a mug and saying that he hasn't yet told him why he's there. "Hot cocoa?" he asks and Kevyn takes the mug. "Shauna Sadecki" Kevyn tells him and Walter says that Shauna got there a few days ago. Kevyn sips and Walter tells him that "there's practically a coven of them, all up to no good." Outside, Callie tells Jeff that he's being judgy about Shauna, considering his blackmail attempt. They observe Kevyn inside talking with Walter and Jeff curses, telling Callie to go find Shauna. He tells her that he has a plan, asking her to leave it to him. Reluctantly, she leaves. Inside, Walter talks with Kevyn about Jessica Roberts. Jeff enters, asking if he followed them there, and he says it's only because he wouldn't tell him where his wife was. "You mind?" he asks Walter, who takes his leave.

Kevyn asks Jeff if he's okay and he raises his hands. He tells Kevyn that he wants him to arrest him. He tells him that he killed Adam Martin. Kevyn curses, asking what he's doing. He tells him it was a crime of passion, that he found out Shauna was sleeping with him, confronted him and killed him. "I couldn't tell her," sobs Jeff, saying that he did it to protect his family. As he tells him this, Kevyn falls over backwards. Jeff bends down, swearing wildly and Walter appears. "Me again," he tells Jeff, and Jeff points wildly. "Phenobarbital," Walter tells him, saying that it's surprisingly fast-acting. He holds out his hand, introducing himself as a friend of Misty's. He says it was a beautiful false confession and Jeff asks him if he's one the cult people. "No," he replies, asking if Jeff wants to help him move the body. He tells him that it's okay, that he knows it's a lot, but that he's a friend. "Grab those legs for me," he tells him, and so Jeff does.

### Walter's plot

In the secret underground tree area, Coach Scott tries and fails to use flint to make a fire. In the cabin, Shauna enters with the meat from Javi's body. She picks up the heart and calls for Travis. Teary-eyed, he places the wolf carving made by Javi upon a shelf by some candles. He goes to Shauna, takes the heart, and bites down. He sits it down on a skillet and the others race over to the tray, piling meat into the skillet. Misty goes upstairs, giving Lottie her share. She tells her to please eat. "You need your strength," she tells her. Lottie says that she thought it wanted what was best for them, but now she's not so sure. "And?" asks Misty, telling her that her team needs her. "Eat," she demands. Lottie starts eating. In the present, Lottie readies herself. Taissa, Van with her, makes a call, telling the person on the other end that they had reached out earlier requesting a crisis team, but that they've calmed Lottie down and will be bringing her to Whitlock General themselves. In the woods of Camp Green Pine, they gather in a circle. Shauna asks Misty how long they said it would take them to get there and she says that they told them it was urgent. Lottie arrives and stands before the group. She sets down a knife and picks up the deck of playing cards. She tells them that it's time.

Callie is searching around outside when she hears a crackling. She pulls out the gun she got from the glove compartment and calls out. Matt Saracusa greets her. He asks her how she's doing, saying she seems a little lost. She asks what he's doing there and he tells her it's the same as her, looking for her mom. As he gets closer, she points the gun, telling him to get away. He tells her to keep her hands where he can see them, but then his phone buzzes. "You find her?" he asks, but the phone keeps cutting with static as he hears Kevyn's voice. Walter is shown using an app called "Voice Stitcher" to simulate Kevyn's voice. As Matt hears Kevyn cursing, he tells Callie that this isn't over and walks away. Jeff asks Walter if he really thinks this will work and Walter tells him he's not sure. He holds up Kevyn's ringing phone and says that Matt is panicking and it's a start, tossing the phone in the trunk of Kevyn's car and closing it. They run off.

Lottie holds up the Queen of Hearts card with the blacked-out eyes, showing it to the others. She places it back in the deck and shuffles. Misty asks if they're sure everyone from the community is in their beds and Lottie agrees she made sure of it. Shauna says she'd like to shuffle the cards some more, so Lottie hands them over, allowing her to shuffle. Taissa asks if they can talk about it, that she can trust them. "Right, Van?" she asks, but Van just tells Shauna it's enough shuffling. Lottie takes back the cards and Van declares that she'll start. She draws a card, not the Queen, and tosses it into the campfire before them. Taissa asks her if this is what she wanted to happen. Lottie asks if she's refusing the draw, saying that she knows what happens if she does. Taissa draws and so do each of the rest of them in turn, none drawing the Queen. "Again," declares Lottie. The others look troubled, but Van takes the deck and they go around again, until, finally, Shauna holds up the Queen of Hearts. The others step away, all donning their animal masks. "Hey, come on," pleads Shauna. Lottie steps forward, a knife in hand, telling her that it's up to her: she can submit or she can run. Shauna asks for a time-out, asking if they're really doing this. When nobody replies, she asks if they've all actually lost their minds. She says that there was no "it," that it was just them. Lottie asks if there's a difference and Shauna turns and starts to walk away. Lottie asks if it's her choice to run and she curses her. She runs off, the others following behind.

Matt arrives at the patrol car, shouting for Kevyn. He hears Kevyn's phone ringing inside the car and forces the trunk open, shocked to see Kevyn's body inside. Just then, Walter appears, grabs his gun, and fires several shots at Kevyn's body. Matt swears, asking who he is and he tells him he's the guy who's going to give him a choice. He tells him to imagine the police force being impressed when they realize their new recruit nearly lost his life in a sordid police corruption scandal. He continues that this is a wealth of bank and phone evidence connecting his partner to the murder of Adam Martin, the coverup of the investigation, and also the death of Jessica Roberts, a known political operative. He tells him he can either accept this or be a hero, or the bank and phone records can point to him. As sirens wail nearby, he tells him he's already taken the opportunity to contact the local authorities.

### The new leader

The group continues to chase Shauna through the woods, when suddenly a gunshot grazes Lottie's shoulder. Callie shouts for them to get away from her mother. She steps forward, repeating the instruction. "Callie, no," pleads Shauna and Lottie removes her mask, asking Shauna if this is her daughter. Shauna again asks Callie to put the gun down. "She's so powerful," says Lottie and Shauna shouts at her to put the gun down. Callie says that Lottie was going to kill her and the others remove their masks. Lottie says that "it" is with them now and Shauna shouts, asking Misty where the psych team is. Taissa tells her that they're not coming, that they called them off. "What?!" asks Misty and she tells her it was Van's idea. "How could you?" asks Shauna and Van tells her that it isn't right, that Lottie is like this because of them. Callie considers this and lowers the gun. Lottie asks them what they hear.

In the wilderness of the past, Lottie enters the living room of the cabin. Several of them, including Shauna, go to her and give her a hug, Mari telling her she's glad she's okay. As they sit together, Akilah asks Van to tell them a story, perhaps *The Truth About Cats and Dogs*. *While You Were Sleeping* and *The Princess Bride* are also suggested, but Van suggests something they haven't heard before. "Once upon a time, there was a place called the wilderness..." she begins. As she continues her story, Coach Scott, outside, grabs an axe, some rope and a box of matches. As Van states the wilderness built a house, Lottie cuts in, saying that she never wanted to be in charge. She says that it chose her because she was the only one who knew how to listen but she can't hear it anymore. She says that she thinks it's because it doesn't need her anymore, that they all learned how to hear and feel it. She says that it needs a leader, that the wilderness chose who fed them. "Natalie," she declares.

At Camp Green Pine, Lottie asks if the others believe her now, that it's still with them. She asks Shauna how she could think it wasn't there when she killed her lover and Misty when she kept Jessica in her basement. She continues that she saw it in Van's eyes and that it brought Taissa to Van. She finishes that it was in Natalie, even when she denied it, that she was always its favorite. Natalie shouts, asking why she can't ever stop and Lisa appears, holding a shotgun. In the wilderness, Lottie asks how they explain what happened out there, that they tried to kill Natalie, but it wouldn't let them. She bows and kisses her hand. Outside, Coach Scott stares. The others each come to Natalie in turn, each paying their respects in their own ways.

### Pleasing the wilderness

At Camp Green Pine, Lisa asks Natalie what she did to Lottie, and if she killed people. Natalie says that she told her to leave and Misty pulls out a syringe. She tells her to just go, but Lisa shouts for her to drop her knife. Natalie drops it and backs up. As Lisa presses forward, Misty rushes her. Natalie has a flashback of drawing the Queen card and letting Javi die in her place. She recalls seeing Misty while on drugs the night before the flight. Shauna shouts for Misty to stop and Natalie jumps in front of Lisa, taking the needle. "No, no," pleads Misty. A bell sounds and Natalie finds herself on Flight 2525, seated alone in the center. She hears Van distantly asking Misty what she did and Taissa shouting to call an ambulance. Shauna points out that they don't have their phones. Natalie collapses and Lottie stares. Taissa asks what they do, but Misty sobs, saying that there's nothing, that it's too late. On the plane, Javi is now sitting next to Natalie. He tells her that there's nothing to be afraid of. She says that she's not supposed to be there. Her younger self tells her that they both know that this isn't true, that this is exactly where they belong and that they've been there for years. Natalie cries and the young Lottie appears, telling her that it's not evil, just hungry. She says it's like them, telling her to let it in. As she passes away, Misty tells her that she's sorry.

The police arrive, reporting that they have a middle-aged female deceased of an apparent drug overdose. Misty stares as Natalie's body is placed aboard a vehicle on a stretcher. Shauna and Callie watch as Matt walks away, and Taissa and Van trail behind Lottie, who is being led away. Walter walks up to Misty, telling her that he's taken care of the Adam Martin situation. He tells her she and her friends will be safe, but she sobs, telling him she just killed her best friend. He hugs her. Jeff goes to Shauna, giving her a hug. He stares at Matt, who is hunched over a squad car, talking with another cop and sobbing. He says that it's a long story, but that it's going to be okay. She just shakes her head, telling him that Natalie is dead. Lottie sits at the edge of an ambulance. Taissa tells her that they're going to keep her for a little while, but they're going to come check on her. "We gave it what wanted," replies Lottie. "It is pleased with us." Van stares at her and she stares back, telling her she'll see. The ambulance pulls away.

In the cabin, Shauna sits writing in her diary. She asks how it couldn't have been her, saying that she used to think it was Jackie who made her feel invisible. "But"... she writes, but then stops, looking up and sniffing the air. She goes to the opening of the attic stairway, shouts for everyone to wake up and starts gathering things frantically. Downstairs, she shouts for everyone to get up, the windows around them filled with fire. Taissa goes to a door, only to find that it won't open. "Move!" shouts Van, and she kicks at the door, while Taissa bashes it with an ax. "Get everything you can!" shouts Misty and the others grab as much as they can, Taissa finally bashing down the door with the ax. Taissa and Van are the last to leave as the fire rapidly spreads, windows bursting. Gathered in a group, the girls and Travis can only watch in horror as their sanctuary from the wilderness and through the long winter crumbles to ash before their eyes.

## 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

* Nicole Maines as Lisa
* Nia Sondaya as Akilah
* Alex Wyndham as Adult Kevyn Tan
* John Reynolds as Matt Saracusa
* Sarah Desjardins as Callie Sadecki
* Alexa Barajas as Mari

and

Elijah Wood as Walter Tattersall

### Co-starring

* Mya Lowe as Teen Gen
* Jenna Burgess as Teen Melissa
* Luciano Leroux as Javi Martinez
* Caroline Shaw as Featured vocalist

## Trivia

* This episode was directed by Karyn Kusama, who also directed the "Pilot" episode of *Yellowjackets*.
* The show's cast had stated that the finale would be "devastating" and "heavy," with Kevin Alves (teen Travis) stating that it had made his jaw drop and Christina Ricci (adult Misty) expressing that the most emotional scene of the season for her had been in the finale.
* Although the opening credits feature the normal theme song, "No Return," a shortened version of Alanis Morisette's perfromance is featured in the closing credits.
* Songs featured in this episode include "God is Alive, Magic is Afoot" by Buffy Sainte-Marie, "Zombie" by the Cranberries, "The Killing Moon" by Nouvelle Vague and the original version by Echo & the Bunnymen, "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" by Radiohead and St. Vincent's cover of "Sad but True" by Metallica.
* This episode was reported to have set a streaming record for Showtime, with a total of 1.5 million viewers across its first weekend.

## Gallery

### Videos

Yellowjackets Season 2 Finale Episode 9 Promo - SHOWTIMEYellowjackets Season 2 Episode 9 - Behind the Buzz - SHOWTIME

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 DiscussingFilm on Twitter
2. ↑ Massoto, Erick (June 2, 2023). 'Yellowjackets' Bonus Episode Set to Air Between Seasons 2 and 3. Collider. Retrieved on June 2, 2023.
3. ↑ Charlotte Walsh and Glenn Garner (May 23, 2023). ‘Yellowjackets’ Cast Warns of ‘Devastating’ and ‘Heavy’ ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 2 Finale (Exclusive). The Messenger. Retrieved on May 25, 2023.
4. ↑ Campione, Katie (May 31, 2023). ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 2 Finale Snags Streaming Record For Showtime With 1.5M Total Viewers. Deadline. Retrieved on June 3, 2023.