Two Truths and a Lie

## Episode guide

**"Two Truths and a Lie"** is the fifth episode of the second season of *Yellowjackets*. It premiered on April 21, 2023 on streaming and on demand and premiered on April 23, 2023 on Showtime.

## Synopsis

Okay, Fellowjackets, rise and shine and don't forget your booties because it's coooold out there. Misty makes a leap of faith for her bestie, Natalie and Lottie play a game of surrender, Shauna find herself unexpectedly randy and Tai seeks out a movie recommendation.

## Plot

### A good morning?

At her shop, which is apparently also her home, Van pops a VHS tape of *Welcome to the Dollhouse* into the VCR, shaped like a car. She guzzles some soda, eats a donut with sprinkles, but quickly pops the tape out. She grabs a stack of cassettes and brings them downstairs, collecting some unopened and overdue bills from the floor and tossing them in the trash. She greets a couple of customers, one calling the place sick. "These boxy things are all movies?" he asks and she tells him they're VHS tapes, which they went. Another customer comes in, saying that *Party Girl* is her new favorite movie, and that Parker Posey is her new dream woman. As she recommends something else for the woman, Taissa enters the store. The two of them are seen seeing each other again for the first time, just as in the previous episode. Then Taissa collapses.

In the wilderness, Taissa bids Shauna a good morning. "Is it?" asks Shauna and Taissa asks her if the "hungry one" is kicking her bladder again. Shauna tells her that she doesn't know how much it can take. Taissa tells her it's almost over. Van comes in, saying that "they're" about to start and Taissa tells her she'll be right out. Shauna stares at her and Taissa tells her not to start, that it's mostly just listening to the trees with Lottie, but that Van's convinced she stopped sleepwalking because of it. She tells her it's making her happy: "happy wife, happy life."

Outside, Lottie tells them all to breathe, asking what they feel. Mari tells her that she feels the cold, that it makes her cheeks burn, but also makes her feel awake. Van agrees that it makes her feel alive. Lottie asks what they hear. "The wind," says Travis and Van agrees that it's peaceful. "It sounds like a whisper," says Akilah and Misty and Crystal say in unison that it sounds like singing. Lottie says that it's good, that they're tuning into nature and each other and that the connection will protect them. "A new life is coming and we can't wait to meet him," she says and the others agree "We can't wait to meet him." Shauna stares at the group as they hold hands, Lottie telling them to tune into each other's breath.

Callie is at the bowling alley with her new boyfriend, "Jay," secretly Matt Saracusa of the Wiskayok, New Jersey Police Department. She has apparently been bowling badly but nevertheless proposes a bet: if she bowls a strike, then he has to kiss her. She does so, and he says that she hustled him. She replies that she "sexually hustled" him, telling him that a girl can't wait forever. He, however, proves reluctant to go through with the terms of their bet, stating that they agreed they were going to take things slow. He tells her that he likes her and that this is the part where he usually screws things up because he's going too fast. She tells him that she really likes him too. He excuses himself to use the restroom and when the waitress arrives with the bill, she checks it and discovers the name "M. Saracusa" upon it. A quick Google search for "M. Saracausa Wiskayok" finds her new boyfriend at a charity toy drive for the police.

### The wrong questions

In the wilderness, the girls speculate about what's going on with Javi and the fact that he still hasn't talked to anyone. Melissa speculates that maybe he died and that it's his ghost that came back. Van asks him to just nod if he found shelter, but gets no response, Mari whining that he owes them after stealing the bear meat. Van tries to get Travis to help, but he replies that he'll talk when he's ready. Natalie comes in, telling Travis that she's going to the stream to check the gill net and asking if he wants to come. He, however, tells her that he's good and walks off. Meanwhile, Akilah checks in on her new pet mouse, whom she has named "Nugget." She tells him that she wishes she could give him more food, but when Mari overhears her talking, she claims she was just talking to herself. Mari pulls out a deck of cards and Akilah takes one and nods.

Misty and Crystal sit, sharing secrets with each other. Crystal asks Misty what three famous people she would want to have at her slumber party. Misty names Plato, Eric Nies and Jack Kevorkian, because she feels what he does is brave. Crystal agrees, saying that her family recently had to put down their beagle Whimsey and humans shouldn't have to suffer in that way. She also describes young Kevorkian as being "hot." Mari comes over, asking what they're talking about, then admits to not really caring and asks them to pick a chore card. Crystal grabs a card and is annoyed with her choice, asking "Again?" but Misty tells her she'll help her carry the bucket.

Shauna gets in the car with "Jay." He asks if she's alright and she claims to be just fine, saying that she agrees with his idea of taking things slow. She tells him things are getting bad at home. He asks if it's the affair and she tells him that she found out who Shauna is having the affair with. She then lies, telling him that it's her father Jeff's best friend, Randy. "Jay" privately looks stunned before starting the car.

Misty is still on the road with Walter. She abruptly shuts off his song choice of "Stayin' Alive." He pulls out his cassettes, suggesting other song choices, but she tells him she needs to concentrate and so does he. He suggests they play a game, and she calls it the opposite of concentrating, but he says he can multitask. He suggests "two truths and a lie," putting out that owned a small business selling artisanal goat cheese with a goat named Billy. His second is that there's a nonzero chance that Barry Manilow is his father and his third is that he owns $150,000 worth of stock in Taco Bell but has never eaten there because beans give him indigestion. Misty makes a couple of guesses before he tells them they're all true. She tells him that he doesn't understand the rules of his own game, but he says that the only rule is winning and now she knows more about him. He says that since he gave her three truths, she should too. She replies that she does not like monkeys and that she thinks they're asking the wrong questions about the moon landing, but then shouts frantically for him to turn around. They pull up at a gate with a logo of a bee that matches that on the jar of honey they acquired at the farmer's market. "I think we found her!" Misty tells him.

### Natalie's dismissal

Taissa finds Van watching a video. She asks her who it is and, startled, Van tells her that it's just somebody who's tapes she's digitizing. She asks if she's going to tell her why she's there. She says it's been a really long time and when Taissa still doesn't answer, she asks her if it's happening again, the sleepwalking. Taissa claps her hands, saying that she got her something, and presents her with the pen she got from the trucker that when the ink drains the woman becomes naked. They laugh over having swapped a guest book pen for one at Shauna's wedding to Jeff and how Jackie's mom, Mrs. Taylor, nearly had a stroke. Van asks Taissa how bad it is.

At the Sadecki family household, Callie asks Shauna and Jeff if they remember asking her not tell anyone about what's been going on. "Promise you won't freak out?" she asks them and Jeff says "sure" even as Shauna replies "no." She tells them that she's been hanging out with a cop and might have mentioned the affair. She continues that she fixed it, that she told them that Shauna's having an affair with Randy. Jeff is stunned, but after a brief moment, Shauna says that she thinks it may actually be a good idea. "You cannot be serious!" laments Jeff, but Shauna says she doesn't actually have to sleep with him, but if the police think she is, that would be good. She instructs Callie to text the police that she's sleeping with Randy tonight. "So I did fix it?" she asks, and Shauna agrees she did great.

At Lottie's compound, Natalie tries to get into Lottie's office, but is interrupted by a group of followers, one of whom asks if she's coming to the workshop. She agrees she'll be there in a minute and accepts an invitation to come with. In the wilderness, Taissa expresses surprise at seeing Akilah in Lottie's morning circle and Akilah expresses the same, asking why she started going. Taissa tells her that Van asked her too and she says that she saw her going and was bored. She tells her of a pre-game ritual that she and Rachel Goldman have, involving wearing lucky socks and shins. "You guys lost a lot," Taissa points out and Akilah tells her that it might not have even been the point, that it felt good, that they could pretend it made a difference. She says that she'll probably keep going and Taissa agrees she will too. "Well, yeah, because you're totally whipped," quips Akilah. Meanwhile, Travis gets Javi to drink some broth. He tells him he doesn't have to say anything about what happened to him, but begs him to at least tell him where he was. Javi, however, only directs a brief glance at Lottie and remains silent. Natalie tells him that Javi just needs time, but Travis directs his fury at her, getting her to admit that she planted the bloody clothes. "I didn't think he was alive!" she shouts, but he says it's on her that they didn't find him sooner.

At Lottie's compound, Lisa tells Natalie to focus. She tells her to think of her like a mirror, to project her darkest thoughts onto her to gain access to her deepest truths. Lottie comes over, saying that it works and that she knows Natalie can go deeper. Natalie asks about the cloth bandage on her hand, but Lottie deflects the question, saying they're there for her. Natalie tells her she needs a minute before they go into the black recesses of her soul. She exits the building, but a guy follows behind, telling her that there's someone to see her. She follows and this turns out to be Misty. "What the hell are you doing here?" Natalie asks her. She is annoyed to see Walter and at first denies Misty's suggestion that she's been kidnapped. She then admits that this was true, but tells Misty that she's there of her own accord now. Misty is stunned to hear Lottie's name and even more shocked to hear Natalie tell her to go home, saying that she's doing a thing. Her mouth gapes as Natalie stalks away. "She seems really nice," quips Walter.

### Friends of Misty

At Van's, Van is shocked by Taissa's revelation of the altar in her basement. She asks if Sammy knows, but Taissa tells her that thankfully he didn't. She tells her that she doesn't understand why this is happening now. Van asks if she's seen a sleep doctor and Taissa asks how she could possibly explain the altar to one. "What now?" asks Van and Taissa asks to take a shower, saying that she just hitchhiked across Pennsylvania and does not smell great.

In the wilderness, Crystal and Misty play a game of "rapid-fire secrets." Crystal shares that she doesn't always take the poop bucket all the way to the toilet, while Misty tells her that she hates deodorant and pretended hers ran out when actually she threw it out. "I let Justin Lee fingerprint me backstage for the dress rehearsal of *Bye Bye Birdie*" says Crystal and Misty tells her that she once walked in on her parents having sex and wasn't completely grossed out. Crystal agrees that Einstein said that curiosity is a sign of intelligence. Crystal empties the bucket over a cliff and as Misty is getting sticks to scrape the rest, tells her that she has one she has to pinkie swear not to tell the others. She tells her that her name isn't actually Crystal, but rather Kristen. She never corrected everyone when they started calling her it on the first day of practice because she liked the nickname "Crystal the Pistol" that they gave her, that nobody had given her a nickname before.

Misty tells Crystal that she didn't think people liked her much before the plane crash, but then they started listening to her. Crystal asks her if she knows how lucky they are to find someone to share their deepest secrets. Misty grins, telling her that she has another secret, but she must swear on her mother's life to never tell. "I swear on Carol's life," agrees Crystal and Misty tells her that the night after the plane crashed, she found its emergency transmitter and destroyed it. Crystal immediately gets a horrified look on her face. "You're the reason we never got rescued?" she asks and Misty grins, saying that she should see her face and that she totally got her. Crystal, however, tells her that she's not that good an actress. She tells her that she's a psycho and Misty demands that she not tell anyone. Crystal asks if she'll poison her. "I'll... fucking... kill you!" Misty tells her and, in her horror, she backs away and off the cliff. Misty stares in shock, whimpering at the sight of Crystal's body splayed out far below.

In the present, Misty and Walter get back in the car. Misty seems to be in nearly as much shock as she was upon Crystal's death. She tells Walter that she doesn't understand how she could have missed this with Lottie, that she kept tabs on everybody, or so she thought. Walter says that it's a bright side that her friend is okay and that maybe she can move on. Misty tells him that it was obviously an act, that if they're holding Natalie hostage it's exactly what they would want her to do, to cut ties with her closest friends. She suggests that Lottie is jealous of what she and Natalie have. Walter tells her that her friendships are more complicated than most. "Adam Martin?" he asks, saying that he did his research like any good citizen detective and that he knows Adam Martin's mother is dead. He suggests that maybe Misty killed him to protect a friend, but that it's okay, that he still likes her, even if she may be a serial killer. She tells him that he needs to go. He points out that he's her ride, but she tells him that she'll figure something out, but whatever it is between her and him is over. She gets out and he drives off.

### Medication for minding your own business

Shauna pulls up at the motel. As she goes up to the door and knocks, Matt Saracusa and Kevyn Tan pull up behind, watching. Matt says that he'll believe it when he sees it. "Well, there you go, hotshot," comments Kevyn as Shauna enters. Inside, Randy comments that Jeff didn't tell him much. He asks Shauna if this has anything to do with "Natalie and the FBI thing." Shauna is confused and he explains about having been questioned regarding Natalie. Shauna shakes it off, pulling out a condom and saying they should just get to it. Randy tells her that he's flattered, but that he still loves Tammy. She, however, tells him to just jerk off into it and throw it into the trash, no questions asked, that he owes her. She warns him not to think about her.

In the wilderness, Lottie speaks towards a sleeping Shauna's womb, saying "You're going to change everything." Shauna wakes with a start and shoves her away, asking just what she thinks she's doing, whispering at her baby. Lottie protests that it's supposed to be good to talk to babies in utero. "Yeah, so they learn to recognize *their mother's* voice," points out Shauna. Taissa says that she wasn't hurting anyone and Shauna curses and leaves.

In the present, Taissa snoops in Van's medicine cabinet, discovering a bottle labeled "V. Palmer - Oxycodone." She confronts Van with it, who tells her that it's medication to mind her own business, suggesting that she take two. Taissa points out that it's heavy-duty medication and Vanessa tells her the "V." is for "Vicky" - that her mother had cancer and was living with her until she died. "At least you were talking again," comments Taissa and Van agrees that cancer tends to change people, that people reassess their choices when they're about to die. Taissa replies that you don't have to be dying to have regrets. Van tells her that she doesn't get to do this, come in and drop an anvil on her. She tells her that she's upset and Taissa says that maybe she shouldn't have come, but Van tells her not to make her convince her to let her help her, that she could have the decency to ask for her help. Taissa replies that she killed her dog, her wife is in the hospital and she's terrified. She tells her she can't ask for help because she doesn't want to hurt anyone of the people she loves. She sobs and Van hugs her, telling her they'll figure it out.

Shauna preps the scene to make it look like she and Randy slept together. She asks him if he's almost finished. He strokes, calling himself the "Ran-dog," but cannot get the job done. His eyes turn to tubes of lotion sitting on the countertop. At Lottie's compound, Natalie finally makes her way into Lottie's cabin. She discovers a cabinet with a gun and boxes full of cell phones and financial documents. She returns to the group and shouts at Lottie that she's been scamming everyone. She suggests she tell everyone why she has detailed notes about their personal lives, their phones and more. She shouts that Lottie is manipulating everyone, taking advantage of them, but Lottie holds out her hands, telling her they already know. "Bullshit!" shouts Natalie, but another the acolytes agrees that they give it all willingly. Natalie shouts that Lottie is clinically insane and has hurt people. Lisa tells her she should know better than anyone you can't define someone based on their past, but Lottie dismisses the group, telling her to leave them. She tells Natalie she won't find what she's looking for in her office, that it's in her head. She tells her that Travis said she was right about something and she wants to know what that is. Natalie collapses on the floor and Lottie tells her she wants to know what the note meant. "You know what he was going through, you started it," Natalie tells her, but Lottie tells her she knows how they can figure this out, together.

### I hear the wind...

Taissa pursues Shauna, saying that it's freezing and she can give her the silent treatment, but that she won't just leave her. She asks if she's supposed to say she's sorry, but Shauna tells her she's supposed to be her friend, not be on Team Lottie. Taissa tells her there's only one team, but she says she can't really believe that anymore. She tells her it's not about her being scared, that Taissa joined her club and Lottie is obsessed with her baby. Taissa says that Lottie is excited about the baby and they all are. Shauna tells her if anyone should be, it's her, but she's terrified of having a baby in the middle of the woods and having psychos praying for her isn't making her life easier. She tells Taissa that she needs her to have her back and Taissa says she does, but for the first time in a long time she's not afraid to fall asleep and she has to take what she can get. Shauna cries out in pain as the snowstorm starts to intensify. Elsewhere in the woods, Misty crawls down the ledge, muttering "No, no, no, no." She reaches Crystal's body and applies chest compressions, chanting "Stayin' Alive," but Crystal is obviously dead, blood bubbling from her mouth. She tells her that she's sorry, crying and whimpering. "I'm sorry, bestie," she tells her, as the snowstorm whips around them, covering Crystal's body.

Shauna exits the hotel room, Randy following behind to throw out some trash. "Well, there you have it," comments Kevyn, but Matt says that something doesn't feel right, insisting that they check the room. As they head inside, Kevyn points out the fact that without a warrant, nothing is admissible. Nevertheless, they search around and Kevyn discovers the condom in the bathroom. He asks if it's enough confirmation for Matt, but Matt sniffs it, discovering that it is strawberry lotion inside. He outlines that Shauna wanted to make them think she was having the affair with Randy and not Adam. "Which means that the kid intentionally gave you bad info," Kevyn notes, saying that Matt has been made. "She might be good, but I'm better," says Matt.

In the cabin, Coach Ben Scott stares at a strange drawing of tree roots. Just then, Javi appears behind him, saying "She told me not to come back." Coach Scott asks him who he means and he says "My friend," taking the drawing and walking off. Coach Scott asks him who this friend is, but he does not return. Misty races into the cabin, shouting that she lost Crystal, that they got separated in the storm. Akilah says that they need to go look for her, but Van realizes that Taissa and Shauna are still outside as well. They go outside and start shouting for them, Misty shouting Crystal's name as well to keep up her front. Shauna and Taissa, meanwhile, wander in the storm, Shauna admitting to Taissa that she doesn't know what to do. Taissa tells her to just breathe, that she'll figure it out. Back outside the cabin, Lottie asks Van what she hears. Natalie curses, asking what his has to do with anything, but the group sets up a chant of "I hear the wind. I hear my breath. I hear the trees." Taissa begins the same chant, saying that she hears their friends wanting to find them. "I feel our friends coming back to us," the others chant.

### Labor

It is late at night at Van's house and they are on a couch together. Van wakes, sees that Taissa is sleeping, and turns off the TV, which was displaying only static. She gets up, tucks Taissa in and goes to the trash, fishing out the Oxycodone pills that she had thrown away previously, popping one or more and getting some water. As she finishes swallowing, Taissa comes up behind her, taps her, then locks her in a passionate kiss. "Oh, you're the other one, aren't you?" realizes Van, seeing the expression on her face. "This isn't where we're supposed to be," the other one tells her.

At Lottie's compound, Lottie sits with Natalie, candles lit, telling her that this is a technique she learned during her time away. She tells her to breathe and listen to her voice. She clicks a light in her face, telling her to keep watching no matter how difficult. She tells her to go back to the last time she saw Travis alive. Natalie flashes back, recalling herself with Travis at a beach. She hadn't seen him a while and he had a job and was seeing some girl. She says that a part of her wanted to ruin it, but another just missed it. Lottie asks what happened next and she replies that it was what always happens. She had an overdose and the paramedics came.

Lottie asks what she sees. She tells her that she sees the crash site, but that it's different. She sees them, but they didn't make it. They are all burnt-out skeletons. "None of us?" asks Lottie and Natalie replies that they weren't alone out there, as the Antler Queen is shown entering the plane. Travis and the paramedics shout at Natalie to wake up, as one of them injects her with Narcan. "I saw it. I felt it. We brought it back," she tells Travis. Natalie tells Lottie that the whole time there was some darkness either with them or in them and that it still is. She tells her it's what she was right about and as she places her head on Lottie's lap, it is not her adult self, but her teen self. There is a creaking noise and Lottie turns to see the silhouette of the Antler Queen on the carpet. Outside the compound, Misty repeatedly tries to crack the code for the gate. A man approaches and she tells him that she wants to join.

In the wilderness, Taissa continues to chant as she and Shauna make their way through the snowstorm. Shauna stumbles, but now they clearly hear the others shouting. They have arrived at the cabin and rush inside. "Is she in labor?" asks Akilah. Shauna turns to her and screams.

## 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
* Nuha Jes Izman as Crystal
* Andres Soto as Adult Travis Martinez

and

* Elijah Wood as Walter Tattersall

### Co-starring

* Mya Lowe as Teen Gen
* Jenna Burgess as Teen Melissa
* Luciano Leroux as Javi Martinez
* Jeff Holman as Randy Walsh
* Michelle Crebber as Maddy
* Oscar Chark as Teen #1
* Janet Glassford as Waitress
* Michael Crouse as Steve
* Tim Zhang as Male acolyte
* Anthony F. Ingram as Older acolyte
* Nicki Steudel as Young acolyte
* Caroline Shaw as Featured vocalist

## Trivia

* Songs featured in this episode include "What's Up?" by 4 Non Blondes, "Big Mouth" by Necking, "Stayin' Alive" by Tropical Fuck Storm and "Mother" by Danzig.

## Gallery

### Video

Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 5 Promo - SHOWTIMEYellowjackets Season 2 Episode 5 - Behind the Buzz - SHOWTIME