Taissa Turner

## Taissa Turner

* Teen
* Adult

### Aliases

Tai
The Other One (while sleepwalking)
The Bad One (while sleepwalking)

### Relatives

* Unnamed Father
* Unnamed Mother
* Simone Abara (wife)
* Sammy Abara-Turner (son)

## Appearances

### Portrayed by

Jasmin Savoy Brown (teen)Tawny Cypress (adult)

### Debut

"Pilot"

> I'm different from what people expect and it scares them.
>
> Taissa Turner to her son Sammy, "The Dollhouse"

**Taissa Turner** is a character on the Showtime original series *Yellowjackets*. She is portrayed by Jasmin Savoy Brown as a teenager and Tawny Cypress as an adult.

## Profile

### The past

#### The freeze-out and the crash

25 years ago, Taissa Turner was the star player of the WHS Yellowjackets, a passionate and talented soccer team that was headed for the nationals until their lives were turned upside-down by a devastating plane crash. Before the crash, Taissa joins the team as they win the New Jersey state championships. When Allie, another member of the team, does not perform well, Taissa devises a plan to freeze her out during practice. However, she ends up knocking into the girl and breaking her leg, earning her the scorn of her teammates. The anger boils over during an evening party, turning the whole team against each other. Ultimately, however, team captain Jackie pulls the team together and they accept that Taissa didn't actually mean to hurt her.

Taissa survives the plane crash. She witnesses as Misty Quigley chops off the leg of Assistant Coach Ben Scott, which was badly injured in the plane crash. She, however, stops her from telling him the truth about his leg at first, feeling that the shock would overwhelm him. Later, Taissa observes Mari staring at the wreckage and asks if she's alright. In response, Mari comments that Taissa did Allie a favor by breaking her leg.

Some time not long after, Taissa is out scouting when she spots a lake which she believes to be only a few miles away. With the survivors rapidly running out of fresh water, she proposes a plan to abandon the crash site and journey to the lake. Jackie is completely against the idea, worried that a rescue team might not be able to find them. Taissa, however, feels that if there was any rescue team, they would have already found them by now. She puts it to a vote and the "ayes" have it, so they head to the lake. Along the way, she thanks Shauna for having her back, despite being Jackie's best friend. Shauna, however, tells her that she didn't "have her back," she just felt it was the best decision and that they only *think* they have a clue about what they're doing.

#### Skeleton and wolf attack

Later, not far from the lake, the girls discover a shack. They decide to use it as a place of rest, but Taissa discovers Lottie outside, scared to go in. She tells Taissa that she has a bad feeling about the place, but Taissa dismisses it and orders her to come in, lest she get eaten by the wolves that roam the woods. That evening, however, Taissa wakes, troubled. She heads up to the shack's attic, where she finds Lottie huddled in a corner. "I told you," comments Lottie and Taissa turns to see a dust-covered skeleton sitting in a chair. She stifles a scream.

As the time the girls spend in the woods lengthens, Taissa strikes up a relationship with Van Palmer. She asks her to keep it secret, though Van warns that the others are bound to eventually find out. Taissa also discovers that Shauna is pregnant when she figures out that Shauna isn't having her period like the rest of them. She is hiding it from her best friend Jackie because the baby is that of Jeff, Jackie's boyfriend. Taissa agrees to keep the secret, but later discovers Shauna out in the woods attempting a dangerous abortion procedure. She tells her that she's not going to let her go it alone, but ultimately Shauna is unable to go through with it at all. Meanwhile, Taissa grows increasingly dissatisfied with the group's situation, convinced that with the coming onset of winter that they are all going to starve to death if they don't do something to find help. She declares her intention to head south in the hopes of finding help, inviting anyone who desires to come with her. Van calls Taissa's plan insane, that they don't even know where they are. Taissa points out that they aren't on an island, saying that she's sure they'll come to something eventually. The two later discuss the matter in private as Taissa cuts her hair short as a sign of her resolve. Taissa tells Van that she's not going to talk her out of it. Van replies that she knows and is therefore going with her. Taissa tries to stop her, but Van tells her a tale of how she once went to New York as a kid and wanted to take a carriage ride in Central Park, but instead her parents took her to see the musical *Cats*. She says that she wants to someday go to New York with Taissa together and take that carriage ride and that she needs to come with her. She says that she has to at least try and with Taissa as their leader, they might actually make it.

The group sets off on their journey, those going with Taissa ultimately being Akilah, Mari, Misty and Van. Before they leave, however, Lottie gives Van a deer-bone charm as well as an ominous warning: a vision of a river of blood and red smoke. That evening, they sit around a campfire and enjoy a happy chat about movies which is interrupted by the howling of wolves. Taissa dismisses them as a threat, saying that wolves are scared of humans and it doesn't sound like they’re very close. She nevertheless agrees to establish a rotating night watch. As they continue on, they find themselves at a river with a strange red tint. Van brings up Lottie's vision and some of them consider turning back. Taissa, however, dismisses it as so much nonsense, saying that there's a rational explanation for everything. She declares that she's forging ahead, but invites anyone who wants to turn back, that she'll continue on her own if she has to. All choose to remain. That evening, the girls again make camp. Van offers to take first watch, but Taissa declares that she'll do it instead. When Taissa next wakes up, she is confused to find herself up a tree and three of the girls on the ground below fending off wolves. The one who is absent is Van, and Taissa is horrified. She quickly climbs down from the tree and rushes to assist Van, firing off a flare, apparently the red smoke from Lottie's vision. The flare does nothing to drive the wolf away, and Taissa ends up beating it to death, but not before Van is horribly mauled in the face.

#### Doomcoming

Convinced that Van is dead, the girls prepare a funeral pyre for her, only for her to suddenly wake. The group then beats a hasty retreat to camp so that Van can get medical attention. Taissa, however, stays behind with Van while the rest seek help, holding Van when she collapses. Van is safely seen back to camp, where Akilah stitches up her face. Later, Taissa shares with Shauna that she was sleepwalking and in the tree, saying that she's the reason that Van got hurt. Shauna promises to stay awake and not let her go anywhere. Later, Taissa joins the others in helping to clear a runway for Laura Lee, who has come up with a plan to fly a Cessna plane discovered in the woods to get help. She watches, shocked, along with everyone else as the plane explodes in mid-air.

With winter coming and the survivors on the brink of starvation, the group decides to hold one last party, wearing the dresses that they had brought for an awards dinner in Seattle. Jackie calls it a "moon homecoming," but Taissa says that it's more like a "doom homecoming," leading Lottie to coin the term "Doomcoming." Before the event, Taissa meets with Van. Van doesn't want to go, due to the horrible injuries on her face from the wolf attack. Taissa, however, presents her with a theatrical mask, along with another she plans to wear herself. Van takes the masks, smiling. The two enter the event, hand-in-hand, dancing together and revealing themselves as a couple. Afterwards, Coach Scott, who is gay himself but hiding it from everyone from Natalie, congratulates them, saying that he really admires what they did. As the Doomcoming continues, however, most of the crash survivors lose their minds due to magic mushrooms gathered by Misty which ended up in the stew and soup. At first it is fun for them, Van commenting that Taissa looks like a really hot tree. They then notice that Jackie is missing, having gone back to the cabin to have sex with Travis. Taissa declares this as being "so Jackie," but Lottie says that Travis doesn't belong to her. They end up racing through the woods and even howling in response to wolves, before ending up back at the cabin. There, while the other girls lock Jackie in a closet and attack Travis, Taissa and Van consummate their relationship in a corner.

The next morning, the group awakens from their shroom-induced craze. As they begin casting recriminations for the events of the night before, Coach Scott comments that he's sure they all did things they regret on account of the shrooms. "Oh shit, the broth," realizes Taissa, quickly piecing together the truth of what happened. Later, Van and Taissa meet in the attic. It's clear that Van has something on her mind, and Taissa asks her to say it. Van explains that she feel she saw something after the wolf attack, that she was in some sort place in-between life and death. Taissa asks her if she now believes in ghosts or tree demons, saying that she's smarter than this, and that she believes in Scully being way too good for Mulder, but not *this*. Van tells her that maybe she does, asking her if it's going to be a problem. Relenting, Taissa tells her that it won't, that they'll be okay. They hug.

Later, the group sits down to enjoy the meat of a bear killed by Lottie. When Van suggests they all say a prayer first, Taissa agrees to it. A big blowup ensues when Jackie refuses to pray along with the others and then gets into a fight with her best friend, Shauna. The argument culminates with Jackie leaving the cabin to sleep outside. Taissa tells her not to, but Jackie just shoots back that she shouldn't pretend it wasn't what she wanted the entire time. That evening, a snowstorm blows in and Jackie freezes to death. To everyone's horror, Shauna discovers her dead body outside the next morning. As she breaks down sobbing, then screams in horror, Taissa gives her a hug.

#### A strange declaration of love

After approximately two months, the Yellowjackets are struggling to survive in the wilderness in the bitter cold of winter and a dwindling supply of bear meat. Taissa faces another issue as well: her sleepwalking tendency. At Van's urging, the two of them have taken to sleeping shackled together in the attic of the cabin. Although Taissa is worried about the toll this surely must be taking on Van, Van points out that she's been sleeping through the night since they thought of it. Taissa protests that it isn't worth it if it hurts her, but Van tells her that it's her decision, quipping that perhaps she just wants her to tie her up.

Not long after this, Taissa's sleepwalking self kisses Van to the point of biting her face. Taissa is horrified and although Van tries to protest that she's okay, Taissa tells her that the arrangement is a bad idea. Van asks her if she really thinks that she can't handle this, telling Taissa that she'll never be scared of her. She points out that she killed a wolf for her, saying that it's about the most romantic thing imaginable. She then uses the blood from the bite to write "I love you" on Taissa's arm. Taissa asks her if this is really how she's choosing to tell her that she loves her for the first time. Van tells her that she's leaving her hanging, so Taissa replies that she loves her too.

One evening, Van finds Taissa gone, having broken the shackle keeping the two of them chained together. She tracks her through the woods and tackles her to the ground just before she walks off a cliff. Near the cliff is a tree bearing the mysterious symbol that they have all seen in the woods, including in the attic of the cabin. Van suggests that they talk to Lottie, who has become something of a cult leader in the wilderness, but Taissa refuses adamantly. They return to the attic, Van holding on tight and promising that she'll know if Taissa so much as moves a muscle.

Meanwhile, Taissa becomes increasingly disturbed by the behavior of Shauna, who spends much of her time in the meat shed with the corpse of Jackie, fantasizing as if she is still talking to her in real life. Things come to a head when Taissa discovers that Shauna has been braiding the corpse's hair and even applying makeup to her face. Although Lottie tries to argue that Shauna is still mourning, Taissa refuses to accept it as normal or healthy behavior. She declares that they are getting rid of Jackie's corpse and that though they might not be able to bury her with the cold weather, they can cremate her.

Overnight, a strange wind blows, causing the funeral pyre to ignite and roast Jackie's body. When the Yellowjackets smell this, they go outside and discover what has happened. At Shauna's urging, they consume Jackie's flesh. The next morning, however, Taissa is shocked upon the sight of what little remains of Jackie's body. She shouts, asking what did it, and Van tells her that they did, asking if she doesn't remember. Taissa says that she must have been sleepwalking, but Van is confused, as Taissa had been right next to her and talking to her while they were doing this. She tells Taissa that she ate Jackie's face and she retches upon hearing this.

#### Finding a lost friend

The Yellowjackets decide to throw a baby shower for Shauna. They all work to make gifts, Taissa working together with Akilah to make a crib. Akilah tells Taissa that she left behind a nephew, only four months old at the time of the plane crash. Taissa tells her that she's sorry she's missing out on him and Akilah tells her that she'd do anything to see him. That evening, Taissa gets up in the middle of the night, about to go sleepwalking again. Van asks her if she can come with her if she lets her loose and she agrees. As Taissa travels determinedly through the woods, Van asks her where she is going and she replies that she follows "the one with no eyes." She asks her if this is whom she always follows, to which she replies "Only when she lets me." When Van asks her who "she" is, she replies "Taissa." The two of them arrive at another of the trees with the symbol. Van demands to know how she knew about it, shaking her and waking her up. Once awake, however, Taissa tells Van that she has no knowledge of how they got there, nor of "the one with no eyes."

Van continues to accompany Taissa as she sleepwalks, each time finding a tree bearing the symbol. She tells her that something within her must know that they are there and suggests again that they talk to Lottie. Taissa, however, is adamantly against this idea. Van, however, later reveals to Taissa that she's been making a map of the trees with the symbol. She reveals that the placement of the trees forms one giant symbol. Although Taissa is skeptical, Van indicates a spot on the map, saying that there should be a tree there, one that they haven't found yet. She asks her to come help her look and Taissa agrees.

The two of them search, but fail to find any tree bearing the symbol within a mile radius of the point Van indicated. With it getting dark, Van suggests that they go back, but Taissa suggests that they keep searching a bit longer, just in case they missed anything. Van agrees and they discover something strange, moss growing on the ground. Just then, they hear a rustling sound and end up chasing someone, who turns out to be Javi, Travis's brother who has been missing for the past couple months. They bring him back to the cabin, but he is non-verbal, so they are unable to get any answers from him as to where he has been all this time. Mari says that Lottie is right, as she has been insisting the whole time that Javi was still alive. Van, however, points out that it was Taissa who found him. Taissa tries to argue this point, but Van tells her that she can't deny it, saying that there is something in her connected to all of this.

#### Whipped

At Van's urging, Taissa begins attending the morning prayer circles by Lottie. Although she does not truly believe, she nevertheless keeps going to satisfy Van, who is convinced that Taissa stopped sleepwalking because of them. She discusses the matter with Akilah, who compares it to a pre-game ritual she had with their deceased teammate Rachel Goldman, involving lucky socks and shins. Although it didn't seem to help them win more, they nevertheless kept doing it. They both agree that they'll probably keep going to Lottie's circles, though Akilah quips that it's because Taissa is "totally whipped" by Van.

Meanwhile, Taissa's participation in Lottie's rituals creates a rift between her and Shauna, who is now heavily pregnant and not at all pleased by the fixation that Lottie seems to have with her unborn child. This is exacerbated when Shauna wakes up to discover Lottie talking to her pregnant belly. When Lottie excuses this as it being good to talk to children in the womb, Shauna points out that this is so they learn to recognize their *mother's* voice. When Taissa tries to stick up for Lottie, telling Shauna that she wasn't hurting anyone, Shauna stalks off outside.

Taissa follows after Shauna, pleading for her not to give her the silent treatment. She asks if she wants her to apologize and Shauna tells her that she's supposed to be her friend, not on "Team Lottie." Taissa replies that there's only one team, but Shauna asks her if she really thinks this is still true. Taissa tells her that Lottie is just excited about her baby, that they all are. Shauna, though, says that the one person who ought to be excited, herself, isn't, that she's terrified of having a baby in the wilderness. She continues that having a bunch of psychos praying for her isn't making things any easier. She tells Taissa that she needs to have her back. Taissa promises that she does, saying that it's just that for the first time in a long time she's not afraid to fall asleep and she has to take what she can get. Just then, Shauna cries out in pain as a snowstorm begins forming around them.

With whiteout conditions rapidly developing, Taissa tries to get Shauna back to the cabin. She sets up a chant, saying that she can hear their friends waiting to find them, though it is unclear if she is simply hoping. Either way, back at the cabin, Lottie and the others have indeed set up a prayer circle, hoping to guide Taissa and Shauna back to them through the storm. They arrive back at the cabin, where it quickly becomes clear that Shauna has now gone into labor.

#### Why they're there

Taissa turns to Misty, asking what they do, but Misty seems confused and distracted, having just lost her best friend, Crystal, in the wilderness. Akilah takes over, saying that when the contractions are this regular and intense, it's definitely labor. Taissa asks her if this means that it'll all be over soon, but Akilah tells her that when her sister was in labor, it lasted a day and a half. Shauna pleads with Taissa that there's no way she can do this for that long, and Taissa assures her that she can, that she can do anything. Lottie then sets up another prayer circle for everyone to send their wishes to the wilderness, but Taissa is shocked when Mari states that she hopes that Shauna doesn't die, asking why she would say "die." Lottie then tells Shauna to let her pain open her to the moment, leading Taissa to tell her to give Shauna some space, that it's hard enough for her already. As Lottie then begins asking for sacrifices to the wilderness, Taissa tries to get Shauna to keep her attention on her and tune all of this out.

Something purple emerges and Taissa realizes that it is the placenta, which is supposed to come after the baby. When she points this out, Akilah tells Shauna that it's no big deal, that it's just coming out a little backwards and to keep pushing. Both, however, recognize it as being a bad sign. Ultimately, the baby is stillborn. Shauna passes out during the birth and when she wakes up, Taissa tells her that she had lost a lot of blood and that they thought they lost her. Shauna is confused, having had an elaborate fantasy in which the baby was born healthy. Misty hands Taissa a bundle, which she hands to Shauna, telling her that she's sorry, as Shauna pleads that she can still hear the baby crying. Afterwards, Taissa tries to get a listless Shauna to drink some water, but Shauna just ignores her. As the snowstorm stops, the group finally manages to get the cabin door open and Taissa tries to coax Shauna into going outside, telling her that the fresh air will be good for her. Shauna ignores this too, but eventually goes out on her own.

Following this, Taissa talks with Van. She sobs, saying that she had really thought the baby was going to make it. To this, Van agrees that they had all been hoping for this. She says, however, that it doesn't change the fact that his mother was starving, that they all are. Van shares that she thinks that they all need to wake up. "What?" asks Taissa, telling her that this doesn't sound like her. Van, though, tells her that she kept surviving things that should have killed her. She figured that it meant something, that she had some kind of purpose, but now she's struggling to see it. Taissa tells her that she helped her to see, hear, and sleep, that she would be dead without her, that she needs her. Van replies that she needs her too, but she also needs to know why she's still there.

Later, Taissa joins a group that goes out searching for Misty's friend Crystal. As they make their way through the wilderness, Lottie stops with Taissa, telling the others of the group to go ahead while they hang back. She tells Taissa that she was the one who knew where Javi was and that she could help them find Crystal too. Taissa, however, tells her that since she started attending her circles, she doesn't sleepwalk anymore and that the other her who knew where Javi was is gone. Lottie, though, tells her that she isn't gone and that this is a good thing.

Back at the cabin, Shauna flies into a rage after hearing Misty humming "Lightning Crashes," a song about childbirth. She hits Misty and when she others try to restrain her, she ends up biting Van. She shouts that they all ate her baby, a reference to something from her fantasy after passing out, and Taissa tells her that she's acting insane. Lottie then offers herself up for Shauna to take out her frustration on and Shauna beats her to a bloody pulp.

#### The wilderness's choice

In the aftermath, the group finds themselves at an all-time low, all of them on the verge of starvation and not sure what is going to happen next. Taissa discovers Akilah talking to something in her hands. She comes over, asking her what's in her hands, but Akilah tells her that it's nothing. Taissa grabs her, telling her to let her see it, and Akilah shouts at her, telling her that she cannot touch him, that he's hers. "That thing is dead, Akilah," Taissa tells her. Akilah asks her what she's talking about and Taissa reaches down and plucks from her hand the skeleton of a mouse, holding it up. Akilah is horrified, as up until then she had entirely believed that she had been petting and talking to an entirely real and live mouse that she had given the name Nugget.

Not long after this, Taissa has a vision of her other self staring at her from one of the windows of the cabin. Mari then describes the return of a dripping noise that she's been hearing and Taissa tells her that she can hear it too. She points at one of the cabin walls, saying that it's coming from there. Mari then has a vision of blood dripping from the walls, but Taissa is unable to see it. Mari screams, shouting that they're all dead, and Taissa pulls her back, telling her that there's nobody there. Mari insists that she heard it, but Van tells her that it's just the hunger.

Misty reports to the group, telling them that Lottie isn't doing well and that she had said that if she dies, she wants them to make use of her body. Melissa comments that she must be really sick to say this. Although they all express their hope that Lottie will live, they agree that she isn't going to if she keeps starving, that none of them will. Taissa then rises, saying that they need to find a way to stay alive and that it can't be Lottie.

As such, the group creates a ritual. They set up an altar with a candle and Van presents a deck of cards, showing them all a Queen of Hearts with her eyes blacked out. The intention is clear: whoever chooses the Queen of Hearts is selected to die. They all begin drawing, Taissa drawing a 6 of Spades. The draw continues until Natalie draws the Queen of Hearts. Shauna then places a knife to her throat, ready to kill her, but Travis intervenes, pushing Shauna away and shouting for Natalie to run. Some of the girls then remain to hold Travis back, but Taissa is among the group that chases after her.

As Natalie flees, she is intercepted by Javi, who tells her that he knows a secret place where they can hide. However, the other girls catch up to them as they are making their way across the frozen lake. The ice cracks, and Javi falls in. Natalie tries to rescue him, but Misty comes and tells her to stop, that the others will get her if she rescues Javi. Thrashing and spluttering, Javi pleads with Natalie to save him, but instead, she along with the others watches him drown. Taissa does too, but eventually shouts for them to grab him after it is clear it is too late. They pull up his lifeless body, Van declaring that the wilderness chose.

The group returns to the cabin with Javi's body. As Travis reacts in shock, Taissa closes her eyes, leading the others inside. She later joins the others as they strip Javi's body for Shauna to prepare it for them to eat. She watches with Natalie as Shauna cuts open Javi's jugular vein to bleed out leaving when she tells them to. She later joins the others as they cannibalize Javi. Later, Lottie, having regained her strength from the meal, returns to the group. She tells them that she can no longer hear the wilderness, but that it chose who would lead them: Natalie. Taissa joins the others in paying their respects to Natalie.

That evening, the cabin burns down. As the group flees, Taissa tries to open a door, but can’t. Van shouts out her to move and begins kicking down the door. Taissa grabs an ax, chopping it down. She and Van are the last to escape as the cabin's windows burst around them from the pressure. She and the others race outside and stand together, but can do nothing but watch as their sanctuary through the long months burns to the ground.

### The present

#### The political

Now, Taissa's political ambitions threaten to send their lives into new turmoil by unraveling the pact of secrecy made among the survivors. She is campaigning for state senator of New Jersey, her platform being to "lead New Jersey out of the wilderness and back to the economic prosperity we all deserve."

Taissa is openly gay and has a wife named Simone, a son, Sammy and a dog, Biscuit. Following the crash, she attended Howard for pre-law with a double major in history and philosophy and dated a bunch of beautiful women. She made first first string on the soccer team and graduated first in her class. She then went on to Columbia Law before landing an internship at one of the biggest firms in the city. By 2021, she has been married to Simone for approximately 15 years.

Taissa has hired Jessica Roberts to investigate if anyone has spoken about the true details of her and her friends' 19 months in the wilderness, lest it derail her campaign. She is stunned when Phil Bathurst, her opponent, airs an attack ad claiming that she supports education by "cannibalizing your tax dollars." In response, using information obtained from Roberts, she calls Bathurst and warns him that she knows that he buried his daughter's arrest for drug possession. She warns him not to air another ad like that again unless he wants his daughter's face to be all over the tri-state.

#### The personal

Meanwhile, Taissa navigates some messy personal issues. She, like some of the other survivors, has received a postcard reading "Wish You Were Here" with a picture of a forest landscape and, on the back, the strange symbol that they saw in the wilderness. Additionally, things are becoming troubled between her and her son. She misses a parent-teacher conference at her son's school and Simone tells her that Sammy's teachers are worried because he doesn't have any friends. Later, she visits him in his room to read to him and discovers a number of bizarre and creepy drawings that he has plastered over his windows. When she asks him about them, he tells her that they're "so she couldn't see me" and that this she is "hiding in the tree, she watches me at night."

Sometime afterward, when Taissa takes him to the playground, he hits a boy for referring to her as a "cannonball," not knowing that what the boy really meant to say was "cannibal." She takes him home and sends him to his room, but when she takes away his doll, Manny, he gets up and demands that she give it back. Later, she goes to his room and gets him to admit he was wrong, telling him she'll give him back the doll the next day. He asks her why people don't like her and she says that it's because she's different and that scares them. Later she discovers the doll, dismembered, in the basement.

Following this, Taissa attends a charity dinner. There, she hopes to connect with a woman named Diane Rafelson and get her support for her campaign. She prepares diligently, as Rafelson is a wealthy individual who could completely turn her campaign around. At the dinner, however, Taissa, a vegan or vegetarian, is disgusted upon seeing the dinner for the evening, roast pig. Overwhelmed by the event, she escapes to an outside balcony for a smoke, only to find herself unexpectedly faced with Rafelson. Delighted at the unexpected opportunity, she immediately begins chatting up the woman. The two hit it off and things seem to be going quite well, with the two apparently reaching an understanding. However, Rafelson then asks Taissa to share the truth of what happened when the Yellowjackets were stranded in the woods. Taissa gives the usual story of them scavenging and scrounging, but Rafelson tells her that she wants the real story. Taissa asks her what makes her entitled to it and she cites her history of giving to women's and black causes, telling Taissa to watch her tone. Pushed beyond reason, Taissa tells her that she'll perfectly calibrate her tone as she tells her to go fuck herself. She then stalks off.

#### "SPILL"

After this incident, Taissa speaks with Simone, lamenting her falling poll numbers and wishing that she had kept her cool with Rafelson. Simone, however, tells her that honesty is her superpower. As they continue their conversation, Taissa is disturbed when she sees what appears to be a wolf outside. She goes out and finds no wolf, but does discover that somebody has painted the word "SPILL" in bright red letters on the doors of their apartment. That evening, she and Simone return from taking Sammy out trick-or-treating. Then, Taissa is shocked to discover a can of red paint with a brush inside under Sammy's bed. She and Simone confront him with it, but he says that he didn't paint it, that it was the woman hiding in the tree. Taissa tells him to tell the truth, that there is no woman. He shouts that he is telling the truth and upends the contents of the table before running off. She and Simone discuss the incident and Taissa suggests that she might drop out of the running. Simone says that she would never ask her to do that, but that Sammy is slipping away from her and you never get the time back. Taissa agrees to make an announcement.

When it comes time to make her announcement, however, Taissa finds herself staring at the card on which the announcement is written, unable to speak the words on it. Ditching the card, she then denounces the attacks of her opponents and then reveals the word painted on her door, making it sound as though it was painted by one of her opponents. She declares that despite such attacks, she is staying in the race. Not long after this, she and Natalie receive a text message, possibly from the same person who sent the postcards. The text demands $50,000 or the sender will reveal their secrets and includes a rendering of the same strange symbol from the postcards. Taissa meets with Natalie and Shauna, who also survived the crash, but claims not to have received a postcard, nor a blackmail message. The three of them hatch a plan to get back at the blackmailer by giving them the cash and including a tracking device along with it. Taissa agrees to get the money, however, she finds that her bank will not let her make a withdraw from her and her wife Simone's shared account without Simone's consent. Frustrated, she reports this to Natalie, who says that she'll take care of it and then sells off her fancy car to raise the money. Meanwhile, Simone tells her that she's taking Sammy to a therapist, warning her that she'd better be there and saying that the woman she saw at the announcement was not the woman she married. Things do not go well at the therapist's, as Taissa is distracted by text messages and dismisses the therapist's assessment that Sammy does not even remember any of the things they have accused him of doing. On the drive back, Taissa is so distracted that she very nearly runs over a cyclist in an intersection.

That evening, around the time that the plan is scheduled to begin, Taissa unexpectedly finds herself beside in a tree in her yard, her hands covered in dirt and blood from apparently having bitten them. Ignoring Natalie's text that it's go time, she goes inside her home and cleans up before going to meet Natalie and Shauna. The three meet up and go over the plan, which involves placing the money inside a bag along with the tracking device. However, it turns out that Shauna had not realized how little space $50,000 in $100 bills actually takes up, so they are forced to fill the bag with trash and debris in order to try to conceal the tracker. Natalie then goes to make the drop, insisting on being the one to do, as she was the one who raised the money. While Natalie is away, Taissa and Shauna chat. They agree that they shouldn't be too hard on her, given what she's been through, saying that they owe their lives to her.

Natalie returns to the car and the group waits for action on the tracking device. They eventually get a hit and begin pursuit of the blackmailer. They nearly corner him, but he manages to get away. Taissa has to stop Natalie from shooting him, worried that she would have ended up killing him. Later, as the group is driving home, they get into an argument that ends with Natalie demanding to be let out. She tells Taissa and Shauna that the two of them are both as messed up as her, and they just do a better job of hiding it.

#### Return of the sleepwalker

Following this, Taissa pays an unexpected visit to Shauna's home. The two goes for a walk together and she explains to Shauna that she's started sleepwalking again, something that she did once before with disastrous consequences in the wilderness. She tells Shauna that she's been pounding espressos every night just to stay awake because she's afraid of what will happen if she sleepwalks again. Furthermore, she's afraid she's already caused the family dog, Biscuit, to go missing because of leaving a gate open while sleepwalking. Shauna offers to let her sleep at her place, as both her husband Jeff and her daughter Callie are out for the evening. The two spend the night together with Shauna looking out for Taissa the same way she did in the woods. Before going to bed, the two discuss the plane crash and the life paths they would have taken had it never happened. Taissa admits that her own life path is actually rather like what she had planned even before the crash, but that somehow it doesn't feel real. She also admits to no longer feeling "it" with Simone, considering their relationship to simply be safe and stable. That evening, she returns to Simone, informing her of her sleepwalking problem and asking her to take Sammy and go stay at her Mom's house. Simone insists that they can get Taissa help and work through it together, but Taissa begs her to leave, shouting that she doesn't get it and she's afraid she'll hurt her and Sammy. Stunned, Simone takes Taissa's advice.

The next day, Taissa is outside a polling place with her campaign manager, Soyun. As the two of them watch people standing in line to cast their ballots, the campaign manager tries to encourage Taissa by telling that the zip code is "Team Turner" and that three out of every five people in the line are voting for her. Taissa, however, tells her that she set a 15 year marriage on fire, wondering what it was all for. In response, the campaign manager tells her that campaigns are hell on even the best marriages. She says that Simone will come around, but Taissa is dismissive of this, saying that she doesn't know anything about her. Taissa later receives a call from Shauna, who says that she "has him." She asks what she means, then places a call herself to Natalie. "She found him, Nat."

#### Victory

The two then make their way to a flat. When Shauna leads them inside, they are shocked to discover a dead body. Taissa demands from Shauna to know just who he is and Shauna explains that he is Adam, a man she was having an affair with. She claims that he is the one who blackmailed them, though secretly, it was her own husband, Jeff. She tells them that she confronted him and he attacked her, so she acted in self-defense. Shauna asks what they're going to do, and Taissa points out that Shauna's DNA is all over the place. Shauna replies that Taissa is a lawyer, but Taissa shoots back that her practice wasn't murder cleanup. She note that Natalie is being very quiet, asking if she has any ideas. "Yeah, one," replies Natalie.

Natalie's solution is to call in Misty Quigley. Though the others are wary, they decide that they have no choice. Misty quickly puts them all to work. Taissa works with Misty to clean up the blood and other evidence at the crime scene, while Shauna and Natalie saw apart Adam's body. Under Misty, the process is quick and efficient. Following this, the group then reunites at the Wiskayok High School for their class's 25th anniversary reunion. There, they all share shooters together at Misty's suggestion. Taissa describes it as a good call, saying that she can't take it if one more person tells her she's in their thoughts and prayers.

The next day, Taissa is busy working on her concession speech as she and her team wait for the results of the election to start coming in. She takes a call from Simone, who tells her that she's coming over to the house to pick up some clothes and toys for Sammy. Taissa tells her that she won't be there, that she has to be with her campaign staff, then realizes that Simone doesn't want her to be there. Simone says she feels it would be easier for Sammy and Taissa agrees, asking if she can talk with him. Simone tells her that he's off on a playdate with a kid named Elvis, but promises to call tomorrow and have them talk then. That evening, as Taissa stands together with her campaign staff, the stunning news comes on that in a surprise upset, she has defeated her opponent, the incumbent Phil Bathurst, to become New Jersey's first Black woman elected to the State Senate. Back at her home, while Sammy goes up to his room to get some toys, Simone heads down to the basement. She is surprised to discover some blood on a grate. She navigates a crawlspace and, to her shock and horror discovers a bizarre shrine: several unlit candles, Sammy's favorite doll with one eye missing, the head and heart of the family dog Biscuit and, on the wall in blood, a strange symbol that the crash survivors saw in the woods. As she screams, back at campaign headquarters, the campaign staff sets up a cheer of "Turner! Turner! Turner!" Taissa grins in triumph.

#### Simone's warning

Taissa is at an animal shelter or rescue, looking to adopt a new dog to replace Biscuit. The person she speaks with turns out to be a fan, addressing her playfully as "Madam Senator." She asks Taissa if she might want to take any of the dogs to the playroom to get better acquainted, but she tells her it won't be necessary, indicating one named Steve. She mentions there being some paperwork that's needed to fill out, but then says that she'll take care of it, telling her that she phone-banked for her. Taissa thanks her, telling her that every vote counted.

Taissa then discusses the current state of affairs with her campaign manager. The campaign manager tells her that they ruffled a lot of feathers with their campaign rhetoric and are going to have to start smoothing things over. She tells her that in particular she's going to need to meet with the teacher's union and start managing them because they can't actually deliver even half of what they promised. She even discusses Taissa's reelection, leading Taissa to note that she hasn't even taken office yet. The campaign manager hears Steve barking and asks if it's Biscuit, but Taissa tells her that she'll have to call her back.

Taissa heads to Sammy's school, Parkside Elementary, and waits in her car for him to come out. When he sees him emerge from the front doors, she calls for him. Steve barks and Sammy’s eyes go wide with delight, racing over to the car. She introduces him to the dog, but just then, Simone comes running over. She shouts at Sammy to stop. Taissa apologizes, saying she tried calling, but Simone tells her to stay away from Sammy. Putting headphones on Sammy, she tells him to go wait over by the fence.

Simone tells Taissa that she found the "thing" in the basement. "What thing?" asks Taissa and Simone tells her that she needs to get real help or else she will never see Sammy again. Taissa tells her she has no idea what she's talking about and Simone says she will put it in terms she can understand. She tells Taissa that if she doesn't step down from office and get help with whatever it is that is happening to her, she will go to the press.

Taissa returns home, calling the whole thing that's happening some "sad-ass divorce shit." She then discovers the stain on the wall below the grate and crawls in, just as Simone did, discovering the shrine at the end of the passage, Steve following behind her. Looking on in horror, she cries, calling it a mistake, and tells Steve that she's going to do better with him.

#### Full crash

Horrified by what she has done, Taissa begins doing anything she can to remain awake, terrified of what she might do while asleep. She exercises, pounds espressos, and pops pills, all in a desperate effort to remain awake. Yet, in the mirror, her reflection does not seem to be her own. In the midst of this, Sammy appears at her place. Stunned, she asks if he walked all the way there from school and he tells her that he wanted to see her. She tells him to play with the dog while she calls Simone to come pick him up. However, when Simone gets there, Sammy is nowhere to be found, the window to his room open. Taissa tries to explain that it’s a cry for attention, but Simone is unimpressed and tells her that they need to find their son.

As the two are out driving, searching for Sammy, they receive a disturbing phone call from Sammy's school. Sammy is waiting there in the office to be picked up and has been for the past couple hours. Sammy was never at Taissa's place; it was all a hallucination. Realizing this, Simone tells Taissa that she needs to stop what she's doing and get help, that she won't let her be Sammy's mother like this. At this, something seems to come over Taissa and she swerves the car, causing a truck to crash into Simone's side.

#### Seeking an old friend

In the hospital, Taissa has hallucinations of Sammy asking her if Simone is going to die and Simone asking her if this is what she wanted. A nurse startles her awake and she asks her how Simone is. The nurse tells her that she isn't out of the woods yet, commenting that Taissa drew an interesting design on her. "What does it mean?" she asks, showing Taissa a drawing of the mysterious symbol from the wilderness on Simone's hand. Taissa lies and says it's for luck, then furiously scrubs the symbol away once the nurse is gone from the room.

In the hospital's restroom, Taissa sees the reflection that once again does not match her own movements. It places its hands over its face and mouths something at her. "Tell me what you want!" shouts Taissa. Later, Taissa meets with her campaign manager, Soyun. Soyun tells her that her tox report came back and her system was clear for everything except Adderall, which is easy to spin. She continues that the police want to get her for running the red light, but that street cam footage will hopefully prove that the other guy was speeding. Disregarding this, however, Taissa asks her if she drove there and when she says that she did, she asks for her keys. Soyun asks if she should really be driving, but Taissa ignores this too and takes the keys. She also puts in a call to Jessica Roberts, but gets no answer.

Taissa goes to Jessica Roberts's place and uses a key to enter, obtaining a file. When she comes to, she finds herself on the side of the road, the fuel tank of Soyun's car empty. She apparently has no memory whatsoever of going to Jessica's, nor driving where she did. She begins walking along the side of the interstate until a truck pulls over. She is wary, but the trucker tells her that he voted for her. She tells him that she doesn't normally hitchhike, nor look so disheveled, but he says that it's okay, that it kind of makes him like her more, to know that even state senators can have a bad day. As she boards the truck, she notices a novelty pen which, when the ink drains, reveals a woman's breasts. The trucker starts to make an excuse, but she just smiles, asking him how much he wants for it. Following the information she obtained from Jessica Roberts's place, she has him drop her off in front of a small store called "While You Were Streaming." Inside, running the store, is Van.

#### Not where they're supposed to be

Upon entering the store, Taissa almost immediately collapses, tired from her trip and lack of sleep. Later, after Taissa wakes up, Van asks her if she's planning to tell her why she's there. When she gives no answer, Van asks if she's sleepwalking again. Taissa, however, just claps her hands and presents her with the pen that she got from the trucker. The two reminisce about having attended Jeff and Shauna's wedding and having swapped one of the fancy guestbook pens for one of these, scandalizing Mrs. Taylor, the mother of Jackie. Van then asks Taissa just how bad it is.

Taissa shares with Van the truth of just how bad it is, including the altar she made with Biscuit's head and heart and in the basement. Shocked, she asked if Sammy saw it, but Taissa tells her that he thankfully didn't. She asks Taissa if she's gone to see a sleep doctor, but Taissa mockingly presents the scenario of trying to present what she did to Biscuit to a sleep doctor. Van asks what now, and Taissa asks if she could take a shower. Van tells her that she's serious and Taissa replies that she is too, that she just hitchhiked across Pennsylvania and does not smell great. Van gives in.

Following her shower, Taissa snoops in Van's medicine cabinet, discovering a bottle labeled "V. Palmer - Oxycodone." She confronts Van, saying that it's heavy-duty medication. Van at first tells her to mind her own business, but then says that the "V." stands for "Vicky," that her mother had cancer and was living with her until she died. Taissa replies that at least the two of them were talking again and Van says that cancer tends to change people. Taissa replies that you don't have to be dying to have regrets and Van, annoyed, tells her that she doesn't just get to do this, come and drop an anvil on her. Taissa suggests that maybe she shouldn't have come, but Van tells her not to do this, that she should at least have the decency to ask her for her help. Taissa tells her that she's terrified - that she killed her dog, hurt her wife and that she doesn't want to hurt anyone else that she loves. Van hugs her, telling her that they'll figure it out.

Late that night, the two of them are together on a couch, Taissa having fallen asleep. Van gets up and digs the pills that she had thrown away out of the trash, taking them herself instead. As she finishes swallowing them, Taissa comes up and grabs her, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Van realizes that she must be "the other one" and Taissa tells her that "this isn't where we're supposed to be."

The next day, Van allows Taissa to sleep in late. When she wakes, she goes to Van, asking why she didn't wake her up. When she gets no answer, she asks her if something happened and she replies that it always does. She tells her about what she said and did the night before and Taissa apologizing, asking who "we" is. Van tells her that she doesn't know and Taissa suggests that it could be the two of them. Van, however, tells her that there is no "them," that she's married. Taisssa suggests that she should go, but Van tells her to make herself useful by filing some of the store's tapes. As she does, Taissa notices a set of overdue bills in the trash. She later confronts Van about how business is going, saying that the place can't be paying the bills and that she saw the bills in the trash. Van, however, tells her that it's none of her business, that she had come for help with her own life and that she'll let her know if she needs any help with hers. She asks her if she has any bright ideas as to where they're supposed to be if this isn't it, but Taissa has no good answer for this.

#### Camp Green Pine

Taissa answers her buzzing phone, thinking that it could be the hospital calling about Simone. The call, however, turns out to be from Misty, who tells her that she's going to want to hear this. Taissa replies that she doesn't have time for her and Misty tells her that she's at a residential wellness center. Taissa asks her sardonically if she's there getting help and Misty replies that everyone there is getting help "from one Charlotte Matthews." Taissa is stunned as she, along with the other survivors, had believed that Charlotte Matthews - or Lottie - was still in a mental institution in Switzerland. Misty tells Taissa that Natalie is there too and that she has to come check it out, that it's filled with "granola losers" but the food is great. Overhearing some of the conversation, Van asks Taissa what's going on and Taissa asks Misty to tell her again where this is.

Shortly after this, Taissa and Van are on the road, Taissa having convinced Van to take her to the wellness center, Camp Green Pine, though Van points out that she didn't give her much choice. Taissa asks her if she doesn't at least want to come in and check it out, but Van tells her that she prefers to keep the past in the past. Taissa chuckles at this, pointing out the fact that she runs a video store. She says that Van lives in the past, but Van says that it's a past where she still thought that being happy was possible. Taissa asks her if she's even trying to be happy, if she's dating anyone. Van tells her that she gets her needs met, which earns her an "ew." Van tells her not to judge her for being too good for dating apps and Taissa tells her that she just wants to know that she hasn't given up on love. Van replies that if she has, it's not because of her.

Taissa and Van arrive outside Camp Green Pine, Van commenting that it's their last chance, that they could turn around go to IHOP. They witness Shauna entering ahead of them and Van drives forward. As they exit onto a beach, they are greeted by Misty. Misty is confused by Van's presence, asking if they're a couple again. Taissa, however, tells Misty that Van isn't even staying. "Right, Van?" she asks, but Van stares at Lottie, standing by the lake, in stunned shock.

#### Treatments and truth

Lottie greets the group, telling them that when new members arrive at the community, she often has them choose a treatment without a description, something which speaks to them, from the choices of Forage, Guidance, Renewal and Self Care. Van rises, saying that this isn't for her, but Taissa declares that she'll take Renewal. Van chooses Forage.

"Renewal" turns out to be painting the side of a barn with a makeup brush. She quickly grows bored of her treatment, asking Lottie if they can just cut to the chase, because this isn't solving her problems. Lottie agrees, asking her just what her problems are. She explains that she's been sleepwalking again and that she needs help. Lottie replies that the other her had a deep connection to the wilderness and to wisdom. Taissa objects to this, saying that the other her wants to hurt her family. Lottie, however, replies that she may not want to, that she just doesn't want to be repressed. She continues that this other self is still a part of her and always will be.

Late that evening, Taissa removes her wedding ring, placing it on a rock by some candles. Sitting nearby, Van comments that she doesn't see how marrying the rock is going to solve Taissa's problems. Taissa asks her if she shouldn't be wandering the woods, foraging. Holding a bottle of booze, she reveals that her interpretation of foraging was to forage it from her truck. Taissa comments that she can't believe they're back again. "Making offerings to the dirt," agrees Van. Taissa kisses Van passionately, but then apologizes. She tells her that it's something she's thought about, but that it's a long road. Van tells her that she can't wait for her, that she doesn't have that kind of time. She explains that she has cancer, and has only been given a few months to live. Sobbing, Taissa asks her why she's only telling her now. Van tells her that she wasn't going to tell her at all, but Taissa had just shown up on her doorstep. Van asks if she had really expected her to message her on Facebook, or to send a message through her campaign. Misty comes over, shouting for them to come with her, and Van gets up, telling Taissa to act normal.

#### What the darkness wants

Natalie gathers the group, telling them that she wanted to talk with them about their treatments, that she hopes they got something unexpected out of the day. The session, however, ends up breaking down into them just sitting and chatting over booze. Even Lottie joins, providing fine spirits from her personal stash. When Misty brings up having a boyfriend named Walter Tattersall, Taissa jokes around, asking where he goes to prison. The conversation turns to what memories they have may have repressed from the past, Lottie commenting that trauma always manifests in some way. Van comments that they're all familiar with the terrible parts and gets up. Taissa pulls her aside, telling her that she knows a specialist at Johns Hopkins who could help her, but she just grunts in response. Then the song "Lightning Crashes" plays and they all dance together as it starts snowing outside, until Shauna is called away, told that she has an urgent phone call from her husband.

While Shauna takes her call, the others finish dancing to the song, Taissa commenting that it's likely going to be stuck in her head for a while. Shauna returns and, seeing the look in on her face, Taissa asks her what happened. Shauna explains that the police have found the body of Adam Martin buried at a local park. The significance of this news is immediately understood by everyone but Lottie and Van, who were not a part of the cover-up of Martin's death. As Shauna tells Lottie that she needs to return home, Van asks Taissa if they didn't know him. "Not really," replies Taissa and she asks what the panic vibe is if this is really true. Taissa claims that none of them are panicked except for Shauna, but Van tells her that she's lying to her and she wants to know why. She goes over to Shauna and tosses the keys for her minivan away into the wilderness, stating that nobody is going anywhere until they tell her and Lottie what's going on.

At Lottie's urging, the group retires to the Sharing Shack on the compound, Lottie not wanting them to discuss all of this outside where the community's acolytes can hear. As Shauna finishes her story, Van comments that this is what they've been doing with their time: chasing blackmailers and murdering lovers. Shauna says that it's in all of their best interests that Adam Martin is gone and Taissa replies "But especially yours." Shauna counters that she wasn't the only one with secrets that he was threatening to reveal and Natalie asks her why she would share more of those with Jeff. Shauna replies that she was scared and needed his support, to which Taissa says that they all need things that they can't have. In response to this, Taissa asks Shauna about Van's presence and Van tells Shauna that Taissa hitched a ride on an 18-wheeler, as if this was totally normal.

Taissa tells Shauna that it's not hard to find out people's addresses these days. Misty agrees with this, commenting that she's had Van's address for years and that Taissa could have just asked her instead of "outsourcing." Natalie asks her just what she means by this and Misty asks Taissa if she wants to tell them. Getting no response, Misty explains that Taissa had hired Jessica Roberts to look into all of them, concerned about her campaign and whether any of the might spill information which could derail it. Shauna is stunned at this revelation, pointing out that the kind of trouble they all could have been in if Roberts had found anything out. Taissa says that she had to make sure that nobody would talk if offered the right amount, if she could trust them. Natalie calls this comment about trust ironic and Shauna asks what would happen if Roberts were to go rogue. Misty, however, tells them that they don't have to worry about this, that she "took care" of her.

As the group continues talking, they realize that it was actually Shauna's husband Jeff who was the blackmailer. Taissa complains about Shauna having lied to them and she tells them that she didn't know what to do, that she thought that they knew the truth, they might try to kill Jeff. Taissa calls this insane and Shauna asks if it really is, given that Misty "took care" of Jessica Roberts. Taissa replies that Shauna cannot put this on them, that she's been using them all. At this, Shauna tells her that she's right, that what she's been doing has just been making things worse. She admits that she lied to them because the truth is that if one of their loved ones had been the blackmailer, it's very possible that she might have killed them. Natalie thanks her for honesty, saying that they're all messed up and that it's time they started talking about it. Lottie, however, says that they can't solve this with talking, that it isn't something therapies can fix. She tells them that something guided them there and now they have to give it what it wants.

#### Buying time

Shauna tells Lottie that none of this was real and Taissa agrees that it's no secret that they're all a bit messed up, but that this is only natural given what they went through in the wilderness. Lottie, however, says that the darkness has been with them along and they have to stop denying it. She says that they have to give it what it wants, which is one of them. She presents a set of six cups of tea, explaining that one of them is poisoned with phenobarbital, which they use at the compound to euthanize suffering animals. Shauna protests that their lives aren't that bad, but Lottie points out everything they have done, including Taissa having pushed away her entire family. She tells them that this is how they've always given back and that it can help them now.

When the others continue to protest, Lottie makes as if to drink from the poisoned cup. Shauna then tells her to put it down, saying that if they're going to do this, they have to do it as they did before in the wilderness, with playing cards and a hunt. As Lottie hugs her, she makes faces to the others indicating that they need to play along and Taissa comments "We have to stop fighting it." Lottie agrees that they'll do it as before, saying that she'll make sure that all of her people stay away and that the woods will be theirs tonight.

After Lottie is gone, Shauna says that she's bought them all time to figure out what to do. Misty then suggests that they could get her committed again, given her history. "That's it," agrees Taissa, saying that Lottie is a danger to herself and others and they can keep it calm and discreet. Misty agrees that as a medical professional, she can contact Lottie's treating physician. Van, however, protests that they can't just hospitalize Lottie and call it a day, that this isn't just about Lottie's mental illness and that they all went through what she did.

Taissa and Van sit together, making masks for the hunt. Van tells her that she doesn't feel good about the plan. Taissa replies that Lottie is sick. "But she isn't," protests Van, saying that if she is, then Taissa is too, that they've all felt it in some way. She says that they can reach her. Taissa tells her that they tried and Van says that they need to try again, that simply being locked up in some psych ward won't help Lottie. "Would it help you?" she asks, saying that they protect each other, that they all swore that they would. She then makes a call, with Van by her side. She tells the person on the other end that although they had requested a crisis team, they've now managed to calm Lottie down and will be bringing her to Whitlock General themselves.

#### Nothing they can do

The six gather in the woods of Camp Green Pine, Lottie setting down a knife and holding up the deck of playing cards. She tells them all that it's time. She holds up the Queen of Hearts card, then places it back in the deck and shuffles. Shauna declares that she'd like to shuffle the cards some more and Lottie agrees, but eventually Van declares it to be enough. Lottie asks who wants to draw first and Van takes up the offer. She passes the cards to Taissa, who asks her if this is what she wanted to happen. Lottie asks her if she's refusing the draw, saying that she knows what happens if she does. Taissa therefore draws a card. They continue until they reach Lottie and she declares that they are to go again. Finally, Shauna draws the Queen of Hearts.

The other five don their masks. Shauna pleads for them to come on, but Lottie draws her knife, telling her that she can submit or run. Shauna asks if they've all lost their minds, saying that there is no "it," that it was just them. Lottie asks her if there's really a difference. When Shauna turns to walk away, Lottie asks her if she's choosing to run. She curses her and they all give chase. As they pursue Shauna through the forest, a gunshot rings out, the bullet grazing Lottie's shoulder. It turns out to have been fired by Shauna's daughter, Callie. Lottie calls Callie powerful, saying that "it" is with them all now. Shauna then cries out, asking Misty where the psych team is. Taissa tells her that they're not coming, that they called them off. She says that it was Van's idea. "How could you?" asks Shauna and Van says that it wasn't right, that Lottie is like this because of them.

Lottie asks what they all hear, if they believe her now about it being with them. She asks them how they could think it wasn't, given everything, saying that it led Taissa to Van to bring her to them. She ends by saying that it was in Natalie, even when she tried to deny it, that she was always its favorite. Natalie shouts at her, asking why she can't ever stop, and suddenly Lisa, one of the acolytes from the community appears, brandishing Natalie's shotgun.

Lisa asks Natalie just what she did, if she killed people. As the two argue and Lisa approaches Natalie, Misty pulls out a syringe loaded with a lethal overdose of drugs. Lisa shouts at Natalie to drop her knife and tries to rush her. Seeing this, Misty charges forward. Shauna shouts at her to stop, but Natalie leaps in front of Lisa and ends up taking the injection instead. Taissa shouts for them all to call for an ambulance, but Shauna points out that they don't have their phones with them. Natalie collapses and Taissa asks what they do, but Misty sobs, saying that there's nothing that they can do. In the aftermath, Natalie's body is taken away in an ambulance, the paramedics declaring her dead of a drug overdose. Lottie sits at the edge of an ambulance and Taissa tells her that they're going to keep her for a while, but that they'll come and check on her. To this, Lottie replies, staring at Van, that they gave it what it wants and that it's pleased with them. "You'll see," she tells them.

Publicity photo - teenPublicity photo - adultBTS- Becoming Taissa - Yellowjackets - SHOWTIME

## Personality and traits

Determined and driven, Taissa can be very kind and caring, but also possesses a ruthless side. She concocts the plan to "freeze out" Allie Stevens and later breaks her leg, though it is unclear if she actually intended to go this far. After the plane crash, when the Yellowjackets discover the lake in the wilderness, she and Akilah bond, Akilah telling her that she has she has the junior varsity team fooled as she's "not that much of a bitch." She also forms a friendship with Van Palmer that quickly becomes romantic. Troubled by the lack of food, she hatches a plan to find help, but she sleepwalks when she was supposed to be on watch, which results in Van being nearly mauled to death by wolves. Despite this, Van does not blame her for it, and it seems to cement the two's romantic bond. She is repeatedly dismissive of Lottie's claims of there being something supernatural in the woods. Despite this, she eventually joins in Lottie's prayer circles and keeps attending after she stops sleepwalking, the practical side of her seeing something of value within it.

In the present day, Taissa is married and has a child. It is clear that she cares for them both deeply, but that there is a dark side to her that is driving her actions. Her sleepwalking resurfaces and she seems determined to do whatever it takes to become the next state senator of New Jersey, even if it means driving away her family. It is clear, however, that there are still two sides to her as well and a darkness arises when she is sleepwalking, causing her to do things that she is entirely unaware of later on when she is awake.

## Behind the scenes

Some fans have wondered how Taissa is doing everything seen in the second season without getting into the spotlight, given that she is now a senator. Tawny Cypress, the actress who plays adult Taissa, clarified this point in an interview with *Elle* magazine, that state senator is not really a very big position, more of a nine-to-five. Nevertheless, she had similar questions and when she asked the show's creators, they explained that the season only takes place over about a week and her character has yet to even be sworn in yet.

## References

1. ↑ Gonzales, Erica (April 21, 2023). *Yellowjackets* Star Tawny Cypress Breaks Down Taissa’s Big Reunion. *Elle*. Retrieved on April 26, 2023.