Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 1, “It Girl,” is a solid opener for the season. For the most part, it’s a more lighthearted outing as the teen survivors channel their energy into a tamer (and less cannibalistic) sport. The present timeline sees the adults adjusting in the aftermath of Nat’s death. Poor Misty moves through the cycles of grief and blames herself. “It Girl” deftly balances moments of levity, drama and eerie intrigue. It also not-so-subtly alludes to Mari being the infamous Pit Girl while planting seeds for mysteries in the present and past narratives.
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Yellowjackets, “It Girl”
We open with Mari (Alexa Barajas) running through the Wilderness on a summer day. She ducks behind a tree. We overhear Akilah (Nia Sondaya) and Gen (Vanessa Prasad) walking by, hunting for Mari. Thinking she’s safe, Mari emerges, making a beeline for someplace off-screen. Suddenly, Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) launches onto Mari and tackles her. She pins down Mari as the latter passes something hand to hand, refusing to let Shauna grab it. Shauna bites Mari, and she screams; however, Mari doesn’t give up the object.
Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Nat (Sophie Thatcher) and Van (Liv Hewson) hear Mari’s screams. They pull Shauna and Mari apart. Mari reveals she doesn’t have the bone; Misty (Samantha Hanratty) has it. Shauna tackles Misty, who tosses the bone to Gen. Gen reaches the finish line. It’s Capture the Bone, y’all.
Summer Days
Later, we see the Yellowjackets’ campsite in the Wilderness. Well, it’s more like a mini village. They’re faring well since someone burned down the cabin. We see tents erected from branches. A fire pit. Akilah tends to ducks and rabbits. They even have a cemetery with three plots for Javi, Jackie and Shauna’s baby. There, Shauna and Mari butt heads. They’ve been at odds for a while.
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Misty blows a horn, prompting the teens to gather for Van’s Summer Solstice Festival. Of course, she’s the village entertainer. Shauna retreats to her tent, where she scribbles angrily in her journal. Van regales the group with the story of their crash and survival, even referencing one “raging psychopath” hot coach (if you’re into that sort of thing), aka Ben, burning down their cabin. Shauna writes that they indulged in the darkness out here and loved it.
In the present timeline, Callie (Sarah Desjardins) smokes weed before Adult Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) enters her room. Callie is almost late for school. Shauna mentions that Nat’s memorial service is that day. There’s still tension between our fave mother/daughter duo. Meanwhile, Adult Misty (Christina Ricci) listens to a meditation in bed. Walter (Elijah Wood) reminds her about Nat’s funeral. Then, he gives her the key to Nat’s storage unit. You know, in case there’s anything incriminating or worth keeping.
Nat’s Memorial Service
Later, Shauna and Jeff (Warren Kole) sit with Adult Tai (Tawny Cypress) and Adult Van (Lauren Ambrose) in a church for the service. Nat’s mom (Naomi Simpson) takes to the stage to deliver a brief eulogy. Jeff hilariously scolds Shauna for swearing in God’s House. After the weird memorial, Shauna, Tai and Van go out for drinks. They toast to Nat. Then, they joke about what folks would say at their funerals. Van reassures them that no one’s dying any time soon. They also wonder where Misty is. Where is Misty, by the way?
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Next, Misty opens Nat’s storage unit. She divides Nat’s possessions, including a mugshot of young Nat and a photo of the soccer team. However, Misty is more interested in Nat’s leather jacket. In the ’90s timeline, Shauna asks Melissa (Jenna Burgess) to assist her with the butchering. Mari and Shauna’s bitter feud continues. Melissa pokes fun at Mari, to which Shauna remarks that she didn’t know Melissa had a personality. This cracked me up.
Akilah approaches with something she made for the upcoming ceremony for Shauna to wear. She mentions Shauna’s baby, which sets her off. Melissa steps on the headpiece. I don’t like it when people are mean to Akilah. It’s the equivalent of kicking a baby. Elsewhere, Nat, Tai, Gen and Van meet to discuss camp matters. They address Ben’s whereabouts. Nat insists he’s dead and that she’s scoured the land for miles in all directions in pursuit of him.
The Jackpot
Speaking of Benny Boy (Steven Krueger), he’s alive. Surprisingly, he’s survived for months by himself. He constructs a trap for an animal. After the meeting, Tai advises Nat to mediate the Shauna/Mari conflict. It’s getting worse. Ben discovers the pit, where he finds a few cases full of MREs and other supplies. Someone hit the food ration jackpot.
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In the present, we see a trio of high school mean girls standing in the hallway before the Yellowjackets survivors’ glass display. They spread horrible rumors about the Yellowjackets, including Shauna. Callie overhears them. Meanwhile, Tai is on the phone with Simone, begging her to let her talk to Sammy. When that doesn’t pan out, Tai hangs up to chat with Van, who’s in Sammy’s bed. Van has been staying with her for a while now.
Tai urges her to move into her room. Van reminds Tai that she has a wife, and they broke up years ago. Tai pivots, asking Van if she’ll accompany her to dinner that night. She’ll pay. At the same time, Callie waits outside her school for a delivery. Randy Walsh (Jeff Holman) arrives on a scooter with her order, which is quite unusual. Then, we see Shauna smoking in Callie’s room when Callie’s principal calls her.
You Will
Later, in the ’90s timeline, Travis (Kevin Alves) makes shroom tea for himself. Lottie (Courtney Eaton) is also riding that high. They wander through the Wilderness. They sit together for a spell. Lottie encourages him to feel his feelings about Javi’s death (and, you know, eating his brother). It’s okay to be angry. Lottie tells him about being on medication before the crash and visiting multiple psychiatrists. Suddenly, Travis hears the trees screaming. Lottie reminds him that it’s not real. Travis warns her that she’ll inevitably hear them, too. Creepy.
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In the present, Jeff is furious that Callie was suspended for “assaulting” her classmates with “guts.” Shauna doesn’t think it’s a big deal. Jeff worries about Callie. After all, she’s undergone significant trauma in a few short months. Jeff reminds them that their life is anything but normal. Then, while Shauna munches on chips, Jeff asks his wife if she smoked “chronic.” It’s only the premiere, and we’ve already got an iconic Jeff quote. Shauna tells her hubby that the kids aren’t calling it that anymore.
Later, Tai and Van are at a swanky restaurant for dinner. Sure, Tai self-impeached herself before she took office as senator, but she still has connections (and is loaded). Van looks around uncomfortably, asking Tai why she doesn’t have the urge to take a flamethrower to this place. Tai suggests they get pizza and ice cream instead. While Tai’s in the bathroom, Van’s expression changes as she surveys her surroundings.
Glycerine
Then, our former lovebirds decide to dine and dash. Their waiter (Nathaniel Shuker) gives chase. They run a few blocks. A good Samaritan (Eric Mazimpaka) saves the waiter from getting struck by a bus. Unfortunately, the waiter goes into cardiac arrest. I feel like this means something. Tai and Van stop to catch their breath while laughing. “Glycerine” by Bush plays, and I’m surprised it’s taken three seasons to get this needle drop. Tai and Van makeout. Tai spots the Man With No Eyes while they kiss, though.
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In the ’90s timeline, Shauna’s Capture the Bone team serves the opposing team, the winners, for dinner. Shauna spits in Mari’s deer soup. After Mari calls her out, Shauna attacks her, shoving her face in the mud. “I told you to eat, b*tch,” Shauna yells. I love unhinged Shauna. That’s my favorite version. Nat steps in and delivers a punishment. She puts both girls on house arrest in their respective tents.
Meanwhile, in the present timeline, Misty waltzes into a bar while wearing Nat’s leather jacket. She’s a cool girl now. She asks the bartender (Josh Byer), who’s also the chop shop owner from Season 2, for a shot of whiskey. She downs seven of these. Oof. She spies Teen Nat in a mirror, telling her she shouldn’t take sh*t from anyone. Then, Misty tries to set a couple dicks on fire, as you do when you’re inebriated. Ricci is hilarious in this scene.
I Miss Her So Much
Next, Shauna homeschools a suspended Callie. Callie shows her mom the footage of her dumping the animal guts on those mean girls. She explains that said girls were stirring up incendiary gossip about Shauna and the Yellowjackets. Shauna loves it and asks Callie to play the video again.
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Poor Misty drunkenly walks home from the bar as Walter pulls up beside her. He reveals that Misty left her phone at the pub. Instead of calling the police on her, the bartender phoned Misty’s most recent contacts. Shauna, Tai and Van didn’t pick up. Nobody answered until the bartender got to “W.” Misty dissolves into tears. Walter embraces her as she sobs, admitting how much she misses Nat and how much she blames herself for Nat’s death. Ricci also kills it here, beautifully conveying Misty’s grief.
The Trees and the Pit Girl
Meanwhile, a mysterious blonde woman stands outside the Sadecki house. Callie finds an envelope addressed to Shauna on their doorstep. It also boasts the Wilderness symbol in the corner. Callie opens it to discover a small tape within. She pockets the tape and disposes of the envelope. Hey, it’s illegal to open someone else’s mail, young lady.
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In the ’90s timeline, Lottie leads the survivors in the ceremony after dinner. They don hoods that look like the seat covers from the crashed plane. They stand before the three graves. Lottie addresses the spirits of Javi, Jackie and Shauna’s baby and urges them to guide them in the Wilderness. They release lit paper lanterns.
Suddenly, everyone hears the trees screaming — that same rumbling, grumbling noise Travis heard while on shrooms. This time, Lottie hears it, too. Travis was right. Later, after setting a trap, Ben realizes he has his prey. He wanders to the pit to find none other than Mari within. She’s injured. Mari is Pit Girl, right?
“It Girl,” “Pit Girl”?
RELATED: Read our Yellowjackets recaps
Yellowjackets drops new episodes every Friday on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and airs on the SHOWTIME network every Sunday at 8 pm EST/PST.
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