Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 9, “How the Story Ends,” is an action-packed, propulsive, heartbreaking penultimate outing. RIP, Vanessa Palmer. I knew she wasn’t long for this world, but her dying at Melissa’s hand was an unexpected twist (of the knife). Both timelines are on fire from a narrative perspective, and it seems we’re in for a high-octane, thrilling season finale. (I feel we might circle back to the pilot with Pit Girl’s reveal…)
RELATED: Read our recap of the previous Yellowjackets episode, “A Normal, Boring Life”
Yellowjackets, “How the Story Ends”
We open with Van (Lauren Ambrose) in her hospital room. Teen Van (Liv Hewson) approaches in nurse’s garb. She informs Van that Shauna ditched them at the hospital. Then, Teen Van pivots, asking her older self if she remembers The Goonies. Of course VHS rental store proprietor Vanessa Palmer knows The Goonies. Teen Van explains the premise before revealing why she mentions this particular film.
“Because it is the classic hero’s journey … ‘X’ marks the spot.” Teen Van adds that Taissa has been trying to show Van this. Van responds that Tai hasn’t been herself lately, but it’s all the more reason to find the treasure.
Never Say Die
Van wakes up to find Tai (Tawny Cypress) at her side. She admits they’re not going home, but Tai counters that they can’t stay in the hospital. Van removes her IV before saying, “Goonies never say die.” It’s time to find Shauna.
RELATED: Yellowjackets: A Buzzing Recap of Season 2
Meanwhile, Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) makes Melissa (Hilary Swank) eat the flesh from her arm. Melissa chews it a bit before spitting it in Shauna’s face. The pair scuffle before Mel escapes. She speeds away from Shauna; however, her tank is on empty, so she won’t get far.
In the Wilderness, Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) confronts Teen Shauna (Sophie Nélisse). Shauna, Teen Tai (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Lottie (Courtney Eaton) believe they should stay. Kodi (Joel McHale) and Hannah (Ashley Sutton) are loose ends to them. They’ve already seen what the teens did to Ben. Lottie killed Edwin.
Pull the Trigger
Kodi and Hannah decide to leave them behind. Shauna trains the rifle on Kodi. She’s itching to pull the trigger on him. However, Tai persuades Shauna to place the two captives in the animal pen until they can figure out what to do with said captives. After the confrontation, Van asks Tai if she really believes they’ll go home later. Tai seems off, and it’s abundantly clear that Other Tai is at the wheel. Van reminds her that winter was brutal. They ate a child. It won’t be long before they’ll hunt each other again.
RELATED: Yellowjackets Season 3 Trailer Puts the Pedal to the Metal
Later, in the present timeline, Tai, Van and Misty (Christina Ricci) are driving to Melissa’s house to track down Shauna. Misty makes a crack about Colonial Williamsburg, hearkening back to Jeff’s remark about it in Season 2. Then, they spot Melissa on the side of the road. She ran out of gas.
When Mel spots them, she makes a run for it. However, she has a broken arm and other injuries and doesn’t get far. Tai tackles her before Misty threatens her with a tire iron. Van watches the interaction from afar. She spies the railroad crossing sign behind her — “X” marks the spot. Huh.
“X” Marks the Mel
Naturally, our trio has questions. How is Mel alive? They attended her funeral. Mel explains that Shauna broke into her house and tried to make her eat her own arm. She ain’t okay.
RELATED: Yellowjackets Season 3 First-Look Photos Have Us Buzzing With Excitement
Next, in the ’90s timeline, Travis (Kevin Alves) constructs a trap using the pit. He places a bunch of branches over the opening. To test it, he tosses something in the pit, which takes the branches down with it. Inside, we see a series of whittled wooden spikes. Travis unknowingly orchestrated Pit Girl’s demise, y’all.
Meanwhile, Shauna overhears Nat, Akilah (Nia Sondaya), Mari (Alexa Barajas) and Gen (Vanessa Prasad) talking about her. They think Shauna’s off her rocker. She’s mercurial. Unpredictable. And now she has the rifle on her person. Could she turn it on one of them? Nat has an idea to prevent that from happening.
Planning
After this, Shauna meets with Tai, Van, Teen Misty (Samantha Hanratty), Lottie and Teen Melissa (Jenna Burgess). It seems our teens are already dividing into factions. Misty offers to try to infiltrate the other group to uncover their plan.
RELATED: Yellowjackets Season 3 Adds Hilary Swank to Cast Roster
In the present, Shauna tries to clean herself up in Mel’s kitchen. Van, Tai and Misty enter with Mel in tow. The others determine what to do with Mel. Misty pivots the conversation back to Shauna killing Lottie. She has proof that Shauna was in NYC that day — the receipt she found in Shauna’s van. Shauna reveals that she got a cat from the humane society.
Shauna tries to throw the attention back on Mel, reminding the group that Mel mailed her the DAT tape. And what about her van brakes, the walk-in freezer door, the phone in the bathroom? Misty ‘fesses up to locking Shauna in the freezer. Hey, she was annoyed with Shauna. Misty leaves, washing her hands of the situation.
It Calls
Then, in the ’90s timeline, Travis tells Lottie that he felt an inexplicable pull from the Wilderness — from It. He believes It was trying to communicate with him. Travis asks Lottie to join him further away from the village.
RELATED: Joel McHale Joins Season 3 of Yellowjackets
In the present, Jeff (Warren Kole) catches Callie (Sarah Desjardins) rolling a joint. Initially, he’s mad, but then he (lovingly) critiques her rolling style. But not before sharing a victory: the Joels are hiring him to furnish the hotel. Huzzah! Elsewhere, Misty meets Walter (Elijah Wood), who arrives in a helicopter. That’s how you travel when you’re obscenely wealthy.
Next, in the Wilderness, Misty chats with Akilah, Mari and Gen, attempting to appeal to their sensibilities. They bar her from assisting with dinner. Misty insists she can help them get out of there if they disclose the plan. They remain tight-lipped, though. After this, she observes Van as the latter assembles parts from the plane wreckage. Van pulls out the sat phone she retrieved from Kodi and Hannah’s campsite. She’s trying to fix it.
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Melissa?
In the present, the crew ties up Melissa. They brainstorm ideas. What should they do with her? Shauna reveals that Mel married Hannah’s daughter, at which Tai and Van balk. However, our pair can’t help but wonder if this is just like Adam Martin. And Shauna was wrong then, too. Our trio steps into the kitchen to continue their discussion. Mel sits near her fireplace, scooting toward the flue. Van excuses herself and heads to the car for her oxygen.
RELATED: 6 Great Books to Help Satisfy Your Yellowjackets Cravings
Then, in the ’90s timeline, Hannah and Melissa bond. Mel learns that Hannah has a kid. Shauna catches them laughing and is instantly irritated (and envious, let’s face it). Mel follows Shauna into their hut. Shauna can’t believe Mel would fall for Hannah’s machinations. Hannah is trying to appeal to Mel for her freedom. Shauna insults Mel again before the latter storms out.
Next, Shauna calls out to Mel, demanding she return to the conversation. They argue in front of everyone. Shauna claims that nobody cared about Mel until she came along. Ouch. Mel calls Shauna “f*cking nuts” before Shauna brandishes her rifle, training it on Mel. The others attempt to prevent Shauna from pulling the trigger. She does, though, narrowly — probably purposely — missing Mel. We see a hole in Mel’s sleeve where the bullet grazed her. Mel urinates in terror. Van helps her clean herself up. Jenna Burgess delivers a compelling, vulnerable performance here. You feel for Melissa.
Walk on Branches
Meanwhile, Travis leads Lottie to the covered pit. He tells her that it’s all bullsh*t. She’s bullsh*t. Lottie is preventing them from going home. Lottie claims the Wilderness wants them to stay. She adds that she wants Travis to feel Javi is with him. A wind rustles through the trees. Lottie steps onto the branches covering the pit. Travis allows her. After all, he meant to lure her here. However, Lottie crosses the pit without falling in. That’s some Jesus walking on the water stuff. Lottie the Messiah.
RELATED: 12 Buzzing Questions We Need Answered in Yellowjackets Season 3
Mari and Nat meet Hannah in secret. Nat gives Hannah a knife, urging her to free herself and Kodi after nightfall. Then, the ones who want to leave will make a run for it.
In the present, Jeff and Callie get high together. That’s the dream blunt rotation right there. Jeff gets emotional as he admits that being married to Shauna is incredibly hard. However, Jeff decides to banish the sadness by going out to lunch with Callie to celebrate his win.
Betrayal
Later, in the Wilderness, Melissa barges into Gen’s hut, declaring she’s done with Shauna. She also wants in on whatever plan is brewing in Nat’s camp. Meanwhile, Kodi persuades Hannah to use the knife to cut their restraints. She does this, but unfortunately, Shauna catches them. She points the rifle at them. Hannah lies to save her skin, claiming that Kodi stole the knife. Then, she whirls around and stabs Kodi in the eye, killing him. RIP. She tells Shauna that she wants in. Remember when she told Mel that, as a scientist, she’s fascinated by the teens’ survival? Something tells me there’s a scientific angle here, beyond mere survival.
RELATED: How Yellowjackets Depicts Trauma Responses Through Its Main Characters
In the present, Walter makes Misty a chocolate martini. She wonders if there’s more at play than Shauna’s DNA. Did she really kill Lottie? After all, her humane society alibi checks out. Misty asks to see the copy of Lottie’s phone that Walter made. However, before that, Walter cautions Misty about her blind spot regarding our titular survivors. Walter brings Misty the copy of Lottie’s phone. She spies something truly shocking, and by the time Walter returns with a modified Martini a la Misty, our girl is gone.
Meanwhile, Van heads back inside Mel’s house to find Tai unconscious on the floor. Between coughs, Mel reveals that she closed the flue in the fireplace. Van drags Tai outside and gives her oxygen. We see Tai entrapped inside her mind with Other Tai. The phone rings — the same one Van found among her belongings. Tai answers, hearing Van tell her to breathe.
Please It
Thankfully, Tai overpowers Other Tai, emerging victorious. She wakes up. Van discovers an unconscious Shauna and drags her outside to receive oxygen. Then, she grabs a knife in the kitchen and approaches Melissa. Van removes her restraints. She contemplates killing Mel to appease the Wilderness. Perhaps sacrificing Mel will please It — and the act will eradicate her cancer.
RELATED: What’s New on TV This Week (Mar 30 – Apr 5)
In the past, Nat and those who planned to escape learn that Hannah killed Kodi. Nat starts sobbing uncontrollably as snow falls around her. Winter is here. This scene is heartbreaking, but damn, is Sophie Thatcher the real deal. Nat spots Misty moving through the darkness. She follows Misty, finally spying the black box. Misty tells Nat she can fix the sat phone — she can get them home. Nat is incredulous. She can’t believe Misty had the transponder this whole time. Uh-oh.
Next, Van struggles to deliver the killing blow. Mel weeps as she encourages Van to stab her. If this heals her cancer. However, Van can’t do it. She’s not a killer. Van collapses on the floor. Mel comforts her before reaching for the knife and stabbing Van in the heart. Mel flees the scene as Van dies. RIP. Lauren Ambrose and Hilary Swank are riveting here.
Exit Music for a Hero
Then, we see Van on the plane as it crashes — just like Nat during her death scene. Teen Van sits beside her. They watch their death play out on a projector. Very movie-esque, which is perfect for Van. Tai and Shauna find Van’s body. Tai lets out gut-wrenching sobs, cradling Van in her arms. Let it be known that any time a Radiohead song starts playing, I assume someone is a goner. “Exit Music (for a Film)” is perfect for Van, though.
RELATED: Read our Yellowjackets recaps
Van wonders why Teen Van would send her in there if she was going to die. “This is just how our story goes,” Teen Van admits. Teen Van adds that Van was a hero; she saved Tai from Other Tai’s control. That was the treasure.
“Surviving this was never the reward,” Teen Van says. Van wonders if this isn’t the end; what happens next?
“Where would be the fun in that?” Teen Van asks with a grin. The camera pans out as Van is now alone in the plane.
Yellowjackets drops new episodes every Friday on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and airs on the SHOWTIME network every Sunday at 8 pm EST/PST.
10 Melanie Lynskey Roles to Watch if You Love Her on YELLOWJACKETS
[email protected]
What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
- POKER FACE Recap: (S02E05) Hometown Hero - May 22, 2025
- ANIMAL CONTROL: 7 Questions We Need Answered in Season 4 - May 21, 2025
- Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: SUSAN IRELAND - May 21, 2025
