The Yellowjackets attempt to spin a hundred suspicions into proof. Coach Scott has an existential meltdown and wonders if the universe really does hate him. Jeff embarks on a crusade to make things right energetically.
After three seasons, the narrative still struggles to match the intensity between the past and the present. Everything is obviously more intense in the past because the characters are fighting to survive in the wilderness. Enough plot intrigue has been introduced to keep the stakes high in the present. However, the adult characters are allowed the comfort of stability. They engage in the trappings of society. Something extreme happened to them. That has forever shaped how they see the world. It informs their behavior. And yet, the disparity between the two storylines is even more severe when the past focuses on one singular plot. That's precisely what occurs here with the Yellowjackets staging a trial for Coach Scott. They blame him for burning the cabin down. He has become the monster. It's a tangible threat everyone understands. He just held Mari hostage in a cave. It was a traumatic experience even though he eventually let her go. She directed the team back to him. Despite some challenges, the entire team is reunited once more. Natalie tries her best to protect her friend from the vicious instincts of everyone else. The final verdict is still inevitable. Coach Scott understood his fate the moment he was captured. He tried being heroic by saving Shauna, Van and Akilah. That wasn't enough for anyone to change their opinions of him.
All of this could be seen as futile in hindsight. Coach Scott knew the trial was a farce. He didn't wish to engage in it. He didn't think he could get the team to see him differently. He was the new threat. As long as he lived, none of them would be save. Of course, they have been thriving in the woods despite the loss of their shelter. They could have panicked. Instead, enough time has passed to allow them to build a new community. They can never forget the past. They recall everything that happened in the cabin. Coach Scott disassociated from the team. He gave up. It was more than him refusing to help the girls entrusted to his care. He surrendered his own willingness to survive. He was defeated. He would rather enjoy fantasy with Paul. That wasn't real. He eventually accepted that he had to fight to remain active in this life. At that point, the team was too far gone. They may present as rational human beings. It may have even been smart of them to eat human flesh to survive winter. They still made the choice to kill. Coach Scott escaped fearing he would be the next victim. The team no longer needed him. He had to reckon with that. He now has to express his thoughts to keep surviving. Calling him to the stand to testify is his only hope. It works for a moment. The show offers a glimmer of hope. Then, it is cruelly taken away as Shauna imposes her will on everyone else.
Shauna remains an absolutely terrifying figure. People are afraid of her. She wields an immense amount of power. She knew Natalie was keeping Coach Scott's location a secret. When the trial turns against Taissa's prosecution, that's the bombshell Shauna drops. The amount of time spent questioning who set the cabin on fire guarantees an outcome will become known at some point. It's not good enough to suggest it was a mistake caused by a spark escaping the fireplace. Someone was responsible. Coach Scott didn't know what happened to the Yellowjackets. His reaction felt genuine when Mari told him. That conveniently isn't part of the story she shares. She doesn't seek to challenge the narrative that was laid out to the team. It was easier to go along with the collective. Her time with Coach Scott revealed some humanity. She was quick to close back up and return to the person she has always been. Coach Scott shares he had many opportunities to turn against the Yellowjackets. That was true before the plane crash. He was going through his life with no real purpose. He can't believe he finds himself in this position. He's at the complete mercy of these teenage girls. His journey has been one of surrendering power. This isn't the structure he previously knew. He couldn't go along with the changes. He fended for himself for awhile. He couldn't escape for good.
However, Coach Scott remains alive by the conclusion of the episode. Instead, Lottie is the one who is killed. That's a shocking turn of events that actually lines up with the intensity felt in the past. It's a little random. She wasn't a major presence in the present-day storyline. Instead, Shauna and Jeff were busy volunteering at the senior living community where Misty works. Plus, Taissa and Van were testing to see if the Wilderness continued to choose who to kill. These characters are lashing out because they too seek control. That power was so radiant in the wilderness. They decided who got to live. And now, they are continually chasing that high. Shauna can't accept that her brakes just stopped working. Someone had to tamper with her vehicle. She immediately blamed Misty. That wasn't right. But again, Shauna never has appropriate reactions to human emotions. Jeff is desperate to earn some good karma. That's what the family needs most right now. They have done to many bad things. They don't deserve anything good. They have to volunteer to make things right. That leads Shauna to getting trapped in the freezer. The parallels are obvious with the way Jackie died. That hallucination hits home. Shauna continues to have doubts about what defines her. She fears being Jackie's best friend was the most interesting thing about her. She can't escape it. That isn't true. She has plenty of her own agency. People often get hurt when she sets out to prove that. That's the terror Shauna frequently evokes.
Lottie's death being a news story suggests someone killed her. Misty hears about it from Walter. That's the first message she has received from him since kicking him out. Meanwhile, Taissa hopes that Van will live if they allow someone to die. She selfishly wants more time with her. Van just wants to embrace however much time they have left. It should be special. They shouldn't be chasing down the prospect of something mystical. They know the Wilderness feasts on death. They entertain the notion. Taissa can't help but worry. Van's condition may continue to worsen despite what the doctor said. Her fate may be tied to the friends making sacrifices like they did two decades ago. Lottie may have been the latest victim. This could also confirm that someone truly has been stalking Shauna since the start of the season. She is right to be looking over her shoulder. Misty doesn't seek to antagonize her in that way. Her punishment is simply tapioca duty. That's fine. Shauna knows how to do that. The true terror comes from self-reflection. The characters aren't willing to do that. And so, their monsters often present themselves through physical manifestations. That's often Jackie for Shauna and the Man With No Eyes for Taissa. They could symbolize some kind of deeper importance. It's mostly just personal significance for the characters and eerie imagery for the audience. That's fine. After three seasons, the narrative still needs to be challenged to offer more. Death is a concise way of elevating stakes. What comes next is equally as important in establishing consistency and quality.
