The Yellowjackets confront the reality of having to pull an Old Yeller. Lottie mentors a new up-and-coming prophet. In the present, Misty investigates a suspicious death. Desperate for backup, Shauna turns to the last person she would trust - because, why not?
While pleading for his life, Coach Scott declares that this is not who the Yellowjackets are. That's the foundational theme of the entire series though. This teenage soccer team was forever changed after their plane crashed in the wilderness. What they did to survive has informed all of their relationships into the present day. Their lives were shaped by this tragedy. None of them chose for this to happen. However, they accepted the transformation. It was all deemed necessary. They had to believe in something in order to survive. They needed to lean on each other for support. So much darkness has consumed their lives. And now, the show continues to provide teases of that severity. The Yellowjackets continue to be punished for the monstrosity unleashed. Lottie died. Her death is reported as accidental. She fell down a flight of stairs. Misty refuses to believe it. She needs to investigate. That motivates others to take action as well. It's also a convenient way to introduce tension and plot momentum. Character deaths mean something. However, this twist comes across as a way to suddenly make the characters busy. Shauna was previously concerned that someone was following her. That may be correct. But it's also a very familiar plot construct at this point.
Moreover, great power comes from actually following through on Coach Scott's conviction. The Yellowjackets conducted a trial. They found him guilty for burning the cabin down with all of them still inside. Shauna bullied the team into complying. Lottie listened to the wilderness. She believed this was needed. Now, she completely changes her mind. She and Travis step in at the last possible second declaring Coach Scott as their bridge home. They believe his life will allow them to escape this place. That is still the desirable goal. They want it to occur. Lottie has simply twisted everyone into believing that the wilderness is sending signals for how to appease it. When they listen, they are rewarded. When they fail to comply, they are punished with continued existence in the woods. Lottie listens to it more intensely. However, Travis has convinced her that Akilah is just as attuned to it. Akilah is right to question if they are just trying to get high and seek deeper meaning in what they hallucinate. Lottie refuses to budge. She saves Coach Scott's life as a result. It's still absolute torture for the sheer sake of it. The only adult survives. He doesn't have any control over his fate. Nothing is inherently revealed about the characters by choosing to spare his life either. It's just tense for a moment only to ensure noting fundamentally changes. That's lackluster in a season struggling to find direction and purpose.
The episode's title slightly gives away the fact that Tai was chosen to be Coach Scott's killer. The Yellowjackets chose the way they always do. The card was selected. Van tries her best to help Tai be comfortable ending a life. They even try to awaken the other one despite being dormant for months. The viewer knows that split personality will plague Tai for her entire life. She doesn't have any control over it. As such, it's not surprising that the teens fail to lure her out. It still appears as if she does when the time comes for it. That presents the idea of choice. But again, it's far too confusing without any clarity. It highlights the deteriorating mental health of all of these characters. It resonates in the present day as Sammy pleads to see his mom again only to run away from her. It's devastating for Tai. Nothing has fundamentally changed for her. She was always in love with Van. And now, they are together. It was convenient to forget her family. When Tai doesn't get what she wants from the reunion, her first instinct is to run away. She wants to escape to something better. Yet this is as good as life is going to get. That's a depressing realization. These characters in the present are slow to make these determinations for themselves. As a result, the audience is operating at a quicker pace. In turn, that removes the fun and surprise out of the proceedings.
However, it is entertaining to watch Shauna and Walter team up and compete against Misty for insight into Lottie's death. More details are provided as to how Lottie was like in life. It was more than just a few days with Shauna and Callie. That suddenly doesn't matter. It's not important to show Callie's reaction to losing someone who fascinated her. Instead, it's just used as ammo between Shauna and Misty. They aren't friends. They must accept that. Furthermore, they have to prove their own superiority over each other. Misty believes she is honoring Natalie by getting to the truth. She sees a conspiracy that must be exposed. Walter plays into that mindset too. He believes offering Misty a challenge will win her back. He understands her. Yet she remains pissed at his perspective on her life. She doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of being right. They clash too. It's tender when Shauna pretends to be Lottie in order to have a conversation with her father. It highlights how people want to be loved while others struggle to provide what they need. Shauna hasn't quite figured that out about herself after escaping the wilderness. In the past, Melissa was in awe of how Shauna carried herself with no judgment for what she did. Shauna gives Melissa the freedom to be like that too - at the detriment of Coach Scott's ability to walk. Shauna still operates that way. She remains selfish and jaded. It's not satisfying. It only offers more emptiness. That remains true. She has a mission. She wants to make a point. It's not revealing anything deeper about how she seeks to engage with life. It's mostly become empty despite the fun the characters still have with one another.
