After the last two episodes, wherein we got a ton of forward movement in both halves of our story, we were due for what I like to call a “board reset” episode. These episodes aren’t bad episodes, but they are necessary, especially in a mystery-based series like Yellowjackets, where so much of the story rides on the next twist or turn. So, “Did Tai Do That” didn’t really give us all that much in the way of plot movement. Or character development. But it moved the game pieces in each storyline into position for the next segment of storytelling, setting up some new alliances, cementing others, and making sure we all understand just what the stakes will be for the upcoming arcs.
In the past, it was a rough return to earth for everyone after the trial. Sure, tensions are still present – Teen Shauna’s anger continues to boil over time and again, and now that she has Melissa fully under her spell, I’m not sure there’s much anyone can do to stop her from eventually taking over as leader – but the question of just what to do with Ben remains open. I did appreciate that Natalie was adamant that she not be the one to kill him – if they are going to use Lottie and Van’s card system for everything else, they’re going to use it for this. For all of her desire to not be the leader, Natalie is a pretty good one. I was worried about Van and Tai’s attempts to get Other Tai to make an appearance. Assuming it really is some sort of dissociative personality disorder, goading herself into a mental break like that is . . . not a particularly safe action to take. And seeing how Adult Tai appears to have been fully subsumed by Other Tai, I’m not sure just how easily Teen Tai will be able to keep dipping into that personality and shedding it when she wishes.
In the mystical side of things, we had more teenagers making some really poor life choices. Excellent work from Kevin Alves as Travis, who certainly seems to be feeling guilty about pawning Akilah off on Lottie to ensure that he no longer needs to go on vision quests. After a couple of episodes where Lottie seemed to have her reliance on the Wilderness more or less under control, she seems to be breaking hard back into her obsession the more Akilah is willing to go along with her. I worry that another breakdown is on its way and Lottie might so something truly dangerous or disturbing in service of the Wilderness. As always, Courtney Eaton has been spectacular at making Lottie not seem like a caricature and portraying her as a fully realized person who just happens to be in the midst of a complex and dangerous series of delusions. The idea that Ben is a bridge to bringing them out of the Wilderness certainly doesn’t mean Ben is safe. After all, with this group, if rescue doesn’t arrive soon, I suspect the natives will start getting restless and Ben – and Lottie and Akilah – might get into trouble. Shauna is hell-bent on killing Ben and she’s not going to be patient if they’re still stuck in a couple of weeks.
Speaking of Lottie, the quest to find her killer managed to inject a bit of levity into the present side of the story. I’m still not quite sure what to make of Walter as a character – he definitely cares about Misty, but I still don’t quite trust him. Teaming up with Shauna – who is absolutely not a team player – was a stroke of brilliance though, because it allows Walter a chance to look into his suspicion that she might have had something to do with Lottie’s death while also getting Misty angry enough to maybe come back to him. Meeting Mr. Matthews was pretty difficult though. Lost in the throes of dementia, his inability to understand that Lottie was dead was heartbreaking. And that scene where Shauna pretended to be Lottie? Oof. That might just be the kindest thing she’s ever done on the series. I also have to say, I’m enjoying how the series is mixing the Teen actors with the Adult actors more this time around. Sure, it’s a bit on the nose to remind us that within each of these adults is the broken teenager who never quite managed to escape the Wilderness all those years ago, but it’s also a really smart way to tie the past to the present. Teen Misty looking at Teen Lottie on the morgue table was particularly effective and really sad.
And then there’s Adult Tai, who is 100% Other Tai all the time now. She’s selfish, self-centered, only concerned with keeping her world intact (which means Van at her side and Sammy a part of her life). This isn’t the Tai we saw in season one. This is someone who absolutely could have killed Lottie (although why she would is an open question). Personally, if one of the Yellowjackets killed Lottie, my money is on Shauna. But I also wouldn’t be shocked if it turns out to be whomever sent the mystery tape to Shauna – who I am much less convinced is a survivor and more convinced is survivor-adjacent. But it remains interesting to watch the dichotomy of Adult Van and Tai mirror that of their Teen selves. Adult Van is much more cautious and wary of everything from the past while Tai wants to embrace it. And boy is Tawney Cypress terrifying when someone tries to suggest that Tai isn’t operating from a great place – she is territorial and willing to do whatever it takes to protect herself and her people.
This wasn’t a flashy episode and not all that much happened of note. But it does set up the next arc in the season in important ways, letting us know just who is siding with whom and hinting at what might be coming our way in the coming weeks.
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