Is There Any Coming Back for Shauna After This Week’s ‘Yellowjackets’ Episode?

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 9.

With just one episode remaining in Yellowjackets Season 3, Van’s (Lauren Ambrose) tragic death in Episode 9 sets up what’s sure to be an eventful season finale for the Yellowjackets of the past and present. Of all the shocking moments of this tumultuous third season, several of them, including Van’s death, can be traced directly back to Shauna (Sophie Nélisse/Melanie Lynskey), who has become one of the most frustrating characters in both the past and present timelines. In the past, we see how young Shauna has hardened as a result of her trauma, while in the present, we see how her anger and impulsiveness have carried over into adulthood, with Melissa’s (Hilary Swank) tape causing her to spiral.

While teenage Shauna’s contrarian attitude and deep-seated anger make her a polarizing figure in the wilderness, adult Shauna’s tendency to take matters into her own hands without regard for others leaves Misty (Christina Ricci), Taissa (Tawny Cypress), and Van frustrated by her carelessness. Though they have continued to stick beside her, could Shauna’s involvement in Van’s death finally turn Misty and Tai against her?

Teenage Shauna Has Unleashed Her Anger Throughout ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3

Season 3 has been a season of change for the stranded Yellowjackets, who finally find a way to get home when two scientists and their wilderness guide stumble across their camp, but Shauna doesn’t trust them, instead siding with Lottie (Courtney Eaton) about remaining in the wilderness. Throughout the season, Shauna’s trauma from the deaths of both Jackie (Ella Purnell) and her baby has manifested in anger and resentment, specifically taking umbrage with Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) being chosen as their leader. During Coach Ben’s (Steven Krueger) trial, Shauna demonstrated her ability to lead through fear and intimidation. As the group’s loyalties begin to split upon Hannah (Ashley Sutton) and Kodi’s (Joel McHale) arrival, Shauna proves she has no problem threatening and even hurting those who question her, including Melissa (Jenna Burgess), who encouraged her to embrace this dark, violent side of herself in the first place.

Shauna’s ability to stand her ground in the face of Kodi’s misogynistic jabs later seems to inspire Hannah just to kill him when Shauna catches them trying to escape, believing that she could adapt to their way of life and earn their trust in the hopes that they’ll spare her life. Kodi’s death means they have no means of finding their way back to civilization, though Misty (Samantha Hanratty) luckily finds another way for them to call for help, which may make Shauna’s actions easier for the girls to get over. Still, Shauna’s attempts at a power grab throughout the season have only heightened the tension within the group, and the rest of the girls, including Natalie, are understandably afraid to confront her since they all know exactly what she’s capable of.

Related

We’ve Finally Figured Out What’s Up With Those Moths on ‘Yellowjackets’

If you thought the show was done with symbolism, you were moth-taken.

Adult Shauna’s Self-Destruction Affects Everyone Else Around Her

While teenage Shauna is able to unleash her rage in the wilderness without any real-world repercussions, adult Shauna’s misguided actions and snap judgments often land her in the kind of trouble only her fellow Yellowjackets can get her out of. Her obsession with the tape and suspicion that its sender is out to get her ultimately leads her back to Melissa, who she confronts in the most aggressive way possible, attacking her and threatening to expose her true identity. In Episode 8, when we find out that Melissa only sent the tape but never left the phone, cut Shauna’s breaks, or locked her in the freezer, Melissa delivers a scathing line that totally cuts to the heart of Shauna’s character – “I think you came here because you want your life to explode. It’s fun for you. It lights you up. You want to burn it all down just so you can watch.” Here, Melissa spells out what we already know about Shauna, but it’s what happens in the following episode, culminating with Van’s death, that shows yet again how Shauna’s actions end up hurting the people around her.

Throughout Yellowjackets, Shauna’s emotions lead the way, often to the detriment of those she loves most, including Jeff (Warren Kole) and Callie (Sarah Desjardins). As Misty rightly points out in Episode 9, it’s the other remaining Yellowjackets who swoop in to help her clean up her messes, like Adam’s (Peter Gadiot) murder in Season 1. Like teenage Shauna, adult Shauna is unpredictable, and her violent outbursts reflect who she is deep down. This darker side is one she hasn’t been able to fully embrace ever since they escaped the wilderness. Shauna was never one to believe in the Wilderness with a capital W, which is true in adulthood as well, as opposed to present-day Tai and Van, who believe It may have had something to do with Van’s cancer. But, like Melissa said, Shauna enjoys the rush of screwing up her own life, hearkening back to her life in the wilderness when she was in a tremendous amount of emotional pain, but also never felt more like herself. Now living in the real world with a husband and teenage daughter, the dark side of Shauna that comes out no longer exists in the vacuum, and only the other Yellowjackets who understand who she was back then can actually be trusted to help her. With Misty already fed up with her, now that Shauna’s actions have inadvertently led to Van’s death, there’s a possibility that they may both finally turn on her.

Yellowjackets

Release Date

November 14, 2021

Network

Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime

Showrunner

Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Jonathan Lisco

Directors

Benjamin Semanoff, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Deepa Mehta, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Liz Garbus, Scott Winant, Eva Sørhaug, Jamie Travis

Writers

Liz Phang, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa