3 Years Later, Yellowjackets Season 3 Reversed This Heartbreaking Shauna And Tai Moment In The Saddest Way

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 9, “How the Story Ends.”

Three years after Yellowjackets season 1 ended, the series reverses a heartbreaking Shauna and Tai moment in season 3 — and the aftermath could prove more devastating this time around. Yellowjackets is known for its brutal approach to its characters, as no one in the series is ever truly safe. And because of the trauma the survivors experience in the Wilderness together, they have strong bonds that no one else can understand. This seems to be the foundation of all the adult survivors’ friendships, but it’s especially true for Shauna and Tai.

Although Shauna and Tai don’t seem particularly close in Yellowjackets’ pilot episode, the two come to trust each other in the Wilderness, starting when Tai learns the truth about Shauna’s pregnancy. Their being there for one another informs their relationship in the adult timeline. And the most tragic present-day scene from Yellowjackets season 3, episode 9 even calls back to one of their most devastating scenes together, highlighting their friendship yet again — though the reversal of this season 1 moment does imply some distance in the adult story.

Van’s Fate In Yellowjackets Season 3 Reverses Shauna & Tai’s Reactions To Jackie’s Death

This Time, Shauna Is Behind Tai As She Grapples With Her Loss

Van dies at the end of Yellowjackets season 3, episode 9, and Tai is devastated to find her girlfriend’s body on the floor of Melissa’s kitchen. It’s hard to watch as she kneels beside Van and breaks down, and Tawny Cypress puts on a winning performance. With Shauna standing behind her in shock, this moment feels reminiscent of another, too. It’s a reversal of the Yellowjackets season 1 finale, when Shauna finds Jackie’s frozen body in the snow.

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Teen Shauna has a similarly devastating reaction to losing her best friend, and Tai is right behind her, hugging her the entire time. It’s one of the ’90s moments that cements their friendship, and Van’s death in season 3 brings it to the surface all over again. It’s a tragic parallel between timelines, though Shauna’s distance from Tai could hint at their dynamic being turned on its head after Yellowjackets season 3.

Van’s Death Could Turn Shauna & Tai’s Dynamic Upside Down In The Adult Timeline

The Distance Between Them Could Hint At What’s To Come

While these Yellowjackets scenes feel incredibly similar to one another, there’s one noteworthy difference between them: the distance between Shauna and Tai. While Tai immediately runs to comfort Shauna after Jackie’s death, Shauna simply stands by in shock when it comes to Van. This could be attributed to Shauna’s colder nature, but it could also be a sign of the adult timeline turning Shauna and Tai’s friendship around.

After all, Van likely wouldn’t have died if Shauna hadn’t gone off the rails pursuing Melissa and Alex. The adult survivors are clearly growing tired of cleaning up Shauna’s messes, and Tai may come to blame her for what happened at Melissa’s house. Shauna may even realize her role in the whole thing and be intentionally keeping her distance for that reason. It’ll be interesting to see how the two of them handle Yellowjackets‘ latest tragedy in the season 3 finale.

Yellowjackets

7/10

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