Yellowjackets: Season 2/ Episode 5 “Two Truths and a Lie” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Natalie thinks she may have a smoking gun against Lottie as the investigation into Adam’s murder takes a turn, and Walter triggers one of Misty’s memories.

Aired (Showtime)	April 21, 2023
Director(s)	Ben Semanoff
Writer(s)	Katherine Kearns, Sarah L. Thompson
Previously Noted Characters
Crystal	Nuha Jes Izman
Teen Misty	Samantha Hanratty
Adult Misty	Christina Ricci
Javi	Luciano Leroux
Ben	Steven Krueger
Teen Shauna	Sophie Nélisse
Adult Shauna	Melanie Lynskey
Teen Taissa	Jasmin Savoy Brown
Adult Taissa	Tawny Cypress
Teen Lottie	Courtney Eaton
Adult Lottie	Simone Kessell
Adult Van	Lauren Ambrose
Walter	Elijah Wood
Adult Travis	Andres Soto
Adult Natalie	Juliette Lewis
Jeff	Warren Kole
Akilah	Nia Sondaya
Matt	John Reynolds
Kevyn	Alex Wyndham
Randy	Jeff Holman
Callie	Sarah Desjardins

Recap

This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text in this post may contain affiliate links which, if a purchase is made from those sites, we may earn money or products from the company.

We Were Such Good Friends – Crystal, Misty, Javi, Ben, Shauna, Taissa, Lottie

Loyalty in the past is complicated and fading fast, as Shauna is within weeks, days, or maybe even hours of giving birth. Which, of course, puts her on edge since no one is a doctor or a nurse, and if there are complications, what can anyone there do? Add in Shauna isn’t part of Lottie’s cult and doesn’t appreciate her praying, talking to the baby, or whatever she is doing? Shauna is on edge, and then with Tai praying with Lottie’s people since it helps with her sleepwalking? The sense of betrayal is real.

But it doesn’t compare to Crystal and Misty. With Crystal being Misty’s first real friend, a best friend even, she is ecstatic, and as they share secrets and chores, Misty reveals she is the reason everyone is stuck out there, and that is when the good times end – abruptly. However, with Crystal unable to keep her cool, Misty accidentally causes her to fall off a cliff and die. Luckily for Misty, however, a snowstorm comes, which can help hide her latest incident.

Which leaves Javi. He is radio silent to anyone who tries to talk to him, including his brother. But, offhand, he makes a comment to Ben which makes it seem like there are others out there, hence his survival. Now, where are these people, are they related to the man in the attic? Are they indigenous or what? That goes unsaid.

You Need Me – Taissa, Van, Natalie, Lottie, Walter, Misty, Travis

It isn’t clear what led to the dissolution of Van and Taissa’s relationship. Was it that Taissa, as soon as she got back home, tried to pretend she was straight and thus distanced herself from Van, only to reintroduce herself as queer in college? Could it be that Van and her family moved not too long after getting home? There are no answers as to why they separated, but there is a push to see it as something Taissa decided more than Van.

Either way, Taissa’s alter ego apparently missed Van; hence them dragging Taissa to somewhere out in PA to find her and guide her to their next location.

Switching to Misty, she gets to Camp Green Pine, and no sooner than she arrives, thinking she saved Natalie, she is told to leave abrasively. This doesn’t sit right with Misty since she thought she and Natalie were closer, so she thinks Lottie has brainwashed her. Walter, who is starting to get how Misty operates, seems willing to support, but first, he reveals his theory that Misty killed Adam, and he notes he looked into what she said earlier and learned she lied. The combination leads Misty to abandon Walter and shoo him away as she seeks to infiltrate Lottie’s camp.

As she pursues this, Natalie tries to expose Lottie and fails, but because Lottie holds no ill will, she decides to continue pursuing Natalie becoming her best self. This includes a practice that allows her to retrieve her memories from the last time she saw Travis and awaken the moment she OD’d and saw the entity with the horns, which may have very well been Lottie.

You’re Good, But I’m Better – Shauna, Callie, Jeff, Randy, Kevyn, Matt

Callie learns who Matt is, and upon that happening, she tries to debunk his theory that Shauna killed Jeff by revealing her mother’s affair was with Randy, of all people. Matt doesn’t buy it, and to try to double down on his theory, he decides to follow Shauna as she and Randy try to back up what Callie said – with Jeff’s blessing.

Let it be clear, though, there is no hanky-panky. The idea simply was, to fill up a condom in the bathroom and leave it as evidence, and that should throw off Kevyn and Matt. However, Randy fills the condom with lotion, so now it is clear to Matt that he has been exposed, but it seems he isn’t letting Callie off the hook too soon.

Things To Note

1. Randy talks about being interviewed by the FBI, which confuses Shauna, and she doesn’t follow up on it.
2. Proving there might be something to Lottie’s cult, when Shauna and Taissa are lost in the woods, Taissa repeats the chant that Lottie came up with, and they make it back in time for Shauna to begin having the type of contractions which signal birth.
3. Van mentions her mother, Vicky, died of cancer to cover up the amount of Oxycodone she has, but it seems less about not cleaning up and throwing away her mother’s things vs. Van potentially being addicted.

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. How much better would Jeff’s life be if he wasn’t friends with Randy?
2. How much of what Van said about those pills and Vicky were a lie?
3. Why is the spirit trying to bring the Yellowjackets back together?
4. How did they carry the spirit out of the wilderness?
5. Did they ever discover the emergency transmitter and figure out it had to be messed with?
6. With Crystal killed, how long till we find out what happened to Mari and Akilah? I would add Ben, but I’m 90% sure they ate him.
7. Can you imagine them only eating Jackie, maybe Ben, and that’s it, and when it comes to the other Yellowjackets, they just went their separate ways, and, like Lottie, Misty just wasn’t able to keep track of their position?
8. Why, past the year 2020, would Van think she could make a living renting out VHS players and VHSs?
9. Anyone else surprised Walter up and left like that?
10. What if Taissa brought the spirit with her to the wilderness and brought it back, unlike what Lottie and Natalie appear to be thinking?
11. How did Lottie get out of a mental institution in Switzerland?
12. Who was Javi talking to in the woods that helped him survive?
13. Did Matt know Callie was underage?
14. Is Shauna’s son alive and adopted, or did he get sacrificed by either the forest people getting him, the spirits, or him being eaten?
15. Akilah and Taissa continue their subtle bond, which leaves you to wonder what happened to that friendship in the long run? For, in a subtle way, there is this younger and older sister dynamic there.
16. With seeing a teen Natalie laying in an adult Lottie’s lap, does this mean she broke through to Natalie’s inner child, and the healing can truly begin?

What Could Happen Next

1. Callie saying something happened with Matt in order to attempt to get some leverage on him
2. Learning who lived out in the wilderness with the guy who died in the attic
3. Taissa’s alter being less cryptic

Review

Highlights

Callie v. Matt

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m looking forward to what is going on with Callie. Her and Matt having to match wits in her effort to protect her mom and his effort to make a name for himself? Oh, this should be fun. Especially if he gets the upper hand, for if there is a murder trial, which I can see the show going towards, it could be the perfect way to tie in the past and present.

Specifically, in a way that makes them feel less like two distinct time periods, featuring characters who sometimes feel like they only share a name, to interlinking how the Taissa, Misty, Natalie, and Shauna of the present are truly evolved forms of who they were in the past.

Shauna Finally Having Her Kid On The Horizon

Shauna’s pregnancy is the main way to understand how much time has passed in the past compared to the present. For with time moving more slowly in the present, it can be easy to get confused about why it is suddenly winter in the past, yet, Taissa got elected in November, and there is no snow in New Jersey, despite entering the winter months.

So one can only hope as we reach a major milestone in the past, maybe reasons to slow down begin to occur. For, at this point, while they could easily build at least one or two more seasons for the adults, I don’t know if the pace for the 90s versions could support that. Unless they plan to cover the adjustment period back in civilization, including whispers about the cannibalism, maybe showing everyone split up after high school, and topics which, honestly, could be very hit or miss.

On The Fence

Crystal Dying & Walter’s Sudden Exit

I just want to see Misty be in a good relationship – platonic or otherwise. Seeing her joyous with Crystal warmed my heart, and considering how we see modern Misty keep so much close to the chest, while you knew Crystal and her friendship would end, I was hoping it wouldn’t be so soon. Which is why Walter speeding off, after revealing Misty is a terrible liar, also hurt in a way.

Misty seemingly has always had trouble finding people who got or accepted her, and as for love? It was even worse. So, again, seeing her get a taste of what she has wanted and longed for, just for it to abruptly be gone, not even steadily dissolve, it’s painful to watch. It explains so much, but it still is painful to watch.

Feeling There Is More Potentially Awesome Moments Than Definite Ones

“Yellowjackets” isn’t the best when it comes to keeping you engaged. There are a slew of things it sets up that are worth exploring, but it doesn’t consistently take note of the most intriguing storyline and dig in. Taissa’s situation, for example, could be expanded. As said previously, with her maternal side having a history with hauntings, and the supernatural, it makes her being someone with two spirits notable. Especially since the plane crash enhanced or brought that out. Yet, the show doesn’t tap into that.

We’re just given many things that could be revisited or developed later on, despite needing answers now. And being that each new mystery or question doesn’t necessarily escalate things but sometimes feels like bloat? Like the introduction of an adult version of Van or Matt, it sometimes feels like the best could be what’s to come, but the can keeps getting kicked down the road.

Which, after watching a series like “Servant,” honestly, I’m tired of potential and hoping the season finale, or series finale, will reward loyalty.

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