Yellowjackets Season 3 episode 9 review—“How the Story Ends”: Line between survival and savagery

Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 9, “How the Story Ends,” plunges headfirst into the psychological and emotional chasm that’s loomed all season long.

As the series’ penultimate episode, it’s an unflinching, haunting hour that dredges up the darkest themes of the series — power, survival, guilt, and the price of community when morality ceases to be an absolute — and drills down deeper to explore their consequences.

With one of the show’s most searing moments to date, this episode signals loud and clear: the past isn’t just haunting the present but is still very much alive within each of them.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

---

Wilderness Timeline (1969)

The wilderness has long been a crucible for the Yellowjackets, but in this episode, the break finally comes; this is where you can see they no longer turn back. The distinction between survival and barbarism is annihilated.

Van’s Shifting Relationship with the Wilderness

Van was one of the first to believe in the supernatural forces at play, which caused tension with Tai. But when cannibalism became a normal thing, Van had already admitted that he would be ready to do anything to survive.

The Group Captures Hannah and Kodi

With winter drawing near, the group captures Hannah and Kodi. Van is in a new predicament—he, this time, in addition to cannibalism or death, has one more option: running away and rescuing.

Van Wants to Leave, but Shauna Refuses

Van insists upon an escape initiative, but Shauna, Lottie, and Tai are of the opinion that they should stay. Shauna shows no concern about food, which makes Van get angry, who says: “We ate a fu***ng kid.”

The Camp Splits into Two Factions

Shauna’s group is in favor of maintaining control and staying in camp. Natalie’s rebels secretly plot to free Kodi and Hannah and escape from the camp. Van is on Shauna’s side, and he is not aware that she has a satellite phone and that she is trying to repair it.

Misty’s Transponder Sabotage is Revealed

Misty, the one who knows how to repair phones, admits she has had the plane’s transponder all the time—IT never was genuinely destroyed. Natalie discovers the truth after following her lead and a breach in the integrity of their trust ensues.

Hannah Betrays Kodi

Natalie gives Hannah a knife for the release of Kodi, but Hannah instead makes a double-cross on him. She thrusts Kodi in his eye with a blade and begs Shauna to join the group, signifying that she has indeed become very brutal.

Shauna Almost Kills Melissa

Feeling really uncomfortable about Shauna’s increasingly irrational behaviour, Melissa confronts her. Shauna acts back and misses Melissa with a bullet. This makes it clear that now, Shauna does not need the Wilderness as a justification for violence—she can do it solely.

Melissa Traps Van To Sacrifice Her

To get on the good side of the surroundings, Van puts a knife with the blade to Melissa's chest, but he hesitates. Instead of saying no, Melissa agrees to it: "Do it. I'll be your sacrifice."

Van’s Death—A Sudden Betrayal

Van unintentionally loses the knife, and that time, Melissa manages to grab it and stabs Van, while saying, “You don't want to do it. But I do. Isn’t it what It wants?”

Tai’s Realization- The ‘Treasure’ Was Van’s Death

Tai, without the Other One haunting him anymore, arrives at the spot where Van is lying dead. After all, what the “treasure” of young Van was talking about was not her being saved; it was her death. The moral of the story is evident: Ghosts are never to be trusted as they only ask for what they cannot give.

---

Timeline: Present Day (2021): Ghosts in the Flesh

Van’s Hallucination of Her Teenage Self

At the end of her life, due to cancer, Van experiences a vision of her younger self explaining where she has to find the "treasure".

Van Discharges from Hospital and Meets Melissa

Van identifies an X silhouette as a railroad crossing sign and decides that it is a message from the Wilderness. At the base of the sign is Melissa, who left Shauna and then broke down when she ran out of gas.

Van Thinks Melissa is the Treasure

Realizing that Melissa was her younger self’s “treasure,” [sic] the one who, as Van understands, could give her life to her in a form free of cancer, Van lets the words said by her younger self come back to her memory: “To get the treasure.” She concludes that it is the life force of the other that could save her.

Carbon Monoxide Plan

Van engages in a maneuver where she closes up the entire house and starts a fire without first opening the flue; this way, the house becomes so full of carbon monoxide that eventually a sort of spiritual intervention happens.

Tai Kills the Other One

Tai has a dream in which she fights the enemy – the other person – and as she is unresponsive, the enemy is defeated, and she is awake and back to being completely normal after being wiped away for years.

Van is Ready to Commit Murder for Tai

Thus, she, having realized that she is not deprived of Tai anymore, is willing to trade in Melissa and kill her so that her love for Tai will prevail.

Melissa Stabs Van to Death

When Van becomes hesitant, Melissa grabs the knife and finishes off Van, saying: “Is this what It is asking for?”

Tai Catches the Meaning of the 'Treasure'

Tai discovers Van’s corpse and knows the truth, telling herself, "The 'treasure' was not a reward—it was Van’s death to free Tai." It wasn't about rescuing Van. It was about stealing from her according to the plan.

---

Verdict: A Tragic Journey

9/10⭐ - For being totally gut-wrenching, brilliantly written, and painfully unforgettable.

“How the Story Ends” really sets up the for a massive end. This is the darkest and the most engaging part of the Yellowjackets universe. There are no intricate plots or unexpected big shots in this episode; instead, it feels like a slowly unfolding horror that never ends. It even obliges the audience to contemplate the identity of the characters today and if we can still feel for them after everything they have done.

After experiencing this episode, we are left with nothing but an emotional earthquake, but we are not sure if there is a way of redemption available.

Are you geared up for the final showdown?