After a very tense and dramatic episode four of Yellowjackets season three, episode five was a little bit quieter, moving our pieces along in the story. That’s not to say there weren’t some incredibly suspenseful moments in play, especially toward the end. Still, it definitely felt like a softer entry that focused more on shading out some aspects of the Yellowjackets’ world, like introducing us to Lottie’s father and showing a more sympathetic side to Shauna. Here is our recap of Yellowjackets season three, episode five, “Did Tai Do That?” and all the revelations and questions it contained.
Revelations From the Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5—“Did Tai Do That?”
Past: The Wilderness Wants Blood in Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5
Of course, we know the Wilderness/”It” wants blood, but watching Tai casually slaughter a rabbit is one of the most cogent examples of the team killing with the intent of bonding with the wilderness. Tai’s efforts to become one with the dying animal in order to give the wilderness what it hungers for was a really visceral moment. It drives home exactly what killing turns into for the Yellowjackets.
Past: Evil Tai Comes Out for the Killing
Tai and Van were trying to get other/evil Tai to come out the entire episode. But it wasn’t until the gun was firmly in Tai’s hand and an intent to kill in her heart that Evil Tai made her full appearance. It makes us continue to wonder just what kind of an entity this other part of Tai is.
Past: The Girls Were Really Going to Kill Ben in Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5
Damn. Even though they had a trial and found him guilty, we weren’t sure if the team could really kill Ben. But, nope. The Yellowjackets intended to put Ben in front of the firing squad and go through with shooting him in the skull in “Did Tai Do That?” With so many doubts at play, it seems wild. But we suppose the team is trying to keep as much control over their uncontrollable circumstances as possible. Still, had they killed Ben, this would have been another major line crossed by the Yellowjackets. But their intent to do it also speaks volumes.
Past: Coach Ben is “The Bridge Home” for the Team
Akilah has a gas-induced vision in which she sees a giant, Gulliver’s Travels-style Coach Ben bound across a ravine between the wilderness and the real world. From this, she and Lottie take away that Coach Ben is “the bridge home” for the team. How or why is yet to be determined, but everyone seems to believe it deeply.
Past: Shauna and Melissa Are Bloodthirsty and Together
The Yellowjackets are all ready to kill, but none more so than Shauna and Melissa. Shauna actually suggests they burn Coach Ben at the stake. At the end of the episode, when they can’t kill him, they cut his ankle badly and walk off holding hands. We guess Melissa and Shauna are savage and hooking up. And honestly, we can’t hate them for that.
Present: Lottie Was Lying About Having Nowhere to Go
In the present timeline of “What Did Tai Do?”—we learn that Lottie’s father is alive, although not in full control of his mental faculties. Lottie told Shauna she had nowhere to go, but Misty, Shauna, and Walter learn that she was lying. She could have lived with her dad but chose not to. We will say, she did end up dying in the building, so maybe there was something to it.
Present: Sammy Thinks Tai Isn’t His Mother in Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5
Sammy, Tai’s son, asks to see her, but quickly pulls away. He tells Tai, “Are you not my mommy anymore?” Gulp. It seems like Sammy thinks Tai isn’t Tai at all.
Questions From the Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 5—“Did Tai Do That?”
Past: What Does Travis’ Trial Drawing Mean?
In Yellowjackets season three, episode five, Travis’ drawing returns. The drawing features three figures looking over one prone one. It’s a haunting vision, and he says it’s the outcome of the trial. But what does Travis’ drawing actually mean on Yellowjackets? We can’t say for sure.
Past: Did Travis Really See Something in Akilah, or Did He Just Want Lottie Off His Back?
Travis was readily pointing out Akilah’s connection to the wilderness before Yellowjackets season three, episode five. But now he seems to recant a little bit, saying that going into the gas caves is not a good idea. Does Travis sense anything in the wilderness at all, or is he just going along with the status quo? Similarly, did he see anything in Akilah, or did he just want to stop being Lottie’s only project?
Present: Why Did Lottie Take Out $50,000?
Could Lottie have known something bad was about to happen? “Did Tai Do That?” reveals to us that Lottie took out $50,000 before she died, but to what end?
Present: Why Did Lottie Lie to Shauna About Having Nowhere to Go When She Could Have Stayed with Her Father?
Shauna brings up this fair question during the Yellowjackets episode. But why did Lottie insist she had to stay in Shauna’s house? Did she simply want a friend, or did she know something or someone was coming for all of them?
Present: What Is Walter’s Deal?
Is Walter just so into Misty that he’s mixing himself into all her problems? He seems too good to be true. Not that he isn’t totally weird, but still, we feel like there should be something more to his story and motives. We guess we’ll have to wait and see if Walter is who he says he is.
Present: Does Shauna Have Something to Hide?
Shauna won’t give Walter her hair as DNA evidence on Yellowjackets season three, episode five. Is that just because she thinks he’s a nut, or does she actually have something to hide?
Present: Is Tai Not Tai?
Sammy seems to think that Tai is not his mother. And we know that’s very possible. Is evil Tai inhabiting Tai right now? And if so, how long has Tai been her other self?
Present: Who Killed Lottie?
The question of the hour remains: Who killed Lottie Matthews and why? Shauna looks shifty, but she always does. Tai has all that time she can’t account for. Could she be guilty? Or is it whoever is trying to hunt Shauna down? Surely, we’ll find out this season on Yellowjackets, but not in episode five.
Previous Recaps: Premiere/Episodes One and Two, Episode Three, Episode Four