The name of Yellowjackets season three’s eighth episode, “A Normal, Boring Life,” is a strange one for this show. Obviously, anyone who survived the Wilderness and many of the people closest to them have anything but that. But one Yellowjackets survivor did manage to achieve that, albeit with a disturbing twist, without the others knowing… until now. In this episode, we finally find out that Hilary Swank is playing Melissa on Yellowjackets. No, Melissa is not dead and her post-Wilderness story is nuts.
How Is Hilary Swank’s Character Melissa Actually Alive in Yellowjackets?
Shauna’s solo journey to find Heather’s daughter Alex, whom she’s sure sent her that tape, ends at a quiet house in Virginia. She breaks inside and hides in a pantry with her knife, watching Alex and her child in the kitchen. Shauna is visibly shocked when she sees Alex’s wife Kelly, who is rocking a backwards hat and looking kinda familiar. After Alex and the kid leave, she lets Shauna know that she’s very aware of her presence. Shauna comes out and calls her Melissa. Gasp!
Previously, the crew said both Melissa and Gen were dead. We find out in this episode that they believed Melissa died by suicide after returning from the Wilderness. Instead, Melissa faked her death and made a new life for herself as Kelly. That seems pretty reasonable considering all of the stuff that went down in the woods. I wouldn’t want Shauna or any of my other former teammates knowing that I was alive either. However, she goes about it in the most wrong way possible.
Why Did Melissa Send the Tape to Shauna?
Melissa admits that Hannah gave her the tape to give to her daughter if she got back home, but she never did that. Instead, Melissa married Hannah’s daughter, who obviously doesn’t know the truth about her. They apparently spent years talking to each other before Melissa says she fell in love with her. Yikes. Melissa also admits that when they got back home, she was no longer “one of them” and Shauna scared her. That’s a valid fear.
Melissa says she has a good life, goes to church, and is basically trying to be normal. Shauna does not care and wants to know why Melissa is messing with her. I also want to know why, Shauna. If they thought she was dead, why in the hell would she reach out in any sort of way? Just stay fake dead for Christ’s sake!
Well, Melissa claims she kept the tape locked in a box to use for leverage in case any of the other survivors came looking for her. She thought that everyone joined Lottie’s cult and was starting to make sacrifices to appease It. She knows that Natalie died there and that made her feel haunted. So, after Nat’s funeral, she left the tape and a note to Shauna about letting it all go.
Shauna doesn’t buy it because, well, there’s no evidence of a letter. She thinks that Melissa has been messing with her and trying to kill her. However, Melissa genuinely says she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Shauna says the only way to be sure that no one will spill your secrets is to make sure you’re the last one standing. Hilary Swank and Melanie Lynskey’s onscreen chemistry and entire conversation makes me curious about what happened between Shauna and Melissa after coming home.
Shauna Attacks Melissa and Tries to Make Her Eat Flesh
Melissa tries to get Shauna to be logical about all the weird things going on. She calls Shauna out for stirring up drama to feel alive and wanting everyone to be just as miserable as she is. Bingo. Melissa attempts to take Shauna’s knife and they get into a scuffle. Shauna gets the upper hands and bites a chunk of flesh from Melissa’s arm. She dangles it over her, trying to make her eat it. Yep, Shauna has gone full feral.
Will Hilary Swank Return as Melissa in Yellowjackets?
Well, she has to return for at least one more episode. We have to see how this bloody cliffhanger ends. It’s possible that Shauna will kill Melissa in her own home. Or she could kidnap her and hold her hostage for whatever reason. Either way, Melissa getting in contact with Shauna is one of the dumbest decisions anyone on this show has ever made. She should’ve just kept living her normal, boring life.
