Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 9, “How the Story Ends.“A detail inYellowjackets' wilderness timeline makes the latest adult death even more tragic. InYellowjackets' present-day timeline, which takes place 25 years after they were rescued, the adults have not fared well, and many have been killed since the series began. One of the earliest mysteries is about the death of Travis Martinez (Andrés Soto), the first of the adult survivors to die. Natalie Scattorcio (Juliette Lewis) eventually learns the truth, only for her to die duringYellowjacketsseason 2’s ending.
It did not take long for another adult survivor to be killed, as the body of Lottie Matthews (Simone Kessell) is discovered duringYellowjacketsseason 3, episode 4’s ending. With Misty Quigley (Christina Ricci) leading the charge to find out what really happened, Lottie’s death has been one of the central mysteries of this season. Even though the truth about Lottie has yet to be revealed,another adult Yellowjacket has now been killed, with Melissa (Hilary Swank) fatally stabbing Van Palmer (Lauren Ambrose), despite what happened between the two characters in the wilderness.
Van Spares Melissa From Further Humiliation
Image via Paramount+
After teenage Melissa (Jenna Burgess) and Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) have an argument, Shauna points a gun at Melissa. Shauna does shoot her, but only to scare Melissa, as the shot merely grazes the sleeve of her jacket. However, fear overtakes Melissa, and she wets her pants while standing in front of her teammates.Van (Liv Hewson), who wants to spare Melissa any further embarrassment, takes a piece of clothing, uses it to shield Melissa, and takes her to get changed.
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Melissa understandably feels terrified, ashamed, and alone after what happens with Shauna. Van and Melissa are not close, yet Van is the first person to help her. Despite everything that has happened to her in the wilderness, Van is still able to be compassionate and supportive of her teammates, and is not afraid to do what she feels is right. The Yellowjackets have repressed a lot of what happened to them in the wilderness, but this act of kindness and support is something that Melissa should remember.
Despite The Act Of Kindness As Teens, Melissa Ends Up Killing Van In Yellowjackets
Van’s Death Becomes Even More Tragic
Van’s death inYellowjacketsseason 3, episode 9’s endingwould have been heartbreaking under any circumstances. However, it is even worse after seeing teenage Van helping Melissa earlier in the episode. Because of all the repression of trauma, it is possible that Melissa does not remember Van helping her, especially since the moment is intertwined with the potent fear and humiliation that Shauna elicited. At the same time, adult Melissa’s comments about Van hint that she does remember.
Van is not someone who murders for her own benefit, but is still the girl who would jump in to shield a peer from embarrassment.
When Van asks why she is unable to go through with killing to help herself, Melissa says it is because that is not the kind of person Van is. This suggests that Melissa remembers what Van did for her all these years ago. Van is not someone who murders for her own benefit, but is still the girl who would jump in to shield a peer from embarrassment. Nevertheless,Melissa kills Van, andYellowjacketsmakes it even more devastating after seeing more of the history between the two characters.
