Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Old Wounds
Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 4, “Old Wounds,” explores the mounting tension and growing divide between the teens as they struggle to find sustenance.
Filler episodes are present in any season of almost every series, and unfortunately, that’s what “Old Wounds” consists of.
Though not as captivating as previous episodes, it still serves its function by furthering the narrative and helping set up for what’s bound to be an explosive reunion for the adults in the coming episodes.
In “Old Wounds,” the real suspense comes from the teens and their daunting interactions that feel like the beginning of a great divide, even if it isn’t Lottie’s doing.
Taissa’s storyline takes a step back from the spotlight as she unconsciously hitchhikes across states thanks to her fugue state. As the episode progresses, even without any additional information or confirmation until the end, it’s clear Taissa is being drawn back to Van.
As we see in multiple scenes with the teens, Taissa’s fugue state has formed a sort of connection with Van. What initially began as a test to figure out Taissa’s sleepwalking has become a norm.
Teen Van is openly communicating and exploring with Taissa’s fugue state to learn more about her connection to what’s happening in the forest. While we know the man with no eyes has been present in Taissa’s life since a young age, it is confusing why he knows where the symbols are and why he continues leading Taissa to their whereabouts.
A direct result of these newfound interactions with Fugue Taissa and Van is the growing tension between the two in Taissa’s normal state.
Naturally, Van is insistent she talks to Lottie about her situation. Still, Taissa’s superstitious ways confine her ability to admit what’s happening, forcing her to bury it deep in her psyche and cause worse blackouts, something present in adult Taissa.
Taissa’s storyline directly brings about the two surprising moments of “Old Wounds,” the return of Javi and Adult Van. After making a bet with Taissa to prove she’s truly connected with the forest, the two stumble upon Javi while his defenses are down.
Being a couple of soccer athletes, it doesn’t take Taissa and Van long before catching Javi and bringing him back to the cabin. I guess we now know who was stealing the bear meat, huh?
Javi’s return is simultaneously intriguing and confusing because there’s no way he’s survived the winter for two months alone on only bear meat scraps. And seeing how he’s, understandably, become mute in his time alone, it doesn’t feel like we’ll get an answer anytime soon.
With only a few sparing seconds of screen time, Lauren Ambrose appears as Adult Van in the backend moments of the episode after Taissa’s hitchhiking conquest. And from her longing, questioning stare and the way she says Taissa’s name, it’s plausible she’s also wondering which version has made its way to her doorstep.
Elsewhere, Jeff and Shauna’s Adam predicament is growing riskier and riskier with detectives on their tail. To make matters worse, Shauna finds Adam’s partially burned ID in Callie’s desk, forcing her to come clean to the teen, hoping she’ll understand the gravity of the situation.
Melanie Lynskey continues to be a national treasure in her methodological delivery and ability to supply a comedic factor even in more serious situations. She and Sarah Desjardins’ scenes together were some of my favorites from “Old Wounds.”
Shauna seems to be acting in Callie’s best interest by bringing her in the loop, but I’m still on the fence. Yellowjackets has repeatedly proven that they’re fearless in taking the narrative and pushing it to great lengths. There’s still a chance Callie could end up becoming collateral damage at the hands of her mother.
Throughout Season 1, Shauna often exclaims the resentment she holds for Callie. And while I hope that sentiment has changed and she’s taken on a new form of attachment with Callie, it’s unlikely.
The writers have also set up the perfect getaway escape with Callie. All she has to do now is have more vigilance in her surroundings and figure out that her new boy toy is surveilling her. With the three of them working together, there’s no way they can’t outsmart the detectives hot on their tail.
Stray Thoughts:
- They’d better keep a good eye on Javi because if I were him, I’d escape at night. I think it’s safe to assume since his departure, he’s kept an eye on the girls and witnessed them eating Jackie’s corpse.
- While Misty’s storyline with Walter isn’t a total bore, it’s not as intriguing as the others at play. Part of me hopes he ends up double-crossing her and reveals he’s been investigating her the whole time for Adam’s murder.
- Mari is genuinely terrifying with her actions towards Ben throughout the episode. The disdain and hatred in her eyes when Ben nonchalantly calls them out on eating Jackie are haunting. I hope we get one scene this season where Alexa Barajas can explore the lengths she can go because it feels like she’s an underutilized talent.
What did you think of this episode of Yellowjackets? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Yellowjackets airs Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.
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Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.