Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 5 Review: Two Truths and a Lie
Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 5, “Two Truths and a Lie,” is a more tamed hour than the previous, working to build up anticipations.
With very few more obscene, standout moments, this episode deals with many different moving facets that alter and push the storyline forward drastically to build up to what is inevitably going to be one of the most significant episodes of the season with episode six.
The investigation into Adam’s death takes a new turn on both fronts. On one side, when Shauna, Callie, and Jeff slip up, trying to imply Shauna’s been sleeping with Randy. The other is when Walter blatantly calls Misty out on being connected to Adam’s disappearance.
While it’s been on the tamer side of things, Callie’s storyline has been adequately entertaining, and it only helps that her actions directly affect the season’s plot. It’s also nice to see it become a bonding experience for her family, even amid an agonizing criminal investigation.
Callie might be just an ordinary teenage girl dealing with the everyday life of her parents’ issues, but that normalcy helps validate the character and her actions. That said, it is a bit underwhelming that Callie is just now figuring out her new boo is a detective.
Most teenagers, or at least the ones I knew growing up, take the time to research and look into who they’re speaking with. Callie had the common sense to look into Adam’s identity, but not some random stranger she meets at a bar before spilling family secrets? It doesn’t seem plausible.
However, it is wise to use Callie’s position as an advantage to get one over on the detectives. The only problem? Shauna trusting Randy Walsh and not confirming that he completed the mission before leaving their fake rendezvous.
That one mistake will undoubtedly come back to bite them in the rear end.
On the other side of things, Walter’s taken the time to research all things Misty and has concluded that she definitely has a part in Adam’s disappearance. Which leads to an awkward moment in which Misty kicks herself to the curb, sending Walter on his way.
If I’m being candid, I could care less about Misty and Walters’ frenemy storyline. The only good that’s come of it is them tracking down Lottie’s headquarters.
It’s clear the writers have a plan for Walter, but what that is is a mystery I’ve yet to come close to figuring out. “Two Truths and a Lie” sees Walter admit that he doesn’t mind Misty’s “extracurricular activities,” but it would make sense for that to simply be a front to get her to open up even further.
The only thing that would entice me to care about the Misty/Walter storyline is if he does end up coming after her for Adam’s death.
The writers have proven their due diligence in addressing plot holes and questions. They continue that streak with “Two Truths and a Lie” through Natalie/Lottie’s interactions, no matter how underwhelming and predictable it may be.
Since Season 1, we’ve been left wondering what the infamous note to Natalie, left behind by a dead Travis, means. Now, it’s confirmed Travis’ message was in response to Natalie claiming the survivors brought the darkness back with them after experiencing a near-death moment.
While this interaction provides value and context to the overall story, it’s a bit disappointing.
Yellowjackets is constantly on the cusp of making the audience wonder if there’s truly something supernatural at play. Or, if it could simply be the trauma and PTSD of the situation that causes these characters to hallucinate, believing something more sinister is in motion.
At this point, it feels weak for the apparent confirmation to be Natalie remembering a vision of another being in the wilderness. This moment would be even more memorable and influential if there were tangible evidence of another force.
However, a theory I’ve toyed around with is that Lottie has essentially rebuilt a version of the forest where the team was stranded. The forest became an inherent piece of her that has had its claws deep in her since their arrival and never left.
I believe Lottie has been living in a false sense of reality, a delusion. One where she thinks she’s moved on and is helping others, but ultimately everything she does has some connection to the entity in the woods.
Part of my theory is also that most of the fan base, including me, has gotten it wrong: Lottie isn’t the antler queen. It’s very faint, but Akilah can be heard asking Javi where he found the queen card, the same queen card Adult Lottie continues hallucinating.
And if you can remember, when the girls initially found the cards, they noted how all the queen cards had been removed.
What if the real antler queen is a deity in the forest that only used Lottie as a pawn in their game? What if she is the one who took Javi in and ensured his survival for two months? A twist like this would be fun and surely throw off a majority of the audience.
Plus, it would play into Natalie’s vision of another entity present in the wilderness.
“Two Truths and a Lie” is essentially the precursor to one of the biggest episodes of the season – the birth of the wilderness baby and the reunion of the surviving yellowjackets.
I can’t wait for the inevitable Oscar-winning performance Sophie Nelisse is bound to deliver.
Stray Thoughts:
- It was basically already confirmed something terrible was going to happen to Crystal when she began hanging out with Misty, but she deserved so much better! If only she could have kept her poker face up until they returned to the camp so she could expose Misty. Falling off the toilet cliff is a death unfitting for anyone except Misty.
- “I kept tabs on everybody, and I mean everybody.” This alludes to another adult survivor somewhere, but who could it be? I’d be willing to place my money on Mari or Akilah.
- It’s still upsetting that Akilah had to be recast due to Keeya King having scheduling conflicts. But I thoroughly enjoy what Nia Sondaya is bringing to the role and hope to see more of her throughout the back end of the season.
- I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Lauren Ambrose is given the opportunity to have time outside of Taissa’s struggles to portray Van and give her her own sense of purpose.
- We’re seeing more and more of Akilah and Mari’s friendship this season, and after the tendencies Mari has showcased previously, it’s plausible we could have another Crystal/Misty situation on our hands.
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.