Unlocking the Secrets Behind Yellowjackets’ Mind-Bending Hallucination Sequence!

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[This story contains spoilers from the third episode of Yellowjackets, “Them’s the Brakes.”]

Yellowjackets just took us on a ride. But what does it mean for the journey?

In the third episode of season three titled “Them’s the Brakes,” we find ourselves in a chilling hallucination scene that blends the haunting dreams of three characters, Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), Van (Liv Hewson) and Akilah (Keeya King). This sequence takes place within their 1996 wilderness setting. In these visions, Shauna is seen swimming endlessly in search of the child she lost, Van comes close to burning down the cabin, Akilah experiences a psychedelic journey with an omniscient alpaca, and each encounters the spirit of Jackie (portrayed by returning actress Ella Purnell), their deceased teammate who they had to consume to stay alive.

Jonathan Lisco, one of the co-showrunners, offers insightful comments about the episode “Them’s the Brakes,” as he delves into the intricacies of each terrifying scene, discusses the symbolism of shared dreaming within a cultural context, and explores the neurological aspects that might influence how the adult characters remember such an event in the present-day narrative.

As a creator, I don’t just go for the shock value or scare tactics when it comes to Yellowjackets. It’s more than that. If it doesn’t ring true to the characters we’ve built, then it’s not part of our story. We weave intricate threads together, creating a narrative that not only captures your attention but also resonates deeply within you.

In the aftermath of the captivating episode of Helix, let’s delve into an analysis that clarifies your confusion and sheds light on its connection to the show’s fundamental queries. Lisco cautions that “the boundary between objective and subjective experiences is becoming increasingly indistinct,” offering a glimpse into what lies ahead.

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Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson shared with me that although this season isn’t lighter, it delves into some quite dark themes, they mentioned a more enjoyable atmosphere in the writers’ room. With the weight of the tremendous success from Season 1 now lifted, they expressed how the freedom of being in Season 3 influenced their approach to storytelling. How did this newfound liberty affect your narrative style?

Your question is truly insightful. When creating a show, there’s often a continuous cycle of feedback from the audience that comes in swiftly. Admittedly, this immediate response can sometimes throw us off balance. Despite our deep appreciation for our audience and their opinions, it’s important to remember that a single show can’t cater to everyone’s tastes. We must stand firm in our choices.

In the second season, there was significant carry-over from the success of the first, as we navigated the challenge of appealing to our entire audience while staying faithful to our creative vision, which proved quite complex. For season three, we emphasized even more strongly an approach we’ve always followed: We must rely on our intuition as writers and producers. We need to soak up all feedback from the audience because they matter to us, but we can’t create a show for everyone. Instead, we should make a show that resonates with us personally and trust our instincts. If not, it could become an inconsistent mosaic.

Indeed, Ash’s perspective aligns well with ours. We’ve chosen to encourage unrestricted creativity, urging ourselves to never self-censor. Our goal is always to thoroughly examine each idea, ensuring it resonates not just on a narrative level but also emotionally and psychologically. If our collective judgment deems it suitable, we proceed with it.

When you gathered the writers for Season 3 of Yellowjackets, how much of the broader story had you and your fellow showrunners already planned out that you were aiming for?

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In the writers’ room for season three of Yellowjackets, how much of the larger Yellowjackets story had you and your co-showrunners already mapped out that you were working towards?

You might be astonished to learn that, while we have our key architectural elements for upcoming seasons, the process of putting them into action involves a significant amount of dismantling before rebuilding. Sometimes, an initial concept may not align perfectly with other elements you cherish, causing it to remain in a holding area rather than being implemented. We don’t aim for sensationalism or a single standout moment. Instead, we strive for cohesion and an aftereffect that grows organically within your mind after the show ends. Achieving this requires careful planning to ensure the entire narrative is harmonious.

Gertrude Stein noted in the 1920s that individual sentences aren’t emotional but collections like paragraphs can be. Taking this concept further, we might consider an entire season as emotionally impactful. Therefore, each episode aims to elicit a strong response, similar to a punch to the jugular. Yet, these episodes should cohesively form a narrative that leaves you in awe, saying something like “What an incredible ride! What an unforgettable journey.

In your own words, you’ve mentioned that if the show is handled appropriately, cannibalism might not be the most shocking aspect. However, it was already revealed in season two that characters engage in cannibalism. So, how are you planning to approach and depict cannnibalism in season three?

In the second season, I crafted an episode where they consumed young Jackie, but we held off on it until the narrative could be more focused on character development. I decided to include this episode once I understood it could revolve around Shauna’s story. It was essentially about Shauna discovering a way to assert control, pay tribute to, and consume her best friend all at once. Once we determined this as the core aspect of the story, I thought, “Alright, let’s explore cannibalism.

I’m grateful you acknowledged my words. It’s somewhat predictable within the context of the series. The audience was anticipating such a moment. If that twist was the climax and there was no more narrative to unfold, the story could lose momentum afterwards. Now, the question arises: Given that they needed to take such a step to survive, will they resort to similar actions in a ritualistic manner? As the foundations of civilization crumble, will they develop new rituals and innovative concepts for survival in the wilderness? Could cannibalism potentially become part of these new ways?

As a devoted fan, I was cautiously keeping secrets, but Ashley Lyle did share that this season would shed light on at least two major mysteries. In this particular episode, we delve into the origin of Tai’s “no-eyed man,” while Adult Tai and Van (portrayed by Tawny Cypress and Lauren Ambrose) explore the spiritual essence of the wilderness. I’m curious to know which enigmas you plan to keep shrouded and which aspects of the show’s mystery you will unravel for us?

In simpler terms, when you recall something, you’re essentially remembering your last memory of that event, not the actual event itself. This suggests that memories may get distorted over time due to repeated recall and psychological processes like repression or suppression. So, it could be argued that while characters in a story might seem to remember past events accurately, their recollections might actually be more like a blurry mix-up, rather than clear, precise memories of what truly happened.

Taissa discovers something from her past, a memory she had long forgotten, which explains her lifelong fear of the man without eyes. However, this revelation only adds to her bewilderment as she grapples with its meaning. It seems like pieces of her past could be falling into place, leading to a pattern that feels eerily familiar in her present life. She might think, “Oh my goodness, it’s happening again.” or “If this is happening, it must be connected to the wilderness.” Yet, what she experiences may simply be a coincidence or an unusual convergence of circumstances. We aim to explore this intriguing connection and provide some answers for the audience, not just speculate about it. As Ash and Bart suggest, we will attempt to clarify a few questions for the viewers’ understanding.

This is why I like speaking with you — you get into the neuroscience behind Yellowjackets.

The show’s core element explores the contrast between factual (objective) and personal (subjective) perceptions, focusing on that gap. What appears objective to me might look entirely different to you when we’re both viewing something objectively. Throughout the series, we grapple with the question of what is true. When we seem to be addressing questions, we indeed are. However, at this point, it would be unsatisfying to provide a definitive, clear-cut answer on whether the events portrayed are supernatural or psychological in nature.

In my gaming journey, the climax of this episode left me puzzled for a solid ten minutes with a mind-bending hallucination. I found myself questioning the creative decisions behind it, specifically about the choice of characters who appeared in this dreamlike sequence: Shauna, Van, and Akilah. How did you decide on these three?

In simpler terms, we had various characters to choose from during that surreal scene, but we found that Akilah, a character deeply connected with nature, seemed perfect for exploring a twist in her perspective regarding the benefits of the wilderness.

In much the same way, you might remember that Van came perilously close to dying in the second episode of the entire series, following a plane crash that left them for dead. Despite Van’s usual sarcastic and flippant demeanor, suggesting they’ve moved past this ordeal, one may wonder if they truly have. The traumatic memory of being trapped in a chair, helpless as the cabin burned around them, on the brink of death, lingers. Upon closer inspection, it appears that the hand reaching out to them belongs to Javi (Luciano Leroux, who was left to die and later consumed in season two), or Laura Lee (Jane Widdop, who perished in season one). These ghostly apparitions seem to reawaken all those haunting memories.

Personally, among all the scenes with Shauna, the one that struck me as both heart-wrenchingly poignant and thought-provoking was when she saw the boy on the lake’s edge, swimming towards him only to find herself drifting further away. It was a moment filled with such profound sadness and tragedy, yet it also hinted at her own role in the situation – a role that she may have contributed to due to her inability to save her baby. However, I want to clarify that I’m not implying she’s responsible; rather, she carries this burden of guilt related to her body and her inability to deliver her child.

Moreover, Shauna doubts the truthfulness of the other young women, harboring suspicions about their accounts. The pain of never having met her child is another layer to this heart-wrenching story. In essence, it’s a beautiful yet excruciating tale of loss and doubt.

In this episode, Adult Shauna (played by Melanie Lynskey) expresses strong feelings in the present day when she learns that her daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) is wearing Jackie’s heart necklace. This necklace was a gift from Lottie (Simone Kessell). It seems unusual for Adult Shauna to show such intense emotions, as Teen Shauna was fiery but we don’t usually see this level of raw emotion from her in the present day. Could it be that her unresolved trauma is resurfacing?

Remember, the necklace once served as a symbolic marker of someone in the wilderness with negative connotations. When Callie wears it, her character reacts strongly because of this history. It’s surprising to some viewers that Shauna has changed so much from when we first met her. I believe that the seeds of her current self were already present when we were introduced to Shauna. This season explores themes like who the true villain is and what it means to be a villain. Additionally, it questions which characters are the underdogs and if some were never really in that position from the start. The audience will likely find this journey both unpredictable and fulfilling as we delve into these themes.

Regarding the shared hallucination, it seems that their individual dreams become intertwined. The message here is: what should we infer from these dreams overlapping and experiencing each other’s dreamscapes as if they were one? In essence, this scenario suggests a non-isolated experience for all of them.

In my role as co-writer and director of this project, I find the concept of collective dreaming within Shamanistic cultures, particularly among the Mayans and other Indigenous groups, intriguing. This practice was believed to be a means for societies to shape their future customs and often provided crucial insights about their society’s health.

What captures my attention is the phenomenon of menstrual synchrony among women living together, which is widely recognized. In these indigenous cultures, there seems to be a similar occurrence with dream syncing. This suggests that as traditional ways of life begin to disintegrate and new conventions emerge, their dreams might synchronize, allowing them to collaboratively rebuild society in a manner that may appear unconventional but could be essential for their survival.

In these cultures, the alignment of their dreams can serve as a catalyst for progress or be perceived as harmful and destructive, requiring careful extraction. This synergy seems to have a powerful influence, akin to pheromones or stress hormones, affecting some people so deeply that they feel compelled to participate in the dream to ensure their survival. We even introduce the “no-eyed man” into the shared vision, which was part of one character’s (Tai, played by Jasmin Savoy Brown) vision, suggesting that the boundary between subjective and objective experiences is becoming increasingly indistinct.

Lottie (Courtney Eaton) is in the group vision. Does she wake up and remember the dream?

In this game, I’ve found myself detached from nature’s pulse, much like Lottie. She can no longer sense the wilderness intuitively, which is why she relies on other characters, such as Travis and Akilah, to act as her conduits.

How do you explain all of them hearing this screeching sound in the cave?

As a gamer, I’m constantly navigating the immersive world of games, where subjective reality often intertwines with objective truth. A heart-pounding soundtrack might send shivers down my spine during gameplay, but to an outsider, it could just be background noise. It’s much like recalling a deeply emotional moment from my gaming past – I remember it vividly as if it was yesterday, yet when sharing with others, their reaction can sometimes feel underwhelming.

I’m not downplaying its significance, but the intense emotions these women are feeling amplify nearly every aspect of their journey in this show. We want our audience to fully grasp this important part, so we won’t sugarcoat it. Instead, we’ll make sure it’s engaging and impactful. However, there’s a sense of artificiality in how it unfolds within each individual storyline.

In our discussions, we’ve emphasized that this season will help us transition the characters from their teenage selves to the adults we know. Could you describe the approach you took to achieve this transformation?

Following their viewing of this season, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the traumatic events and harrowing experiences endured by some of our adult characters in the wilderness. Without a doubt, they’ll receive more clarity about the reasons behind certain alliances and uncover what truly happened during their time in the wilderness.

In this episode, Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) rejoins the team under somewhat tense circumstances – with a shotgun pointed at him. This season, Coach serves as a reflection of their actions and confronts issues they’d rather avoid. So, what does Coach symbolize in this season?

In this episode, Coach Ben returns with a difficult situation (a shotgun in his face). He makes them face things they don’t want to acknowledge about their past actions. So, what does Coach represent this season?

Or even more casually: Coach Ben shows up with a tricky situation (a shotgun) this week. He forces them to look at the choices they’ve made so far. What’s Coach’s role in this season?

Steven Krueger’s performance is truly impressive. He skillfully balances Coach’s advantage and adding a rich layer of human emotion. So far, he has taken on multiple roles – acting as their moral compass, the one who still adheres to right and wrong. He also serves as a judge, looking at the others from their perspective. What makes things complex is that his abstinence from cannibalism seems to irk the group, leading them to view him as arrogant or superior. As a result, he’s become an obstacle. However, it’s important to remember that he’s just trying to stay alive! He’s attempting to distance himself from the strange society they’ve created in order to protect himself. Watch how his journey unfolds throughout the story.

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Every Friday, you can catch the latest episodes of Yellowjackets streaming on Paramount+, while they also air Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Be sure to keep up with our season analysis and interviews here on The Hollywood Reporter!

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2025-02-22 04:25