Yellowjackets 3x03 Recap & Analysis: "Them's the Brakes" | Hallucinations, Betrayals & Supernatural Twists
00:04:19 Wilderness Recap
00:11:13 Present day recap
00:18:22 Discussion/analysis
The intensity ramps up in Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 3, “Them’s the Brakes,” delivering psychological horror, supernatural intrigue, and character-driven drama. In this recap and analysis, we break down the key moments from both the 1990s wilderness timeline and the present-day storyline. Here’s what you can expect:
🌲 In the Wilderness (1990s):
Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) takes Mari (Alexa Barajas) hostage in his cave hideout, leading to a tense standoff with bear spray, mace, and surprising vulnerability.
Mari’s betrayal of Ben sparks a hunt led by Shauna (Sophie Nelisse), culminating in a surreal and pivotal sequence.
Shauna, Van, and Akilah experience vivid hallucinations caused by poisonous gas leaking from caves beneath their camp, with visions of Ghost Jackie, the Man With No Eyes, and more.
Van’s eerie encounter with a plane seat, Akilah’s talking llama, and Shauna’s vision of her stillborn son blur the line between reality and nightmare.
The escalating paranoia and violence among the survivors deepen the group’s descent into chaos. 🔥 In the Present:
Taissa and Van investigate the Man With No Eyes after Tai spots him in an old ice cream commercial, uncovering chilling connections to their past.
Van learns her stage-four cancer is miraculously in remission, hinting that the wilderness’s dark influence persists.
Shauna erupts at Lottie after discovering she gave Callie Jackie’s heart necklace, leading to a fiery confrontation.
Misty’s growing frustration with Shauna signals potential fractures in the group’s fragile bond. This episode masterfully blends psychological horror with supernatural undertones, leaving us questioning whether the group’s visions are gas-induced or signs of something darker. The tension between past and present timelines deepens as the survivors confront the wilderness’s lingering grip on their lives.
💬 What do you think? Is there something supernatural at play? Let us know your theories in the comments below!
📺 Episode Covered: Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 3: “Them’s the Brakes” 📅
Original Air Date: February 23, 2025
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Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson (Narcos), YELLOWJACKETS is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. Equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama, the series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over.
In season three, as summer arrives, the Yellowjackets face a fragile victory—the brutal winter that nearly claimed them is finally behind them, but distrust in leadership and tension within the team jeopardize their chances of being rescued.
In the present, long-buried secrets from their pasts begin to surface. As the women fight to keep their lives from unraveling, they must confront a chilling question: who are they really, and what dark truths are they hiding from each other and themselves?
YELLOWJACKETS stars Emmy nominee and Critics Choice Award winner Melanie Lynskey (Castle Rock), Emmy nominee Christina Ricci (Z: The Beginning of Everything), Tawny Cypress (Unforgettable), Emmy nominee Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under,), Sophie Nélisse (The Book Thief), Jasmin Savoy Brown (The Leftovers), Sophie Thatcher (Heretic), Samantha Hanratty (Shameless), Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road), Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet), Steven Krueger (The Originals), Warren Kole (Shades of Blue), Kevin Alves (Locke & Key), Sarah Desjardins (The Night Agent) and Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi), with Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) returning in a recurring role. Two-time Academy Award®-winning actress Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) guest stars this season and joins the all-star cast, along with Joel McHale (Community).
YELLOWJACKETS is executive produced by Lyle, Nickerson and fellow showrunner Jonathan Lisco. Drew Comins of Creative Engine also serves as executive producer along with Jeff W. Byrd, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa and Brad Van Arragon. The series is produced for SHOWTIME® by Lionsgate Television.
YELLOWJACKETS is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
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