The conclusion to Van’s story line is messy, but so is “The Goonies” — one of those titles that might not be as good as you remember it. In many ways, that makes it the perfect reference for Teen Van, who is stuck in adolescence. It also fits with the general tone of this episode, which is all over the place, offering shocking twists that also seem strangely disappointing. (Just like “The Goonies.”)
All season long, the Adult Van and Tai plot has chugged along without much momentum. Now, in the 11th hour, Adult Van is gone and, frankly, it feels as if we hardly got to know her. Despite Lauren Ambrose’s talents, Van was never as compelling as a grown up as she was as a kid. Instead, she was just a tragic figure coloring Adult Tai’s journey. And now she’s dead, her main purpose being to release Tai from a demon.
Perhaps the “Yellowjackets” writers know they overplayed their hand in adding adult survivors to the present day narrative, which is why they are killing them off anticlimactically. We’re inching closer to discovering who killed Lottie — Misty seems to find something revelatory when Walter hands her the cloned version of Lottie’s phone. And unlike Lottie, who fell surreptitiously, at least we know who is responsible for Van’s death: The mysterious Melissa.
In the 1990s timeline, we learn more about the gripes Melissa might be holding against her fellow Yellowjackets. Initially, she is on Shauna’s side of the great “should we go home” divide, watching dutifully over Hannah and Kodiak, who are once again imprisoned after Shauna takes control, supported by Lottie and Tai. Melissa bonds with Hannah as they gab about the television they are missing in the woods. The conversation leads Hannah to tell her about her daughter but is cut short when Shauna witnesses this conviviality.
Shauna is cruel to Melissa. She tells her that no one cared about her until they got together and that Hannah is lying about having a child. Melissa pleads, “Why can’t you just be a nice person?” Shauna can’t do that. Instead, she shoots at Melissa, barely missing. Melissa pees her pants out of fear and then goes rogue, joining Natalie and the rebel Yellowjackets who want to go home.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/arts/television/yellowjackets-recap-season-3-episode-9.html
