Review of Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 9 – “Blood in the Bark”:

If Yellowjackets is about survival, this episode is about what’s left once you’ve survived—and it is not for the faint of heart. Episode 9 sets the stage for a finale that promises absolute chaos, and it does so with the series’ trademark blend of brutal honesty and mythic madness.

Let’s start in the past: After weeks of escalating tension and dwindling resources, the group makes a horrifying but, to them, “necessary” decision—Ben finally becomes the sacrifice. It’s not just the act that chills you, it’s how coldly it's discussed beforehand. Nat’s silent dissent, contrasted with Lottie’s near-religious fervor, reveals the fractured psychology of the group. Ben’s final moments are cruel, but Yellowjackets doesn’t flinch. Instead, it leans into the horror—and somehow, heartbreak.

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And that tree ritual? Pure nightmare fuel. The group carves a “blessing symbol” into the bark above Ben’s body—an unsettling blend of cult worship and survival instinct. There’s blood, yes—but also a feeling that they’ve passed a point of no return. The wilderness didn’t ask for this. They offered it freely.

Meanwhile, in the present day, things unravel quickly. Taissa’s “mirror self” fully takes over in a terrifying scene where she nearly pushes Simone down the stairs. Van intervenes, but it’s clear she’s losing her grip—and not just on reality. Her cancer is back. The writers don’t treat it as a plot twist, but as a grim undercurrent: the past is literally eating her alive.

Shauna finally confronts Jeff about the journals—yes, all the journals. His reaction isn’t what you’d expect: not anger, but fear. He’s scared of who she still is. The knife scene in the kitchen? Pure Yellowjackets energy. Love, fear, and violence all tangled together.

Misty, as always, walks the tightrope between endearing and terrifying. Her reunion with Walter is short-lived—he finds the bag of syringes she’s hidden, and the confrontation ends with him storming out, calling her a “liability.” You almost feel bad for her… almost.

Then comes the bombshell: Lisa's vision. In a fever-dream flashback, we see what really happened to Crystal. It wasn’t an accident. It was Misty. The guilt has twisted into full-blown denial, but Lisa sees it all—and she tells Natalie. This betrayal might finally tip Nat over the edge.

And the ending—that ending. A crow flies into the cabin window in the past, snapping its neck instantly. Lottie interprets it as a sign: "The wilderness needs her.” Cut to present-day Lottie, alone in a motel room, whispering to the shadows: “I’m ready.”

Final Thoughts:

Episode 9 might be the darkest chapter yet, and that’s saying a lot for this series. The writing is razor-sharp, the performances absolutely gutting (especially Simone Kessell and Sophie Thatcher), and the thematic threads—faith, fear, and fractured identity—are stitched tighter than ever.

It’s not just about what happened out there anymore. It’s about what they brought back with them.

Rating: 9.8/10 – Harrowing, hypnotic, and horrifying in equal measure. A near-perfect prelude to what could be a legendary season finale.