Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 10, “Full Circle.“TheYellowjacketsseason 3 finale places a greater focus on the show’s teen timeline, but the adult story sheds light on the aftermath of Van’s death — and it sees Tai doing something surprising in response. Van meets a tragic end inYellowjacketsseason 3, episode 9, and Taissa initially reacts as you’d expect. She breaks down upon seeing Van’s body, and the series brilliantlyreverses Shauna’s and Tai’s moment after Jackie’s deathback in season 1. However, Tai winds up angry at Shauna for her role in everything, setting up animosity between them later on.
Tai also takes Van to the woods to bury her, and it’s there that she does something shocking — or at least, it would be if it didn’t continue a trend forYellowjackets’finales. Before burying Van in the woods,Tai cuts her open and rips out her heart. Then she proceeds to eat it. This is a callback to previous finales, as Lottie gives the bear’s heart to the Wilderness in season 1, and Travis eats Javi’s heart in season 2. Still, the adults are no longer in the Wilderness, raising questions about why adult Tai would do this.
Why Tai Eats Van’s Heart In Yellowjackets' Season 3 Finale
It’s An Act Of Love & Gratitude, But Also A Promise
Tai eating Van’s heart inYellowjacketsseason 3, episode 10will no doubt appear grotesque to viewers. However,it’s likely that Tai views it as a means of showing her love and appreciation for Vanone last time. AsTheGamernotes, the survivors often view cannibalism as an expression of love and gratitude while they’re in the Wilderness — at least initially. This is why they give their victims Jackie’s heart necklace and hold feasts to honor them. They acknowledge that these are sacrifices made for the group’s best interests, and they offer a proper send-off.
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Andthe same can be said of the heart sequences in both ofYellowjackets’prior finales. Lottie gives the bear’s heart to the Wilderness to thank it for providing for them, and Travis is the first to eat Javi’s heart because he’s his brother and loves him the most. The latter is also a means of saying farewell. Tai’s decision in the finale mirrors the Travis situation the most, with her honoring Van and their love by engaging in this act of cannibalism.
Eating the heart is symbolic of that, since regular Tai is currently in control, but Other Tai is the one connected to the Wilderness.
Tai also tells Van that she needs to start embracing all the parts of her, which seemingly supports the notion that regular Tai and Other Tai are now becoming one. Eating the heart is symbolic of that, since regular Tai is currently in control, but Other Tai is the one connected to the Wilderness (and thus, such acts of cannibalism). In a sense, eating the heart is representative of her promise to start remembering who she is and what they’ve done.
Why Tai Buries Van In The Middle Of The Woods
Tai Wouldn’t Want The Authorities Involved
Eating Van’s heart definitely stands out as Tai’s most surprising moment in theYellowjacketsseason 3 finale, but there’s also the question of why she buries her in the woods in the first place. This one has a simpler answer: she wouldn’t want the authorities involved, which would inevitably have to happen for Van to receive a proper burial. As Van doesn’t seem to have any other close connections in the adult timeline, Tai can get away with giving her a more private and personal send-off — and it’s one that sends her back to the Wilderness, where the girls “belong.”
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It makes sense Tai wouldn’t want to make Van’s death public, as it would bring to light what happened between Melissa and Shauna. While Tai intends on taking Shauna down with Misty’s help, going public about the incidents ofYellowjacketsseason 3 would risk exposing the survivors' past actions. If Tai intends to continue living, she can’t risk more of their deaths coming out — particularly one that’s so clearly a murder.
