Yellowjackets season 1 episode 4 recap: Who killed Natalie’s dad?
By Taylor Gates
This week on Yellowjackets season 1, Natalie and Travis argue — before reaching an understanding. In the present day, Shauna and Adam have a wild night out, Tai attempts to impress an important political donor, and Misty keeps tabs on the reporter
Read on to learn what happened in Yellowjackets season 1 episode 4, “Bear Down.”
Yellowjackets season 1 episode 4 recap: Who killed Natalie’s dad?
Natalie is a focus in this week’s episode, as we get to see more of her troubled childhood. Her dad was a violent, intimidating person, calling Natalie a slut when she sneaks Kevin into her room and beating her mother. Attempting to defend her mom, Natalie pulls a gun on her dad, but she panics and accidentally keeps the safety on. Her father grabs the gun and taunts her but ends up accidentally falling and shooting himself.
This haunts Natalie during her time in the woods, especially when the group finds a gun and has a contest among them to see who is the best shooter. Travis mocks her during the warm-up competition, but she quickly recovers and proves herself a worthy opponent.
When it comes time for the real challenge — seeing who can knock over the most cans with real bullets — Natalie gets into Travis’ head, calling him a hated nickname. This enrages Travis, and he even briefly turns the gun on her. Coach convinces him to settle down, but Natalie still beats him, knocking over all five cans when he only managed four.
Coach tells them they need to stick together because everyone is relying on them to hunt, leading to them finding some common ground when Travis frantically tries to dig up his dad’s body in order to get a ring that used to be his grandfather’s. He wants something to give to Javi. Natalie helps him do the morbid deed, and the two laugh and hang out after. Travis admits his dad was a horrible person who didn’t even like him, but Natalie understands — once they’re gone, it messes you up regardless.
Travis helps calm Natalie down when she attempts to shoot a deer, and they successfully hunt it and bring it back to the camp. Though thus far she’s spent most of her time journaling, Shauna offers to be the one to bleed it out, effortlessly cutting its throat. That night, the group feasts, and Travis gives Javi the ring.
Meanwhile, Misty is losing her leader status, desperately still trying to keep coach reliant on her — a fact everyone notices and teases her for. While she and the others are out searching for edible plants, one of them spots the ominous symbol again, and they happen upon an abandoned plane that still works — and nearly kills Jackie. However, it looks like someone didn’t want the plane to leave.
Yellowjackets season 1 episode 4 recap: Is Natalie using Kevin?
In the present day, Misty’s attempts to comfort and hang out with Natalie go unreciprocated, as Natalie is too busy meeting up with Kevin in order to investigate Travis’ death. Natalie successfully gets Kevin to agree to use his connections as an officer to help her look at Kevin’s toxicology report. She tells him that she and Travis were always trying to help each other get sober, and she feels guilty she might not have stopped him from getting into a bad situation. Kevin admits he was always in love with Natalie, and she kisses him — though it’s clear she’s still highly troubled about the whole thing.
Misty takes it upon herself to watch their date from the patio — a fact that creeps Natalie out. Misty, however, is adamant she has Natalie’s back, even threatening Jessica, the reporter who’s lurking around the bar as well.
Yellowjackets season 1 episode 4 recap: Will there be fallout from Tai’s conversation with Diane?
Sam continues to behave strangely, even spying on Tai and her wife as they get ready for an important function. Tai is tanking in the polls and knows she needs to impress Diane, a big donor, so she can get her endorsement.
Throughout the night, Tai keeps getting intercepted before she can talk to Diane. However, Diane ends up finding her when Tai goes out to smoke a cigarette. The conversation seems to be going smoothly until Diane asks Tai prying questions about her time in the woods. That changes the mood very quickly, as Tai gets defensive, saying nobody who wasn’t there would understand. Diane is put out, telling Tai to watch her tone considering she’s done so much for Black women’s causes. Tai is livid, telling her to screw herself.
Yellowjackets season 1 episode 4 recap: Does Shauna’s husband know about Adam?
Shauna is feeling herself after sleeping with Adam, and the two continue to see each other. Shauna decides to relive her high school experience, asking someone to buy her booze before she and Adam get drunk in the car and go mini-golfing.
After Adam loses a bet, Shauna convinces him to jump off a bridge and into the water with her — something that makes the ghost of Jackie appear and tell her someone’s going to get hurt. Shauna ignores her, and she and Adam swim before having sex in the car. Once she gets home from her night out, her husband asks her how book club was, and Misty calls to let her know Travis is dead — a fact that shakes her up.
What did you think of the episode? Comment below!