we talk a lot about shauna losing jackie and her baby boy and yes those are major traumas. however, i think the moment that truly changed her fundamentally was butchering javi. that moment is truly symbolic of what shes sacrificed for all of the others. she let him die to save nat and then his blood was literally on her hands because no one else could handle the burden of butchering him. this is a kid she LIKED. that she had some small bond with. she had to pull her headband over her eyes because she couldnt bear to look at what she was doing. and the others just left her alone out there cutting up his body because none of them could bear to even watch it. so shauna shoulders it alone. how does the human brain even cope with that experience? especially since every single time gen brings back a kill, shauna has to butcher that animal and relive that moment in some way again and again
and whats crazy is yes shauna resorts to violence easily, shes impulsive and deeply angry, but she doesnt enjoy killing. when she threatened the carjacker her words were much more about the power she felt over him, enjoying the fear of someone who'd wronged her, than actually threatening his life. shes willing to kill for power and control, but her relationship with the actual physical act is complex. sometimes trauma can become strangely familar and soothing, maybe thats why shauna butchers the rabbit in season 1. its like a fucked up coping mechanism based in her need to feel a level of control. and it was okay in her mind, because the rabbit had wronged her, ruined her flowers. but when gen comes back from a hunt with nothing, dont you think shaunas the one who chooses which innocent duck or rabbit has to die so that everyone can eat? like why do you think she cried over the goat? It was probably the first time in her life she was handed something innocent and told, very explicitly, that she was not going to have to hurt it.
essentially what im saying is you dont have to agree with shaunas actions to see her point of view. all she does is feed them. she told them it was what jackie wanted. she told them to wait for javi to drown. each time shes shouldered the actual burden of the choice. and all whilst not even having any faith, in the wilderness or otherwise, to alleviate her guilt. pregnant and starving and she never took extra, she makes sure everyone eats to the detriment of herself, and what does she get in return? shes left alone. in pain. she lashes out at anyone who comes near her and because of it they give up on her, like she isnt what they made her. reliving her trauma every time she peels the skin off a stag. her baby is turned into a diety for a faith she doesnt even believe in. jackie and javi too. the others take her real, human losses and make them mythology, stake a claim on them before shes even had a chance to properly grieve. and ofc these are just kids in an impossible situation needing something to believe in, so you cant even rly judge them for it. but that doesnt make shaunas rage any less understandable
liv and lauren asking to have those scenes together, begging the writers to give van a worthy death
liv and jenna coming up with the idea of van comforting melissa after shauna shoots at her
liv watching just off-screen when van dies, needing to be there at the end
find me an actor who loves their character more than liv hewson. you can't.
It’s not lost on me that the “softer” characters - Nat, Travis and Van, the ones who wanted to leave, the ones who couldn’t handle the idea of another winter in the wilderness were the ones who couldn’t adjust to life back home. None of them held down a traditional job, had a serious relationship or started a family. All three died because of their softness. Whereas the “darker” characters got better at compartmentalizing, seeming more put together because they were able to emulate a normal life. Shauna and Tai both got married became mothers. Tai had a very successful career. Misty is still the only one holding down a job. As for Melissa? I think she might be the best performer of them all and that might make her the most dangerous
ok i’m done for the day probably but holy shit adding this 2 the playlist……
The heavy world's upon your shoulders, will we burn on or just smolder? Somehow, I know I'll find you there. Oh, you wanna see if you can change it (change it), still, I know I'll see you there.
↑ I put this verse but they all work, somehow (i wanted to do an even longer drawing at the beginning, sheesh).
Linking music with content is my absolute favorite thing to do. I did it with aftg, and also for trc with this post (muse!!) and obviously the animatic, which happens to have turned 1 year old very recently (happy birthday).
Anyway, I'll do a trc reread soon, last time was two years ago (!!), i've read extracts since but it won't do for much longer.
Thinking about how every main character on Yellowjackets has lost their other half—the person they were so deeply intertwined with that they built their identity around them, and losing them feels like losing a part of themselves.
“I don’t know where you end and I begin.”
jules why did i let you do this to me