Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

There hasn't been a show like this since the first season of lost. It's original and fresh. Not only do you care about characters young and older, each episode gets farther and farther into a mystery that doesn't reveal itself until the end.

Amazing way to end the season. Already can't wait for season 2. This is how you do a series finale! The twists and turns never stop and the storyline isn't as predictable as a lot of other shows. 10/10.

The tenth episode of Yellowjackets, titled "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi," directed by Eduardo Sánchez and written by the series creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, serves as a harrowing and emotionally charged finale to the first season. This episode masterfully consolidates the series' dual timelines-past and present-delivering intense psychological drama, layered character exploration, and escalating mystery while setting the stage for the unfolding second season. Through its intricate narrative, evocative direction, and powerful performances, "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" explores the devastating toll of survival, fractured friendships, and the reverberations of trauma across decades.

The episode's 1996 storyline centers on the immediate fallout from the "Doomcoming" ritual party, where tensions among the stranded girls come to a volatile head. The mounting distrust and paranoia culminate in the tragic and haunting death of Jackie, a pivotal moment that resonates deeply with the unfolding narrative. Her death-alone and slow, freezing to death outside-breaks from expectations of dramatic violence, instead portraying a tragic, almost poetic solitude that underscores the emotional devastation caused by isolation and betrayal. The powerful visuals of Jackie's final hallucinations of reconciliation with Shauna and the group poignantly encapsulate the cruel paradox of longing and loss that survival imposes.

Simultaneously, the 2021 timeline focuses heavily on the Yellowjackets' fraught 25th high school reunion, a simmering cauldron of unresolved resentments, fractured relationships, and suspicions that threaten to undermine the carefully constructed facades of the adult survivors. The reunion becomes a crucible where secrets unravel, alliances shift, and past wounds are reopened, all underlined by an atmosphere of menace and unease. Misty's surveillance and escalating manipulations add a chilling layer to the contemporary drama, while the discovery of Adam's body disposal intricacies highlights the lingering darkness that the survivors grapple with.

Eduardo Sánchez's direction carefully balances the visceral with the psychological, maintaining a taut rhythm that builds dread while allowing for intimate character moments. The cinematography by C. Kim Miles continues to impress with its muted, cold palette that visually links the raw wilderness trauma of the past with the sterile, emotionally fraught modern settings. The editing by Jeff Israel is sharp and deliberate, intercutting between timelines effectively to sustain suspense and deepen thematic connections - especially between Jackie's death and the high-stakes interpersonal confrontations at the reunion.

Performance-wise, the episode is anchored by standout work, particularly from Melanie Lynskey as Shauna, whose portrayal of guilt and emotional fragility reaches poignant heights, especially in scenes grappling with Jackie's demise and the weight of past betrayals. Christina Ricci's Misty remains a magnetic and unsettling presence, her nuanced menace propelling much of the present-day tension. Juliette Lewis and Tawny Cypress also deliver compelling performances, navigating their characters' complex emotions and political maneuverings with depth and subtlety. The young cast's flashbacks, especially of Jackie and Shauna, intensify the emotional stakes, providing a heartbreaking counterpoint to the adult survivors' struggles.

Several scenes stand out for their narrative and emotional impact. Jackie's death, framed with haunting quietude and surreal hallucinations, offers a profound meditation on loneliness and the cost of fractured relationships. The high school reunion's eruption of raw emotions-bitterness, jealousy, betrayal-feels both authentic and charged, brilliantly illustrating how trauma's scars persist over decades. The final reveal of a mysterious man watching Jackie's final moments, with unsettling supernatural or psychological overtones, layers the episode with cryptic intrigue and ominous foreshadowing that hint at the mythic dimensions the series may explore further.

Thematically, "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" grapples with mortality, memory, and the ephemeral nature of glory and friendship. The episode's title, meaning "Thus passes the glory of the world," encapsulates its meditation on the impermanence of youth, the erosion of innocence, and the devastating consequences of survival's moral compromises. It probes how trauma fractures identity and relationships, underscored by a pervasive sense of loss that transcends time. The fittingly somber yet evocative tone encourages viewers to reflect on the fragile bonds that tether us to humanity when pushed to extremes.

Contextually, the episode situates Yellowjackets firmly within the survival drama and psychological thriller traditions, drawing on literary and cultural touchstones like Lord of the Flies while innovatively blending supernatural and psychological horror elements. Its arresting portrayal of female adolescence in extremis challenges genre conventions by foregrounding complex emotional landscapes and feminist perspectives on trauma and resilience. The dual timelines echo narrative techniques seen in series such as Lost and Mare of Easttown, enriching the cultural dialogue around memory, identity, and the long shadows cast by youth.

While largely praised, some critiques note that the episode's slow-burning dread and ambiguity may frustrate viewers craving clear resolutions, particularly as several mysteries remain intentionally unresolved to propel future seasons. Yet this narrative restraint enhances the show's atmospheric intensity and thematic depth, inviting sustained engagement and speculation from its audience.

"Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" excels as a powerful and nuanced season finale that weaves together the brutal realities of survival with the enduring emotional fallout experienced decades later. Through superb direction, compelling performances, and intricate storytelling, it encapsulates Yellowjackets' strengths: a genre-bending exploration of trauma, memory, and fractured female friendships. The episode challenges viewers to consider how the echoes of past horrors shape present identities and relationships, setting a compelling stage for the series' next chapters.

It really highlights that the writers have no idea what they are doing.

Take a writing class or something.

The teasing in the first episode honestly ruins the whole show.

Well this episode had it all. Without spoiling I will say that the humour laced in between the suspense and horror is just brilliant. Exceptionally well written and well acted episode. Like all great thrillers, the last 10 minutes were enthralling.. right down to the twists (plural) in the last minute. Can't wait for online discussion threads to open.