Why does Misty destroy the flight recorder in Yellowjackets? Explained

Misty from Yellowjackets is certainly one of the most complex characters in the series. Renowned for her resourcefulness in challenging situations, Misty often proves to be hard to understand.

While viewers might expect her to respond in a particular manner during certain events, she may behave in an entirely different way, confusing both her fellow adventurers and the audience.

This aspect of Misty's character was especially evident in the first season of the show when the Yellowjackets team experienced a plane crash. For reasons that remained unknown back then, Misty destroyed the flight's black box.

As her character evolved throughout seasons 1 and 2, it became evident that her actions in destroying the valuable source of information, which could have helped them in the future, stemmed from a self-validating perspective and desire to be needed and respected.

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Why did Misty destroy the black box in Yellowjackets?

When the audiences are first introduced to Misty's character in season 1 of Yellowjackets, she is depicted as an outcast who is often bullied by her peers for her distinctive character traits.

However, as the season commences and the infamous plane crash occurs she establishes herself as some sort of an expert in the field of first aid. Her new status of being needed by her peers as opposed to being treated as an outsider gives her a moral boost she isn't ready to lose soon.

Therefore, in an effort to continue feeling the way she was feeling after receiving praise from her colleagues for her adaptability and creativity, she chooses to destroy the black box that contains important information that could assist them in obtaining essential details and guide them back to their base.

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Why did Misty kill Crystal?

In Yellowjackets, Misty struggles to form a strong bond with anyone on the soccer team but finds a connection with Crystal while they are in the wilderness, as they share similar thought processes.

However, while they continue to exchange secrets to solidify their friendship, Misty eventually reveals what she did with the black box of the plane they crashed in. This revelation disturbs Crystal, who, despite being Misty's friend, criticizes her for committing such a heinous act.

In an effort to protect herself and remain resourceful, Misty ends up killing Crystal by slowly pushing her off a cliff, leading to her death. When the other members of the group enquire about Crystal, Misty informs them about the fall and tells them that she had to leave her behind due to signs of an upcoming storm.

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Christina Ricci on the complicated nature of Misty Quigley's character in Yellowjackets

In the show, Misty's characteristic trait of being needed by those around her as a youngster spills over to her adult life and in her actions about the same. In August 2022, Cristina Ricci, who plays adult Misty, spoke to Variety and said that Misty's complex character traits are what she finds most astonishing about her character.

She also referenced the black box incident from the show and remarked that she thought Misty had sociopathic tendencies which could be justifications for her actions in the show. She said of her character:

“To play a whole human being and get to explore a person that’s capable of that, for me, was really interesting. There is probably a clinical diagnosis for her, but I’m just not educated enough to make it.”

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All episodes of seasons 1 and 2 of Yellowjackets are available to stream on Paramount Plus.