Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5 ending explained: What did Shauna do to Coach Ben?

Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5 aired on March 7, 2025, bringing a new layer of tension to the already complex storyline. The girls make life-or-death decisions as Coach Ben Scott's fate remains hanging in the balance.

The episode also explores the emotional toll Lottie's (Simone Kessell) death takes on the group, and its aftermath. The present plot combines with the past, and alliances start to break apart and old scars come to the surface.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5. Reader's discretion is advised.

In Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5, the focus is on the fate of Coach Ben Scott. Shauna, now hardened by the trauma and struggles from the wilderness, makes a decision that involves violence and control. Shauna decides to have Melissa stab Coach Ben’s foot . Though his survival may not be assured, his suffering is definite.

Yellowjackets centers on a group of high school girls whose plane crashes in the wilderness. Subsequently, they must spend a protracted period surviving. The program alternately shows the girls' survival in the past and their life as adults now.

As they struggle to cope with their shared traumatic experiences, they confront dark secrets, violence, and a growing sense of madness. The mystery of how they survived and what happened in the wilderness remains at the center of the narrative.

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The power struggle: Shauna’s deadly decision in Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5

A still from Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5 (Image via Paramount+)

In Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5, Coach Ben Scott is held captive by the group after being found guilty of a crime he did not commit. The girls have already discussed how to deal with him, and the decision to let him live is now more about control than mercy.

Shauna suggests burning him alive, a brutal idea that is swiftly dismissed as too inhumane. This sets the stage for a different kind of punishment, one that involves a slow and painful process but keeps him alive.

Shauna's dark side continues to emerge throughout this episode. The tension rises when she decides that Coach Ben should no longer be able to escape. She orders Melissa to stab his remaining foot, ensuring he cannot move.

Season 3 episode 5 of Yellowjackets makes it evident that Shauna has become more merciless and that her relationship with Melissa seems to have strengthened in this sinister deed.

The decision immediately splits the girls into two groups. Some of them are not sure if Coach Ben really deserves to be treated this way. However, Shauna is convinced that he does not need to live as long as he is stuck. This action shows that she has completely changed from the more caring person she used to be.

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Akilah’s survival vision

A still from Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5 (Image via Paramount+)

In Yellowjackets season 3, episode 5, Akilah's vision is a big part of what happens to Coach Ben. After a scary event in the cave in episode 3, Akilah goes back to the site to try to figure out what happened.

This time, she sees Coach Ben hanging in the air, linking two very different worlds. In the vision, Akilah walks across Coach Ben and points to a city far away. This city stands for hope and the chance to escape.

Akilah's belief on the power of the wilderness is strengthened, and her vision at last saves Coach Ben from instant death. His fate is more complicated since his survival now relates to the group's hope for a home.

This vision also helps the girls to understand the wilderness and its impact better. The line separating the natural from the supernatural seems to be blurry. While Shauna remains focused on control and power, Akilah is in search of guidance and answers in the wilderness.

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The other Tai: A split personality revealed

A still from Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5 (Image via Paramount+)

Adult Taissa in Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5 struggles with split personality disorder. She seems unconcerned after Lottie dies, which makes her friends suspicious.

Van is particularly concerned, noting that Tai has become increasingly detached. This shift in Tai’s behavior is linked to her darker side—the "other" Tai, a persona that emerges during moments of dissociation.

Tai is no longer in charge of her actions, as shown by the flashbacks and conversations she has with her son Sammy. When the "other" Tai is in charge, her son asks, "Are you not my mommy anymore?"

Van and Tai's relationship is also put to the test when Van starts to think that something is not right. Things get even more complicated when Tai suddenly decides to leave town.

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Yellowjackets season 3 episode 5 is available to stream on Paramount+.