Theories On Other Tai And Van Dynamic

Theories On Other Tai and Van Dynamic…

We know that Tai and Other Tai compartmentalize memories and information and also that Other Tai acts as a dissociative outlet for Tai when necessary.

I think Tai seems so capable of moving forward and succeeding because she often feels so separate from her memories (often memories are being relayed to her) above them even (this contributes to and inspires disbanding relationships with those who survived the wilderness including Van).

Van is the only emotional component in Tai’s psyche that is shared with Other Tai. After the wolf attack, Other Tai accepts Van’s presence and encourages it. Ironically, Tai shows little respect for Van’s belief in her counterpart while Other Tai exhibits full respect for Van’s dedication to it. This is definitely a recipe for disaster because in her denial, Tai cannot even allow Van to love her. And it’s devastating to her adult life because she’s only willing to accept love that maintains her denial.

I think that even before the first scene in the adult timeline of season 1, Other Tai knows about Van’s cancer (yes, I know that Van was not intended to be a surviving character at that point, but I’m working with the narrative as a whole now whether or not this was the intent of the creators, so go with me).

The information was given to Tai by Jessica Roberts. Tai dissociates the information as she does with all of her triggers, but this one prompts Other Tai to remerge because Van is their only source of connection to one another shattering Tai’s tight control (along this same vein, I do think that when Other Tai remerges in the wilderness after season 2, it has something to do with Van’s safety).

Other Tai tells Sammy about Van (the red head by a heart in his drawings which he has drawn smiling, healthy, and bright in stark contrast to the frowning, exed-out, dark images). This gives us an intimate portrait of how Other Tai sees Van and that Other Tai will stop at nothing to keep Van as Sammy drew her. These drawings could also be Other Tai’s plans to get to Van.

Sammy begins to exhibit some potential, “Other Sammy”, behaviors. This wouldn’t be surprising considering Tai’s first encounter with, The Man With No Eyes, was at her grandmothers deathbed at a similar age. Sammy’s introduction to this other entity is also at the potential of a deathbed, so to speak (van). It is almost being presented here as a physical manifestation of generational trauma passed on at the coming of a time of death. This is more evidence to the depth of the connectedness between Other Tai and Van.

Tai can refuse to acknowledge this, but Other Tai is quick to share as she recognizes Sammy as kindred. Mutilating his toy and framing him for painting on the door were actions that were almost sibling-like in nature which denotes inherent fondness. This is why Other Tai manipulated a scenario in order to hurt Simone that did not actually involve Sammy. Sammy and Van are now both tied up in Tai and Other Tai’s battle for control over her consciousness because they are both loved by each personality.

Other Tai sacrifices the family dog in order to give Van more time while she finds a way to get to her. I also think that Van has known that Tai would eventually seek her out again when Other Tai remerged. It’s why the visit was tense and fraught but not completely a surprise.

Despite Van’s opposition to any of Tai’s attempts at connecting what’s happening with Other Tai to Van, she keeps Tai around; brushing it off each time Tai says that she shouldn’t have come. Van still believes in the significance of Other Tai.

Even though she has long given up on Tai herself, she is still holding on to Other Tai as the anchor to what once was or could be. As messed up and violent as Other Tai can be, Other Tai wanted, accepted, and let Van in without condition.

The ritual continued at Lottie’s compound because I think Other Tai told Van it needed to (or more likely Van concluded that was Other Tai’s intention from the beginning) and Van said what she had to, to Tai in order to make it happen or in the least to open up the possibility of it. Van knows that Other Tai and Lottie both commune with the same entity and probably didn’t think it was a coincidence they were in that situation. I don’t think it had anything to do with a desire for violence directly, but more a desire to be a part of something bigger than herself especially already being on the brink of death. And also a desire to let happen what happens; to be able to release control one last time of the internal chaos that has had the reigns over her life. Over all their lives. Van didn’t trust expressing this to Tai.

Anyways, moving forward…I don’t think Other Tai is done sabotaging the life Tai built in spite of her especially if Tai attempts to pick up some of the pieces. She will have to tread carefully and I think she will know that she can’t move through it without Van. But Van will not be an easy sell. Van will remind Tai that Tai specifically moved forward without her. There will be such an angsty dynamic with trust and grief here because it took Tai over 20 years to learn what Van knew all along and tried to tell her from the get go and she was stubborn at the expense of everyone she claimed to love. I’m not sure Van will fully trust Tai especially if/when Other Tai is dormant. She will think it is a ploy of Tai’s. And I think Tai will continue to be weary of Van’s propensity to trust Other Tai but not her. She will think it is a ploy of Van’s.

Can't express how stress free being open minded is.

Some lesbians use he/him? Oh cool.

Some people have people inside their head and sometimes it's fictional chars? Sick your brains like a pirate ship they're all working to run.

Some people like being treated like a pet dog? Bark bark bro.

Being fat isn't unhealthy but a perfectly normal type of body to have? Kinda beautiful how different we can all be.

Something doesn't make any fucking sense? Cool an opportunity to learn. And even if I can't figure it out it's cool we still have mysteries today.

Thinking about how genuinely kind adult Van seems from what little we see of her. She’s one of the only Yellowjackets, maybe the only one, who I think actually lived out her dreams & didn’t let herself become something she wasn’t. Like her life isn’t perfect, but she still seems happy. She mentions ‘the watermelon woman’ & if we assume that was a favorite movie of hers from the 90’s, it’s also safe to assume she always dreamed of owning/working at a video store like Cheryl does in that movie. And she does!! She definitely doesn’t seem totally content/happy but she is being herself. & the scene where she gives that young queer person the movie recommendations!! She’s SO kind! We’ve all had (or wished we had) that impossibly cool older gay person that taught us about our culture & Van being that is so important to me. She seems like such a soft person who probably extends that same kindness to many, many people off screen. She’s pessimistic, but she’s also strangely optimistic about other people’s futures. I’m excited to see more of that energy in season three.

everytime a yellowjackets fan only talks about lottienat and jackieshauna as if theres not an actual canon sapphic ship in the show a fairy dies

Since I hadn’t seen this anywhere yet—a glorious acceptance speech for an insanely deserving win.