According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.134 million household viewers and gained a 0.02 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Travis is unable to bring himself to eat his own brother, but Van (Liv Hewson) convinces him in doing so by not letting his love and sacrifice go to waste.
Before Lottie (Simone Kessell) gets them to drink the cups, Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) states that "it" wants them to select the sacrifice based on a hunt like they did in the wilderness.
Jeff (Warren Kole) and Callie (Sarah Desjardins) arrive at Lottie's commune, followed by Kevyn (Alex Wyndham) and Matt (John Reynolds).
While the women chase Shauna, Callie takes a gun from Jeff's car and shoots Lottie in the shoulder, forcing them to retread.
Taissa (Tawny Cypress) and Van (Lauren Ambrose) then reveal that they called off the assistance to commit Lottie, having decided she does not deserve it.
"[2] Sophie Thatcher explained Natalie's young self in the plane scene, "she's been so far removed from herself and gone in and out of these suicidal feelings and thoughts, I think my character is talking about when she let herself go in the wilderness.
The site's consensus reads: "Chaotic in both good and bad ways, this season finale suffers from haphazard creative choices but still packs the nasty sting that fans expect.
Club gave the episode an "A" and wrote, "As the months dragged on and winter set in, it became more and more confusing where this show could possibly head next, and how much deeper the survivors could actually fall into, well, survival mode.
But with their home base on fire and their standing with the wilderness wildly unclear, the only thing that feels certain about this series is that there are deeper, darker depths in store.
"[8] Erin Qualey of Vulture gave the episode a 3 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Losing adult Natalie stings, but the mysteries of the wilderness remain compelling.
"[9] Proma Khosla of IndieWire gave the episode an "A–" and wrote, "Despite Lottie's best efforts in both past and present, “darkness” (also known as savagery and trauma) fully cloaks the stranded teens of the series, following them well into their tormented adult lives.
She fought her way through an impossible life of addiction, suicidal ideation, and unimaginable grief and guilt, only to have all of that courage and perseverance unceremoniously taken from her.
"[12] Cade Taylor of Telltale TV gave the episode a 3.5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Juliette Lewis is a powerhouse actress with so much raw talent that she exudes through the screen each week.
"[13] Esther Zuckerman of The New York Times wrote, "The second season of Yellowjackets has been an uneven one — not unusual for a breakout series trying to find its footing after a sensational first go around.
"[14] Brittney Bender of Bleeding Cool gave the episode a 8.5 out of 10 rating and wrote, "Showtime's Yellowjackets S02E09 "Storytelling" may have felt rushed at times, it managed to show audiences a stunning depiction of grief & trauma, and the ways survival isn't isolated to the Wilderness.