Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous is a heart-pounding series that will instill a very real fear (and some good trivia knowledge) of killer dinosaurs. The show’s events take place after the iconic film, Jurassic Park (and its 5 less than stellar-sequels). The multi-season animated series on Netflix follows a group of teens- a dino expert, a rich kid, a cool influencer (voiced by Jenna Ortega), a lonely athlete, a risk-averse nerd, and a country farm girl- as they’re abandoned on the infamous Isla Nublar amidst a dinosaur breakout. It’s as if The Breakfast Club got stranded on Jurassic Park, but instead of avoiding a rule-obsessed vice principal, the ‘Camp Fam’ are constantly running from ruthless businessmen, bloodthirsty Velociraptors, and hybrid dinosaurs that’ll send chills down your spine.

As the show progresses and the stakes continue to rise, from battling angry T-Rexes to stopping evil dino-poachers from killing for sport, the characters feel grounded in the awesome friendships cemented by each near-death experience. All six kids arrive on the island with extremely different backgrounds and personalities. Each member of the Camp Fam has their own arcs and motivations that create engaging adventures over the course of 49 action-packed episodes. Whether the group is trying to stop biogenetically engineered prehistoric predators, or Boston Dynamic-looking robots set to destroy anyone in their path, love is always the group’s unwavering connector. Their camaraderie and friendship, especially in the face of extreme peril, turn out to be their greatest means of survival.

The characters take their time to grow and evolve, giving the audience great payoffs and exciting moments- the pacing is excellent. After narrowly surviving an ambush from a flock of pteranodons, scaredy-cat Ben, ends up becoming a destruction-loving survivalist who befriends a Ankylosaurus a la Genndy Tartokovsky’s Primal. Ben and Bumpy’s connection helps the audience grow to care about the dinosaurs, who prove to be majestic in addition to just monstrous. We see bonds form not just between good dinosaurs and the stranded teens, but also chip away at the interpersonal relationships between the six survivors. One of those relationships, explored throughout the show but primarily in the fifth season, is between Sammy and Yaz.

The Story of Sammy and Yaz

Sammy is upbeat, positive, and always works hard to cheer on her friends. But goodhearted Sammy arrives on the island with a secret: Her family’s cattle farm that’s been supplying beef to Jurassic Park/World for decades has hit tough financial times, causing a rival company to hire Sammy as their spy. The first season explores Sammy balancing the guilt of her covert mission, her need to save her family’s legacy, and how that morally conflicts with betraying the inhabitants of Isla Nublar she’s grown to love. After her small bout with espionage is discovered by the group, Sammy accepts responsibility, learns from the experience, and faces further challenges with a renewed sense of strength. Although she’s a jokester who tries to find comic relief in their chaos, Sammy evolves into a loyal fighter the team relies on.

Yaz, the aforementioned lonely athlete, arrives at Camp Cretaceous closed-off and hiding behind her sketchbook. It’s only after the island’s dinosaurs break free that Yaz finds her own liberation. As an Olympic hopeful training multiple hours a day, Yaz was conditioned to believe caring about others was an unwelcome distraction. Though Yaz starts the series as a lone-wolf who’d rather tackle problems solo, her journey on Isla Nublar expands her heart and mind. As she spends more time with the five other teens in Camp Cretaceous, Yaz learns that embracing her emotions is better than not feeling at all. This is largely due to her making a best friend in Sammy, who helps break down her walls of rigid shyness. While Yas is hesitant at first, the two form a bond that not even a killer Mosassarus could tear apart. And trust me - the gigantic sea monster tries!

While all the kids mix and match their mission partners based on their skill sets, it’s always a good adventure when Yaz and Sammy are paired to complete the same task. Even when they’re trying to prevent microchip-mind-controlled dinosaurs from dog fighting for human amusement or hiding from gun-toting big game poachers, the two are always able to build upon their connection. Although quite different in how they approach the world, Sammy’s a wide-eyed optimist and Yaz is an unflinching pragmatist, the girls are able to learn from each other. They grow to appreciate their differences and recognize that by being themselves, they make their whole team much stronger.

Yaz’s Love for Sammy

In one of the scariest episodes of Season 3, a Scorpius Rex dinosaur (genetically designed to climb trees, hunt the teens with thermal vision, and has poisonous barbs) descends on Camp Cretaceous. While quick thinking gets the creature to leave them alone (for now), Sammy is impaled with a poisonous spike from the Scorpious Rex. Immediately the group goes into panic mode, Sammy’s skin begins to turn green and she falls unconscious. It’s one of the most brutal attacks in the entire show.

Sammy is the overly friendly glue that keeps the Camp Fam together, so seeing her start to succumb to the poison was an intense tonal shift. This episode is great for a variety of reasons, one standout is how Yaz reacts to Sammy’s abrupt sickness. We see a new side of the normally dry and sarcastic Yaz that is usually hidden. Now she’s fearful of losing her best friend (and potential love) and springs into action.

Yaz throws caution to the wind and immediately sprints across the island to the research lab, hoping that an antidote can be found. There isn’t even any assurance a cure exists, but Yaz wastes no time in racing to find one. Aptly titled ‘The Long Run’, we see Yaz fight through dinosaurs, jump over a water-gushing gorge, nearly break both her ankles, and never give up in finding Sammy that cure. While the rest of Camp Cretaceous stays back to comfort Sammy in her final moments, we see Yaz’s unbelievable determination to save Sammy with the lifesaving medicine. While the romance between them isn’t quite yet explicit, fans can look back at this moment as a time when Yaz’s feelings for Sammy may lean more towards love than friendship. There’s an incredible moment near the end of the episode where Yaz is about to give up, her near-broken legs have stopped dragging her towards camp, and all she can think about are her good times with Sammy. These happy memories give her the motivation to finish the trip, delivering the life-saving medicine in the nick of time.

Yaz’s Coming Out

Season 5 Episode 6 is ‘The Leap’, which focuses on Yaz working out her feelings for Sammy and questioning herself in a way queer folks know all too well. Finally, queer audiences are FED the relationship that’s been quietly brewing since the start.

Yaz goes on a mission with Ben to help move some of the kinder baby dinosaurs across the island to a safer watering hole. During their journey, Yaz is able to vocalize some of her feelings for Sammy. She admits “I've had crushes on boys before so I know what that's like. But I think I might feel that way about Sammy.” and finds that Ben is a superb ally. He’s happy for her, calmly listens, and let’s Yaz continue thinking aloud without prying. All non-queer folks should take a hint from how Ben affirms her feelings and passes no judgment.

Yaz continues, “When I think about me with Sammy, it feels awesome. And exciting, and scary, and overwhelming, and... Did I mention "awesome"? But I don't know what it says about me. And how am I supposed to figure it out?” Both Ben and Yaz have grown to the point where they’re ready to love themselves, and even be open to loving others. Yaz questions her feelings and is clearly digging through a sea of unwarranted shame. She stresses on what her affection towards Sammy means, how it may change her identity, their group’s dynamic, and that she’s scared of being seen as different. Ben listens and supports her in a way that any good friend should, ultimately encouraging her to be honest with Sammy.

Yaz says “I'm not gonna do anything. I'm just gonna press pause on all these... feelings... till we make it off the island. Seems like the more I try to figure myself out, the more questions I have.” to which Ben replies “Or maybe answering those questions doesn't matter... for now. Maybe what matters most is how you feel. And whatever those feelings are about yourself, or Sammy, or anyone else, no matter how complicated, it's okay to let yourself feel 'em.” Yaz agrees to talk to Sammy when she’s ready. The episode ends with Sammy increasing the flow of water to the dino’s new drinking spot, the perfect spot for a cliff jump. Yaz asks Sammy if they want to jump together, and they take the leap while holding hands.

The Leap from Friends to Lovers

The following episode, Yaz finishes a cathartic run around the island that gives her the confidence to tell Sammy how she feels. Ben is extremely supportive, cheering her on and even going out of his way to distract the others so the two teens can have a special moment. But due to loose dinosaurs and interruptions all day, Yaz finally confesses her crush to Sammy while they’re trapped in an elevator… with a pointy-toothed dinosaur. After smart-thinking, good teamwork, and a narrow escape, Yas says, “The truth is, Sammy, I've... fallen for you. Like hard. Real hard.” And Sammy replies “I know! I heard you earlier. I just wanted to hear you say it again, because I've been wanting to hear you say that since I don't even know when.”

The two kiss and reveal their couple status to the rest of their Camp Fam. Everyone cheers and hugs them, offering the perfect level of support and kindness that every budding relationship deserves. The queerness of Sammy and Yaz isn’t questioned, nor is it met with a punchline to undermine their journey. The rest of their friends are as excited as they are, so much so when Sammy and Yaz realize the others are sad over Kenji’s betrayal, they agree to tone down the relationship with secret gestures throughout the day. Their cute love language of finger snaps is decoded by their heart-hurting friends, who push their own grief aside and assure the girls that their happiness should never be dulled down for anyone. It’s a great lesson to carry into the real world that none of us should tone down our same-sex love, even when met with opposition.

Freedom from Dinosaurs and Death

Yaz and Sammy are proof that love grows over time and you’re free to love openly. In facing constant threats, life’s too short to hide who you are and what you’re about. It also is great commentary for queer folks who may be afraid they’ll ‘ruin the friendship’ if they confess their feelings.

The journey of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous ends with the kids leaving the island after nearly 7 months surviving together. Sammy Guiteriez and Yasmina Fadoula finally escape Isla Nublar and greet their families with open arms on the mainland docks. In a memorable and heartwarming scene, the girls come together and hold hands, bringing their families in for a huge group hug. Their parents embrace them without a moment of hesitation. It’s a perfectly positive coming out experience, something Sammy and Yaz definitely deserved after fighting for their love and lives.

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous is about leaving places better off than when you found them. The ‘Nublar 6’ each made a positive impact on the island and changed each other for the better. Yas and Sammy can both attribute their personal growth to their friends, surviving the island’s hardships together, and especially to each other. We get a time jump seeing everyone’s happy ending, including ‘Yasammy’ spending the summer together on Sammy’s Texas ranch.