Beartown

Ana used to want to be a hockey player, but she got into too many fights, so her dad taught her to shoot and hunt instead. Ana felt ashamed of the fact that she was so different and couldn’t fit in. As a Beartown girl, she’s supposed to be interested in hockey players, not hockey.

Ana blames herself for abandoning Maya at the party, but Maya assures her that it isn’t their fault. Ana and Maya argue about telling what Kevin did. Ana knows it isn’t fair to ask Maya to do that. Maya explains that she can’t tell—if she does, then Kevin will not only hurt her, but everyone she loves.

Benji goes to visit his dad’s grave and finds the puck David left there. David started this tradition when the players were young boys, writing important advice or even jokes on pucks to encourage his players or make them laugh. He did other things, too—when the club had a “fathers against sons” game, David picked up Kevin and Benji and took them to the lake to play with him.

Benji remembers certain crude jokes that Lars told on the team bus, when David laughed along. One of them was a homophobic joke. Benji has never feared being targeted if everyone finds out about him. Rather, he’s scared of the jokes his teammates and coaches will no longer tell around him—shutting him out of the “us and them” created by laughter.

The puck David has left for Benji only has one word written on it: “Win.” The next day, he returns to practice.

Saturday arrives—the day of the final. Early that morning, Maya watches three little girls playing in the street, throwing snowballs and fencing with sticks. Though she’d made up her mind not to tell what happened to her, the sight of the girls changes her mind. Even as she makes that decision, she already knows that the town will turn against her.