When Yellowjackets returns for its third season, fans must remember the complex web of events that led both timelines to their current state. The series follows the survivors of a 1996 plane crash that left a high school soccer team stranded in the Canadian wilderness for 19 months. Through parallel narratives, we witness their desperate struggle for survival alongside their adult lives 25 years later, where the memories of what happened in the woods continue to haunt them. In the past, the increasingly cultish behavior, hints of cannibalism, and mysterious forces at play have created an intricate mythology that keeps viewers questioning what’s real and what’s simply a manifestation of collective trauma. As for the present, the show masterfully blends elements of psychological horror and human drama while exploring how extreme circumstances can transform ordinary people into something unrecognizable.
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Yellowjackets’ Season 2 finale left both timelines in precarious positions, with the teenagers losing their shelter just as winter arrives and the adult survivors dealing with the death of one of their own. As the show delves deeper into its exploration of grief and the possibility of supernatural forces, several key developments from Season 2 will directly impact the story moving forward.
Here are the essential plot points to remember before Season 3 of Yellowjackets begins:
Young Natalie Is the Antler Queen
After the group was forced to eat Javi (Luciano Leroux) to survive, Lottie (Courtney Eaton) stepped down from her position as the spiritual leader of the survivors. In a pivotal ceremony, she declared that the wilderness had chosen Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) as the new Antler Queen, reasoning that when the group tried to sacrifice Natalie through their deadly card game, the spirits intervened by claiming Javi instead. This transition of power marks a significant shift in the group’s dynamic, as Natalie – previously the most resistant to the supernatural elements – now leads the clan’s increasingly cultish behavior.
The position of Antler Queen carries tremendous weight within the group’s social hierarchy, as this leader determines who lives, who dies, and how the group will survive. The rest of the team, including Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), Van (Liv Hewson), and Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), all pledged their allegiance to Natalie by kissing her hand, though Shauna’s hesitation suggests future conflict. This new leadership role explains much about adult Natalie’s (Juliette Lewis) subsequent struggles with guilt and addiction, as we can assume the choices she made as Antler Queen continued to haunt her until her death.
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The Yellowjackets Have No Shelter in the Woods
In a devastating turn of events, the cabin that served as the survivors’ shelter burned down, leaving them exposed to the harsh Canadian winter. The fire occurred shortly after Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) discovered the truth about Javi’s death. Earlier in the season, Ben had shown increasing concern about the group’s behavior, particularly after they consumed Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) partially cooked remains. His discovery of the shelter where Javi had been hiding suggests he may have been planning an escape route. While Ben is suspected of setting the fire, especially given his knowledge of Javi’s cave hideout and his subsequent disappearance, his direct involvement remains unconfirmed.
The loss of the cabin comes at the worst possible time, as winter intensifies and food becomes increasingly scarce. With no proper protection from the elements, dwindling supplies, and Travis (Kevin Alves) still processing his brother’s death, the group faces their most challenging test of survival yet. This dire situation likely pushes them toward the ritualistic cannibalism glimpsed in the series premiere, where we saw a girl being hunted and consumed by masked figures wearing the team’s jerseys.
Travis’ Death Was an Accident
In Season 2 of Yellowjackets, the mystery of adult Travis’ (Andres Soto) death, which appeared to be suicide in Season 1, was finally revealed through Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) confession to Natalie at her wellness commune. Travis had approached Lottie seeking help, convinced that Natalie had been right about something supernatural following them out of the wilderness. Looking for answers, he attempted a controlled hanging ritual, with Lottie meant to rescue him at the last moment – a twisted echo of their past experiences. However, the mechanism failed, resulting in his accidental death.
This revelation adds a tragic dimension to Travis’ story while confirming that the adult survivors continue to be influenced by their beliefs about the wilderness’ supernatural power, even decades after their rescue. The circumstances of his death also shed light on why his final message to Natalie read, “You were right,” referring to her longtime insistence that they brought something malevolent back with them after their rescue.
Adult Natalie Is Dead
Adult Natalie met a tragic end during the Season 2 finale when Misty (Christina Ricci) accidentally injected her with a lethal dose of phenobarbital while attempting to stop Lisa (Nicole Maines), a member of Lottie’s cult, during a confrontation at Camp Green Pine. Her death occurred during a ritual where the adult survivors had gathered to make a sacrifice to appease the wilderness entity they believed followed them home. The fatal injection came after the group had drawn cards to determine who would be sacrificed, with Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) pulling the Queen of Hearts.
In Natalie’s final moments, she experiences powerful visions of her younger self, Javi, and young Lottie, suggesting she finally accepts the supernatural force they encountered in the woods. These visions also provided closure to her guilt over Javi’s death, as young Lottie told her, “It’s not evil. Just hungry. Like us.” Lottie interpreted Natalie’s death as the wilderness claiming its chosen sacrifice, implying that their connection to the mysterious force remains active. The loss of Natalie, one of the show’s central characters, dramatically alters the dynamic among the adult survivors and raises questions about who might be the next target of the entity’s hunger.
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Taissa Is Still Sleepwalking
Taissa’s (Tawny Cypress) sleepwalking condition, which manifests as a separate personality during fugue states, continues to wreak havoc on her life. Despite winning her Senate race, she discovered evidence of her alter ego’s disturbing activities, including a hidden room containing her wife’s dog’s severed head, a collection of alarming dolls, and what appears to be a shrine. These revelations led to the collapse of her marriage to Simone (Rukiya Bernard), who took their son Sammy (Aiden Stoxx) and left.
The sleepwalking episodes have grown more frequent and violent in Season 2 of Yellowjackets, with Taissa often finding herself in compromising positions with no memory of how she got there. Her unconscious self frequently performs ritualistic acts reminiscent of their time in the woods, including creating altars and making sacrifices. The appearance of “The Lady in the Tree” – Taissa’s sleepwalking persona – has become more prominent, indicating that the wilderness’ influence over her remains strong, even as she tries to maintain control over her public life.
Walter Is Team Yellowjackets Now
Walter (Elijah Wood) was initially introduced as a true-crime enthusiast and fellow “Citizen Detective” alongside Misty, but has become an unexpected but crucial ally to the survivors. After learning the truth about Adam Martin’s (Peter Gadiot) murder, he helped cover up the crime by killing Detective Kevyn (Alex Wyndham) and framing him for both Adam’s death and Jessica Roberts’ (Rekha Sharma) murder. His assistance extended to manipulating evidence and blackmailing Detective Saracusa (John Reynolds) into supporting the cover-up.
Walter’s calculated approach to protecting the survivors, delivered with an unsettling cheerfulness that mirrors Misty’s own sociopathic tendencies, suggests he will become a valuable asset to the group in Season 3. His willingness to murder to protect their secrets also indicates that he may be drawn into the darker aspects of their shared history. The budding relationship between Walter and Misty adds another layer of complexity to his involvement, as their shared capacity for violence and manipulation makes them a formidable team.
Shauna’s Family Is in Shambles
Shauna’s already complicated family dynamics have reached a breaking point following the events of Season 2 of Yellowjackets. Her daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) is now fully aware of her mother’s capacity for violence after learning about Adam’s murder and witnessing the ritualistic gathering that led to Natalie’s death. While Callie demonstrates loyalty to her mother by shooting Lottie to protect her, this shared knowledge has irrevocably altered their relationship.
Meanwhile, Jeff (Warren Kole) has become more deeply entangled in the survivors’ dark world, participating in the cover-up of Adam’s murder and working with Walter to misdirect the police investigation. His unwavering support of Shauna, even after learning about her affair with Adam, reveals the depths of his devotion but also suggests a concerning moral flexibility. The family’s complicity in these events marks a point of no return – they can no longer pretend to be a normal suburban family, as both Callie and Jeff have become active participants in protecting the dark secrets of the Yellowjackets survivors. This shared burden of knowledge and guilt will likely continue to test their family bonds as they navigate the consequences of their actions in Season 3.
Yellowjackets Season 3 will air on Showtime and stream on Paramount+.
