Bow down, bitches. After years of hypothesis, “Yellowjackets” Season 3 lastly unmasked the collection’ “antler queen” — and regardless of loads of viable candidates, the reply was hiding in plain sight.
The Season 3 finale, written by Ameni Rozsa and directed by Bart Nickerson, is titled “Full Circle” in a direct reference to its pilot parallels. After over a yr within the wilderness, this episode brings the stranded Yellowjackets proper as much as the lethal flashback within the collection premiere — and units up the terrifying uncertainty of what’s subsequent.
What We Know
The Wiskayok Excessive Faculty varsity women soccer crew crashed someplace within the Canadian Rockies through the spring of 1996, most likely someplace round mid- or late-Could based mostly on the climate, timing with Nationals, and the freshman pouting about lacking promenade. They find yourself spending 19 months on the market, which suggests they’re rescued not lengthy after the midwinter insanity depicted in Episodes 101 and 310.
After the primary outsiders confirmed up in Episode 306, our teen protagonists had been of two minds: both get the fuck out of Dodge and again to civilization, or keep within the wilderness as a result of one thing about returning felt off. Taissa (Jasmine Savoy Brown) made sensible factors: The scientists caught them within the midst of formality cannibalism, of their very own coach and protector, no much less. The ladies might have left society behind, however Tai remembers sufficient to know that their actions gained’t be well-received. Although much less specific in her reasoning, Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) agrees; the finale leaves little doubt as to why she clings to the wilderness, or Lottie (Courtney Eaton), whose “powers” had been sufficient for her personal dad and mom to institutionalize her after getting residence.
Again to the Starting
Within the wilderness of “Full Circle,” all of the animals that had been imagined to final by means of winter have died. (I understand that is most likely unhappy for Akilah, however from the sensible aspect — what’s the issue? Weren’t they going to be killed and eaten anyway? Are they not mainly residing in a fridge for the subsequent few months?) So the ladies resolve to have a hunt and placate the wilderness. Visuals from the pilot sneak in sporadically — a masks right here, a fur there, and, after all, the thick coat of snow that Shauna wakes as much as on the day of.
Finally Nickerson (who serves as co-showrunner with Ashley Lyle and Jonathan Lisco) begins peppering the episode with precise footage from the pilot as the ladies search out their sacrifice. Mari (Alexa Barajas) has lengthy been the highest suspect for “Pit Lady” however it’s nonetheless a transfixing reveal. The ladies don their coverings and begin to screech and run by means of the forest. With the intention to camouflage herself with the snow, Mari removes all her outer layers to disclose Pit Lady’s silky white costume. Glitchy video results delineate pilot footage from the Season 3 finale itself, however the scenes would mix collectively with out. The transitions as a substitute mirror how the ladies’ recollections are actively glitching out and in, repressing the occasions as they happen.
As Shauna realizes Natalie’s (Sophie Thatcher) secret, there’s a shot of Misty (Samantha Hanratty) not from the pilot, however composed very near it; she removes her masks, dons her glasses, and breaks right into a small smile. In Episode 101, this reveals so much about Misty, who is usually within the periphery earlier than the wilderness; now, she’s clearly about to thrive. In 310, it capabilities as definitive redemption. Misty isn’t any stranger to questionable habits, however now we all know that she got here clear about destroying the transponder, and he or she shows loads of loyalty and decisiveness as an grownup. As somebody who was as soon as the present’s de facto villain, she now smiles instantly and defiantly within the face of her true enemy.
All Hail the Queen
Trying again, it’s truly not shocking in any respect that Shauna’s journey leads right here. Even earlier than the aircraft crashed, she was an individual who hungered for energy and reveled in self-righteousness when she couldn’t have the authority she craved. She spent Season 1 popping out of Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) shadow, Season 2 stewing as a result of nobody understood her ache, and Season 3 turning that ache and resentment into one thing else — a violent rage that not hides behind smiles or tears. Within the wilderness, she leans into the impulses that stem from her struggling, and everybody round her cowers.
The hunt itself exemplifies this; whereas it was orchestrated by Lottie to re-invoke the wilderness (to not point out her personal relevance because the group’s religious chief), dying has been a staple of Shauna’s queenship for the reason that dying of Coach Scott (Steven Kreuger). He, Edwin (Nelson Franklin), and Kodi (Joel McHale) died in fast succession. The queen requires blood. She instructions the circle because the all of them draw playing cards, confidently intervening when she suspects the deck has been tampered with, and he or she’s the final word purpose Mari picks the queen and finally ends up being hunted. It might have been the luck of the draw, however she was marked by Shauna way back.
What’s Subsequent
As of this text’s publication, “Yellowjackets” Season 4 has but to be confirmed — however on this planet the place it occurs, the chances are countless. I’ve avoided mentioning “Misplaced” for the previous 500 phrases and that ends now; the ABC aircraft crash drama devoted a full season to the occasions main as much as and together with its survivors’ rescue in a truncated and potent 13 episodes (together with the universally beloved “The Fixed” and a pulse-pounding season finale). By catching up with the pilot, “Yellowjackets” answered quite a lot of questions, however leaves issues in a spot the place nobody is protected whereas rescue approaches. How lengthy earlier than somebody comes for them? What occurs to Hannah, who by no means made it out of the wilderness, or to the remaining Yellowjackets whose survival hasn’t been confirmed? What kind of settlement do they arrive to, and the way, about what story to inform?
Even then, the wilderness has definitive solutions. We all know who makes it out and the place they find yourself — however what in regards to the current timeline? Travis (Andres Soto), Lottie (Simone Kessell), and Van (Lauren Ambrose) all made it again however died 25 years later. Now that grownup Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) has unleashed her true self, will she search out her fellow survivors till she is, because the present states, the final one standing? Or will they crew up and tear down the queen, which they had been too afraid to do as youngsters? What about her household — and Taissa’s (Tawny Cypress) household, and Walter (Elijah Wooden) — and what about Melissa (Hilary Swank), who’s on the run after murdering Van in chilly blood?
There’s additionally the matter of what Lottie instructed Callie (Sarah Desjardins) in her final moments — that no matter lives inside Shauna is in her daughter as nicely; “It” or the wilderness or one thing else that made Shauna who she was lengthy earlier than her aircraft crashed. Might it’s true that Shauna is jealous of her daughter for being “identical to her however extra?” What if this character’s eventual destiny is to not maintain on to her energy, however to cede it to a different?
With a lot within the air (to not point out Natalie actually on high of a mountain), Season 4 can’t come quickly sufficient.
“Yellowjackets” is offered on Paramount+ with Showtime.