SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for Season 2 of “Yellowjackets,” streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.
The time to return to the wilderness is almost upon us.
“Yellowjackets” is finally back after a lengthy hiatus (due in part to the dual Hollywood strikes), picking up after a chilling and twisted second season — in which the group resorted to consuming Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) corpse to survive the brutal winter. In the present day, two more Yellowjackets who survived the wilderness were introduced: Lottie (Simone Kessell), now running a wellness compound with a cult-like following of purple-clad devotees, and Van (Lauren Ambrose), who owns a video store.
Before you feast on the third season of “Yellowjackets,” which drops its first two episodes this Friday, here’s a refresher on key moments from Season 2 you won’t want to forget.
The sacrifice ritual begins
The second season revealed that the group’s initial act of cannibalism was not planned or deliberate. When a heavy mound of snow fell on top of Jackie’s funeral pyre, it smothered the flames, roasting her corpse instead of incinerating it. The overpowering scent awakened the survivors inside the cabin and, driven by ravenous hunger, they abandoned all restraint and devoured Jackie’s charred remains.
Jackie, however, did not sustain the group for long, and the harsh conditions of the Canadian wilderness continued to worsen. Desperation set in, so the survivors drew cards — and whoever pulled the Queen of Hearts was to be sacrificed to ensure the survival of the others.
After a nail-biting round of card roulette, Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) was revealed to be the first survivor to draw the marked card. But just as Shauna (Sophie Nelisse) was about to slit her throat, Travis (Kevin Alves) pushed Shauna to the ground, giving Natalie the opportunity to escape.
Javi drowns and is eaten by the group
While the other Yellowjackets scoured the wilderness for Natalie, Javi (Luciano Leroux) found her and told her of a hidden place where she might be safe. But as they raced across the frozen lake, disaster struck: Javi fell through the ice, drowning in the freezing water and taking Natalie’s place as the sacrifice.
Young Natalie is crowned the Antler Queen
After nearly escaping death at the hands of her teammates, teen Natalie was revealed as the Antler Queen in the final moments of the Season 2 finale. Throughout their harrowing time in the wilderness, Lottie had served as the group’s spiritual guide, but now, burdened by the weight of her role, she confessed, “I never wanted to be in charge. It [the wilderness] chose me, I think, because I was the only one who knew how to listen. But I can’t hear it anymore. I think that’s because it doesn’t need me anymore,” she told the group. “You all learned how to hear it, to feel it. Maybe what it wants for us now is a leader who can help us survive for the rest of the time we’re out here.” Lottie then passed on the mantle of leadership to Natalie.
Meanwhile, in the present timeline, Misty accidentally kills Natalie and Lottie is taken to a mental facility
The adult Yellowjackets once again drew cards to determine who the wilderness would claim — a twisted suggestion from Lottie. When Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) pulled the Queen of Hearts, the group began hunting her. But, just in time, Shauna’s daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) appeared and saved her by shooting Lottie in the arm.
When Lisa (Nicole Maines), a resident of Lottie’s wellness compound, confronted the group with a rifle, Misty attempted to inject her with a lethal dose of fentanyl. However, Natalie (Juliette Lewis), who had grown close to Lisa during her time at the compound, stepped in to protect her. In the ensuing chaos, Misty (Christina Ricci) inadvertently stabbed Natalie with the needle instead.
As Natalie’s body was taken away, Lottie was escorted to a mental facility.
Coach Scott finds the cave
Coach Ben Scott (Steven Krueger) was the only member of the group who refused to partake in cannibalism, a decision that began to take a severe toll on him. As his physical and mental health rapidly deteriorated, he was plagued by a series of haunting hallucinations and even came close to ending his own life. Eventually, Ben stumbled upon a small cave — presumably the very hideout where Javi sought refuge after the terrifying Doomcoming hunt.
Ben returned to the cabin to find Shauna slicing into Javi’s remains, a sight that left him horrified. He pleaded with Natalie to come with him, insisting that she’s “not like these other girls.” But Natalie revealed that she allowed Javi to die in her place as the sacrificial offering, and she told Ben that he didn’t belong in this place. Ben then left the group and retreated into the wilderness.
Young Shauna’s baby dies
Shauna endured a long and harrowing labor halfway through the season, where she faced life-threatening complications, including the risk of hemorrhaging. Against the odds, she delivered a son.
The baby cried incessantly, refusing to latch or nurse because Shauna, weakened by starvation, was unable to produce enough milk to nourish him.
One eerie night, Shauna saw the group feasting on her child. She then woke from the nightmare and learned the awful truth: Her baby was stillborn, and every moment she believed she shared with her son had been nothing more than an illusion.
Adult Van has cancer
In the present day, Taissa reconnected with her high school sweetheart and former Yellowjackets teammate Van, who now runs a video store. The two rekindled their bond as they journeyed together to join the other adult survivors at Lottie’s retreat. In a quiet, tender moment between them, they shared a kiss, but it was abruptly cut short when Taissa pulled away. With a heavy heart, Van then confessed that she couldn’t wait for her, revealing that she has terminal cancer and only months to live.
Walter covers up Adam Martin’s murder
Elijah Wood made his debut in Season 2 as Walter Tattersall, an eccentric and insightful member of the citizen detective community. He joined forces with Misty to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Natalie, who was taken by the members of Lottie’s “intentional community.”
Beyond his role as Misty’s investigative ally, Walter played a pivotal role in putting to rest one of the biggest threats to the adult Yellowjackets: the police investigation into Adam’s death. Walter took matters into his own hands, orchestrating Adam’s murder cover-up by framing Kevyn (Alex Wyndham) for the crime. After poisoning Kevyn with phenobarbital, he told Kevyn’s partner, Detective Saracusa (John Reynolds), that he had created a paper trail (the specifics of which remain a mystery) and blackmailed Saracusa into compliance.
The cabin burns down
The teen survivors were abruptly woken in the dead of night by the roar of flames consuming their cabin. In a frantic scramble, they gathered whatever supplies and personal belongings they could carry, barely escaping the inferno just moments before it consumed everything. While all signs seemed to point the blame at Coach Scott — who had recently left the group — there was also the unsettling possibility that the elusive force known as “It” could be behind the fire.
Either way, when we last saw the young Yellowjackets, they found themselves stranded in the wilderness, exposed and without shelter.
