My Favorite "Yellowjackets" Theories

Yellowjackets is a teen horror drama series in which a New Jersey high school girls soccer team is on the way to their national competition in 1996 when their plane crashes over the Canadian Rockies. They are tasked with withstanding the wild and resorting to shocking means of survival. The show alternates between scenes from the 1996 timeline and the present-day timeline (also called the adult timeline), in which we get to see how the younger versions of the girls cope with their circumstances and the antics and reconciliation of a group of confirmed adult survivors. Season 3 premiered on February 14th, using incredible Valentine's Day-themed marketing (shown below). This week, I'll be exploring a couple of fan theories and sharing some of my own thoughts and predictions on the mystery of the YellowJackets world. Be warned that there are spoilers ahead!

The area of The Wilderness contains dangerous gases - 1996 timeline

Fans speculate that the part of the Canadian Rockies the girls crashed into is home to a dangerous gas leak from coal mining. This is supported by a theory explaining the effects of carbon monoxide, as it could lead to what we saw in S3E3, which premiered last Friday, February 21st.

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   I really like this theory because it deviates from the supernatural elements we're led to suspect in prior seasons. Having a real-world explanation for the girls' delusions is a much more satisfying plot to watch unfold. I get the impression that the events we witness in the 1996 timelines are not being portrayed by a reliable narrator. This is one of my favorite theories because it aims to explain or diagnose the cause of the twisted events that unfold in the wilderness, which is my main question at this point in the plot. Is it supernatural and meant to be worshipped like Lottie claims, or is it simply a biohazard having undesirable effects on the human body? (see also: effects of methane leaks through the seasons). This theory also supports other theories that the symbol is a map.

   
   

   What are the screams? - 1996 timeline

   Further, this theory speculates on what the "screams" that we have heard through the first 3 episodes of season 3 could be, if not supernatural or hallucinated.

   

   In S3E3, we see adult Taissa and adult Van watching TV (and getting their smooch on) when a disturbing commercial for an ice cream shop comes on. There is a phone number shown on screen, and when called in real life, plays morse code for "the screams are not what they seem". Could this be hinting that the "screams" are not only not screams but have a real-world, logical explanation like fracking? I really hope this is the case and the series doesn't turn around and eventually give us a cop-out "It was all fantastical hallucinations and nothing was real" ending.

   
   

   Pomegranate Theory - 1996 timeline

Following the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades, where Persephone submits to her hunger and eats a pomegranate, forever binding her to the underworld, fans have realized that this same phenomenon may be occurring in the Yellowjackets universe. In the show, the myth is portrayed as a character later dying if they eat in a dream state or hallucination. This has been proven with Jackie and Shauna's baby so far, and in S3E3, we see Akilah eat some wild berries in a dream/hallucination, meaning we may see her meet her demise soon.

Satisfying The Wilderness Improves Van's Cancer - adult timeline

Most all of the young and adult Yellowjackets (except for most notably Shauna) seem to believe that The Wilderness rewards the girls for "gifts", a.k.a deaths by their hands. In the adult timeline, our surviving Yellowjackets are becoming more convinced that "The Wilderness" is still a present force in their lives, and they didn't leave it behind after they were rescued. This is the side of the show that can either be interpreted as supernatural or just a result of the trauma the girls endured. Some fans online have had the idea that we might see Van's stage 4 cancer in the adult timeline improve upon more "gifts" being "offered." We actually see this come to fruition in S3E3 when, after Taissa and Van dine and dash and lead their waiter on a wild goose chase through traffic, he ultimately dies of a heart attack from almost being hit by a car. Shortly after, Van receives an improving prognosis. I personally think this pattern will continue, but it may turn out to be merely coincidental. I think it would be interesting to witness how Van and Taissa interpret her improving condition and if they ever doubt the integrity of the "power" of The Wilderness.

How the Cabin Burned Down - 1996 timeline

There are a range of opinions on how fans think the cabin burned down. Some think it was Taissa's "dark" alter ego. Some think it was Coach Ben, and some think it was an outside force like The Wilderness or even an accidental ember flying out of the fireplace, setting it ablaze. I've seen some people online say that with the new dream sequence from S3E3, Van is a suspect, too. In this new sequence, we see her sitting in a rocking chair in a cozier and better-decorated version of their cabin pre-fire, staring at the fireplace with a slight smirk and the reflection of the roaring flames in her eyes. She could have been the one to light the fire or, given how close she and Taissa were, helped "dark Tai" commit arson.

The 8th and final survivor

Alright, so I've had a lot of changing opinions on this topic. It seems that there are 8 confirmed survivors because of flash-forward shots from season 1 that show 8 people alive either shortly before or during the rescue. Before season 3, I was rooting for it to be Coach Ben. I just really want to see a doctor's reaction to his leg post-wilderness-amputation, okay? I was also hoping for this result because I think it would be really fitting for him to be the one blackmailing the adults in the present timeline. Coach Ben was horrified by the teen girls' displays of cult behavior and cannibalism, so it would make sense if he is still holding onto that fear and/or anger. Upon the release of the season 3 trailer, though, I'm rooting for Melissa to be the final confirmed survivor since we see Hilary Swank, who is a viable option for an adult version of Melissa (especially since Swank was wearing blue contacts in the trailer... why would this be the case if she's not meant to be playing a character that is supposed to have blue eyes?). I'm still not 100% sure, but I'm confident that the final survivor is likely someone who the girls thought was dead and is now re-entering their lives with a grudge. Both Coach Ben and Melissa could fit this profile. The girls right now believe Coach Ben burned down their cabin, so it's possible they attempt to kill him or exile him and assume he perished when really, he survives and is rescued apart from the rest. In the season 3 trailer, we see Shauna pointing a gun at a blonde character who is wearing what looks like a backward cap, indicative of Melissa. Shauna is a force to be reckoned with in the wild; she is their butcher, a girl boss, one may say. So, if Melissa gets on her bad side after their fling and survives, she is a possibility for the role of the blackmailer.

Final Thoughts

I hope these theories have piqued your interest, and if you haven't watched Yellowjackets, that they have inspired you to do so! There are so many details and sub-plots that I did not cover here, but they deserve analysis, so if you're curious, I highly recommend checking out r/YellowjacketsTheories on Reddit. It's looking very likely that the events we are being shown are not unfolding exactly as we see them, and I can't wait for the puzzle pieces and intricate double meanings to fall into place.