Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 6, “Thanksgiving (Canada).”
Yellowjacketsseason 3 features one of the most shocking deaths from the show’s teen timeline, and it introduces a new mystery when it comes to Natalie’s dying vision. WhenJuliette Lewis' adult Natalie diesat theend ofYellowjacketsseason 2, she finds herself back on the plane from the premiere. She sees her younger self, Javi, and Lottie there, and they drive home the notion that none of the survivors ever really left the Wilderness. When she says she’s “not supposed to be” there, younger Nat tells her, “We’ve been here for years.”
Meanwhile, Lottie and Javi attempt to help her move on and accept her fate — andit’s clear she manifests these specific characters due to her guilt and grief. These are the people she associates with her time in the Wilderness and with the teens' wrongdoing there. But Natalie outright killing a character at theend ofYellowjacketsseason 3, episode 6raises questions about where they are during her final moments.
Why Wasn’t Coach Ben In Adult Natalie’s Dying Vision On The Plane?
The Show Couldn’t Spoil His Death, But It Is Strange In Hindsight
With Natalie’s vision symbolizing the guilt and trauma of her past,it’s somewhat surprising she doesn’t see Coach Ben before she dies. Natalie kills Coach Ben in an act of mercy inYellowjacketsseason 3, episode 6, going against the group’s wishes to do what she feels is right. Ben is clearly suffering after having his Achilles tendon cut. And after he spends much of the episode begging her to kill him, Natalie finally does. This is clearly a hard choice for her, as she doesn’t feel right about Ben’s sentence or imprisonment in the first place.
Yellowjackets Season 3 Finally Proves A 4-Year-Old Antler Queen Theory Correct
A new Antler Queen is crowned in the wilderness in Yellowjackets season 3, episode 6, confirming a long-held theory about her from the pilot episode.
To make matters worse, Shauna makes Natalie prepare Ben’s body for consumption as punishment. Given how horrible all of this is for Natalie, it’s a wonder that Ben doesn’t show up during her final vision of the plane. Logistically, the writers couldn’t place him there, as it would have spoiled his fate a full season before it happened. But now,Yellowjacketsmust account for the reason Ben isn’t present alongside Javi. After all, Ben’s death is likely to weigh on Natalie even more heavily than Javi’s asYellowjacketscontinues.
Ben’s Death Is Going To Have An Even Worse Impact On Natalie’s Guilt Than Javi
Even though Javi is the one who appears in Natalie’s dying vision,Ben’s death is likely to have a larger impact on her inYellowjackets’past timeline. Natalie’s guilt over Javi makes sense, as he dies in her place. However, Javi’s demise isn’t entirely her fault. Javi falling through the ice is accidental, and Natalie is the only one who initially wants to save him. She does listen to Misty and the other girls when they tell her not to, but there’s far less intent behind Javi’s death than there is behind Ben’s. The girls also eat Javi out of necessity, as they won’t survive the winter otherwise.
The circumstances leading to Ben’s death are more intentional and sinister.
By contrast, the circumstances leading to Ben’s death are more intentional and sinister. And while he does thank Natalie for killing him, the act of doing so feels more personal and direct than the way that Javi dies. The teens also choose to butcher and eat Ben as a means of honoring the Wilderness, which is darker and more disturbing than resorting to cannibalism to survive. Ben’s death feels like a concerning turning point inYellowjacketsseason 3, and it’s curious that Natalie doesn’t think back to it as she dies.
