‘Yellowjackets’ Returns: 7 Things You Need to Remember About Season 2

Fans have been waiting for Yellowjackets to return for longer than those teens were stranded in the wilderness. At long last, Yellowjackets Season 3 premieres this Friday, February 14 with two episodes for Paramount+ With Showtime subscribers. And for those watching on Showtime, get ready for the feast on Sunday, February 16 at 8/7c.

Before we finally find out what happened in the wilderness after that bitterly cold winter and what’s in store following the tragic finale deaths in the past and present timelines, let’s brush up on the most important developments from Season 2. We predict these are going to have the most narrative impact on the new season. Enjoy the feast… if you dare to take a bite.

1. Adult Natalie was murdered, and teen Natalie is the original Antler Queen

Kailey Schwerman / SHOWTIME

The most painful part of the Season 2 finale was seeing adult Natalie (Juliette Lewis) killed off in a shocking twist. The adult survivors indulged themselves with a hunt at Lottie’s woo-woo retreat to satisfy the enigmatic “It” that they’re convinced ran their lives in the Canadian wilderness when stranded and is back to demand penance. The chaos led to Misty (Christina Ricci) accidentally killing Natalie with a lethal injection of phenobarbital intended for Lottie (Simone Kessell). Back in the past, teen Natalie was named the group’s first Antler Queen, whom the group will now worship and follow.

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2. Coach Ben went missing as the cabin burned down

The stranded teens miraculously found a cabin in which to shelter during their first brutal winter in the woods, but that shelter burned down in flames in the finale. As their home crumbled, Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) vanished, leaving the teens to believe that he set the house on fire.

He’s the sole critic of their cannibalism, making him their prime target moving forward. They became an increasingly bloodthirsty bunch in the second season, but still only ate people who were already dead (more on that in the next point). Their Ben-detta could make them willing to kill him themselves and feast.

3. Jackie and Javi’s deaths were accidents (for the most part)

Kimberley French / SHOWTIME

Travis’ (Kevin Alves) younger brother, Javi (Luciano Leroux), died after drowning in the ice-cold lake in the penultimate episode of the season. He fell through the ice while being chased by the teens who intended to kill and eat him in sacrifice to the powers that be in the woods, so while he didn’t die by their hands, it was because of their actions. They ate Javi’s remains in the finale, and as shown above, his brother took part by eating his brother’s heart, showing that he had finally been convinced that eating people was necessary for them to survive.

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The cannibalism began earlier in the season after much anticipation when Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) true fate was revealed: She froze to death outside the cabin after Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) kicked her out of the shelter. The soccer team tried to cremate her body, but a mound of snow fell from the trees above and onto Jackie’s frozen remains, which had been laid over a fire under a bed of sticks propping her up. This essentially made a slow-cooker that roasted Jackie overnight. Their descent into madness began when the starving students feasted on Jackie’s body afterwards.

4. Teen Misty destroyed the plane’s black box and killed the only other person who knew

The girls are nowhere to be found by the rest of the world because teen Misty (Samantha Hanratty) destroyed the plane’s black box that was tracking their location. It was an act of manipulation and desperation to feel needed, useful, and in power in the woods. She confessed this information to her only friend, Crystal (Nuha Jes Izman), but underestimated how the devastating information would land. When Crystal replied in shock and anger, Misty killed her to keep her secret. Misty will go to great lengths to look likable, but she’ll go even further to be in control. This remains a defining trait for adult Misty.

5. Shauna’s family is in on everything

Colin Bentley / SHOWTIME

Jeff (Warren Kole) knows a lot about Shauna’s (Melanie Lynskey) dark side, and their daughter, Callie (Sarah Desjardins), made them bring her into the fold in Season 2. The curious teen has a dark streak just like her mother, and she’s willing to go to scary lengths to protect her family.

The cop who went undercover as a gross older man interested in the teenage Callie was revealed to be investigating Shauna for the murder of her ex-lover, Adam (Peter Gadiot) in Season 1. Jeff and Callie went to Lottie’s retreat to warn her of this incoming threat. Callie ended up witnessing Natalie, Taissa (Tawny Cypress), Van (Lauren Ambrose), Lottie, and Misty hunting Shauna down, and she shot Lottie in an act of defense. Lottie suffered a mental break and was sent back to a hospital after Natalie’s death.

6. Walter solved the issue of Adam’s murder

Elijah Wood debuted as Walter in Season 2, a perfect romantic match for the eccentric Misty. They’re both members of an amateur sleuth chatroom, so he’s especially intrigued when Misty’s life presents its own juicy mysteries. Walter saved everyone’s skins when he showed up at Lottie’s commune at the season’s end. He was the one who framed Kevyn (Alex Wyndham) for Adam’s murder. He blackmailed Kevyn’s partner, Saracusa (John Reynolds), into playing along.

7. Tai’s sleepwalking is getting bad again

Adult Taissa is seeing things again, and in Season 2 this led to an awful car accident that has pretty much ended her marriage. In the wilderness timeline, young Van (Liv Hewson) monitored teen Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown) during the sleepwalking to great risk, but the sleepwalking stopped when Tai started following Lottie’s daily rituals. Taissa and Van have reconnected in the present day, but sadly, Van has terminal cancer. We still don’t know if Tai’s sleepwalking visions are at all connected to the “It” in the wilderness. That possible connection — and whatever “It” is — both need to be addressed in Season 3.

One last thing to keep in mind heading into the new season: We have yet to see any clip or photo or even a character description of Joel McHale‘s new character in Season 3. He joins Hilary Swank as a series newcomer, and while her character is also being kept secret, we’ve at least seen her in the trailers. Could she be an adult survivor?

Yellowjackets, Season 3 Premiere (two episodes), February 14 on Paramount+ With Showtime; February 16, 8/7c, Showtime