How long were the Yellowjackets in the wild?

by

The makers of Yellowjackets have disclosed that Season 3 will connect the two storylines, raising curiosity about exactly how many years the team spent stranded in the wilderness.

Previously, Shauna, Nat, Taissa, Van, Misty, and their friends were all high school students. Now, they have grown up and are in their forties, having been part of a soccer team during their youth.

In the third installment of Yellowjackets, airing on February 14, 2025, their past catches up to them, as evidenced by its two-episode debut.

In Season 3, Episode 1, there’s a leap forward in time in both periods for the stranded girls. Fortunately, it’s now summertime! However, there’s a hint that they might face another harsh winter before being found. Beware, there are small spoilers ahead!

How long were the Yellowjackets in the wild?

Back in 1996, I found myself and my fellow Yellowjackets tragically stranded in the unforgiving Canadian wilderness for a staggering 19 months, following our plane crash. It’s been an arduous journey ever since.

From hints like their absence at the spring prom being due to attending Nationals in 1996, it’s deduced that they had an accident in May of that year. Therefore, upon arrival, it was already summer, allowing them to pursue game and gather edible plants for sustenance.

Nevertheless, the seasons transitioned rapidly and severely, much like what occurred in the Season 1 finale. Following an argument with her teammates, Jackie decides to sleep outside. However, an unexpected snowstorm leads to Jackie’s tragic demise due to freezing temperatures.

In the cold seasons depicted in Yellowjackets Season 2, the girls face hardships in obtaining food and ultimately turn to acts of cannibalism. This unfortunate event starts unintentionally when they construct a funeral pyre to burn Jackie’s body.

That night, a strong wind blows snow onto a fire, accidentally grilling Jackie’s corpse to perfection. The next morning, they detect an unusual odor coming from within the cabin and, with some reservation, consume their deceased companion’s remains.

As their hunger worsens, they eventually turn to a peculiar practice: drawing cards at random. The individual who pulls the Queen of Hearts in this game faces a grim fate – they are pursued by the group with the intent of being captured, killed, and consumed.

Despite Nat being the supposed unfortunate protagonist, in the course of the chase, it’s actually Javi who meets an untimely end. His fellow survivors consume him, with Travis, his brother, taking a grisly bite from his heart. The situation is undeniably grim.

As we delve into Yellowjackets Season 3, it’s once more summertime, and the survivors have become significantly more refined. They now boast an abundance of game to chase and fruits to gather.

Looking at the given timeline, I’m afraid we’re in for a long haul here. The girls are stuck until approximately December 1997, and that’s quite some time on my gaming calendar.

If they’ve been surviving in the wild for around a year, there are still roughly 7 more months ahead, which brings us to another winter season before the rescue team arrives. It’s also important to consider…

Yellowjackets pit girl scene explained

In the first episode of Yellowjackets, a significant event involving the “pit girl” has not occurred yet. Therefore, this incident is likely to take place in their second winter as the story progresses.

The setting portrayed a leap into the future, where a girl was dashing through a wintry woodland, without shoes. In the distance, there were chilling sounds that turned out to be the Yellowjackets, their calls resembling those of animals, pursuing her stealthily.

In a worn-out nightdress, she trips and struggles to catch her breath while rushing on. Suddenly, she collapses into a concealed pit hidden beneath the snow.

Upon her appearance, it becomes clear that she’s been skewered on pointed wooden stakes arranged at the base of the pit.

In her last moments, struggling and drawing her final breath, an individual clad in fur and a mask approaches to ensure the kill. The characters’ identities remain unknown in this chilling scene, which has yet to unfold in the horror series.

In other words, while there’s a hint of it in the first episode of Season 3, it seems more like a casual reference than an actual event. So, it’s plausible that this occurrence might take place during the second winter.

Before the end of Season 2, a Reddit user speculated that “the character referred to as ‘pit girl’ could potentially be the Winter Queen in the second round, just prior to their rescue.

As a gamer, I was told that the ‘Pit Girl’ sequence is deeply embedded in a “thoughtfully crafted tradition.” They mentioned that from a storytelling perspective, it becomes even more heart-wrenching when it unfolds just moments before our characters are saved.

As I ventured through the wintry woods, I couldn’t help but wonder how those girls managed to dig such a massive pit. Little did we know, coach Ben stumbled upon it during his own exploration, revealing that it had been there all along!

Season 3 to bridge timeline gap

Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, creators of Yellowjackets, hinted that Season 3 will begin to link the two storylines set in different time periods. For clarification, the narrative happening now is set in 2021, while the backstory starts from 1996.

During an interview with THR, they were questioned about the timeline of the third installment, but couldn’t reveal many details yet – particularly concerning the second winter and the scene featuring the pit girl.

On the other hand, Lyle expressed, “Regarding our plans following this season, we’re all eagerly anticipating with high hopes and much optimism for a renewal for Season 4.

Bart and I definitely had an idea that we’ve been working on since around 2018, if my memory serves me right, which was about the time we began presenting it.

Indeed, let’s assemble all our writers and reunite our team. Let’s pool our collective intelligence and see where this journey leads.

After being queried regarding any hints concerning the rescue schedule, Nickerson responded, “I don’t believe so.” Lyle followed up, suggesting, “Anything we mention could be seen as a hint.

As a devoted fan, I find myself eagerly anticipating the unraveling of how these resilient Yellowjackets will construct their new reality, having survived the harrowing ordeal and the unsettling revelation about cannibalism – a storyline that’s piqued my curiosity from the series’ onset.

As a passionate viewer, I can’t help but express my excitement about the upcoming season! It appears that we’ll be treated to some intriguing flash-forwards showing where the girls end up after their rescue, a storyline we’ve longed for. This is truly a moment fans have been waiting for!

As a dedicated gamer, my curiosity is piqued. The prospect of delving deeper into the lives of the characters from their time in the wilderness during the final season of the show sounds intriguing. However, I can’t help but wonder if introducing new content or elements might unintentionally detract from that immersive exploration. Could this potentially disrupt the planned focus on their home life?

Additionally, could you please specify what particular aspects or developments you’d be interested in seeing for each character in the potential future scenarios?

Another person mentioned, “It seems logical. What I find most intriguing about the series is understanding how they manage to be saved and the events that precede this rescue.

Initially, I thought the real rescue would occur during the last season. However, I’m intrigued by the possibility that we might be given pre-rescue scenes first, providing a glimpse into their post-rescue lives, home environments, and societal readjustments.

“I personally prefer that they save that major reveal of the actual rescue until the final season.”

As a fellow enthusiast, I completely echo those sentiments. It’s fascinating to ponder how captivating a full season could be, delving deep into the post-rescue events. Yet, I find myself growing restless, yearning for more immediate content as well.

Could it be rephrased as: “Perhaps they could create brief scenes reminiscent of when the reporters surrounded them, Lottie’s frightening outburst, and her admission to the institution in Season 2. This would offer a taste without revealing too much.”

The first two episodes of Yellowjackets Season 3 are currently streaming on Paramount+ in conjunction with Showtime. The third episode will be released on February 21. Additionally, you might want to explore the real-life events that inspired the series.

Read More

2025-02-14 14:19