Yellowjackets Season 3 First Look: Grief, Mysteries, and No Bonus Episode

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Dec 3

The wait for Yellowjackets is almost over. After the dramatic revelations in the season 2 finale—most notably, teen Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) being declared the new Antler Queen and the shocking death of adult Natalie (Juliette Lewis)—the third season promises even more intensity. As we gear up for the next chapter, Entertainment Weekly offers an exclusive first look at what lies ahead for the surviving Yellowjackets.

Co-creator Ashley Lyle teases that "there's a little bit of a time jump in both timelines" for the upcoming season. The newly released images show the adult characters dealing with the aftermath of losing their friend, with the grief visibly affecting each one differently. The photos feature the adult versions of Van (Lauren Ambrose), Taissa (Tawny Cypress), Jeff (Warren Kole), and Shauna (Melanie Lynskey), looking somber as they face the fallout of last season's tragedies.

The aftermath hits Misty (Christina Ricci) especially hard, as she struggles with accidentally killing her best friend. "Misty is handling it great," Lyle jokes, before seriously noting, "Natalie's death certainly impacts Misty emotionally the most, but I think that the reverberations of it are felt by all of them." The co-creators suggest that each character will grapple with the tragedy in their own way, and this emotional strain will be a significant theme of the upcoming season.

Van and Taissa's relationship is also getting more attention this season. Co-creator Bart Nickerson shares that, "One of the things we have always been trying to play with, but maybe this season even more so, is that as a result of a lot of their experiences, they've put away a lot of terrible stuff, but they're also trying to recapture some of the best of themselves from that time, too. Some of that will be explored through that relationship." The photos of Van and Taissa suggest a deep and complicated bond—one that remains fractured but filled with hope for something better.

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When it comes to mysteries, the Yellowjackets team remains as secretive as ever. However, Lyle teases, "One thing that's always been important to us is that the timelines are really interconnected in terms of the characters, and the consequences of what they went through didn’t end in the past." The interwoven timelines promise that what happened in the wilderness will continue to have significant repercussions in the present day.

As for the teens, they are still reeling from the shelter burning down at the end of season 2. "I think people will be surprised by their resourcefulness in the face of their continued survival," Nickerson says. Surviving the wilderness is no easy feat, and this season will showcase their resilience even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The tensions between the characters, particularly involving Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) and Natalie, are set to escalate. Lyle adds, "We see a continuation of some of the tensions and resentments that were building in season 2, and those play a large part in how the girls continue to interact this season." Expect the power dynamics among the teens to be more complex and fraught than ever.

Season 2 surprised viewers by diving quickly into the cannibalism plotline, taking the teen's survival story to dark new depths. Lyle hints that there’s no going back from this point. "Definitely buckle up this season. The cannibalism cat is out of the bag," she says, promising that the story will continue to explore the grim reality of their survival tactics.

One thing fans shouldn't expect, however, is the previously teased bonus episode that was meant to air between seasons 2 and 3. "The truth is that there is a bonus episode, but we may need to wait a bit longer for it," Lyle admits. For now, fans will have to make do with an action-packed third season that is sure to keep everyone on edge.