YELLOWJACKETS‘ Season 3 finale, “Full Circle,” lives up to its name by shockingly and symbolically linking back to the pilot episode. Two of the show’s biggest mysteries are finally solved in this episode: who is the “Pit Girl” and who is the “Antler Queen”? As the story goes on, big things happen in both the 1990s and the present, and the paths of each character take different paths. As promised, here is what happened in the wild ending.
THE 1990s TIMELINE: THE RETURN OF THE HUNT
As winter tightens its grip, survival instincts override morality among the stranded soccer team. Two factions are clearly formed, each with different beliefs and methods. With food and patience running out, the group initiates another deadly hunt, a practice they had begun earlier in the wilderness.
This time, some girls try to cheat the system by rigging the card draw to avoid becoming the next sacrifice. Teen Shauna, played by Sophie Nélisse, makes the plan go wrong, though, and the group is thrown into even more chaos. Mari, played by Alexa Barajas, is picked as her prey because of her sudden move. This scene looks a lot like the scary images from the pilot episode, which finally proves that Mari is the famous “Pit Girl.”
The sequence is disturbing and symbolic. Mari runs through the snow-covered forest, falls into a trap, and becomes the centerpiece of the group’s cannibalistic ritual. Shauna, fully embracing her dark leadership, ceremoniously places Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) heart-shaped necklace around Mari’s neck. At the center of it all is Shauna, now revealed as the “Antler Queen,” dressed in the same chilling ceremonial garb seen in early episodes. The power dynamic has shifted, and Shauna assumes a central role in the cult-like survival structure the group has created.
YELLOWJACKETS SEASON 3 EPISODE 9: IS MELISSA ALIVE OR DEAD?
A CALL FOR RESCUE
At a crucial moment, Natalie ventures out alone, climbing to a high point in hopes of getting the satellite phone to connect. Below, Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) is unaware of Natalie’s absence, believing she’s still among the group. In reality, Hannah Finch (Ashley Sutton) has silently taken Natalie’s place to keep the plan hidden.
Hope flickers briefly through Teen Natalie (Sophie Thatcher), who manages to find a way to make a call home. Although the rescue doesn’t happen immediately, this act might be the first step toward their return to civilization. When Natalie finally gets a signal, her pleas for help go unanswered—until a crackling voice responds, “I can hear you.” It’s the first time any of them have made contact with the outside world since their crash. It introduces the possibility of a new era—one outside the wilderness but still full of emotional and social obstacles.
Natalie’s desperate action raises the stakes for the upcoming season. Will her message be received in time? Can the girls survive until help arrives? The rescue could shift the show’s tone dramatically, possibly transitioning the story from physical survival in the wild to emotional survival in a judgmental world.
TAI AND MISTY TURN AGAINST SHAUNA
Elsewhere, adult Misty (Christina Ricci) has pieced together the truth behind Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) death. She confronts the killer and aligns with Taissa (Tawny Cypress), who has suffered her own tragic loss—Van (Lauren Ambrose) was murdered by Melissa.
Taissa, consumed by grief, blames Shauna for Van’s death and sees her as the root of their collective downfall. Shauna’s past actions—keeping her journals, killing Adam Martin (Peter Gadiot), and brutally attacking Melissa—have built a case against her. Misty and Taissa agree: Shauna is no longer one of them.
Their new alliance, forged in pain and mistrust, is both personal and strategic. Misty still resents Shauna for earlier betrayals, and Taissa wants revenge. Together, they plot to bring her down.
YELLOWJACKETS: HOW DID VAN DIE? HER TRAGIC DEATH EXPLAINED!
THE PRESENT TIMELINE: THE TRUTH ABOUT LOTTIE’S DEATH
In the present day, the mystery of who killed Lottie (Simone Kessell) is solved. Misty (Christina Ricci), true to her nature as the group’s unofficial investigator, pieces together the truth. It’s revealed that Callie (Sarah Desjardins), Shauna’s daughter, was the one responsible for the killing.
Callie’s action stems from fear and a deep sense of protectiveness. But her choice also creates a rift in the family. Jeff (Warren Kole), seeing how things have spiraled out of control, takes Callie and leaves to create distance from Shauna (Melanie Lynskey), who now finds herself alone, reeling from the damage caused by her actions and her past.
This separation leaves Shauna in the midst of a personal reckoning. She is forced to come face-to-face with her darker self. Throughout the season, she had been trying to live the life of a “normal” suburban mom—making smoothies, playing the role of a supportive wife and mother. But by the finale, she accepts that this is not who she truly is. She is finally allowing herself to acknowledge the violent and primal parts of her personality that were born in the wilderness.
YELLOWJACKETS: HOW DID VAN DIE? HER TRAGIC DEATH EXPLAINED!
CALLIE’S MORAL CROSSROADS
Callie’s arc becomes one of the most compelling in the finale. Her decision to kill Lottie is more than just a defensive act—it’s a defining moment. The writers leave us with the question: is Callie her mother’s daughter in every way, or can she forge her own identity?
There are subtle clues throughout the episode that Callie may be different. While Shauna’s instincts were always to dominate and survive by any means, Callie appears to struggle with her choices, carrying a burden that could shape her path differently. Her journey in Season 4 will likely focus on discovering who she is outside her mother’s shadow.
TAI EATS VAN’S HEART
In a moment of unimaginable heartbreak, Taissa Turner (Tawny Cypress) loses Van (Lauren Ambrose) at the hands of Melissa (Hilary Swank). The death shakes Taissa to her core. She buries Van with solemn care, performing a personal ritual to honor the woman she loved.
Consumed by grief, Taissa turns her pain into vengeance. She’s convinced Shauna is to blame — for the secrecy, for the betrayal, and for Van’s death. Her grief clouds every decision from this point forward. In a final act that shows just how deeply the wilderness has rooted itself in their souls, Taissa performs a horrifying tribute: she eats Van’s heart. The act solidifies her connection to the past — and the monster she may be becoming.
YELLOWJACKETS SEASON 3 EPISODE 9: IS MELISSA ALIVE OR DEAD?
SHAUNA’S IDENTITY CRISIS
Shauna’s breakdown is not just about grief or losing her family. It’s about facing the reality of who she is. The finale frames this moment as one of emotional release and self-awareness. The role she had crafted for herself in the present—a loyal wife, a caring mom—was never truly her. The wilderness transformed her, and she had been suppressing that version of herself for decades.
The final straw comes when she finds and destroys a cryptic note from Melissa, sparking a breakdown. In her lowest moment, Shauna begins to write to herself, declaring, “It’s time to start taking it back.” Her words are less of a self-help mantra and more of a warning. She longs for the brutal certainty of the wilderness, where power was taken, not given. Her letter paints a nostalgic picture of her wilderness days—twisted, but thrilling—and signals a dangerous shift in her current mindset.
Now, with Jeff and Callie gone and her secrets unraveling, she is left to confront the version of herself she tried so hard to bury. It’s a tragic but liberating moment for the character, and one that will undoubtedly shape the next season.
AKILAH KILLS THE ANIMALS TO KEEP THE RITUALS ALIVE
In the wilderness, Akilah (Nia Sondaya) shocks the group when she is found crying over the sudden deaths of all the village’s animals. But it’s a lie—Akilah poisoned them herself. Her visions have shown her a darker truth: the wilderness must be appeased. By manufacturing a crisis, she sets the stage for another hunt, another sacrifice, and the continuation of their savage survival cycle.
THE FUTURE AWAITS: WILL THE GIRLS EVER ESCAPE THE WILDERNESS?
Teen Nat’s phone call may be the turning point that leads to the group’s eventual return to civilization. But the creators have made it clear that this won’t happen immediately. When the girls do return, they will step into a different kind of wilderness—the 1990s media circus that will surely await them.
The upcoming seasons may explore how each of the survivors reintegrates into society, how their secrets hold up under scrutiny, and how they navigate a world that can be just as cruel as the one they left behind in the forest.
The Season 3 finale of YELLOWJACKETS brings us full circle while laying the groundwork for what’s to come. It resolves some of the most long-standing mysteries while opening new doors. The symbolic and literal reveal of the Pit Girl and Antler Queen give shape to the mythology that fans have speculated about since the pilot.
At the same time, it deepens the emotional arcs of key characters like Shauna, Natalie, and Callie, showing how trauma ripples across time and relationships. With Jeff and Callie separated from Shauna, Lottie dead, and a potential rescue looming, Season 4 is positioned to take the story in bold new directions.
IS THERE A SEASON 4 OF YELLOWJACKETS?
As of April 12, 2025, Yellowjackets has not yet been officially renewed for Season 4 by Showtime or Paramount+. However, the show’s creators and cast remain optimistic about its continuation.
Co-creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson have previously expressed their vision for a five-season arc. In a recent interview, Lyle acknowledged the unpredictability of television production but emphasized their enthusiasm for continuing the story, particularly exploring the characters’ reintegration into society and the challenges that come with it .
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