**Warning: Spoilers ahead for Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 10, “Full Circle.”**
The highly anticipated season finale of Yellowjackets sheds light on Lottie Matthews’ (Simone Kessell) murder and its impactful aftermath. Lottie’s tragic demise was hinted at during the closing moments of Season 3, Episode 4, when Walter Tattersall (Elijah Wood) first informs Misty Quigley (Christina Ricci) of her death. Despite the official ruling of an accident, Misty remains skeptical and initiates her own investigation, leveraging her background as a citizen detective to uncover the truth behind Lottie’s death.
Misty’s initial suspicion falls on Shauna Sadecki (Melanie Lynskey), especially after discovering that Shauna’s DNA was found beneath Lottie’s fingernails. But a startling revelation during the penultimate episode alters her course: Walter’s phone reveals a photo of Callie Sadecki (Sarah Desjardins) wearing the gold heart necklace that once belonged to Jackie Taylor (Ella Purnell). The season finale ultimately unveils Callie’s involvement, showcasing a pivotal flashback that reveals the circumstances surrounding Lottie’s death.
Callie Accidentally Killed Lottie in Yellowjackets Season 3
Callie’s Actions Were Unintentional
Instead of reassuring Callie of her mother’s love, Lottie insinuates jealousy stemming from Callie’s burgeoning strength and connection to the wilderness, eerily referencing the child Shauna lost during their ordeal. This unsettling conversation leaves Callie feeling frightened and anguished.
Misty elaborates on the biology of maternal connections, explaining that both mothers and daughters share mitochondrial DNA. Consequently, the DNA found beneath Lottie’s nails was not Shauna’s, but Callie’s.
In a moment driven by fear and overwhelming emotions, Callie pushes Lottie down the basement stairs, resulting in a fatal impact. Shocked and horrified by her actions, Callie instinctively grabs the tape, leaving Lottie’s body and not discussing the incident until confronted by Misty in the finale. Callie’s actions, while drastic, were never intended to be lethal, but her emotional response led to an irreversible tragedy.
Did the Wilderness Influence Callie’s Actions?
A Connection to Lottie’s Beliefs?
Image via Paramount+
If we consider the wilderness as a tangible power within the narrative, it raises questions about whether “It”played a role in Callie’s fatal decision to kill Lottie. Throughout the 1990s timeline, Lottie (Courtney Eaton) perceives Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) as being inherently intertwined with the wilderness, interpreting raw emotions as manifestations of this mysterious force. Callie, too, carries deep-seated rage, suggesting that the wilderness could have exploited her emotional turmoil to provoke the fatal encounter with Lottie. After years of serving the wilderness, Lottie’s fate may indicate a shift, wherein Callie emerges as a potential conduit of its will.
|
Yellowjackets Season 3’s Deaths |
|
|---|---|
| Character | Death Episode # |
| Van & Taissa’s waiter | 1 |
| Lottie | 4 |
| Coach Ben | 6 |
| Edwin | 7 |
| Kodi | 9 |
| Van | 9 |
| Mari | 10 |
If the wilderness is indeed displeased with the remaining adult survivors, Callie might assume the role of a vessel to execute those remaining, including her mother, Misty, Taissa Turner (Tawny Cypress), and Melissa (Hilary Swank). Alternatively, it’s also feasible that the wilderness embodies no actual power, with Callie’s actions stemming purely from a moment of fear and confusion. The narrative in Season 4 may delve deeper into this complex theme.
Implications of Callie’s Actions on the Wilderness’ Agenda
The Wilderness’ Protection for Lottie Has Ended
Season 3, Episode 9 of Yellowjackets seemingly puts to rest debates surrounding the wilderness’s protection, as Lottie walks unscathed over a lethal pit—contrasting sharply with Mari Ibarra’s (Alexa Barajas) tragic fate when she meets an untimely death there. This pivotal moment suggests that the wilderness had been safeguarding Lottie until it chose to withdraw that protection at a crucial moment, indicating its dissatisfaction with her performance. Consequently, it may have deemed Callie a more fitting successor.
With Callie’s involvement in Lottie’s death, she aligns closely with Shauna, sharing similar hatred, determination, and a willingness to go to extremes for self-preservation—traits desired by the wilderness for its darker purposes. This newly shared experience of having taken a life could foster a deeper bond between Callie and Shauna as they navigate the aftermath of these actions. The wilderness may be aiming for a continuation of bloodshed through both mother and daughter.
The Symbolism of Lottie’s Antler Queen Visions Before Her Death
Foreshadowing the Identity of Her Killer
The season 3 finale trailer alludes to the resurgence of the mystical Antler Queen alongside teenage Shauna’s embodiment of the figure in the 1990s timeline. Lottie’s vision in the finale culminates with her witnessing the Antler Queen enveloped in a fiery aura, acting as a foreshadowing device regarding the identity of her killer: Callie, her mother Shauna’s daughter and a child of the wilderness herself.
This isn’t the first instance of Yellowjackets hinting at Lottie’s untimely death. In Season 1, Lottie’s visions depicted her on the basement stairs, a setting that ultimately becomes the backdrop of her demise, thus prefiguring her fate. The Antler Queen vision encapsulates the overarching narrative threads, intertwined around who ultimately causes Lottie’s tragic end. While Lottie’s adult saga concludes, the complexities surrounding her younger self remain to be explored further in upcoming seasons.