Yellowjackets Season 3 Keeps The Shocking Deaths Coming

Warning: this article contains massive spoilers for "Yellowjackets."

Van was never meant to survive "Yellowjackets." It's hard to believe, considering the major role she now plays in the series — especially her relationship with Tai. Melanie Lynskey revealed in an interview with Jessica Shaw that Van was originally supposed to die in the first season. The series creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson confirmed this at the PaleyFest, ultimately deciding that instead of a tragic death for Van, it would be funnier for her to keep cheating it (via Vulture). They were also impressed by Liv Hewson's performance, the cool confidence and swagger they bring to the role in the smallest of details, such as "when Jackie lined everybody up at the kegger, and Liv made the choice to top off their beer before stepping forward." This small gesture was enough to bump Hewson up to a regular cast member.

Not only did Van survive season one — despite nearly burning to death in the plane crash, being mauled by wolves leaving her face hanging off, and almost getting burned (again) on a funeral pyre — but in season 2, we learn she makes it through the entire wilderness ordeal. We should consider ourselves lucky that we were ever able to meet adult Van, played by Lauren Ambrose.

Even though Van unexpectedly made it so far, the ninth episode of season 3, "How the Story Ends," still hurts when her luck finally runs out and the series finally seals her fate. The "Yellowjackets" hive is left wondering: What does Van's death mean for the adult storyline going forward? Are any of the adult characters safe from the writers' cruel and swift axes?

Van's survival in the adult storyline became the perfect avenue to explore whether there is an "It," and whether that entity requires a sacrifice to ensure the Yellowjackets' survival. Van's mortality has been oscillating all season; first, her cancer miraculously metastasized after the unexpected death of her waiter, but then in "Croak," she vomited blood and was hospitalized. All this back and forth can be frustrating, but the "Yellowjackets" writers aren't so eager to show their play of hand yet; we've still got a five-season arc to get through, and we're not getting clarity any time soon.

In this latest episode, the ninth before the season finale, "How the Story Ends," all questions about whether Van's cancer is the wilderness' handiwork are suddenly tossed aside. After everything she's endured, Van's life ends at the hands of another Yellowjacket. "Yellowjackets" defies our expectations yet again when Van nearly kills Melissa, desperate to offer another sacrifice to the wilderness in hopes of a cure, but she can't bring herself to go through with it. Instead, it's Melissa — who at first seemed above all the wilderness hokum — who stabs Van and asks, "Isn't this what It wants?" Is Melissa a true believer, or is she simply trying to keep the threats of her past from infecting her perfect home life? 

Van's shocking murder demonstrates how "Yellowjackets" so brilliantly keeps us on our toes. By pulling the rug out from under us with Van's death — the second major loss this season — "Yellowjackets" makes it clear that the girls are still completely bewitched by the wilderness as adults, and random, ruthless killings are not just confined to the teen storyline. The chaos will continue to follow them into their adult lives. 

The end of the "12 Angry Men" homage episode reveals Lottie's mysterious death on the bottom of her apartment stairs. This led to many disappointed fan reactions. /Film writer Devin Meenan argues that the writers have never known what to do with Lottie, shifting her from an unstable, sinister prophet to a sympathetic, slightly naive wellness guru — making her death a convenient excuse to do away with her.

Fans were also upset with Natalie's death, which felt cheesy and too convenient. Juliette Lewis' comments in Variety about preferring moviemaking and only joining a series for two seasons likely points to her decision to be written out of the show. It's a shame because her edgy presence perfectly fits the character, and there was so much more to explore. But maybe it was necessary for the rest of the survivors to truly go off the deep end.

"Yellowjackets" casts its adult versions so well that it's hard to believe the show wants to get rid of the stellar actors so quickly. Nevertheless, I'm sensing a pattern as the survivors dwindle. I have a theory that "Yellowjackets" will continue to pick off the adults one by one as retribution for the sins they've committed. In the end, only one Yellowjacket will be left — the one who was never a real soccer player at all: Misty Quigley.

While it's frustrating to see characters like Van yanked away with seemingly little explanation, all of these deaths demonstrate just how wicked and unpredictable "Yellowjackets" is willing to be. Anyone could be next, even one of its biggest stars. We'll just have to wait for the finale and the next two seasons to see who will be sacrifice next.