Yellowjackets season three finale review

The highly anticipated season finale of the Showtime series “Yellowjackets” premiered recently. As an avid Yellowjackets watcher, I have been waiting every Friday for 10 weeks to watch a new episode. After a controversial season, the finale had viewers on edge and tuned in like never before, including myself.

This review will contain major spoilers for the series, especially the finale episode of season three.

Season three has been a whirlwind of emotions for all Yellowjackets fans, with untimely deaths and unexpected, slightly (highly) insufferable character arcs. Shauna Shipman has especially become a controversial topic of discussion within the Yellowjackets fandom on social media this season, as she has taken quite the turn and become what most people see as the most evil character. I have always been a Shauna fan, and I can acknowledge her being a bad person, but I do think she makes the show far more interesting and complex. 

The finale episode includes a monologue from adult Shauna at the end where she makes it clear how much fun she had in the wilderness, where the characters were trapped for 19 months, leading to them resorting to forming a cannibalistic cult. She wants to reclaim the power she had in the wilderness, which leads to the reveal of the “Antler Queen” in the season three finale. 

The Antler Queen’s identity has been a largely debated topic throughout this season and viewers have been waiting since season one to find out who it is. Throughout the series, the Antler Queen has most commonly been associated with Lottie Matthews, but it was revealed in the finale that it is actually Shauna Shipman.

This reveal has left some fans disappointed and others thrilled. Personally, I love Shauna being the Antler Queen and I think it makes a lot of sense for her character, especially this season, where she is seen taking control over everyone and using her bad powers to her advantage. Although Shauna’s monologue was a bit cringey, it was important to end the season and get viewers intrigued about what will happen in season four because it seems as though the worst of Shauna is yet to come. 

Another reveal from the season three finale that fans have been looking forward to is “Pit Girl.” Pit Girl is seen in the first scene of the series with brunette hair and a light colored dress, but the face of the character remained a secret until the season three finale, when it was revealed that it is Mari Ibarra.

This reveal was less shocking than some other moments from the season, as most fans knew Mari made the most sense as Pit Girl, but the reveal itself was incredibly emotional and devastating. Mari is a side character but one that many fans have fallen in love with. I can see her hunt and death scene going down as one of my favorite scenes in the whole show. The defeat I felt when I witnessed Mari taking off her winter gear during the hunt, showing the infamous Pit Girl outfit, was unmatched. I knew what was coming, but the creators did it so beautifully. 

Adding to the adult timeline in the finale, it was revealed that Callie (Shauna’s daughter) killed adult Lottie Matthews. This was a bit of a shocker to me. Some fans on TikTok had speculated it might be Callie, but others had different ideas, such as Shauna, Taissa or even Lottie herself in an accidental suicide. I had no idea who it would be. Callie’s arc this season has been interesting, especially in her relationship with Lottie, so finding out she killed her showed how similar she is to her mother and where that may lead her in the future. 

Despite all the reveals and character revelations, the best part about the season three finale episode is the end, where fans can see none other than Natalie Scatorccio (the best character, in my opinion) at the top of a mountain, finally being able to contact someone for help. Hannah, a new character from season three, switched clothes with Natalie while Mari was being hunted so Natalie could take Hannah’s radio to call for help. The final scene of Natalie is beyond moving, knowing she is the reason they are going to get to go home, but especially knowing her ultimate fate in the adult timeline. 

Overall, the season three finale was one of the most fun watches of the series so far for me. This season has had a few questionable moments and times where the writing didn’t compare to the first two seasons, but the finale made up for it, in my opinion. I enjoyed seeing the hunt of Mari, the girls first in a while. It was intense, beautiful and horrid all at once.

Now is the time when fans sit patiently and wait for the show to be renewed, hopefully. The creators have said they want five seasons, but I think it can wrap up nicely with just one more. 

Yellowjackets is one of the most addicting shows I have ever watched and I will be on the edge of my seat to see if it gets another season, which I think it definitely deserves.