We Need To Talk About The Cabin Scene In The Yellowjackets Season 1 Finale
Who was that man?!
The mysteries of Yellowjackets have been part of the plot driver since the show’s premiere. What happened in the Canadian wilderness that drove a dozen high school girls to cannibalism? Who survived the ordeal, and who did not? What happened to Jackie, Shauna’s BFF and Jeff’s onetime girlfriend? Who is the Antler Queen? And do the images in the show’s opening credits mean anything? Thankfully, the Yellowjackets Season 1 finale cabin scene answered several of these questions in one fell swoop. And now we simply must talk about the wackiest scene in the series — well, the wackiest one since the Doomcoming, at least.
Warning: Spoilers for Yellowjackets’ Season 1 finale follow. Ever since Jackie and Shauna were both shown to be sleeping with Jeff in the series premiere, it’s been a matter of time before the fight that broke their relationship finally happened. Shauna’s inconvenient pregnancy in the Canadian wilderness and Jackie’s reading of her journals to find out who the father was means fans knew this would be coming to a head.
Episode 9, “Doomcoming,” saw Jackie seduce Travis, accidentally sidestepping being shroomed out of her mind. But when the rest of the girls discovered them, they attacked Travis, and Jackie was thrown in a closet. The next day, Jackie revealed to the rest of the girls Shauna slept with Jeff, as if that would somehow turn their ire away from her. But instead, Shauna stood up to Jackie, telling her how much she hated being in her BFF’s shadow, how her whole life had been being a follower. (“I don’t even LIKE soccer!”)
Jackie tried to throw Shauna out, but the rest of the group wasn’t inclined to back her. Instead, Shauna invited her to leave the cabin, and Jackie took her sleeping bag outside into the cold to forlornly try to build a fire.
As Jackie huddled outside, Tai suggested Shauna talk to her and bring her back in. But Shauna refused and went to bed. However, then it seemed like she changed her mind as viewers saw her walk up to Jackie, who was shivering under a blanket. “This is stupid,” Shauna said. “Come inside, please?”
Jackie obediently got up and followed. Inside, everyone was lined up, smiling at her and offering her a seat in front of the fire. Lottie knelt and offered her a mug of hot chocolate. Jackie stared, wondering where it came from. But the drink quickly took effect as the girls’ faces started melting and sliding. Shauna told Jackie not to worry; they all loved her. In chorus, the girls responded, “We all love you, Jackie.” Jackie blinked, and suddenly Laura Lee was there, promising her it wouldn’t be so bad.
Jackie looked around in confusion; behind her friends, a figure moved. A dark-haired man shifted forward in the shadows. He’s someone viewers have seen before if they’ve been paying attention — the mysterious man in the show’s opening credits. “So glad you’re joining us,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
And then (and! then!) Shauna woke up. Outside, the ground was covered with half a foot of snow, which was burying Jackie’s body. No amount of crying or pleading could bring her back; she’d frozen overnight.
So like, what was that? Did Shauna dream about Jackie passing? Or was that Jackie hallucinating in her final moments as the hypothermia ended her life? And who was that man Jackie saw? Is he also dead? (If Laura Lee was there, perhaps they were ushering Jackie into the afterlife.) Could he be the ghost of the cabin’s former resident, waiting in the shadows for the new inhabitants to follow?
As winter comes and more Yellowjackets lose their lives, fans will likely learn more, as Season 2 has so many questions still to answer.
All episodes of Yellowjackets are available on Showtime and Showtime Anytime, the latter of which has the series premiere available to stream for free.
