Christina Ricci’s comments about characters in “Yellowjackets” blaming the wilderness when they need “to not feel responsible for certain things” brings to mind another old phrase, “The devil made me do it,” which served as the title of “The Conjuring 3” two years ago, when “Yellowjackets” made its series premiere.
In the “Yellowjackets” season 2 finale, “Storytelling,” the teen version of Van (Liv Hewson) begins telling a “once upon a time” story about the wilderness by the fireplace, only for the teen Lottie (Courtney Eaton) to interrupt her with the reveal that she “never wanted to be in charge.” Before that, Van says the wilderness “was beautiful and full of life, but it was also lonely and violent and misunderstood.”
You could apply those same words to the characters of “Yellowjackets.” In the season 2 finale, Shauna seems to refute the ongoing question of whether there’s anything supernatural happening in the wilderness, as she says, “You know there’s no ‘it,’ right? ‘It’ was just us.” Lottie retorts, “Is there a difference?” which seems to suggest that even if there is a devil or some external dark force they’re interacting with, it doesn’t matter, because the girls still decided to do what they did and let that force guide them internally. Saying “the wilderness chose” really means they chose.
“Yellowjackets” season 2 is now streaming in its entirety on Showtime.
