Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6 ending explained: Are there any new characters introduced in this episode?
Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6, Thanksgiving, aired on March 14, 2025. This episode is streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime. Episode 6 explores the emotional effects of past actions and the wilderness's unrelenting darkness, adding to the survivors' psychological struggles and mystery. The episode's ending may leave viewers with more questions than answers.
In the finale of Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6, new characters appear at the survivors' camp in the wilderness. These fresh arrivals could change the path of the survivors' dire circumstances and cause an equal measure of hope and fear. As their arrival threatens to upset the delicate equilibrium of the survivors, the suspense approaches boiling point.
Disclaimer: Major spoilers from Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6 are below. Reader's discretion is advised.
Who are the newcomers in the end of Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6?
At the heart of Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6 is the climactic introduction of two new characters who stumble upon the survivors' camp. This scene occurs as Lottie leads the group in a disturbing ritual involving Coach Ben's body.
Two strangers, a man and a woman, played by Nelson Franklin and Ashley Sutton, interrupt the survivors' dark moment after they finish a grim task. They raise a hand in greeting before seeing Coach Ben's severed head, showing shock and concern.
The newcomers' reaction to the severed head confirms that they have not been in the wilderness for long. These two characters seem unfamiliar with cannibalism and sacrifice, unlike the survivors, who have taken extreme measures to survive.
Their identity and why they're in the wilderness are immediate questions. Could they be lost hikers or something more sinister connected to their sudden arrival? Their shock suggests an alarming discovery that will worsen the survivors' precarious situation and their opening sets the series in a possible turning point.
Will these fresh characters become another obstacle to overcome, or could they be the secret to the survivors' atonement? Though their narrative is still to be written, their surprising appearance suggests the changing dynamics in the wilderness.
The survivors' ritual: A descent into madness
Before the new arrivals interrupt the ritual, the survivors of the crash, led by Lottie, engage in a disturbing and animalistic celebration. The group chooses to honor Coach Ben with a feast following his death, a custom that gets increasingly detached as the evening goes on.
Still motivated by her dreams of the wilderness, Lottie insists the ritual should be carried out in a more primordial manner and exhorts the survivors to scream, sing, and dance in order to commune with the wilderness itself.
Many survivors use this as a chance to release long-repressed emotions. They scream and dance to express their anger and pain, making it chaotic and almost feral. The calm they've been living under Natalie's leadership contrasts with this emotional outpouring.
Lottie hears unsettling whispers from the wilderness when the ritual peaks, as if responding to their cries.
Then, the strangers show up, bringing uncertainty and anxiety just when the ritual seems uninterrupted. Their chaotic environment attracted the outside world, and this new development may destroy the fragile peace the group had created.
The consequences of Coach Ben’s death
In Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6, Natalie must face Coach Ben's unbearable suffering, who begs for death after his severe injuries. Coach Ben's pain and refusal to eat make the group uncomfortable. Natalie makes the difficult decision to kill Coach Ben despite the others, especially Lottie, believing he must live.
The group's response to Coach Ben's passing changes the power relations inside the group. While some members, like Mari and Gen, criticize Natalie for what they believe to be an unforgivable decision, others, like Shauna and Lottie, see her action as a betrayal. Once bonded in their survival, the group starts to break under the moral weight of Natalie's decision.
Natalie's penalty for her behavior is equally unsettling; she is assigned to get Coach Ben's body ready for the feast. This terrible irony helps the survivors to experience even more psychological suffering.
Initially a cooperative effort to endure, their survival has evolved into a sequence of merciless decisions, where every action has repercussions affecting the delicate cohesiveness of the group.
Also Read: What time will Yellowjackets season 3 episode 6 be available to watch? Release timings for all regions
New faces in the wilderness: A glimmer of hope or a new threat?
As the survivors of the crash grapple with their internal strife, the arrival of the strangers brings a glimmer of hope and dread in equal measure. Coach Ben's body surprises and disturbs the man and woman approaching the camp, suggesting they are unfamiliar with survivors' violence.
These reactions, especially the man's horrified exclamation at seeing the severed head, suggest they are not experienced survivors like the Yellowjackets and raise immediate questions.
Are these new characters the answer to the survivors' desperate plight, or will they become another obstacle in the fight for survival? The fact that the newcomers have not resorted to extreme measures for survival, like the survivors, hints at the possibility that they may have been stranded for a shorter period.
Could they be a group of hikers or campers who stumbled upon the Yellowjackets by chance? Their appearance adds another layer of mystery to the episode's already tense atmosphere.
The introduction of these characters is bound to have far-reaching consequences. The new arrivals push the survivors to face the outside world in an unexpected manner while they start to doubt their own morality and decisions.
Their response to the upsetting scene at the camp might act as a turning point, preparing the ground for the next conflicts, disclosures, and maybe even a chance at atonement.
Yellowjackets season 3 is now streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.
