Yellowjackets fans are you still breathing after that latest episode? "Thanksgiving (Canada)" just dropped and let's be real it was a TOTAL game changer. We knew things were dark in the wilderness but this episode just cranked the intensity up to ELEVEN. Coach Ben . Oh man Coach Ben. Let's unpack this WILD ride.
Mercy Kill or Major Twist? Coach Ben's Shocking Death and What Steven Krueger REALLY Thinks About It
Poor Coach Ben. Seriously if anyone on Yellowjackets has been through it it's him. Leg amputation starvation cabin burning accusations mock trials you name it Ben has suffered. And in "Thanksgiving (Canada)" his torment finally reached its heartbreaking end. After being found guilty in that messed up trial and basically imprisoned Ben was mercy-stabbed by Natalie. Yep Nat of all people.
Actor Steven Krueger knew this was coming for his character. He even said he'd been told from the start that Season 3 was likely "the end of his story." While some actors might freak out about getting the axe Krueger seems to get it. He told Vulture that Ben's death is actually crucial. "Ben’s death sets off this chain reaction this ripple effect. None of those things would’ve happened if he was still alive.” Heavy stuff right?
Krueger also admitted he even dropped weight for the role this season to really embody Ben's deterioration. Talk about commitment! He wanted to physically and mentally feel weaker to get into Ben's mindset. Method acting level commitment for real.
Severed Head and New Faces?! That Ending Cliffhanger Just Broke Our Brains
Just when you thought things could not get any weirder Yellowjackets pulls out ALL the stops. After Ben's mercy killing the girls do what they do best in the wilderness - they feast. And yes that means cannibalism again folks. But this time it's different. It's not just survival anymore. They literally have a CEREMONY with Coach Ben's DECAPITATED HEAD on display. Creepy is an understatement.
But wait for it... THEN three strangers just STUMBLE upon their camp right in the middle of this bizarre ritual. Out of NOWHERE. We're talking Joel McHale Nelson Franklin and Ashley Sutton just casually strolling into cannibal central. One of them even asks "What the f?!" which is pretty much what we were all screaming at our TVs. Cliffhanger city! What are these people doing there? Are they rescuers? Are they MORE danger? We have NO idea but we are SO READY to find out.
Krueger's Creepy Head and Epic Funeral Party: Behind the Scenes of THAT Yellowjackets Episode
So about that Severed Head... apparently it was made using a 3D scan of Steven Krueger's actual head. Yeah they made a super realistic fake head of Coach Ben. Krueger even saw it and touched it saying it was "the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen" but also "an incredible piece of art." Imagine seeing YOUR OWN severed head replica. Talk about a meta moment.
To lighten the mood the Yellowjackets cast being the awesome people they are threw Steven Krueger a proper "funeral party" for Coach Ben. Think death-themed decorations eulogies the whole shebang. Sounds like even though the show is dark the cast knows how to have some fun off-screen.
And get this Krueger's ACTUAL last scene filmed for Yellowjackets? Laying naked on a table pretending to be dead while the girls discussed how to carve him up for dinner. Talk about a memorable final day on set. He even joked about feeling "incredibly uncomfortable" while everyone gave goodbye speeches as he was lying there mostly naked and painted to look like a corpse. Only on Yellowjackets right?
Is This the Point of NO RETURN? What Coach Ben's Death Means for the Yellowjackets' Future
Krueger himself thinks Coach Ben's death is a MAJOR "inflection point" for Yellowjackets. He told Hollywood Reporter "This is the first time that an actual murder has been committed." Before it was always about survival or accidents. But killing Ben and then having a cannibalistic FEAST? That's a whole new level of messed up.
He thinks this is where "the floodgates open" and we start to see why the Yellowjackets become the truly savage people we glimpsed in the pilot episode. It's like they've crossed a line they can never uncross. And those strangers showing up RIGHT after? Krueger says that's no coincidence. He believes all the chaos that is about to unfold is directly linked to Ben's death. Buckle up folks it sounds like things are about to get even WILDER.
Key Takeaways From Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 6:
- Coach Ben is DEAD: Mercy-killed by Natalie after a brutal trial and imprisonment.
- Cannibalism Ceremony: The Yellowjackets hold a ritualistic feast with Ben's body and his severed head on display.
- New Group Arrives: Three strangers stumble upon the Yellowjackets' camp at the WORST possible moment.
- Steven Krueger's Intense Performance: Krueger lost weight and fully committed to portraying Ben's physical and emotional decline.
- Major Inflection Point: Ben's death is a turning point setting off a chain reaction of chaos and darkness for the Yellowjackets.
Get Ready for the Aftermath: Yellowjackets Season 3 Just Stepped into a Whole New Level of Crazy
So yeah "Thanksgiving (Canada)" was a lot to take in. Coach Ben is gone in the most brutal way possible new people are on the scene and the Yellowjackets are officially crossing lines we never thought they would. If you thought things were intense before just wait because Steven Krueger promises "It gets ugly and fast." We are both terrified and completely hooked. Bring on the rest of Season 3 Yellowjackets we are READY (and maybe a little scared)!