Okay Yellowjackets hive if you've watched the latest episode "Thanksgiving (Canada)" you are probably still reeling. Seriously. Things just took a turn we maybe saw coming but were still totally unprepared for. Grab your snacks and your therapy animal because we are diving deep into the Ben of it all and WHAT that ending means.
RIP Coach Ben: A Death Long Foreshadowed and Painfully Delivered in Episode 6
Let's be real Coach Ben has been through it since day one. Remember episode one? Misty chopping off his leg with an axe? Yeah it has been downhill for him ever since. Starvation isolation cannibalism accusations you name it Ben has suffered. And in episode 6 it all came to a head. After a mock trial where the Yellowjackets... let's just say weren't exactly fair Ben's fate was sealed.
In a mercy killing that was both brutal and heartbreaking Natalie well she ended Ben's suffering. It was gut-wrenching to watch especially knowing how much Ben had already endured. Actor Steven Krueger even knew from the start that this was Ben's arc. He said it was always the "initial plan" for Ben to meet his end in Season 3. And wow did they make it impactful.
Krueger mentioned it was kind of a "bummer" because Coach Ben has been around since the pilot and we won't get a present-day version of him. Co-creator Ashley Lyle said they even considered not killing him off because they love Steven so much but ultimately the story demanded it. And honestly as sad as it is Ben's death does feel like a major turning point for the show.
Behind the Death Scene: Steven Krueger on Ben's Final Moments and That Severed Head Prop
Steven Krueger shared some insights about filming those intense final scenes. He said he knew Ben's death was coming and even prepared physically by losing weight to show Ben's deterioration. He even has pictures from set where the makeup team made him "look awful" in the best way possible. Method acting level commitment right there.
About that mercy killing scene with Natalie Krueger praised Sophie Thatcher saying they have a "strong connection" and just "leaned into all of that emotion and all of that heartbreak and let it rip." Sounds intense to film huh?
And the severed head? Yeah that was a real thing. Krueger said it was "beautiful and the creepiest thing" he had ever seen. They did a full 360 3D head mold of him to create it. He even joked about having to lay "naked on a table" for the scene where they carve up Ben's body. Dedication!
LOST Vibes Incoming? Yellowjackets Episode 6 Ending Just Blew Our Minds with New Wilderness Arrivals
Okay Ben's death is huge but the episode ending? Game changer. Just when the Yellowjackets are having their ceremonial feast... BAM. Strangers. Out of nowhere three New people stumble upon the camp. Played by Joel McHale Nelson Franklin and Ashley Sutton these newcomers are a total mystery and totally upend everything we thought we knew.
This is giving major LOST "The Others" vibes right? For seasons of LOST the survivors thought they were alone on the island only to discover there were other groups there all along. Yellowjackets is now pulling a similar move and it is brilliant and terrifying all at once.
Screenrant pointed out this twist mirrors LOST perfectly. Just like "The Others" reveal in LOST these new strangers in Yellowjackets change everything. Are they friendly? Are they dangerous? Are they connected to the wilderness in some weird way? We have SO many questions.
These strangers arrival is seemingly the answer to the Yellowjackets' prayers for rescue right? WRONG. We know from the present-day timeline that they are stuck in the wilderness for 19 months total. So these new people are not their ticket home. What are they then? And how will the Yellowjackets react after their recent descent into full-blown cannibalism? Chaos is coming folks.
What's Next? Episode 7 and Beyond - Wilderness Just Got Wilder
Episode 6 was a major turning point and episode 7 is sure to be explosive. Ben's death will have huge consequences for the Yellowjackets both emotionally and strategically. And these new strangers? They could be allies enemies or something way more complicated. The wilderness just got a whole lot wilder and we are here for it even if we are also slightly terrified.
Steven Krueger himself said Ben's death "signals a major inflection point for the show" and that "none of that happens if Coach Ben is alive." Get ready for a chain reaction of events Yellowjackets hive. Things are about to get seriously intense and probably even more unhinged. We can't wait... and we are also hiding behind the couch.
Key Takeaways from Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 6:
- Coach Ben is Dead: Natalie mercy-killed him ending his long suffering arc.
- Cannibalism Confirmed: The Yellowjackets fully embraced cannibalism feasting on Ben's body.
- New Strangers Arrive: Three mysterious outsiders appeared at the end changing everything.
- LOST Parallels: Episode 6 mirrors LOST's "The Others" twist with the sudden arrival of new people.
- Major Inflection Point: Ben's death and the strangers' arrival signal a huge shift in the Yellowjackets storyline.