Season 2 pointed to Ben burning down the cabin in Yellowjackets, but season 3 turns that on its head – if Ben didn’t do it, who did? We explore theories surrounding who turned the cabin into an inferno.
Yellowjackets is an armchair sleuth’s dream – the series is littered with Easter eggs and cause for conspiracy, and viewers can spend hours poring over theories in a bid to work out just what is going on.
We’ve found ourselves asking, where are they stranded in Yellowjackets? What happened to Javi? And among the many and mysterious deaths, how did Jackie die? There has definitely been sleep lost.
The latest question on every Yellowjackets fan’s lips, is just who burned down the cabin in the show? It definitely looked like Ben was the culprit, but in true Yellowjackets style that looks to be a red herring – we explore the theories doing the rounds.
Who burned down the cabin in Yellowjackets?
We’re not saying it wasn’t Coach Ben that did it, but he puts a lot of effort into making it look like he didn’t do it throughout season 3. Season 2 saw him grow ever more fearful of the young Yellowjackets – totally against cannibalism for survival, he was disgusted when the girls ate Jackie and Javi.
Missing a limb, Ben is also at a disadvantage against the girls, and could have been concerned they’d take down the weakest first when decided who to gorge on next. As the fire was started from someone on the outside while it appeared all the girls were inside, again, all fingers point to Ben trying to take them out before they take him out.
However, when Ben discovers Mari in one of his traps with a dislocated knee, while asking him for help she insists he doesn’t believe he started the fire. At this admission, Ben is shocked – he reveals he didn’t even know the cabin had burned down. Red herring or the truth? Let’s go with him telling the truth, and look at who else could be the culprit.
Misty
A really obvious choice, Misty has to be top of most people’s lists of possible suspects. She’s already proved she can be really devious – destroying the plane’s black box to avoid being found just because she was starting to be accepted by the group, was a particularly dastardly move.
As she makes herself increasingly indispensable to the group, the more Misty’s need to be wanted is likely to grow. Delivering Shauna’s baby and saving her life made her rise even further up the girls’ hierarchy, and with nowhere to live, the others are more likely to need her medical and survival skills, feeding her sociopath personality.
Even though the fire started outside, it wouldn’t be beyond Misty to start it outside to be sure she wasn’t implicated, and be the hero when she ‘discovers’ the fire once inside and helps get everyone out.
Natalie
Ever conflicted with her role in the group, there’s cause to believe Nat could’ve burned the cabin down. Grieving for Javi and believing she killed him by letting him drown, Nat uses self-destructive methods to cope with her emotions in her adult life, and burning down the cabin to cope with them as a teen seems very her.
If Nat was the culprit, it wouldn’t be surprising that she actually intended to die along with her teammates, another very ‘Nat’ move. However, this theory loses a little clout when you take into consideration the fire began outside – if Nat intended for everyone to die, why bother taking the time to go outside to light the fire?
(Image credit: Showtime)
Lottie
Another very strong suspect. Lottie’s personality has been considerably altered by the wilderness, and having experienced significant mental health difficulties before the crash, she’s struggled with chaotic emotions in the aftermath of it and subsequently being stranded.
Believing the wilderness ‘talks’ to her and influences her actions, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear Lottie rationalise that it told her to start the fire, leaving the reason down to putting her faith in the will of the wilderness.
We know that in her adult life, Lottie goes to incredible lengths to support others to find spiritual healing and connection. She could view burning down the cabin as the ultimate sacrifice to stay on side with the forces she believes she’s connected to – she also smiles conspiratorially in the aftermath of the fire.
Taissa
Another very convincing perpetrator. Tai has grappled with a personality-affecting illness right from her time in the wilderness, continuing into adulthood. Blackouts, time lost and alarming behaviour while she’s in an altered state of consciousness becomes Tai’s normal.
Sleepwalking and murdering family pets aren’t unusual for Taissa, so there’s every chance her alternate personality could’ve taken her over while she was sleeping, and wandered outside to set the cabin alight.
She was also first to try the door before waking the other girls, meaning she could’ve awoken from a sleep haze after letting herself back in and re-locking the door, adding more fuel to the theory she did it.
