Cannibalizing Trust: How Yellowjackets Feeds on our Darkest Desires
Image Courtesy: Instagram
Hunger is one hell of a thing, and the 2021 thriller Yellowjackets doesn’t shy away from showing its devastating impact. The show follows an all-girls soccer team in 1996 whose plane crashes on the way to nationals, leaving them stranded in the wilderness. It explores their harrowing time after the crash, as well as the survivors’ lives 25 years later, as they cope with the long-lasting consequences of the 19 months they spent stranded. A smash hit, Yellowjackets became an overnight success, not only because of its killer cast, soundtrack, and gripping storylines but also due to its heavy, thought-provoking themes. As the show unfolds, it presents nuanced explorations of morality, trauma, supernatural and psychological horror, friendship vs. betrayal, and the dark side of human nature—leaving viewers ravenous for more with each episode.
Yellowjackets is nothing without its complex characters, and one thing the show likes to focus on in great detail is each of their morality. Stranded in the wilderness, we see the Yellowjackets being forced into making decisions that blur the lines between “right” and “wrong.” What might seem like an act of desperation at first can quickly spiral into a moral dilemma. The entire aspect of survival out in the wilderness forces them to choose between their humanity and the will to live, which often leads to brutal, morally questionable actions. A show like Yellowjackets doesn’t provide its audience with easy answers, leaving us grappling with our own moral questions: are the decisions these girls make justifiable given the circumstances? Or are they just downright monstrous?
Trauma is one of the show's most pervasive themes. The group of survivors we meet in season 1 - Shauna, Taissa, Misty, and Natalie - are disastrously affected by the horrors they experienced in the wilderness, as they each struggle with memories of the choices they made. Portraying trauma in an extremely nuanced way, Yellowjackets shows exactly how trauma manifests itself in its characters. Some cope with it through anger, others deny it in its entirety, and some are entirely consumed by it. The trauma the women carry drives much of their behavior in both timelines, and the lasting effects of their shared ordeal shape their relationships and personal lives, demonstrating that trauma doesn’t have simple or quick resolutions. It influences how each of them interact with others, how they see themselves, and the choices they each make in the present.
Image Courtesy: Instagram
Yellowjackets blends a realistic narrative with supernatural elements that deepen the mystery and psychological horror. These elements are never clearly defined, leaving viewers to question whether strange events are products of trauma or something truly sinister. From eerie visions to cryptic rituals and unexplained occurrences, the show creates unsettling ambiguity, blurring the lines between psychological and supernatural threats. Alongside this, Yellowjackets excels in psychological horror, focusing on the characters' internal struggles and the breakdown of their sanity in a survivalist environment. As food and supplies dwindle, paranoia, hallucinations, and fear cause betrayals and violence. The horrors of the wilderness aren't just physical but mental as well, playing out in both the past and present. The show explores how extreme circumstances warp the human mind, turning characters into primitive, horrifying versions of themselves, forever haunted by their trauma.
The show also has an intense focus on the tension between friendship and betrayal. Once a close-knit team, the Yellowjackets you see in the wilderness are foils of their former selves. As their humanity breaks down, trust erodes and alliances shift. The desperation for survival leads to backstab after backstab, creating rivalries within the group. The entire idea of “friendship” is tested in each episode, eventually becoming a rare commodity. This also shows us how the wilderness acts as a crucible that brings out the characters’ most bloodthirsty instincts - greed, jealousy, violence, and self-preservation. Are these darker traits always dormant or are they inherent in us all, just waiting for the right circumstances to emerge?
If you're looking for your newest obsession, I implore you to giveYellowjackets a chance. A show you can really sink your teeth into, the storytelling, haunting atmosphere, and intricate themes will have you on the edge of your seat, questioning what’s real and what’s not. It reminds us that the dark side of human nature is never far from the surface. This show is anything but tame, so go ahead and feast on the full experience. But fair warning: it WILL leave you with an insatiable craving for more.
Strike Out (and don’t let the hunger consume you),
Kaya O’Rourke
Saint Augustine
Editor: Indigo Carter
Kaya O’Rourke is a writer for Strike Magazine, Saint Augustine. She’s a big fan of film and art houses, curating the perfect Spotify playlist for every occasion, and spending time with her BFFS (her mom and her cats). When she’s not updating her Letterboxd or working on her screenplay, you can reach her on Instagram at @kayaorourke.
