‘Yellowjackets’ character guide

The following article contains spoilers for Yellowjackets season one.

While it may not be your typical Sunday afternoon leisure watch, Yellowjackets is the perfect female-led series, garnering immense popularity for its enthralling themes of mystery. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Lost and Lord of the Flies, Yellowjackets revolves around a group of high school soccer players thrust into the unforgiving Canadian wilderness following a plane crash. Faced with the daunting task of acquiring survival skills and resorting to cannibalism to stave off starvation, these teenage girls are confronted with moral dilemmas far beyond their years, and face the repercussions of their past as adults.

Despite being the debut of Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson as producers, the drama has been well received not only by critics but also by the audience – and for a good reason. Regardless of its mysterious aura and overtly graphic elements, the series ultimately stands out for its humor and charisma, which result from an exciting collaborative effort between the writers and the cast. As we say goodbye to the characters once more after the second season finale (and perhaps for a long time), here is the ultimate character guide that will revive your memory while we await season three.

Shauna Sadecki

Portrayed by Sophie Nélisse as a teenager, and Melanie Lynskey as an adult, Shauna Sadecki is undeniably a vital presence in the Yellowjackets sphere. As a former member of the WHS Yellowjackets and one of the few survivors of the notorious plane crash, Shauna swiftly rose to prominence, despite initially being overshadowed by Jackie’s lovable and lively persona. While her initial lackluster personality may have led to her being underestimated, it soon became evident that Shauna possessed a calculating nature beyond what we had imagined.

Quickly learning that Shauna was much more calculating than we imagined, as an adult, she now showed her intelligence and crafty nature by jumping her. Now married to Jeff and sharing with him a child (Callie), Shauna tried to get away from her daunting past, but ultimately, her survival skills persevered, forcing her to face once again a side of herself that she had long buried.

Taissa Turner

Known to be the star player of the WHS Yellowjackets in 1996 with immense talent and promise, Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown) met the same fate as her teammates, succumbing to the perils of the wilderness. As an adult, Taissa, portrayed by Tawny Cypress, continues to grapple with the haunting memories of her past, finding temporary solace in her busy campaign for state senator of New Jersey, while married to her wife Simone with whom she shares a son – Sammy.

A big part of Tai’s storyline revolves around her sleepwalking, which are revealed quite early in the story. Often found wandering during the night, uttering prophetic words and sentences, and leading her teammates to mysterious locations, Taissa becomes a vessel for the enigmatic presence that permeates the Yellowjackets’ story.

Natalie Scatorccio

Also one of the remaining survivors of the plane crash, and a member of the WHS Yellowjackets soccer team, Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) is much edgier than her teammates, often engrossing in behaviors that her teammates criticize and look down upon, like drinking and occasional drug abuse. Oftentimes the voice of the reason among the Yellowjackets while in the wilderness, Natalie is also tasked with being the hunter, due to her riffle skills and ruthless personality.

As an adult, Natalie (Juliette Lewis) grapples with the haunting repercussions of her past. Unable to break free from the habits that allow her to momentarily forget the atrocities they committed in their struggle for survival, Natalie spirals into a cycle of addiction, grappling with drug and alcohol abuse that lands her in and out of rehabilitation centers.

Misty Quigley

Aiding the WHS Yellowjackets team as the equipment manager, Misty (Sammi Hanratty) is one of the survivors of the crash. With her quirky and eccentric personality, Misty was always perceived as an outcast by her teammates. Despite not being fully acknowledged or embraced by the team, Misty was still at the ill-fated plane that crashed. Her first aid skills quickly elevated her status among the girls, as she became the make-do medic, finally experiencing acceptance for the first time.

In her adult years, Christina Ricci portrays Misty, now working as a nurse at a nursing home. Her career choice stems from a deep-rooted desire to have control over matters of life and death on a daily basis. This revelation immediately hints at the chilling fact that, among the Yellowjackets, Misty may be one of the most terrifying girls in the group, despite her seemingly cheerful personality.

Jackie Taylor

The leader of the WHS Yellowjackets is none other than the charismatic Jackie (Elle Purnell). Popular, coveted and adored, and envied by her peers, Jackie is considered the go-getter of the group. Much like the rest of the team, she too fell prey to the faulty plane engine, ending up in the middle of the woods with the rest of her friends. Unfortunately, we quickly became aware that Jackie did not make it into adulthood, dying instead as a teenager in the wilderness. Nonetheless, we still find her journey through her short life, and most of all, her friendship with Shauna.

Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Matthews

Lottie (Courtney Eaton as a teen) is one of the first girls we’re introduced to in the series. Suffering from delusions and psychotic visions indicative of a psychological condition – namely, schizophrenia – Lottie is known to have a mental condition that requires her to take medication in order to suppress her visions. Unfortunately, after the crash, Lottie is forced to move forward without her medication, leading to all sorts of psychotic breaks happening, but in the end, she remains an important conduit of comfort among the group.

Spoiler warnings ahead, so look away if you haven’t watched season two! Lottie is one of the survivors in the series, and we meet her, portrayed by Simone Kessell, in mid-season two after she saves Natalie. Now leading a wellness refuge center (easily mistaken as a cult), Lottie leads this hopeful group of people after spending years at a psychiatric facility due to trauma and her schizophrenia. Quickly, fate joins her together with the remaining Yellowjackets.

Vanessa ‘Van’ Palmer

Almost appearing as if she would be a side character, Van’s sarcastic and headstrong personality quickly made her favored among fans. Portrayed by Liv Hewson as a teenager, Van’s role becomes increasingly more important as the series goes on, and the more we see her interact with the rest of the yellowjackets. Season two spoilers are ahead, so move forward if you still have to watch the latest season.

During the second season, we discover that Van (Lauren Ambrose) is also among the survivors. Upon her breakup with Taissa, Van moved to a remote city, opening up a VHS vintage store, which sent her into debt. Not allowing herself to wallow in her past and all of her actions, Van completely engrossed herself into work, until the group came all back together.

Laura Lee

Laura Lee (Jane Widdop) is one of the members of WHS Yellowjackets that was involved in the crash but came out alive. When we meet Laura, she is a highly devoted and Christian girl, who partook in Bible camp for a long time, which solidified her beliefs. As a straight-edge girl, who rarely does anything that would taint her image and her own perception of herself, Laura Lee often gets on people’s nerves for several reasons. For the most part, though, the Yellowjackets respect her beliefs and aren’t too bothered by her presence.

Travis and Javi Martinez

Travis and Javi are the sons of Bill Martinez, one of the WHS Yellowjackets coaches. The brother accompanied their father on the plane, hoping to watch the game and the team on the field, but were also met with the plane crash. Losing their father after the fall, the duo are left without their parent, and forced to depend on one another. Ailing the rest of the group when necessary, Travis’ constant priority is Javi, the only member of his family by his side.

Coach Ben Scout

Coach Ben Scout, played by Steven Krueger, is one of the many survivors of the crash, and the second coach of the team. After the death of Bill during the crash, Ben too suffers a severe injury to her leg, which Misty has to sew off, forcing him to use make-do crutches during the time they spend in the wilderness. Missing half a leg, and part of his mental stability, Ben is the only adult among a group of teenagers and is forced to act as the voice of reason, though he often ends up highly outnumbered.

Jeff Sadecki

Although we meet Jeff as a teen (portrayed by Jack DePew and Owen Gates), his character truly gains more recognition as an adult, portrayed by Warren Cole. Initially, we meet Jeff as Jackie’s on-and-off boyfriend, who stayed back at home while the Yellowjackets went to the tournament. During one of the fallouts in their relationship, Jeff sought refuge in Shauna, who vehemently wished, for a moment, to feel as popular as Jackie, but it ended up at a high cost. As an adult, we see Jeff married to Shauna, with whom he shares a child called Callie, who is the typical angsty teenager.

Even though this doesn’t cover every single character involved in the crash, nor all the adults that show up in the story, these are the main characters that truly make the show worth watching. Some were more lovable than others, but in the end, Yellowjackets truly mastered the art of making all characters perfectly imperfect.

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