[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 9, “How the Story Ends.”]
Yellowjackets delivered a surprising twist with the introductions of Ashley Sutton, Nelson Franklin, and Joel McHale as Hanna, Edwin, and Kodiak, the three grownup hikers (two scientists, one mountain man) who encounter the stranded teenagers on the finish of Season 3 Episode 6. Since then, viewers have discovered what introduced them to this distant space (Hanna and Edwin are finding out frog mating patterns, with Kodi as their wilderness information) and the way they have been led to the Yellowjackets’ campsite (they smelled the Coach Ben barbeque — oof). Now, Season 3 Episode 9 has revealed what these new characters will do to get out of those woods alive.
Edwin, Hanna’s analysis and romantic accomplice, was killed inside moments of creating contact with the teenagers in Episode 7. He died by an axe to the top, the deadly blow dealt by Lottie (Courtney Eaton), who then made a meal out of his mind. After being imprisoned by the teenagers with Kodi, Hanna tried to outlive by interesting to their higher natures in Episode 9. She tells Melissa (Jenna Burgess) that she has a daughter again at residence in an try and drum up sympathy. This enrages Shauna (Sophie Nelisse), and their relationship is clearly accomplished after a battle over Hanna leads to Shauna taking pictures at Melissa to show some extent. She missed, however the message was clear: Shauna will kill anyone who pisses her off. The survivors are additionally getting murderous once more within the grownup timeline.
Kailey Schwerman / Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Final we noticed grownup Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) and Melissa (Hilary Swank), Shauna was biting a bit out of Melissa’s arm and forcing her to eat it. In Episode 9, Melissa spit it out and ran away, driving off to what she thinks is security. However then, her automotive runs out of fuel proper as the opposite grownup survivors — Van (Lauren Ambrose), Tai (Tawny Cypress), and Misty (Christina Ricci) are driving by. This lands her proper again the place she began, in the home she shares along with her spouse, aka Hanna’s daughter, who has no concept that Melissa is a Yellowjacket — or that her title is even Melissa. She thinks her spouse’s title is Kelly.
For many of Episode 9, you suppose that Melissa grew out of the hive mindset that satisfied the teenagers that consuming folks ritualistically was their solely technique of survival after they have been stranded within the wilderness. Grownup Melissa fights to outlive her run-in with the opposite survivors. She almost kills all of them with a fuel leak in her home. They survive, however loss of life continues to be proper across the nook. There’s one more tragic loss of life for the grownup survivors on the episode’s finish, marking the fourth general and the second this season.
Right here, Sutton breaks down how Hanna represents the final little bit of humanity within the teen wilderness timeline with TV Insider. Plus, she provides her tackle the theories that Hanna might be the notorious, nonetheless unidentified Pit Woman. With the creation of stated pit being revealed on this episode (and Lottie surviving the primary try to present the pit a sufferer), we could also be nearer to that reply than ever earlier than.
Whenever you have been filming the climbing scenes with Joel McHale and Nelson Franklin, how a lot do you know about what they might uncover? Did they preserve the reveal a shock for you in any respect?
Ashley Sutton: We truly knew at that time what we might uncover as a result of we had filmed a little bit bit in 306, so we knew we might encounter the camp and that they have been trekking by means of, and finally they’d run into the women. So, we did have that in our thoughts whereas we have been doing it, nevertheless it was actually enjoyable to work with Joel and Nelson. I like them a lot. They’re so humorous. I do know everyone is aware of they’re so humorous, however they’re so naturally humorous on set that even Jennifer [Morrison, director of Season 3 Episode 7], we might be laughing and dropping our minds after she would name lower. So hysterical.
Hanna says to Melissa within the episode, “That is essentially the most fascinating research of survival I’ve ever witnessed.” Are you able to elaborate on that line and what it says about Hanna?
I believe that Hanna is humanity when she reveals up on the camp. She is that final little bit of humanity. She’s the viewer, she’s us. She’s us strolling into this loopy surroundings. To see the place she goes and what she does and the alternatives that she makes, it’s actually, actually, actually lovely. Clearly, there’s a lot trauma that’s occurring for the Yellowjackets — and Travis [Kevin Alves]. I at all times overlook to incorporate Travis, however Travis is there too [laughs].
Twelve offended women and one drunk Travis, proper?
[Laughs] Yeah, completely. I’m at all times like, Yellowjackets, however right here’s there as effectively.
She’s simply this final little bit of humanity. It’s actually lovely to see how she takes in each single considered one of these children and the trauma that they’re going by means of actively, and you would simply see how humanity begins to slide so shortly. We’ve watched them lose humanity during the last two and a half seasons, however for Hanna, she’s coming into one thing that’s already at 100% and attempting to determine methods to survive.
Does Hanna actually care about these teenagers, or are these significant interactions simply survival instruments?
I truly thought she does care. That may be a alternative that I made. In Episode 8, after they’re deciding to go residence and we’re all standing round and having this debate, simply seeing a little bit of myself in all of them, as a result of we’ve all been children. We all know what it’s prefer to be a child who’s awkward and also you’re simply studying your physique and all the things is simply so complicated and bizarre, they usually’re doing this within the wilderness. Hanna sees a little bit of herself in them, however she additionally sees her daughter, so she’s acquired each of these issues in her thoughts at each cut-off date. And I actually imagine that Hanna, greater than something, needs everybody to go residence, and it’s actually devastating after they determine that they don’t wish to.
Kailey Schwerman / Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Hanna’s a survival professional, she research the survival patterns of animals. Does she suppose Shauna actually is the highest of this meals chain? Does she suppose Shauna will be beat?
In that second when she asks, “Are you the captain of the workforce?” I believe that’s in Episode 8. She is beginning to determine the hierarchy of what’s occurring, however I do suppose that Hanna’s actually clever. She’s actually sensible, and she or he is seeing each side. She’s seeing that Natalie [Sophie Thatcher] can also be a frontrunner and that some folks wish to observe Natalie. She’s clever, proper? Survival is her sport, or how animals and the way we survive in nature is one thing she’s very, very effectively versed on. And she will be able to see in all the Yellowjackets, the battle that they’re having, the tug between the Shauna and the Natalie line. She’s not ignorant to that. She’s very, very conscious that a few of them are so afraid of Shauna, and I believe in Hanna’s thoughts, she’s like, effectively, there must be a motive aside from what she will be able to see. There must be a motive why everyone seems to be so frightened of her and afraid to be like, “Hey, no, we’re leaving, you’ll be able to keep,” as a result of that simply doesn’t occur. There must be extra to the story. She sees that Shauna has accomplished one thing to scare all of them.
As you stated, Hanna’s an professional at observing this stuff. What informs her selections on who to observe? Will she observe Shauna if she sees the tide shifting in her favor over Natalie, and vice versa?
I believe Hanna is following herself. I believe she’s really desirous to get residence. She’s desirous to dwell her life. She’s desirous to expertise life along with her daughter that she needed to go away behind. I don’t essentially suppose she’s making any aware selections to decide on one aspect or the opposite. She’s simply making selections for herself, however she hopes the choices she makes for herself can convey everyone again to the true world. At this level, it’s slipped. They don’t perceive humanity anymore. They’ve forgotten it.
Hanna questions the title on Kodi’s rucksack, implying she doesn’t belief him. Why doesn’t she belief him?
Edwin is at all times at the back of her thoughts. This expertise, earlier than they have been type of bickering. Edwin is like, “He’s scary. He’s going to do one thing. He’s going to activate us.” And he or she’s actually like, “It’s positive. It’s not an enormous deal. You’re being ridiculous.” Edwin’s proper in some bizarre method, after which the axe occurs and she or he loses Edwin. Now she’s replaying Edwin a lot in her head that that’s why she brings up Eric once more. It’s her method of dealing with all the things. She’s like, effectively, possibly there’s a motive. Perhaps I can’t belief Kodi. I additionally suppose that’s the flip with the knife factor. She simply doesn’t know who to belief, and in truth, the one individual she will be able to belief is herself. She needs to outlive.
Hanna lies about who gave her the knife to free herself and Kodi after they get caught by Shauna. After which Hanna kills Kodi. Why? Is it as a result of she will be able to’t belief anybody however herself?
I don’t suppose it’s a thought-out determination. It’s both he’s going to say [Hanna] acquired it, after which Shauna’s going to do one thing to her, or she will be able to instantly blame it on Kodi. In that second she’s identical to, I’ve to outlive. I’ve to make it. I can’t not go away this place. I have to get residence. And so it’s only a actually fast determination that she makes, and I nonetheless suppose she does it as a result of she simply doesn’t totally belief Kodi in any respect.
And he or she doesn’t see any avenue of survival if she lets him dwell?
No, Shauna is so scary.
Shauna is so scary.
[Laughs] And he or she has the rifle pointed at us. I believe in that second she’s like, oh, this lady will — I imply, she simply watched what occurred with Melissa. She is going to do it [kill Hanna and Kodi]. We don’t have a relationship for her to be like, no, it’s OK. Let me hear you out. She’s like, I’ve to decide proper now as a result of [Shauna’s] going to do one thing.
Kailey Schwerman / Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
And possibly even present a little bit violence to impress Shauna, as a result of possibly she gleaned that that’s Shauna’s love language at this level.
One-hundred % [laughs]. That’s her love language.
Hanna then says, “Please, I wish to be a part of this.” How real is that? Is that this a calculated determination she made as a scientist who research survival patterns, or does she actually wish to be a part of this?
I believe it’s a calculated determination as a result of she is aware of survival patterns. All the things she’s doing, she’s simply attempting to make it out alive, and she or he’s acquired to do some issues that possibly she doesn’t wish to do. I’m very into morally grey characters, and she or he’s so morally grey. She is doing all the things that she thinks is correct, and typically it’s not the perfect or the nicest factor or what different folks would suppose is the correct factor to do. However in all of this, she is simply attempting to get out and she or he hopes that she will be able to take anyone else along with her when she does.
With that, is that this Hanna revealing that she thinks an alliance with Shauna is the easiest way to outlive? Why not assist the women who’re attempting to rearrange a rescue?
Up till that time, she was. They have been planning to go meet them. They’re within the woods ready for Kodi and Hanna to get there. It’s one other in-the-moment determination of methods to present Shauna that she has a white flag. She does one thing actually insane and is like, I’m in your aspect now. I believe it’s, once more, simply survival. She’s in battle or flight, and she or he clearly may be very analytical and she or he does take into consideration lots of issues, however on this surroundings typically you’re not given the time to consider issues. You simply do issues so you may make it by means of to the subsequent 5 minutes.
Since your arrival, some followers have been theorizing that Hanna is Pit Woman. This episode revealed that Travis is the one who constructed the notorious pit. What are you able to say about the potential of Pit Woman being revealed within the Season 3 finale?
I can’t say something, however I’ve been a fan of the present from the very starting, so I’ve been very into all of the theories that everyone has and studying them and really excited to see the place the story takes all of us as viewers. I believe it’s a superb season of tv from starting to finish. A lot occurs. So many questions get answered that they’ve been planting for the final two seasons, so I’m excited to see what everyone else thinks about it.
Because you have been a fan of the present earlier than, have been you excited — or a little bit honored even — that some followers suppose you could be Pit Woman?
I used to be truly extra honored that everyone thought I used to be going to be Shauna’s mother. Within the very starting when the casting occurred, they have been like, oh, we predict Ashley’s going to be Shauna’s mother. She’s positively Shauna’s mother as a result of she appears to be like like Melanie and she or he appears to be like like Sophie. And I used to be like, effectively, that’s such a praise! Thanks guys a lot. Not what occurred, however such a gorgeous, enjoyable principle.
What are some phrases you’d use to explain Hanna’s plot in subsequent week’s finale?
Survival, compassion, and understanding. I actually suppose she needs to outlive, however she simply sees a lot of herself in all the different youngsters, and she or he actually does attempt to have a coronary heart for them. We’ll see what occurs.
Yellowjackets, Season 3 Finale, Friday, April 11, Paramount+ With Showtime, Sunday, April 13, 8/7c, Showtime
