[This story contains major spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 2, Episode 4, “Old Wounds.” ]
On the latest episode of Yellowjackets about There is debate about divine intervention or coincidence in the storyline. Starving in the wilderness, the Yellowjackets football team and their fellow survivors argue over the role of young Lottie (Courtney Eaton) in the game, a role that has — and hasn’t — become Be realistic so they can get fed and survive the winter.
Teammates who believe Lottie has gained some kind of power in the wilderness argue that the bear and flock of birds that appeared at the door of their cabin were fatal events, led by their newfound spiritual leader. and her blood offering. Opponents of Divine Lottie counter that the events are a coincidence, and can’t find any meat on Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) and Travis (Kevin Alves) because they won’t let Lottie “bless “Their views of the hunt were hesitant.
Both sides of this argument represent the larger questionYellowjackets are asking. Showrunners Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson and Jonathan Lisco distill as they unravel the loading events of the first two episodes of season two with The Hollywood Reporter. Jackie feast boils down to a battle between faith and pragmatism. “We’re very interested in the unexplainable. I think that whether everything happens for a reason or is completely random is one of the most important questions humans have asked of the universe around us,” Lyell explain. “Do things happen for a reason? Is there some divine purpose or supernatural purpose? Or is it a confluence of events arranged in such a way as to lead to certain consequences? People are constantly trying to find order in the unexplainable And meaning. Especially when it comes to bad things that happen to you.”
The debate in episode three, “Old Wounds,” prompts Natalie to initiate a debate between herself and Lottie. A hunting game that pairs pairs in the wilderness to hunt for prey. Both women came away empty-handed, but not for lack of trying. Natalie finds the white moose she saw in the previous episode frozen in water by his antlers; He pulled out and the animal slid into the water. Lottie returns from frostbite after passing out and hallucinating. They all agree that they failed. Neither proved their point. Even Lottie offered her own blood as a sacrifice while out hunting to no avail. Is it right? Incorrect. Because, that’s when Javi comes along – the faith vs. pragmatism debate is relevant again. Recap, Travis’ brother Harvey (Luciano Leroux) has been since has been missing since episode of the first season “Doom Comes” , alone in the wilderness for more than two months, and was presumed dead. But when Van (Liv Hewson) and Tessa (Jasmine Savoy Brown) head to the woods to find a tree bearing the Lottie symbol “other Tai” was looking for it while sleepwalking, and the last tree was Javi who returned and encountered this The exact location of the couple. Meanwhile, all of this in a modern day storyline following adult Natalie (Juliette Lewis Below, Lewis and Kessell speak with THR about some of the burning questions raised in the first four episodes as viewers await the return Javi and the now reunited Taissa and Van (played by Lauren Ambrose)see more. This season, the survivors are headed for Lottie. So far, Natalie is at the cult compound, and grown-up Misty (Christina Richie) is on her way. Simone, do you think Lottie has the answer? Simone Kessell: I think Lottie wants to think she has the answers. But she kind of unraveled herself. We all end up with a duality of past and present. We were there looking for some answers, and then it all went terribly wrong. For the first five episodes, I mostly worked with Juliet. We got to play and do some amazing work. We fell in love. Then [after episode five] it took on a new life and went from there. Everything moves forward. As a season one viewer, did you ask the writers a question about playing Lottie? Kessell: Do you mean the whole queen of antlers or the symbol? I remember saying, “What is the Queen of Antlers? Is it a symbol, is it a metaphor, is it real?” I remember they [didn’t answer]. 
Lewis: All of the above.
Kessell: It could be anything we think it is. Lottie is the Antler Queen for so many things. But really now, we’ve distilled it down to the fact that the Queen of Antlers is part of all of us, and she’s really something that allows these women to survive in the wilderness. That’s my interpretation of it. I have a lot of questions, but I’m trying to calm down.
Juliette, how did reading more about the relationship between young Nat and young Lottie help you deal with your scenes together in season two?
Lewis: Earlier in the first season, the creators mentioned family Or a dysfunctional family, or someone who survived a terrible event, and how you play those roles right. Connected. Even my best friend – we didn’t do horrible things in the woods, but I’ve known her since she was 9, and many years will pass, and there is a permanent connection at the cellular level. I analyze it like our body is growing at that time. We’ve been through all these adventures and time periods. The funny thing about writing is that it’s never about one thing. So even when it gets hostile, there’s an affinity underneath.
Because I keep asking myself, “Why isn’t Nat leaving?” If she finishes with her and says something snappy. But that’s because she’s more than just one thing. She’s hiding her confusion, her quest for truth, her desperation for trust. But she didn’t; she couldn’t. It’s all these contradictory things that make it interesting. It’s because of their history in the woods that they do have a really warm, amazing connection.
Kessell: They have a sisterhood, you can love your sister and want to [kill] your sister. But you always go back and spend Christmas with them.
What do you think would have happened in the season 1 finale if Lottie’s henchmen hadn’t broken into Nat’s hotel room?
Lewis: God, she’s gonna shoot herself. She’ll be in high sky. terrible. But that’s the dark trail. They call it going around the sewers. In the first season, it was a real personality that went nowhere. It’s just a brick wall. And then murdered her only valid but totally toxic love relationship [with Travis], which was her significant love bond; it was really sad. So if they hadn’t broken in, I think the trigger would have been pulled.
Kessell: So that answers what you said. Despite her objections to going to Lottie’s place, she stayed because something inside of her knew we saved her and she had a place. Like, where else would you be? As disturbing and uncomfortable as that was, it moved in a different direction again.
I was wondering why Natalie stayed.
Lewis: I don’t know if the audience will figure out what they think. There are several versions. I would have liked a bridge episode with more fights and then she stayed. But I don’t know. That kind of people… I can’t explain, but they don’t know themselves.
Courtney Eaton and THR at the start of the season and said Lottie has “an energy that draws people in, even if she doesn’t know what to do with it.” Simone, How did you develop Lottie as an adult with Courtney, after the whole season?
Kessell: I want to understand Courtney’s essence, not her character. I wanted to see her in person, in a way that I could understand her so I could give a true picture. [They] created the character from the pilot. So, she has created it. But then we completely recreated Lottie as she is today, and she came out of the darkness and into the light. I think a lot of spiritual healers, maybe gurus, people in these positions, they wear a mask. It’s all about acting. She created this role for herself as an escape from pain and the past. What we see is Lottie in love and light, and these gowns and her flowing silk dresses and everything about her that’s impeccable, her details—it’s all a performance. So I have to create some Lotties. What is in front of everyone is performing. But behind closed doors, she’s a different story. And I think she let Natalie stay there because it reminded her of that, let Natalie be there and then started telling the truth.
So they’re both good and bad for each other, and I think it’s back to sisterhood.
Interview edited for length and clarity.
Yellowjackets releases new Friday episodes weekly for Showtime subscribers, Yellowjackets following THR on Cable Sunday at 9pm Season 2 coverage and interviews.
