"This Will Tell Audiences There Are True Consequences ": Lottie's Shocking Fate In Yellowjackets Season 3 Addressed By Star & Showrunner

The article contains spoilers for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 4, "12 Angry Girls and 1 Drunk Travis."

After a shocking fate awaited Simone Kessell's Lottie Matthews in Yellowjacketsseason 3, the star and showrunner Jonathan Lisco breaks down how the twist marks a major turning point. The Showtime and Paramount+ thriller series focuses on both the survival of a high school football team lost in the Canadian wilderness in 1996 and the ramifications that will haunt them into their adult lives. Kessell's Lottie was the older counterpart to Courtney Eaton's survivor, who was sent to a hospital following her ordeal and dedicated herself to establishing a wellness commune. Unfortunately, the Yellowjackets character dies in season 3, episode 4, after being found on the stairs.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kessell and Lisco addressed Lottie's shocking death. The co-showrunner stated that while they had enjoyed working with Kessell, her death was to inform audiences that there were consequences as a result of the characters' actions.

It has absolutely nothing to do with how incredible and amazing Simone Kessell is because we could have worked with her forever. In the writers room, we have these big ideas. We put them on the board and we’re like, ‘No. Can’t happen. Must not happen.’ We’ll love working with this character and actor too much. Then as the stories evolve, it starts to tilt toward, ‘This has to happen. This will tell audiences there are true consequences to our characters’ actions and that things actually matter. If the bodies don’t drop in this manner, in a way that’s embedded and wrapped around story, then what are we doing? The whole idea of their survival is based on them having to make these incredibly difficult choices. They have to continue to make them, and in order to have that happen we do need things to occur that are pretty tragic. I hope you’ll see why this is a good story as you get to the end of the season.”

On the other hand, Kessell was sad to see her character go. She confirmed her character's death and revealed that answers around its circumstances are coming in season 3, episode 10, before wishing Eaton the best going forward. Read her full response below:

Yes, is my sad answer to that. Yes. Lottie is dead. It’s still [fresh]. You know when you play a character for so long, you sort of compare it to a canvas. You put so much paint on this canvas and you’re loving it and it’s evolving and there are so many layers to it; colors and light. And then suddenly it’s no longer. It took me a few months to digest that. I was of course upset. I guess I didn’t know if it was coming or not. But it’s that kind of show — it’s Yellowjackets! People do come and go, and I just feel grateful that I got to play Lottie for as long as I did. She’s such a mixed bag of Lottie-pops. In episode 10, the season finale, we see what happened to Lottie. I think that’s really clever. So after episode four, Misty [Christina Ricci] goes on to try and figure out how Lottie died. And then we find out in the finale how she died.
I knew going into the season. I was working on a show in Montreal, an Apple show called The Last Frontier, and I had a phone call with the writing team, the showrunners, and they let me know. I think the first question I asked them was, “Why? Why would you kill Lottie?” I was like, “What? Why?” Because she’s just such a different character and also, my first instinct was to think of Courtney Eaton playing young Lottie, and I thought, I hope this doesn’t take anything away from her brilliant work and, do we lose interest in that character? All the questions kind of came through. I still don’t know why they killed Lottie, but they did.

What Lottie's Death Means For Yellowjackets Season 3

Everyone Has A Motive

Lottie's death marks a major twist in Yellowjacket's modern-day story, as the character had been built up as a major player who had the potential to upset the fragile balance they achieved. She was first teased in season 1 as being involved in Travis's death, thanks to her emptying his bank account. Though her involvement and potential role as the blackmailer was cleared in season 2, the reemergence of her ways from the Wilderness cast suspicion on her. Season 3 intensified this, as she struck up a bond with Shauna's daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins), much to her mother's disapproval.

Simone Kessell as Lottie Matthews standing outside a building with the numbers 1285 in Yellowjackets

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However, with not only the events in the wilderness but her involvement in their present-day troubles fresh in their minds, almost everyone on the team had a motive to murder Lottie. She unintentionally played a part in Nat's (Juliette Lewis) death and had begun to leave Shauna wary thanks to her bond with Callie. Plus, it is possible her potential reconnection to the Wilderness could expose their deeds to the world. As such, with Kesell promising answers before the end of the season, it is likely the remaining episodes will become a hunt for the truth.

Our Thoughts On Lottie's Exit From Yellowjacket Season 3

Is Lottie's Death Simply A Precursor To More Tragic Turns

Adult Van, Lottie, Natalie, Shauna, Misty, and Taissa in Yellowjackets season 2 promo image

Despite her past transgressions and battles with her demons, Lottie's death overall has a tragic undercurrent. With her post-Wilderness admission into care and attempts to help others overcome their trauma, Lottie may have genuinely attempted to heal, take what she experienced, and help others despite her relapse. As such, even if there may be evidence of her potential wrongdoings, there is also the possibility that she is another victim of a much darker force.

A split image showing the survivors and the Antler Queen in Yellowjackets.

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With Kessell and Lisco teasing answers before the season's end, audiences will not have to wait long until the truth about Lottie's death. Though it is growing increasingly likely that one of her fellow survivors may have murdered her, it remains to be seen whether this truly was an act of the Wilderness' decree or if other motives inspired her attacker as the series continues to tackle just what is real and what is fantasy. Regardless of who the culprit is, however, Lottie's death represents a point of no return for Yellowjackets and its cast, as desperation between them may lead to deadlier results.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter