What Happened To Van’s Cancer In Yellowjackets Season 3

WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 3!Confirming a common theory after the season 2 finale, Yellowjackets season 3, episode 3 reveals shocking news about a change to Van’s cancer prognosis. After Van was surprisingly confirmed as another of Yellowjackets’ few present-day survivors in season 2, it was also sadly revealed that she had terminal cancer. Upon her reunion with Tai, Van explained that she only had a few months left to live given how much her cancer had spread. However, there were plenty of fan theories that Van’s cruel twist of fate would eventually be reversed.

In Yellowjackets season 3, Tai continues to encourage Van to fill out her medical paperwork and take more precautions for her health and safety, which includes making her go to urgent care after stepping on glass in episode 2. While she's initially hesitant, that trip to urgent care changes Van’s life, as her doctor’s follow-up call gives her news about her cancer that she never thought she would hear in Yellowjackets season 3, episode 3. In an unexpected twist, Van’s cancer appears to no longer be terminal.

Van's Cancer Stopped Spreading In Yellowjackets Season 3 – Is She No Longer Terminal?

Van's Cancer Is In Remission In Yellowjackets Season 3

When Van goes back to see her doctor, she’s told that her cancer has stopped metastasizing, meaning it’s no longer spreading to other parts of her body. The doctor also explains that Van’s CA 125 markers are down, which indicates that her cancer is either shrinking or the rate of growth has significantly decreased. Her doctor makes sure to note how rare this kind of thing is for people with Stage IV cancer, but the numbers in her blood work suggest that Van is in remission and isn’t terminal.

A custom image of three members of the Yellowjackets cast - created by Tom Russell

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Of course, after Van shares the news with Tai, the latter immediately lights a candle and begins to thank the Wilderness. Tai’s Wilderness shrine from Yellowjackets season 1 already established that she still believed in Its dark forces decades later, so Van’s cancer prognosis being changed will only re-indoctrinate her further. The question that now remains, of course, is whether Van’s cancer going away was a natural albeit rare occurence, or if it was truly a result of their recent “sacrifices” to the Wilderness.

Did Natalie & The Server's Deaths Really Cause Van's Cancer To Go Away?

Are The Yellowjackets Seeing A Correlation That Isn't Really There?

Adult Lottie Misty Tai and Van wear animal masks for the hunt in Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 9

In Yellowjackets season 2’s ending, the present-day survivors performed another Queen of Hearts ritual to the Wilderness, which culminated in Natalie’s death after sacrificing herself to save Lisa from Misty’s syringe full of fentanyl. In the immediate aftermath of Natalie’s death, the survivors gathered while Lottie announced, “We gave It what It wanted. It is pleased with us. You’ll see.” That last comment Lottie specifically directed toward Van, leading to speculation that Natalie’s sacrifice would result in Van being rewarded by curing her cancer.

"It’s possible that the deaths of Natalie and the server have nothing to do with Van’s cancer going into remission and the survivors are simply seeing a correlation that doesn’t exist."

After Yellowjackets season 3, episode 3’s twist, that seems more likely to be the case. Furthermore, Tai believes that the death of their server in Yellowjackets season 3, episode 1 was also a sacrifice that led to Van being saved, suggesting that the more blood they offer to the Wilderness, the more it repays them. Still, it’s possible that the deaths of Natalie and the server have nothing to do with Van’s cancer going into remission and the survivors are simply seeing a correlation that doesn’t exist, which continues to be the debate at the heart of Yellowjackets’ supernatural mysteries.

New episodes of Yellowjackets season 3 release Fridays on Paramount+ with Showtime.