Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 4’s New Dead Survivor Explained: Who Killed Her & Why?

WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 4!While already in the midst of grieving Natalie, Yellowjackets’ present-day survivors are unexpectedly mourning the loss of another following the shocking death of Lottie in season 3, episode 4. By season 2, it was confirmed that at least seven Yellowjackets survived to the present day after the wilderness: Shauna, Taissa, Natalie, Misty, Travis, Lottie, and Van. However, that number has now tragically dwindled down to only four remaining present-day survivors, following the deaths of adult Travis in season 1, Natalie in season 2, and Lottie in season 3.

The death of Juliette Lewis’ Natalie came as a huge shock in Yellowjackets’ season 2 finale, with the fan-favorite character sacrificing herself to save Lisa during the adults’ Queen of Hearts sacrifice ritual. Though Travis had already died, it seemed like there was too much plot armor for the present-day survivors to kill them off, especially with their group size already being so small. That clearly isn’t the case, as Shauna, Misty, Taissa, and Van will now be grieving Lottie’s mysterious death just days after attending Natalie’s memorial – perhaps proving Lottie’s point that the wilderness isn’t done with them.

Adult Lottie Is Found Dead In The Candle-Lit Tunnel From Her Visions In Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 4

Lottie's Death Is Now A Big Mystery For The Survivors To Solve

In Yellowjackets season 3, episode 3, Shauna kicked Lottie out of her house after she gave Jackie’s heart necklace to Callie, leaving her next moves a mystery. Lottie had already said she had nowhere to go, but it seemed likely she would pursue ways to connect to the wilderness more after leaving the Sadecki house. In episode 4, Lottie is seen putting her money into a bank account in the city before getting a call from Tai, who she hung up on after being questioned about what she said to Van following Natalie’s death.

The next time adult Lottie is seen in the episode, she’s looking into a mirror in a hotel room talking to herself. She talks about how she has so much to apologize for, while saying she “understands” that she hurt “you,” though the “you” in question isn’t really clear regarding whether she’s talking about herself or someone else. Tragically, Lottie’s next scene in Yellowjackets season 3, episode 4 is the aftermath of her death – begging the question of what happened in those hours after going to the bank and her hotel room.

Yellowjackets Characters Who Survived To Present Timeline	Status
Shauna	Alive
Misty	Alive
Taissa	Alive
Van	Alive
Lottie	Dead (season 3)
Natalie	Dead (season 2)
Travis	Dead (season 1)

In Yellowjackets season 3, episode 4’s ending, Misty gets a text from Walter asking if she’s okay after seeing the news about Lottie. Going to her online citizen detective’s forum, Misty finds a crime scene photo of Lottie. Curiously, the image shows her body splayed out in the same candle-lit tunnel that appeared in teen Lottie’s visions back in the wilderness. It’s unclear where exactly this tunnel is, what Lottie’s cause of death is, how she found it, or why she went there, but it certainly opens up more dangers and harsh confrontations for the other survivors in season 3.

Who Killed Lottie & Why In Yellowjackets Season 3?

Was Her Death An Accident Like Travis, Or Was Someone Else Responsible?

Lottie, Callie & Shauna in Yellowjackets season 3

Though the police are already on the case, it’s expected that the Yellowjackets character who will actually solve the mystery of Lottie’s death is none other than Citizen Detective Misty Quigley. Misty and Nat weren’t able to discover the truth about Travis’ death until they reunited with Lottie, who revealed that she was there when he died. However, Lottie died without any fellow survivors alongside her in season 3, which means Misty has a tough job ahead of her to find out how Lottie really died, if she was murdered, and the reason for her death – if there is one.

Adult Lottie Matthews looking shocked in Yellowjackets season 3

“It Never Meant What You Thought It Meant”: What Does Lottie Really Mean About Jackie’s Necklace In Yellowjackets Season 3?

After revealing Jackie's necklace in the present timeline, Lottie explains to Shauna that she's wrong about the item's real meaning in Yellowjackets.

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If they’ve learned anything from Travis’ Yellowjackets season 1 death, then the true nature of Lottie’s demise in the tunnel won’t be as it seems on the surface. While the survivors were originally under the assumption that Travis died by suicide, given he was found hanging from a crane, that wasn’t the case. According to Lottie, Travis’ death was accidental – he hung himself from the crane to lose consciousness and get as close to death as possible to increase the strength of his connection with the wilderness. However, when Lottie was supposed to let him down, the button wouldn’t work.

Adult Lottie is portrayed by Simone Kessell, while Teen Lottie is played by Courtney Eaton.

Lottie’s death might have happened similarly. Her death could have been accidental at her own hands, potentially while trying to reconnect with the wilderness like Travis. Alternatively, it’s possible Lottie’s death was made to look like a suicide but was actually orchestrated by the wilderness’ supernatural powers, maybe occurring during a “sacrifice” to save the others. Or, Lottie might have actually been murdered for her actions after returning to society, potentially even by the person who has been stalking Shauna in Yellowjackets season 3. By the end of Yellowjackets season 3, Misty will hopefully get to the bottom of it.

Lottie's Death Confirms The Tunnel From Her Dreams Was Never In The Wilderness

Where Is The Tunnel & How Did It Really Connect To Lottie?

The location of Lottie’s death is now working to solve a big mystery created by her visions from back in season 1. In Yellowjackets seasons 1 and 2, teen Lottie would occasionally have visions of herself soaking wet in a white gown walking through a mysterious underground tunnel. The end of the tunnel would have a setup of candles forming a peculiar altar, which she would light before waking up. In one vision, Lottie even sees a large deer that guides her to the candle-lit altar.

Travis sitting next to Lottie in Yellowjackets season 3

Yellowjackets Season 3: Why Lottie Stopped "Seeing Things" In The Wilderness

Teenage Lottie Matthews' visions shape the survivors' choices in the wilderness, but she no longer has visions in Yellowjackets season 3.

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Some fan theories speculated that the tunnel didn’t exist in reality but was a place she conjured in her mind to escape during traumatic experiences, which is now proven to not be the case. Other theories claimed that the tunnel might be in Yellowjackets’ wilderness, perhaps being a location the teens eventually find and use as shelter. However, since Lottie dies in that tunnel after being in a large city just a few hours beforehand, it’s clear that the location isn’t back where the teens were rescued.

Still, it’s not exactly clear where this tunnel is or how the specific location connects to Lottie and her relationship with the wilderness. It’s possible that the tunnel is underneath the building of the psychiatric facility where she was held after she first returned home from the wilderness, which is where she also received electroconvulsive therapy. Did Lottie find this place because her visions as a teenager inspired her to search there, or did her visions predict that this place would be the location of her death?

What Will Happen After Lottie's Death In Yellowjackets Season 3?

Where Do The Yellowjackets Survivors Go Next?

Based on previously released trailers for Yellowjackets season 3, it looks like an angry Misty Quigley is taking matters into her own hands to find out the truth about Lottie’s death. The trailer features Misty traveling to this tunnel and exploring it, which means Yellowjackets will be able to explain its significance and connection to the wilderness. Lottie’s death will also force the survivors to group together again and continue to confront the darkness they brought back with them after being rescued, and discover what it really wants from them now.

If one thing is clear after Travis, Natalie, and Lottie’s deaths, the survivors can no longer run from the wilderness and their past.

If I were to guess, it seems like Lottie’s death may eventually lead the survivors to return to the location where they were stranded as teenagers so many years ago – confronting that darkness head-on at its origin. That might also overlap with the survivors facing whoever is stalking Shauna in Yellowjackets season 3, forcing them to revisit the scene of their crimes and potentially have the truth of what they did in the wilderness come to light. If one thing is clear after Travis, Natalie, and Lottie’s deaths, the survivors can no longer run from the wilderness and their past.

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