Yellowjackets Symbol Meaning and Theories Explained

One thing that the Yellowjackets series doesn’t lack is mysteries, from the group’s descent into madness to Lottie’s new cult. Several things connected to the group’s survival still haven’t been exactly cleared up, and we can only keep guessing about the motives and reasons behind them. Now that season 2 started airing, in the first episode, we’ve had several glimpses of the symbol that we keep seeing from season 1, but what is the meaning of that strange symbol & how does it connect to Lottie and her cult? 

The Yellowjackets symbol represents an impaled female figure with a hook coming out of the bottom. The symbol is clearly connected to cannibalism and Lottie’s role as a spiritual leader, which is why she took the symbol as her own representation 25 years after the incident. However, the exact meaning of the symbol remains unknown and probably will remain unknown for the time being. Various theories have been developed, however, that the symbol represents everything from a map to a protection charm that is supposed to ward characters from evil. 

Now that we’ve covered in short what the Yellowjackets symbol is supposed to represent, it’s time to analyze the issue in a bit more detail. If you’re interested in more, as well as in unofficial theories. Stay with us and keep reading!

Origin of the symbol in Yellowjackets 

Even though the symbol representing an impaled female figure is by now associated with Lottie’s cult, the symbol actually predates both the crash and Lottie. As can be seen immediately after the group crashes into the wilderness, and once again, the exact same symbol is carved underneath the body of a man that the survivors found in the attic of a cabin.  

The symbol was in the forest long before Yellowjackets ever wandered into the forest, and it was associated with the previous people that got here stranded by accident or on purpose. What we do know is that the symbol often appears in scenes that seem to imply that there is something supernatural going on. 

All survivors received the postcards with the same symbol, the postcards most likely being sent by Lottie. It can be seen again on the spot where Travis died. Once again, the last person connected to Travis was Lottie. 

The symbol is seen in Taissa’s basement, where the makeshift shrine was created using a severed dog head and a human heart. And most prominently, at the beginning of season 2, Lottie draws the symbol on the window before Travis and Natalie go hunting in order to protect them. We can likewise see that Lottie’s cult adopted the symbol as its members carry the symbol around their necks in the form of a necklace. 

By now, Lottie is the group’s sole member that is not scared of the symbol and the one member of the surviving group that wholeheartedly embraces the symbol and its meaning. Why? This is something we’re going to explore in a bit more detail. 

The Yellowjackets symbol represents sacrifice and cannibalism to appease “dark spirits” of the forest 

This theory that the Yellowjackets symbol represents sacrifice is the most likely and has the most evidence so far. Most of the time, when the symbol appeared, it was connected to some kind of sacrifice being made. First, we can see the symbol underneath the almost mummified body of the cabin’s previous inhabitant.

We can see the symbol underneath Travis, who died under still unclarified circumstances. The symbol also appeared at the makeshift altar in Taissa’s basement, where the dog’s head and human heart were also left. The members of Lottie’s cult also wear the symbol. Judging by the scene, we can see a naked man ready to be buried alive. The cult deals with sacrifice rituals as well. 

The symbol represents a human being hanging on the hook, slowly bled and ready to be consumed. It’s unknown why Lottie decided to adopt this symbol as her own. But judging by everything shown so far, due to her mental condition and her previous history of illness, she most likely believes herself to be the one that can “connect” to the dark spirits of the forest and probably believes that due to all the sacrifice that they have to make, the spirits allowed them to leave the forest because they were eating the deceased members in a ritualistic manner.

The first sacrifice in the series was made by Lottie herself when she killed the bear and took its heart out. The symbol is a representation of cannibalism and represents wild, untamed human nature and what we all have to do to survive when we are faced with impossible odds. 

The symbol has a supernatural meaning 

Even though the series so far winked at the possible “supernatural” phenomena being involved with the whole ordeal, it’s important to note that nothing shown in the series WAS supernatural in nature or couldn’t be explained through other means. 

Without delving into parapsychology, everything that happened to the group so far can be easily explained by a) human nature, b) their circumstances, and c) the fact that Lottie ran out of schizophrenia medication. 

Think about it, without the safe comforts of civilization and readily available sources of information at your fingertips, you are more likely to believe that something with an easy explanation has supernatural origins. Every strange sound in the forest might seem like the howling of spirits, and every moving shadow becomes not a stray wild animal but a creature pulled from mythologies and legends. 

The things you have to do to survive might seem like demonic possession. This is how we are underneath. When faced with the great unknown, we will turn to alternative means to explain something as natural as the hallucinogenic influence of mushrooms. 

It’s possible that Lottie assigned some kind of supernatural meaning to the symbol. Possibly she believes the symbol to be the means of protection as she is seen drawing the symbol right before Natalie and Travis leave to search for Javi and to possibly find some game. Even though Natalie is not superstitious and objects to the rituals that Lottie performs upon them, Lottie disagrees and says, “you keep coming back alive, don’t you.” This means that Lottie believes that the symbol is protecting them through some supernatural means when in fact, Natalie and Travis keep coming back alive because, by this point, they are experienced enough in the surrounding forest and know how to manage their way through it. 

The symbol represents the way back to civilization 

Several Reddit users put together this theory, stating that the symbol represents everything needed for the Yellowjackets to find their way home. Trigonometry, occultations, parallax, and insects, even songs are involved. The theory is quite lengthy, but it sums up the group’s biggest problem so far. It’s not how to leave but rather where they are.

It’s lengthy, and you might get confused at some moments, but I highly recommend you read it. Especially now that Natalie, Ben, and Travis are working on the first map of the area, this theory might prove to be more relevant than ever. d