Natalie's death in Yellowjackets Season 2 sent shockwaves to the core characters, especially Misty.
Natalie Scatorccio and Misty Quigley have had a strong friendship in the past and present timelines of the hit Showtime series. As teenagers, the pair share a complex friendship anchored by loyalty.
While their bond slightly changes when they are adults, as Misty is still deeply attached to Natalie, they still have a sense of loyalty.
The pair's bond is one of the highlights of Yellowjackets, which is why it is heartbreaking and devastating when Misty accidentally kills her friend in the Season 2 finale.
How Did Natalie Die in Yellowjackets?
Yellowjackets Season 2's present timeline revolves around Natalie being recruited by adult Lottie Matthews to her spiritual community as she continues to search for answers about her troubled past in the wilderness.
As she spent more time on the ground, Natalie managed to earn the trust and friendship of one of the members, Lisa.
The Season 2 finale showed the group (including Shauna and Misty) doing the Queen of Hearts ritual, a sacrificial ceremony where the one who drew the Queen will be killed for the wilderness.
Shauna was the first to draw the Queen, leading the group to hunt and kill her. However, her daughter, Callie, ultimately saved her.
An upset Lottie then brought out the fact that they were involved in brutal killings in the past, leading Natalie to pull a knife.
Lisa was alarmed by Natalie's actions and pointed a gun at her.
To protect her friend, Misty tried to inject Lisa with a syringe filled with phenobarbital, but Natalie stepped in front of her and was the one Misty stabbed instead.
For those unaware, phenobarbital is a medicine used to treat epilepsy, anxiety, and insomnia. A higher dose of phenobarbital is deadly, which is why it killed Natalie (read more about who else dies in Yellowjackets).
Did Misty Intentionally Kill Natalie?
Misty's actions that led to Natalie's death have led many to wonder if she intentionally killed her best friend. However, her devastating reaction to what she did suggests otherwise.
Speaking with Variety in May 2023, Christina Ricci (who plays adult Misty) confirmed that it was a "complete mistake" for Misty to kill Natalie, admitting that "she made an impulsive choice:"
Variety: "Do you feel like any part of Misty wanted to kill Natalie?"
Christina Ricci: "No. It was a complete mistake. She made an impulsive choice — another characteristically immature, impulsive, selfish choice where she was going to kill the person who was going to hurt her friend. Not wanting her friends taken away, it’s about keeping what she wants. It was a disastrous decision."
It is heartbreaking for Misty since she did not expect to stab Natalie, considering she was aiming for Lisa. Still, her actions in the Season 2 finale are expected to haunt her in the brand-new season.
While the other girls did not build a strong relationship with Misty in the present timeline, Natalie managed to have enough time with her to showcase her genuine friendship with Misty despite their apparent differences.
Interestingly, Natalie's death was foreshadowed as early as Season 1 when she saw a hallucination of Misty standing alone and bathed in neon light.
This exact shot of Misty was then seen in the Season 2 finale after Natalie's body was taken in by the ambulance to the morgue.
Yellowjackets director Karyn Kusama, via The Hollywood Reporter in May 2023, addressed the Misty connection in the pilot and the Season 2 finale, pointing out that Misty was "always going to be kind of an angel of death" for Natalie:
"Something I know the showrunners had always thought about, and that Ashley and Bart had always thought about from the pilot, was that mysterious moment when Natalie hallucinates Misty at the kegger in the woods. That was always this time-defying flash-forward to the notion that Misty was always going to be kind of an angel of death for Natalie.”
The fates of both Natalie and Misty have been intertwined from the start, but it is such a tragic ending for the pair, especially after the bond they formed throughout the first two seasons.
Yellowjackets Season 3's first two episodes are available on Paramount+ with Showtime (see the entire Season 3 release schedule here).
