Since the very first episode of Yellowjackets season one, one question has been on the mind of viewers. Who is the infamous Antler Queen? The Antler Queen, a mysterious figure we see presiding over ritualistic cannibalism deep in the wilderness, has become something of a phantom on Yellowjackets. And with every new episode revealed, fans continued to wonder if the darkness would ever offer us an answer. But with season two at an end, do we truly know who the Yellowjackets‘ Antler Queen is? Well, not exactly. But we do have some educated guesses. Let’s take a look at where things stand.
Is Lottie the Antler Queen on Yellowjackets?
Going into season two and throughout the season, Lottie seemed the odds-on favorite to be the face below the antlers. After all, in the present timeline, she disappeared for years while the other women kept in loose touch. And when she reappeared, she was running a cult of sorts. We even saw antlers seemingly sprout out of her shadow at one point. And Lottie was personally visited by visions of the Antler Queen during Yellowjackets season two.
In the past timeline, Lottie continued to channel the wilderness early in the season. She became a spiritual leader for the community of survivors, and the other girls showed her deference and heeded her words. They even believed she had supernatural powers over the forest. But being a spiritual leader doesn’t necessarily make you royal. Separation of Church and State can be a good thing, we suppose. In the Yellowjackets season two finale Lottie appears to remove her crown and bend the knee to a new sovereign. She notes that the wilderness no longer needs her as a conduit since all the girls have learned to listen to its whispers. Instead, she proclaims that, having protected Natalie from death, It has chosen a new leader.
Still, Lottie’s initial spell might yet hold some sway over the team. Lottie and Natalie will likely be two very different kinds of leaders. And it’s possible some faithful will want to revert to the old ways. We wouldn’t count Lottie out as Antler Queen just yet.
Could Natalie Be the Antler Queen?
At the end of Yellowjackets season two, all of the survivors curtsy to Natalie as though she is a queen, and so, right now, Natalie does look like she’s heading for Antler-hood. However, Lottie looked like that, too, at the end of Yellowjackets season one. The wilderness, unfortunately, is fickle. And the title of the Yellowjackets season two finale, “Storytelling,” reminds us that a tale is constantly being woven. At any time, a new author could jump in and shift everyone’s perspective on matters. It’s entirely possible Natalie becomes the Antler Queen, but whether she can stay the Queen for long on Yellowjackets is a different matter entirely.
Could Shauna Become Royalty?
A new writer could change the story altogether. And who do we see writing all the time? Why it’s Shauna. At the end of Yellowjackets season two, we see Shauna furiously journaling that she thinks the wilderness should have chosen her as the group’s leader. And sometimes, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Queen Natalie appears to have one naysayer already. With hunger gnawing at their critical thinking skills, the survivors are all very suggestible. Shauna could still become the Antler Queen if she plays her cards right.
Is Yellowjackets‘ Antler Queen Determined by a Card Pull?
Speaking of cards, there’s only one Queen in the deck right now: the Queen of Hearts. Pulling the Queen means death is on the horizon for you. But perhaps the Yellowjackets will find another Queen card in the woods. The team was already using cards to determine chore tasks before violence set in on them. It’s possible they could also use the cards to determine roles in their soon-to-form ritual of the hunt. Perhaps the Antler Queen isn’t one figure at all but an ever-changing position that each team member wears on rotation. Having the Antler Queen become a role and not a person would definitely add to the mythos of the figure, a deity greater than any one of its parts.
Ultimately at the end of Yellowjackets season two, we don’t know who exactly the Antler Queen is. But, more than ever, the series wants to keep us hungrily wondering who will wear the crown.