Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Yellowjackets season 3, episode 3, “Them’s the Brakes.”Yellowjackets season 3 puts Natalie Scatorccio (Sophie Thatcher) and Coach Ben Scott (Steven Krueger) in a difficult position. In season 1, Natalie and Coach Ben bond in the wilderness after the plane crash. They bond over feeling like outsiders and Coach Ben even opens up to Natalie about being gay and having a boyfriend. Their friendship is challenged in Yellowjackets season 2’s ending as Coach Ben leaves the group, Natalie is crowned as the new leader, and the cabin burns down.

Most of the teenage survivors hold Coach Ben responsible for lighting the cabin on fire and assume he died, at least until Mari (Alexa Barajas) tells them otherwise. Yellowjackets season 3, episode 3’s ending sees Natalie cornering Coach Ben and pointing a gun at him. Coach Ben is a Yellowjackets character likely to die, especially now, but before that potentially happens, there are still questions about how much Natalie knew about his ongoing survival.

How Natalie Knew That Coach Ben Was Still Alive After Yellowjackets’ Season 2 Finale

She Had Enough Information From Javi And Coach Ben

Yellowjackets makes it clear that Natalie knew about Coach Ben’s survival before Mari told the group about his location. When Natalie and Misty Quigley (Samantha Hanratty) go searching for Mari, Natalie intentionally tries to steer Misty away from where Coach Ben set his traps. This probably was not the first time Natalie had encountered one of his traps in the wilderness, and she had done her best to keep Misty and the other girls away from these signs indicating that Coach Ben is still alive.

Natalie also could have known where Coach Ben was by piecing together the information she had from him and Javi Martinez (Luciano Leroux). Before Javi died, he told Natalie they were about to reach a hidden place where she would be safe. The last time Natalie saw Coach Ben, he started telling her that he had figured out where Javi had been hiding and that he and Natalie could survive there. Natalie is smart and could have used this information to figure out where Coach Ben had been all this time.

Why Natalie Kept Coach Ben’s Survival A Secret From The Other Yellowjackets

She Was Trying To Save Him

The last time Natalie saw Coach Ben in Yellowjackets season 2, she told him that “You’re a good person, Coach. You really don’t belong in this place.” Despite knowing where Coach Ben was, Natalie did not share with the other girls because she still believes he is a good person who just wanted to escape the chaos. She encouraged him to leave the group and, unlike the rest of the girls, she does not think he was responsible for burning down the cabin.

The easiest thing to do was to let the girls believe that Coach Ben is dead. Doing this allowed Coach Ben to survive and ensured that he was not found, at least until Mari fell into the pit with Yellowjackets‘ mysterious KUH supplies. Natalie gets to keep her position as the group’s leader and Coach Ben gets to live, which is a win-win situation for both of them. Unfortunately, this status quo is now forever shattered that the girls not only know he is alive, but now have him at their mercy.

Why Natalie Threatens Coach Ben In The Cave In Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 3’s Ending

She Must Maintain Appearances To Keep Her Power And Protect Herself

Natalie points a gun at Coach Ben and threatens him in order to protect herself from the wrath of her peers. If the other girls realize that Natalie knew where he was all this time and concealed this from the group, they may turn on her. Natalie could lose her status as the group’s leader, which would not only mean a loss of power, but could lead to severe punishment, including exile or death. Acting threateningly in front of the other girls makes it more convincing that she is on their side and is not sympathetic to Coach Ben.

In addition to protecting herself, Natalie still wants to protect Coach Ben. Acting harshly toward him from the beginning can make it easier later on if she is able to pass a merciful sentence. Natalie and Coach Ben are in a precarious situation, and while Natalie is guaranteed to survive due to Yellowjackets’ timeline, both of them are on the verge of losing what little they have left in the wilderness. Nevertheless, Natalie has not given up yet, and she will continue to put on a good show to protect herself and Coach Ben as Yellowjackets season 3 continues.

TV Show

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Yellowjackets

7/10

Release Date

November 14, 2021

Network

Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime

Showrunner

Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Jonathan Lisco

Directors

Benjamin Semanoff, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Deepa Mehta, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Liz Garbus, Scott Winant, Eva Sørhaug, Jamie Travis

Writers

Liz Phang, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa