Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 2, Episode 4.
The very first episode of Yellowjackets plants the horrific seed of a ceremonial cannibal feast in the viewers' minds. Since then, we’ve been following the plane crash survivors' slow descent into madness while questioning what’s real and what’s fictional when it comes to the supposed supernatural elements of the series. Yellowjackets showrunners know how the series' central question is a big motivator to keep our eyes glued on the scream, so they constantly craft ambiguous scenes that feed our wildest theories. So far, nothing is random in Yellowjackets, which forces us to question every reference the showrunners add to the show. That includes that suspicious book Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) is reading in Season 2, Episode 4, a novel called The Magus by John Fowles. Yellowjackets could have put any book in Coach Ben’s hands, but they chose one that’ll give fans plenty to discuss.
What Is 'The Magus' Book About?
First published in 1965, The Magus follows the story of young English graduate Nicholas Urfe, who takes a position as a teacher on a remote Greek island. Nicholas believes the opportunity to teach abroad will expand his horizons, but soon after he gets to the island of Phraxos, he’s faced with an unusual loneliness. There, cut off from civilization, Nicholas has to reflect on his life choices, becoming extremely depressive and even contemplating suicide. It’s then that Nicholas crosses paths with Maurice Conchis, a wealthy recluse that entangles the naive teacher in a web of lies.
Since the moment he first greets Nicholas, Conchis seems determined to distort the truth and confuse the young man. Conchis tells Nicholas about his supposed life and even suggests he has some previous involvement with Nazis. And just like that, Nicholas finds himself in the middle of strange rituals and bizarre historical and literary enactments, constantly wondering what’s true or not in Conchis’ stories. Nicholas is forced to the brink of sanity by his frequent encounters with Conchis until he begins to question the intentions of every other person on the island.
Nicholas's disturbing experience comes to an end after he’s kidnapped by a group of masked men who reveal he’s part of a sociological experiment. Conchis, and every other person on the island, have been working together to see how far they can push a person until they cannot control their anger. Even the school Nicholas teaches is part of the experiment, and he has been toyed with since before stepping foot in Greece. So, in short, The Magus is about the thin veil between what’s real and what’s a fabrication and how people can deceive and manipulate each other to the point they no longer recognize reality. Sounds a lot like a TV show we love, right?
'The Magus' Echoes 'Yellowjackets' Mysteries
It’s no wonder Coach Ben seems annoyed while reading The Magus in Yellowjackets, as the book shares some similarities with his dire situation. Coach Ben has little to do with Nicholas, as the young graduate of the novel is a selfish prick. However, Nicholas breaks up a passionate relationship to go to Greece, not unlike how Ben jumps on a plane to the wilderness after his relationship with Paul (François Arnaud) is over. And what do both Nicholas and Ben find when they reach their destination? Confusion, chaos, and self-doubt.
The fact The Magus novel explores how the human mind can be forced to perceive falsehood as reality is also profoundly connected to Yellowjackets. The survivors of the plane crash are constantly arguing about Lottie’s (Courtney Eaton) visions, the existence of a dark force lurking between the trees, and if the mysterious symbol carved all around the cabin in the woods has some sort of hidden power. These are the same questions we also have as spectators, so we share the plane crash survivors’ distress when it comes to questioning everything we see.
On that note, Coach Ben is in a difficult position. As the only surviving adult, Ben feels he’s somewhat responsible for being the voice of reason. Furthermore, Ben was the only person to resist the urge to consume human flesh when another bizarre accident turned Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) body into an irresistible meal. That’s why Ben feels more isolated by each episode, as he tries to keep his lucidity in a situation that constantly challenges his ability to perceive what is real or not.
Just like Nicholas in The Magus, Ben is cut out from civilization, unable to interact with other human beings, and wondering what’s the purpose of keep pushing forward when you can’t trust anyone. And in Ben’s case, the people who share his makeshift home might be willing to do more than feed him false stories and force him to participate in weird performances. The teenage survivors might decide to kill and eat Coach Ben if he doesn’t play his cards just right.
While it’s hard to argue The Magus has some impressive thematic similarities with the Yellowjackets storyline, the novel’s ending also leaves us wondering if the showrunners are trying to send some sort of secret message. By the end of The Magus, Nicholas and the reader discover that none of the bizarre events they’ve witnessed are real, and everything was crafted as part of a strange experiment. That might relate to the fake flashbacks Coach Ben has been experiencing this season, which could be some sort of escapist fantasy or point out to not-so-supernatural forces manipulating the survivors.
Yellowjackets is no stranger to red herrings and might be playing with fans' expectations when it comes to suggesting the unusual events of the show might be part of an experiment conducted by an unknown third party. Still, that’s the second time this season Yellowjackets nods at this bizarre possibility. As such, we should keep our eyes peeled for other clues, as the events in the woods might have nothing to do with evil spirits or misguided teenagers.
New episodes of Yellowjackets Season 2 premiere every Friday on the Showtime streaming app and every Sunday on-air.