Welcome to this week’s installment of Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week, wherein we shine a spotlight on strong women and nonbinary folks who inspire us. These characters are prime examples of empowerment and how crucial it is for youth to have said example to follow.
DISCLAIMER: The following contains major spoilers for Yellowjackets, particularly Natalie Scatorccio’s arc.
Natalie Scatorccio
Fast Facts:
1996
Natalie Scatorccio (played by Juliette Lewis in the 2021 timeline and Sophie Thatcher in the 1996 timeline) was plagued by trauma stemming from her early childhood. She resided in New Jersey in a trailer with her parents. Her father abused her and her mother. One day, her mom tried to protect her from her dad’s rage. As he beat Natalie’s mom, she pointed a gun at him. He snatched it from her, taunting her about her “cowardice.” Suddenly, he inadvertently shot himself while standing outside.
Since that fateful day, visions of her father’s half-blown-off face haunted Natalie’s nightmares. She ostensibly blamed herself for his death and took his untrue declarations of her worthlessness to heart. Natalie joined the Wiskayok High School Yellowjackets, the varsity soccer team, for a trip to Nationals. They flew on a private plane owned by fellow teammate Lottie Matthews’ (Courtney Eaton) father. Unfortunately, said plane crashed in the Canadian wilderness, with the head coach, pilot, crew and a few players dying on impact.
Hunting and Relationships
Natalie and the other survivors found an abandoned cabin. The only surviving coach, Ben Scott (Steven Krueger), assumed leadership despite losing a leg in the crash. Natalie befriended Coach Ben and Javi Martinez (Luciano Leroux), the head coach’s younger son, during the early days of their stay in the cabin. She also formed a romantic bond with Travis Martinez (Kevin Alves), the oldest son of the head coach. With Ben’s permission, Natalie and Travis became the bona fide hunters for the group after demonstrating their adept command of the cabin’s only rifle.
Her relationship with Travis was fraught with intense emotions. Javi disappeared toward the end of Season 1. Natalie vowed to help Travis find Javi. However, two months after the young boy’s disappearance and deep into a harsh winter, Nat turned to desperate measures. She pretended to find Javi’s bloodstained pants to dissuade Travis from continuing to search for his brother. Surprisingly, Taissa Turner (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Van Palmer (Liv Hewson) found Javi roaming outside in the snow. Naturally, Javi’s return drove a wedge between Travis and Natalie.
Later in Season 2, after Shauna Shipman (Sophie Nélisse) beat up Lottie, the cabin resorted to hunting each other for food. At this point, Lottie was a religious figure of sorts, much to Natalie’s annoyance. She didn’t buy into the fact that “The Wilderness” was an entity. The group drew cards, and whoever selected the Queen of Hearts with the eyes scratched out would become the prey. Unfortunately, Nat was the unlucky winner.
Javi tried to protect Nat at Travis’s behest. However, he fell through the ice on the lake. Misty Quigley (Samantha Hanratty) urged Nat to let Javi drown so The Wilderness would have its sacrifice. His death would haunt Nat for the rest of her life. In the Season 2 finale, Lottie crowned Natalie her successor, claiming the latter’s hunting skills and survival of the deadly card game made her a worthy ruler.
RELATED: Become one with The Wilderness by reading our Yellowjackets recaps!
2021
After getting rescued from the crash, Nat endured a rough adulthood. She had multiple stints in rehab for her struggles with addiction. She and Travis (Andres Soto) engaged in a toxic relationship throughout the years following the crash. Nat was dragged back into The Wilderness madness when Misty (Christina Ricci) arrived on her doorstep to ask her if she had received a mysterious postcard with the strange Wilderness symbol. Nat and Misty embarked on a road trip to visit Travis. Unfortunately, they found his body hanging from the ceiling of a barn. Nat vowed to solve his murder, insisting he wouldn’t take his own life.
Nat reunited with Shauna (Melanie Lynskey), Taissa (Tawny Cypress) and later Lottie (Simone Kessell) and Van (Lauren Ambrose). In Season 1, the Yellowjackets learned about someone blackmailing them. This enigmatic someone threatened to expose their traumatic survival story to the world. The group discovered that Jeff Sadecki (Warren Kole) was behind said blackmail. In the Season 1 finale, Nat tried to commit suicide.
In Season 2, Nat was kidnapped by Lottie’s followers before she could pull the trigger. She stayed at Lottie’s compound, determined to uncover the latter’s involvement in Travis’s death. Eventually, she discovered that whatever Wilderness entity they interacted with from the ’90s followed them to the present. While at the compound, Nat bonded with Lisa (Nicole Maines), an ardent follower of Lottie’s spiritual teachings.
RELATED: 12 Buzzing Questions We Need Answered in Yellowjackets Season 3
A Reunion and a Sacrifice
The six survivors reunited at Lottie’s compound to understand why The Wilderness haunted them. Shauna suggested they solve their problem the way they used to during their time in The Wilderness: by drawing cards and hunting each other. Shauna selected the Queen of Hearts card. However, Nat and Misty wanted to trick Lottie into “hunting” Shauna so they could institutionalize her for her safety and theirs.
Unfortunately, Taissa and Van veered from their plan. After Shauna’s daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) shot Lottie in the arm, Lisa appeared with her weapon trained on the group. Nat tried to calm Lisa down while Misty lunged toward the latter with a needle full of a deadly substance. Natalie jumped in front of Lisa to save her, taking the lethal injection instead. Nat died in Misty’s arms.
The Real Deal:
While her trauma certainly colored her perception of reality when stranded in the Canadian wilderness, Natalie has a better grasp on reality in 2021 than the others. She’s well aware of her trauma and grief and knows she self-medicates to drown her pain. She also tries to commit suicide. At one point, Nat goes into recovery and stays in that space until her untimely death. She’s even willing to talk about what happened to the Yellowjackets during their 19 months in survival mode. That awareness and groundedness, especially from one who’s suffered so much, is admirable.
RELATED: How Yellowjackets Depicts Trauma Responses Through Its Main Characters
She soldiers on despite her remorse over Javi’s, her father’s and Travis’s deaths. Her other incredible qualities include immense loyalty, intelligence, rapid-fire wit and empathy. Natalie has a big beating heart underneath her cool punk girl exterior. Her strength and strong moral compass make her a downright inspiration. I’d argue that she’s the most morally sound of the Yellowjackets.
Even though I have issues with her Season 2 storyline, Natalie’s sacrifice showcases how loving and selfless she truly is. She cares deeply for Lisa and fights tooth and nail to ensure her safety. Natalie is a hero.
Why She Matters:
Nat is proof positive that you don’t have to let adversity alter your DNA or change who you are at your core. Of course, trauma and grief change you on some level, but Natalie doesn’t allow it to tarnish her inherent goodness. She tries so hard to work through her issues even when her friends insist on suppressing their trauma. Our girl is messy and imperfect. She’s beautifully human — resilience and fortitude personified. Nat is the true definition of the word “badass.”
RELATED: 10 Melanie Lynskey Roles to Watch if You Love Her on Yellowjackets
So, be like Natalie Scatorccio. Be brave. When the chips are down, rely on your instincts and know-how to save the day. Fight like hell to survive. Acknowledge your pain and work through it as best as you can so you can heal. Oh, and getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop dressing like the cool chick. Being cool is a way of life.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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