By: Avauxi

So I love all this fun and games. And the ‘theorising as a viewer coping mechanism’ that mirrors the mythological coping of the Yellowjackets is really really powerful conceptually. I will happily discuss this to death and make an argument for it being literally everyone. (Javi’s inevitable growth spurt could easily make him Antler Queen)

But. But but but

I think the no-one theory is most likely. Or at least not knowably anyone. In that i suspect they’re a symbol of the darkness, a hallucination, a coping strategy, that will be impossible to judge if they are a trauma artefact or an ancient supernatural force.

In particular, I’m increasingly if the mindset that the feast is symbolic, non-literal, and maybe even a false memory. I don’t know if this would be too disappointing for people, after so much expectation. But ever since the Dionysian Wall-climbing, I think we’re seeing a lot more of people’s impossible perspectives on these memories. Every awful thing distorted through an unreal dreamwork of trauma and justifying fantasy.

I’m okay with this.

The antler queen feels like the excuse you make up. The bigger kids that made you do it. The lie that makes the taboo acceptable. The embodiment of the starvation that will only lead to irrational coping.

Tbh, I’m less interested in who antler queen is that what on earth ends up happening in spring. They must choose to stay. I can’t imagine them willingly facing another winter. But then. Maybe that’s what the antler queen is for. Keeping them there, hopeless and suffering.

I love this show.