One of the things that makes any narrative successful is its use of character traits to make each personality relatable and interesting to watch on screen. Yellowjackets takes the story of a championship-bound high-school girls soccer team and turns it into a nightmare story about a plane crash, cult-like ceremonies, and even cannibalism.
In order to understand how each of the characters survives the story, and how they are coping after the fact, it’s important to understand their motivations and behaviors outside of the crash as well as during their time in the forest. The Enneagram is a personality tool created to understand those aspects of a person’s personality. By understanding which of the characters fit in which number, viewers may learn how to connect and relate to them.
1 – The Reformer: Laura Lee
One of the defining characteristics of a Type 1 Enneagram is that they are principled. They are extremely ethical and have a strong sense of what is right and wrong. Laura Lee, from the very first episode, shows viewers that she is first and foremost dedicated to her faith. She considers ethics in everything she does.
She refuses to partake in the séance probably due to her basic fear of being corrupt or evil. Type 1s tend to have high standards for themselves and always try to be noble. Laura Lee beats herself up for calling her piano teacher a bad word in her head, which she believes is what caused the plane crash. She takes the blame because of how overly critical she is of herself. Eventually, Laura Lee offers to bravely fly the abandoned plane and find help, fulfilling her basic desire to do good.
2 – The Helper: Misty
Type 2s tend to be extremely generous and people-pleasing, but at their most unhealthy, they can be extremely possessive. Misty tries so hard to be helpful as the manager of the team. But Misty has a deep-rooted fear of being unwanted, as is the case with Type 2s. This fear drives her to do some drastic things, like destroying the black box when the plane crashes, cutting off Ben’s leg after it gets stuck under the wing of a plane, attempting to give him mushrooms so he’ll cling to her, just to name a few.
She is constantly sabotaging the people around her in order to prolong the amount of time that they would need her. Her unhealthy behavior comes from her desire to be loved and for people to need her. She is well-meaning, but it goes too far and ends up driving people away rather than bringing them closer to her.
3 – The Achiever: Taissa
Taissa proves that she is the most driven player on the team by the way she runs the field. After the plane crashes, she takes charge and makes decisions like trying to go out on her own to find help. When the show takes viewers into the present day, they learn that Taissa is a politician excelling in her craft. Type 3s are overachievers, they are self-assured, charming, and highly driven – all characteristics Taissa possesses.
Her status as a politician makes her extremely image-conscious, which drives her to hire an investigator to make sure that none of the other survivors share with the public what happened in those woods. One of the problems that Type 3s face is their workaholism, something that Taissa struggles with and that eventually begins to her hurt her marriage.
4 – The Individualist: Lottie
Type 4s tend to be sensitive and introspective. They are usually the more reserved of the group and often will keep themselves from others or from the situation if they are feeling vulnerable. A lot of Lottie’s behavior is consistent with a Type 4. She is quiet and reserved, especially at the beginning of the season when she is still being medicated for schizophrenia. She has a desire to withhold herself from her peers also because of her fear of being defective.
As her character evolves, and her meds run out post-crash, she becomes reclusive and moody and continues to even more so withdraw herself from the group. Eventually, she starts to realize her visions may be real, and she develops a desire to find herself and to take care of her emotions. She enlists the help of Laura Lee to understand her visions and do something with them. She has become a fan favorite and one of the best characters in the show.
5 – The Investigator: Shauna
One of the reasons Shauna is a good match for Type 5 Enneagram is the fact that she is the only team member who keeps a diary during their time in the forest. Type 5s tend to be extremely perceptive and innovative, they concentrate on their knowledge and are drawn to the idea of understanding their environment. Shauna utilizes her journal to keep track of everything that is going on, to fully understand their situation, and to be the one to possess all of the information that is happening.
Pre-crash, viewers are shown that she is a straight-A student and got into Brown University. This is evidence of her intellect. Her uncanny ability to survive in the wilderness post-crash proves that she is great at developing complex skills and knowing what is going on around her and how to do things.
6 – The Loyalist: Ben
As the only surviving coach, Ben stays loyal to his team throughout the events that ensue and is sure to remain responsible and engaging with the girls as they navigate this tragedy together. Although he is forced to do this all without one of his legs, he maintains his trustworthiness and hard work ethic. Viewers learn that he is a closeted gay man and that he has insecurities wrapped around this fact about himself.
This causes a lot of self-doubt and fear because of living in a world he believes may not support him. He is constantly fighting against this insecurity. Ben’s most defining 6 characteristic is his responsibility and reliability for the girls, which is shown through his instruction and dedication to helping them survive, like when he teaches them to shoot the rifle.
7 – The Enthusiast: Jackie
Jackie is the captain of the team, and as captain, she has a very optimistic and high-spirited personality. Type 7s are usually playful and practical and try to stay as upbeat as possible to avoid feeling pain. Like everyone, Jackie struggles after the crash, but even more so because she can’t seem to find a way to utilize her talents. She misapplies them, which makes it look like she isn’t helping out at all.
When Shauna tries to help her come up with ways to support the group, Jackie decides to host a séance and then later has the idea of putting on a homecoming dance. She’s always trying to find ways to remain joyous and satisfied, all driven by the desire she has to feel content.
8 – The Challenger: Natalie
Natalie’s overbearing and abusive father made it so that she developed a basic desire to protect herself out of a fear of being controlled by others. She withdrew from societal norms as a child and through to her adulthood, often becoming confrontational and abrasive when feeling threatened or vulnerable. Post-crash, she is put in charge of hunting food because of her self-confidence behind the rifle.
Viewers learn even more about her personality in the present day, 25 years after the crash. She is enraged and saddened by her friend Travis’ passing, and in order to try to stay in control of the situation, she becomes intimidating toward anyone who gets in her way. Natalie’s temper problem makes her difficult to be around, but it also helps drive her motivation to find answers.
9 – The Peacemaker: Van
Van has become a huge fan-favorite character from this series, mostly because she is so level-headed, has a kind personality, and her relationship with Taissa is intoxicating to watch on screen. Van is a great example of Type 9 because of her stability and her very easy-going personality. When Taissa suggests they go looking for help, Van stands by her side because of her fear of being separated from her.
She is driven by her desire to keep the peace and avoid conflict. Her love of stability also becomes apparent when she talks about wanting to take Taissa to New York and eat a soft pretzel and ride a horse. Fans are excited to see how Van’s character will develop in season 2.
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