Ben Scott started as the only adult in the room. Then, he became the only person with a conscience left in the wilderness. When you look at what happened to coach ben in yellowjackets, it’s a slow-motion car crash of moral isolation. He didn't just lose a leg; he lost his grip on a team that turned into a cult.
Honestly, it’s heartbreaking.
He’s stuck. While the girls are out there howling at the moon and eating their teammates, Ben is retreating into a headspace filled with "what ifs" about his boyfriend, Paul. It's a survival tactic, sure. But in the 1996 timeline, it's also a death sentence for his relationship with the group. By the end of Season 2, Ben isn't just an outsider. He's an antagonist.
The Amputation That Changed Everything
The crash happened. Misty Quigley happened. Within the first hour of the series, Ben’s leg is mangled, and Misty—with a look of terrifying competence—chops it off. That moment defined what happened to coach ben in yellowjackets for the rest of his life. He went from the authority figure, the guy who was supposed to lead the Yellowjackets to a championship, to a man who couldn't even go to the bathroom without help.
It’s humiliating.
For most of the first season, Ben is just trying to survive the girls. He has to lie to Misty, pretending he has feelings for her just so she won't "nurse" him to death. It’s a dark, manipulative game of cat and mouse where the cat is a teenage girl with a kit of poisonous mushrooms and the mouse is a grown man with one leg and a whistle he can't use.
Survival vs. Sanity
As the hunger sets in, the dynamic shifts. Ben watches as the girls descend into ritualistic violence. He’s the last holdout. When they eat Jackie, he’s the only one who refuses to participate. He’s disgusted. He’s horrified. But more than that, he’s scared. He realizes that if he doesn’t eat, he dies. If he does eat, he loses his soul.
He chooses a middle path that is arguably more lonely. He starves.
📖 Related: Chris Robinson and The Bold and the Beautiful: What Really Happened to Jack Hamilton
The Discovery of the Underground Cave
By the time Season 2 rolls around, Ben is a ghost. He spends most of his time in a hazy, malnourished dream state, hallucinating a life in New York where he never got on that plane. It’s some of the most beautiful and devastating television in recent memory. He sees the life he could have had—a life out of the closet, happy, and safe.
Then he finds the tree.
While Natalie is out hunting (and failing to find Javi), Ben stumbles upon a hollowed-out tree that stays warm because of the underground thermal vents. It’s a sanctuary. It’s also a hiding spot. This is a massive turning point in what happened to coach ben in yellowjackets because it gives him a way out—literally and metaphorically. He doesn't have to live in that cabin with the "Antler Queen" anymore.
But he doesn't tell the girls.
He tries to get Natalie to come with him. He tells her she’s not like the others. She refuses, saying she’s just as bad as they are. That rejection is the final snap. Ben realizes that the girls he was supposed to protect are gone. They’ve been replaced by something primal.
Did Coach Ben Set the Cabin on Fire?
This is the big one. The Season 2 finale ends with the cabin in flames. The girls are sleeping, and suddenly, they’re choking on smoke. They barely make it out. Who did it?
The show heavily implies it was Ben.
👉 See also: Chase From Paw Patrol: Why This German Shepherd Is Actually a Big Deal
Before the fire, we see him outside the cabin with matches and a look of grim determination. He’s seen what they did to Javi. He’s seen them hunt a human being like an animal. In Ben’s mind, he isn't a murderer; he’s an exterminator. He’s trying to put down a group of monsters before they can do any more damage.
It’s a controversial move. Some fans think he’s the hero for trying to stop the madness. Others see it as the ultimate betrayal of his duty as a coach. Regardless of where you stand, it changes the stakes for the upcoming Season 3. He isn't just hiding anymore. He's at war.
The Problem With Being "Good"
There’s a lot of debate about Ben’s morality. Is he "better" than the girls because he didn't eat Javi? Or is he worse because he tried to burn a group of teenagers alive while they slept?
- The Case for Ben: He is a victim of a cult. He tried to maintain his humanity in an impossible situation. The fire was an act of desperation to stop the ritualistic killings.
- The Case Against Ben: He abandoned his responsibility. He stole matches and tools that the group needed for survival. He attempted mass murder.
The nuance here is what makes Yellowjackets great. There are no "good guys." There’s just survival and the various ways people justify their actions to themselves.
Why There Is No Adult Ben in the Present Day
One of the biggest mysteries surrounding what happened to coach ben in yellowjackets is his absence from the 2021 timeline. We see adult Natalie, Misty, Shauna, Taissa, Lottie, and Van. We don't see Ben.
This leads to two main theories:
- He’s Dead: The girls found him in the cave and took their revenge for the fire. Given how they handled Javi, it wouldn't be pretty.
- He’s in Hiding: Ben escaped, lived, and has spent the last 25 years in deep cover, terrified that the Yellowjackets would find him and finish what they started.
If he is alive, his return would be an absolute bombshell. Imagine the survivors' faces if Ben Scott walked into a reunion. He knows the truth. He saw the beginning of the darkness.
✨ Don't miss: Charlize Theron Sweet November: Why This Panned Rom-Com Became a Cult Favorite
What to Watch for in Season 3
The next chapter of the story is going to be brutal for Ben. He’s alone in the woods, in the dead of winter, with one leg and a group of very angry, very hungry girls looking for him.
He has the cave, but he doesn't have much else.
Keep an eye on the "Map." We know the girls eventually find more landmarks. If Ben is hiding in one of them, the hunt is going to be the central conflict of the next season. The "Antler Queen" isn't just a symbol anymore; she’s a leader with a target. And that target is Ben.
Next Steps for Fans
To truly grasp the gravity of Ben's isolation, re-watch the Season 2 finale, specifically the scenes where he observes the girls from a distance. Pay close attention to the framing—he is often shot through branches or from low angles, emphasizing his status as a voyeur to their descent. Additionally, look for the parallels between Ben's "dream world" and the reality of the cave; the show uses color grading to differentiate his hope from his reality. Understanding his psychological break is the only way to predict his next move in the wilderness.
Focus on these specific details to prepare for the upcoming season:
- Identify the items Ben took from the cabin before the fire.
- Track the location of the "marked tree" relative to the cabin site.
- Analyze the shift in Natalie's attitude toward Ben after Javi's death.