Yellowjakets is my most recent obsession and daemons are some of my oldest ones so I thought, why not combine them? Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to think about what each character's daemon and their relationship with them would be.
But before any of that, what is a daemon?
Daemons are a concept introduced by Philip Pullman in his stellar fantasy book series His Dark Materials, first published in 1995 with the release of Northern Lights (published as The Golden Compass in North America). The books follow the story of Lyra, a young girl raised in Oxford by scholars and her mysterious and distant uncle, and Pantalaimon, her daemon: a life-companion, almost the personification of her soul, its vehicle, represented in the form of a talking animal. It's hard to define what daemons are if you haven't read the books, so for the purpose of this post, I'll proceed to quote the books themselves to give the reader a better image of what they are:
“So many worlds, parallel to each other. Worlds like yours, where people’s souls live inside their bodies; and worlds like mine, where they walk beside us as animal spirits we call ‘daemons’."
“A human being with no daemon was like someone without a face, or with their ribs laid open and their heart torn out; something unnatural and uncanny that belonged to the world of nightghasts, not the waking world of sense.”
"Daemons could move no more than a few yards from their humans. It was such a strange tormenting feeling when your daemon was pulling at the link between you; part physical pain deep in the chest, part intense sadness and love."
“‘Where’s his fish?’ They stopped, puzzled, unsure what she meant; though some of their daemons knew, and looked at one another. One of the men began to grin uncertainly. ‘Don’t you dare laugh! I’ll tear your lungs out if you laugh at him! That’s all he had to cling onto, just an old dried fish, that’s all he had for a dæmon to love and be kind to! Who’s took it from him? Where’s it gone?’ Pantalaimon was a snarling snow leopard, just like Lord Asriel’s daemon, but she didn’t see that; all she saw was right and wrong.”
When a child is young, their daemon's form is undefined, changing from the shape of one animal to the next for convenience, fun, or for any other reason. One moment Pantalaimon took the shape of a moth, the next he was an arctic fox, then he was a fish or a bird or an ermine. But as a child grows, their daemon settles as one particular form that they shall have forever.
"But suppose your daemon settles in a shape you don't like? Well, then, you're discontented, en't you? There's plenty of folk as'd like to have a lion as a daemon and they end up with a poodle. And till they learn to be satisfied with what they are, they're going to be fretful about it. Waste of feeling, that is"
"'You can't get away from your daemon,' said Mrs. Coulter. 'You might try to escape him, but you never can. You see, your daemon is yourself. All the parts you don’t like, all the parts you wish you could be rid of, that’s your daemon, too. It’s the part of you that’s locked away, the one you can’t escape. You could try to run away from it, but you’d never make it. You’d always come back. You could never get away from yourself.'
There are a series of facts about daemons that are worth having in mind - a daemon is almost (almost) always the opposite gender of its human. Their names usually come from greek or latin. When a human dies, its daemon vanishes, leaving no body behind. It's apparent that a daemon and its human share physical sensations such as pain. And one of the greatest taboos there is in Lyra's world is touching another person's daemon.
“It was as if an alien hand had reached right inside where no hand had a right to be, and wrenched at something deep and precious.”
“She longed to touch that fur, to rub her cheeks against it, but of course she never did; for it was the grossest breach of etiquette imaginable to touch another person’s daemon.
Daemons might touch each other, of course, or fight; but the prohibition against human‑daemon contact went so deep that even in battle no warrior would touch an enemy’s daemon. It was utterly forbidden. Lyra couldn’t remember having to be told that: she just knew it, as instinctively as she felt that nausea was bad and comfort good.”
“Touching someone else's daemon was deeply offensive, even between lovers. It was something that could only be done in the greatest of intimacy and trust. And even then, it was almost too much.”
The relationship between human and daemon is deeply complicated, as it's the relationship between two halves of a person. Lyra and Pantalaimon are not two different people. Lyra-Pantalaimon is a single person. The relationship a person has with their daemon is representative of the relationship they have with themselves.
It is for all of these reasons that I feel inspired to imagine what the story of the Yellowjackets would look like if we think of its characters as having visible daemons. I truly love His Dark Materials and I love Yellowjackets too, so consider this a work of love and passion for both stories.
I will go ahead and list the main character and who I think their daemons would be. I'm not above going along with common fanon associations (i.e Lottie as a deer, Natalie as a raccoon, etc), not because I want to disregard more realistic cultural associations, but because I want to honor the in-universe mythology of Yellowjackets and the associations the story itself draws between characters and animals. Later, I will discuss how I think the presence of daemons would relate to the story, the relationships between characters and the story's symbolism.
That said, if anyone disagrees with my interpretations, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλκιβιάδης (Alkibiades), derived from ἀλκή (alke) meaning "strength, prowess" and βία (bia) meaning "force" with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a notable Greek statesman and general during the Peloponnesian War. He changed allegiance from Athens to Sparta and back again during the course of the war. He features in Shakespeare's tragedy Timon of Athens (1607). (source: Behind the Name)
I thought a wolverine would be fitting for Shauna: mustelids are commonly characterized by their resilience in daemonism circles, and wolverines specifically are known for their ruthlessness. Fierce and cruel, Alcibiades rules alongside Shauna with an iron fist. He settled shortly after she gave birth in the wilderness. Shauna went to sleep with a small stoat cuddled up to her cheek and woke up with a large, soft, warm wolverine surrounding her. During their time in the wilderness, Shauna and Alcibiades encouraged each other's worst impulses. He was quiet and never spoke to anyone but her, but had no qualms about brutalizing other people's daemons with his huge fangs and claws. He made her feel so safe out there, but they grew distant in adulthood. He spoke less and less, and only showed kindness to Callie's little cat daemon, but he had none left for Shauna herself, whom he mostly ignored; in turn, Shauna ignores him back. Jeff always assumed Shauna's estranged relationship with her daemon had to do with their PTSD, and never dared to comment on it.
Derived from Greek μύρον (myron) meaning "sweet oil, perfume". Myron was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek sculptor. Saints bearing this name include a 3rd-century bishop of Crete and a 4th-century martyr from Cyzicus who was killed by a mob. These saints are more widely revered in the Eastern Church, and the name has generally been more common among Eastern Christians. As an English name, it has been used since the 19th century. (Source: Behind the Name)
Forever unsettled, Jackie and Myron had the kind of relationship you would expect from any teenage girl and her daemon: warm, loving, fun and kind. Jackie and Myron loved each other deeply, and were each other's greatest confidants. They would stay up until late talking about anything and everything. Myron was exceptionally social and would strike up conversations not only with other people's daemons, but with their humans as well. His preferred form in public was rabbits, even though Jackie never really cared much for rabbits, but people found his form so beautiful that they simply couldn't help themselves. He loved cuddling with Alcibiades, though Alcibiades always had a cooler personality and seldom went looking for Myron himself. Jackie never paid that much mind.
Jackie always hoped Myron would settle as anything but a rabbit. Part of her feared that a lot, actually. She wanted him to be something beautiful and sweet, but also strong and determined. When it was just the two of them, he would shift all the time, from a bird to a lizard to a dog. In the end, he never settled as anything: he curled up to her chest in the form of a cat to give her warmth in her last moments and he vanished slowly, alongside his dearest Jackie.
Means "little boot" in Latin. This was a nickname for the 1st-century Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father's soldiers. (Source: Behind the Name)
I mean it when I say I'm not above sticking to canon here - mainly because I think an african gray parrot fits Misty quite well. They're exceedingly intelligent and good at mimicking people. Misty isn't exactly the best at "acting normal" as a teenager, but disguising her most unhinged ways becomes an intrinsic part of her adult self later on. African gray parrots also form intense bonds with people, something Misty does as well, even if these bonds can be somewhat one-sided. I believe Caligula was the last of the Yellowjackets daemons to settle; it definitely happened post-rescue, maybe even years after.
Misty and Caligula were each other's only company for a very long time. They were weird and lonely, and people often found both of them off-putting. It's known that Misty relishes accidentally touching other people's daemons, and Caligula has tried to nip at people's ears a couple of times. They stopped that after the third or fourth time it got them yelled at. They weren't always kind to each other - Misty has hit Caligula in her worst moments, like after Crystral's death, and Caligula has bit Misty more than once, but these acts of aggression are always followed by immense guilt and a cascade of apologies and cuddles accompanied by lots of tears, because as angry as they can get with each other, they love each other very much.
From the Roman name Caecilius. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of Sextus. (Source: Behind the Name)
Settled as a common nighthawk during their time in the wilderness, Cecil has a quiet, taciturn personality. He had never been very communicative with Taissa, but in the wilderness, he becomes almost mute. It scares Taissa a lot, because everyone else seems to have a mostly normal relationship with their daemons, even fucking Shauna, but her daemon doesn't even feel like a part of her. He freaks her out, a sentiment she only voices to Van. During her sleepwalking episodes, she sometimes dreams she is Cecil, and Cecil is her, as if they'd switched places and he were taking over her body. She doesn't want to believe her daemon is cursed, but as time goes on, it begins to feel more and more like that's the case.
As adults, Cecil seems to largely return to normalcy, never quite becoming the social butterfly, but at least talking to Taissa and her family. They never talk about their time in the wilderness, however, and Taissa is scared of asking him about their sleepwalking tendencies.
From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II. (Source: Behind the Name)
As if it weren't enough, Natalie had the luck of being born with a female daemon. Millicent, named by her italian grandmother's daemon who was looking for something more english-sounding, settled younger than anyone else on the team, at the ripe age of fifteen. I agree with the fanon association here: Millicent is a racoon through and through. She's an expert forager, too: while Natalie hunts for game, Millicent hunts for berries, roots, mushrooms and even footprints close to the ground. A trashy form for a trashy person, people often snickered, but Natalie and Millicent never gave much of a fuck. They were each other's only comfort for so, so long, that nothing could make them feel bad about the other. Late nights cuddling and crying as a kid marked them. In the wilderness, their early settling made them seem mature, though their form also made them seem untrustworthy. Proving themselves was hard, especially when everything they did for the group seemed to be dismissed, but they never stopped trying to do the right thing.
Millicent is a very kind daemon, and she's a bit more open to other people than Natalie - something Natalie is slightly embarrassed of, but she never really stops her from socializing with other daemons. She's particularly sweet to Javi's small unsettled daemon, who often takes the form of a raccoon out of admiration.
As adults, Millicent is as self-destructive as Natalie, having given up on stopping her from relapsing over and over again. Their relationship deteriorates with time, but in their worst moments, they still hold each other and cry together.
Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow. (Source: Behind the Name)
When medicated, Lottie and Theophanes have a wonderful relationship: he is chatty, outspoken, funny and sociable, often running around as a cat or dog with the other team daemons. In the wilderness, however, his personality becomes a back and forth between radio silence and mania, often running away and forcing Lottie to chase him around the forest. A daemon being physically far from its human is very painful. He likes to take the form of a bird and whisper in Lottie's ear, and then fly away. With time and practice, they become able to be apart for longer periods of time, and he's able to fly further and further away. It's freakish to see Lottie without her daemon for days, but the Yellowjackets eventually grow used to it. Eventually, Theophanes seems to settle as a beautiful white-tailed deer, and he stays that way for many years, but in adulthood, when the delusions come back, he begins to change again. Maybe he never settled at all.
From Greek μέρος (meros) meaning "share, part" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including the seventh of the Pleiades and the foster mother of Oedipus. (Source: Behind the Name)
Another case of a female human with a female daemon. Van and Merope have a pretty good relationship, much like with Natalie and Millicent, providing comfort for each other, considering their less-than-perfect situation at home. She and Cecil are very sweet together, and you can often see them cuddling or playing together when they think no one is paying attention. For the longest part, the only way Van and Taissa could share any affection for each other was via their daemons rubbing noses or cheeks together. Now, Van and Merope are a rare case of human and daemon being perfectly aligned with each other: they have no regrets and no shame about what they need to do to survive; they're just happy to be alive. They probably have the healthiest relationship out of all the girls and their daemons.
Merope settles as a wildcat at some point shortly after the first hunt. Something scrappy that refuses to give up even after their diagnosis. If they have months left together, well, they better make them count.
As the girls violate the taboo of cannibalism, they cross other lines as well. It begins with their closeness when they sleep together. There isn't much space, so occasionally brushing against each other's daemons by accident becomes a common occurrence. Uncomfortable as it is, they quickly accept that they have more pressing problems. Then, one day, one of them is having a panic attack and Lottie calms her down by gently stroking the fur of her daemon. It works, for a moment, then everyone freaks out because Lottie, what the fuck. Soon, they're willingly bringing their daemons to Lottie for her to bless and heal. Taissa hates the idea when Van brings it up, but eventually, she places Cecil in Lottie's waiting hands and feels her entire body shudder as she whispers soft, comforting words to the other girl's daemon. The worst part is that it works. It makes the sleepwalking go away.
Misty is the one most enthusiastic about the whole ordeal. She loves feeling Lottie's hands on Caligula's feathers. Yes, everyone knows it's weird, but if it's comforting for Misty, Lottie will do it. Now, Natalie thinks everyone has gone clinically insane. No one is touching Millicent, no thank you. She fights with Lottie a lot about it, actually, because she can't go around touching other people's daemons. However, she doesn't say a word when Shauna's Alcibiabes digs his fangs deep into Lottie's Theophanes and shakes him around by the neck in front of everyone else, in the middle of the cabin, while they all watch in silent horror. No, because then Misty has to treat the poor moribund daemon with her own hands, wrapping bandages around its bloody deer flesh while Lottie whrites and whines besides them. The taboo goes out the window then - Van and Taissa wordlessly stroke each other's daemons during stressful nights, Caligula nips at Natalie's fingers when Misty is feeling lonely, and Natalie and Travis allow Lottie to bless their daemons for the hunt, pressing her bloody thumb on the fur between their eyes. Later on, Shauna will feel comfortable burying her hand in Melissa's golden retriever's fur, and she may even allow Taissa to help her brush Alcibiades' coarse fur. Travis' red wolf will push her nose into Natalie's hand, Theophanes will lick at the girls' wounds, and Alcibiades will sink his teeth into Mari's ankles as if he were a dog. To Ben, it's as barbaric as cannibalism. He fears they will come for his dog daemon next. He wakes up from nightmares in which Misty rakes her muddy fingers down her fur. It's one of the many reasons why he leaves.
A cannibal cult in the forest where people touch each other's daemons indiscriminately. A disgusting showcase of madness and degeneracy. Adapting to society again after all of that will not be easy.
Anyway, those are my thoughts for now. If you're interested to know what YOUR daemon would be, there's this cool little game that was circling around back when the HDM TV show came out, and this quiz which is generally regarded to be the best one to find your daemon. And if you're interested in reading the books, DM me, I might have a link or two ;)
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