The first two episodes of Yaga were released on AMC+ and Crave on Oct. 23, and I already have so many questions. If you’re anything like me, when you weren’t enamored with Hudson Williams’s performance, you may have been wondering what the strange symbol littered all over Yaga meant, and how it could be connected to the central mystery of the show.
Yaga follows the disappearance of Henry Park (played by Hudson Williams), the son of a wealthy family in the seafood processing business in a small, coastal town in Canada. Park’s parents, who are away on business, hire an investigator, Rapp (played by Noah Reid), who’s tasked with working alongside police detective Carson (played by Clark Backo) in finding him. The duo starts by visiting Henry’s house, where he lives with his roommate, Logan (also played by Hudson Williams).
We first see the symbol in question when Rapp and Carson enter Henry’s bedroom, searching for clues as to whether he’s actually missing. (Apparently, he’s known for taking spontaneous trips, even bringing his now-ex girlfriend Pam to Paris.) Rapp and Carson notice a Polaroid photo on the wall depicting a strange symbol, which seems to be a triangle with a swirl at the end of each point. Rapp clocks the symbol, but doesn’t say anything to Logan. (Interestingly, Rapp takes the Polaroid camera from the house soon after โ he later tells Carson, “Relax! I gave it to [Henry] in the first place.” Hmmm.)
That isn’t the only time the symbol is shown during the series. In the Yaga trailer from AMC+, Carson is seen asking someone about the symbol, which is drawn into a notebook. “It’s something from their little cult,” the person responds. “What cult?” Carson asks. In the same trailer, the symbol is also seen depicted on the ground in the woods.
So, what is the symbol in Yaga, and what does it mean? Turns out, it isn’t just attached to the show. The show’s symbol appears to be a triskelion โ essentially, a spiral symbol with three arms that connect together in the center. The meaning behind the triskelion differs, but in Celtic culture, many believed that things came in threes, which could be why it has three arms connecting to the main body of the symbol. It could also mean progress and moving forward, or could be symbolizing life, death, and rebirth. It may also have ties to the Triple Goddess, and symbolize feminine power.
Considering fans know so little, any of these meanings could be the true meaning behind the symbol in Yaga. It looks like we’ll have to wait until the next episode airs to get more information on how it connects to the show. Episode 3 of Yaga hits AMC+ and Crave on Friday, Oct. 30.