Yellowstone will come to an end after the conclusion of Season 5, but before it does, there are still many things that need to happen to the Dutton family. In the first half of Season 5, action was picking up for every Dutton and their friends and allies, and were it not for Kevin Costner’s sudden departure, it seems likely that the popular Western drama would have continued for at least one more full season. As it stands, the final episodes of season 5 will be packed as each Dutton marches towards their own personal endgame.
While the conclusion of all storylines might be somewhat accelerated, each Dutton should receive ample time to finish out their journey in Season 5. Before that happens though, each Dutton is likely in for their own unique batch of trouble. Here are ten things that still need to happen to the Duttons before the show reaches its (hopefully) epic finish.
John Dutton Dies
With Kevin Costner not returning for part 2 of Season 5, John Dutton will need to be phased out of the overarching story. Given the nature of Yellowstone, a violent death for John seems like the most likely outcome (although it’s possible a peaceful death due to his existing cancer is in the works). Either way, there needs to be a definitive end for the character. Putting the character off-screen elsewhere in the Yellowstone universe can only lead to problems for the writers of not only the show, but the upcoming Yellowstone sequel series as well.
Sarah Atwood’s Scheming Plays Out
At the season 5 break, Jamie Dutton was firmly ensnared by the seductive and scheming Sarah Atwood. Due to Sarah’s manipulation, Jamie was ready to enact a final, violent end to his feud with his sister while seeking to depose his father as governor at the same time. Sarah’s manipulations will have far-reaching implications for multiple members of the Dutton family, and depending on how desperate Jamie gets, they could even have lethal consequences. It’s possible that is how John Dutton meets his all-but-certain end, setting the stage for the finale of Yellowstone.
Jamie Should Choose His Allegiance
Jamie is currently a victim of Sarah Atwood’s manipulations, and, as her pawn, he has taken heavy strides against his adoptive family. However, there is still time left for Jamie to redeem himself. If he can find a way out of Sarah’s clutches, he can still act as a savior for his family, who may very well need his help if they are to all stay alive and keep the Yellowstone ranch in Dutton hands. Jamie has struggled with where his loyalties lie since Yellowstone began, and a final resolution to his dilemma is all but certain to occur in the back half of season 5.
Kayce Should Make A Choice For His Family’s Future
As the heir John always wanted for the ranch, Kayce has always been torn between a future on the Yellowstone ranch and a future far from the trouble that accompanies it. Before Yellowstone ends, Kayce will need to make that choice once and for all, and determine what the future holds for him, Monica, Tate and any future children they might welcome. He has a path laid out for him on the Broken Rock Reservation as there is an offer to be the reservation’s Special Investigator available to him. That could provide the peaceful, happy future his family needs.
Beth and Rip’s Relationship Will Be Tested
One of the potential paths for season 5, part 2 could be a time hop, in which many months pass off-screen before the show picks up again. With Rip headed for Texas and Beth staying in Montana, their relationship is certain to be put to the test. They acknowledge it themselves during the mid-season finale, with Beth saying she will travel to Rip. However, being states away out on the trail is not the same as sharing a bed each night. While the years have proven their love can overcome just about anything, it’s certain to come under fire as their time apart grows.
Rip Wheeler’s Future on the Ranch Will Be Decided
Rip may not share the Dutton name, but as far as John is concerned he’s just as much a Dutton as Kayce is (especially since he and Beth are married). But with the Yellowstone ranch’s future uncertain, Rip’s future is equally obscured. He has said that he would die on the ranch, and he may very well need to before the end of season 5. Whether as an accidental victim of Sarah Atwood’s scheming or in defense of the Dutton family, it’s possible fate will come knocking for Rip. If he is to survive, then there are further questions about what role he’ll play that need to be answered.
The Prophecy of 1883 Will Be Addressed
Many hardcore Yellowstone fans believe the final state of the Yellowstone ranch was revealed in the finale of the show’s popular prequel, 1883. As seen in that finale, John Dutton’s ancestor, James Dutton, made an agreement with the local Crow Native Americans; they allowed him to build his home there on the good land of Paradise Valley, but with the understanding that their people will reclaim the land seven generations later. This prophecy can not go unaddressed before the end of Yellowstone, as Kayce’s son Tate represents the seventh generation after the prophecy was made.
Tate’s Role in the Ranch’s Survival Will Be Revealed
That prophecy may yield an interesting resolution for Yellowstone in that there may be a way for the Crow chief’s prophecy to come true without the Duttons losing the Yellowstone ranch. Tate is half-Native American, and his mother grew up on Broken Rock Reservation, theoretically making them both descendants of the Crow people that James Dutton originally bargained with. If the ranch were to pass to Tate, the prophecy could be fulfilled–the land would have returned to the hands of the people who originally lived on it.
Monica Will Discover Her True Path
Monica has been established as one of the more vexing characters in Yellowstone given how much her motivations have changed. She has gone from wanting to get Tate away from the ranch so badly that she left Kayce to being a willing participant in the Dutton family dinners, with stops as a college professor, serial killer bait, and expectant mother along the way.
Monica deserves a clear path forward as the show comes to its conclusion, and what happens to her in the back half of season 5 should set her on that path, which will almost certainly be linked to Kayce. A life caring for the people of the Broken Rock Reservation would suit them both well, and provide a satisfying conclusion should they get there.
The Succession of the Ranch Will Be Laid Out
As it stands now, there isn’t a ton of clarity as to who would stand to inherit the ranch upon John’s death. The strongest arguments can be made for Rip or Kayce, given that Beth has been very open about what she would do with the ranch if her father weren’t in the picture (sell it). However, the future of the ranch could look very different depending on who winds up with their name on the deed upon John’s passing, and there needs to be a clear and well-thought-out plan in place–especially with Matthew McConaughey’s Yellowstone sequel series looming.