After 1923 season 2, Yellowstone’s Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) could relate to not one but two of its characters. The Broken Rock tribal chairman is presumably associated with Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves), whose story runs parallel to Jacob’s (Harrison Ford), Cara’s (Helen Mirren), and Spencer Dutton’s (Brandon Sklenar) in 1923. 1923’s Teonna and Yellowstone’s Thomas share a surname, suggesting they are related. Still, 1923 season 2 probably links Thomas to another 1920s character, enriching the end of Kevin Costner’s series.
Unfortunately, horrible things happened to Teonna Rainwater in 1923. Most notably, Teonna’s loved ones died amid her escape from a government-run assimilation school in North Dakota. Still, Rainwater survived in 1923 season 2’s finale, walking free of the acts she committed against her assailants. Heading to California without a plan, Teonna’s story is an open book, meaning Rainwater could return to Taylor Sheridan’s next Yellowstone prequel. That said, Teonna’s story in 1944 could connect Thomas to another 1923 character.
Thomas Rainwater Could Be The Descendant Of 1923’s Pete Plenty Clouds
Thomas Rainwater Might Have Two 1923 Ancestors
After the events of 1923 season 2, there’s a good chance that Thomas Rainwater is the descendant of Teonna and Pete Plenty Clouds (Jeremy Gauna). After they meet toward the end of 1923 season 1, Teonna and Pete join forces, continuing Rainwater’s pursuit of freedom from Marshal Kent (Jamie McShane) and Father Renaud (Sebastian Roché) with her father, Runs His Horse (Michael Spears). Despite warnings from her father that they needed to stay focused, Teonna formed an intimate bond with Pete, connecting over the hardships they endured as Native Americans living in 1923.
Rainwater goes after Plenty Clouds, prompting a moment of intimacy by the river.
In 1923 season 2, it was clear that Teonna and Pete were romantically involved. In 1923 season 2’s premiere, Teonna finally had some peace after enduring back-to-back assaults in the first season. We see Teonna’s group peacefully camping in the wilderness on their way to Comanche Territory, and Pete goes hunting for deer. After Teonna discusses her relationship with Pete with her father, Rainwater goes after Plenty Clouds, prompting a moment of intimacy by the river. We see them embrace, and Teonna’s conversation with her father implied that Teonna was considering having her first sexual encounter with Pete.
Considering they were physically intimate, Teonna could have been pregnant with Pete Plenty Cloud’s baby at the end of 1923 season 2. If so, the baby could connect Teonna to Thomas Rainwater, meaning Pete is also his ancestor. If Thomas were indeed related to Teonna, she would have started her family in the next Yellowstone prequel, which takes place 20 years later, and it may have already been set up that she has a child with Pete. Unfortunately, Teonna would raise her baby without a father, after 1923 episode 6 confirmed Plenty Clouds’ death.
How Pete Being Thomas Rainwater’s Ancestor Changes Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Story
Thomas Rainwater Achieves Something Amazing
Being Thomas’ ancestor, Pete would enrich the end of Thomas Rainwater and John Dutton’s series. At the end of Yellowstone season 5, John Dutton’s son, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), sells the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to Thomas and the Broken Rock Tribe after his father’s death leaves him at its helm. Thomas had been vying for the land since Yellowstone season 1, threatening to buy all of Paradise Valley, including the Yellowstone Ranch. Thomas wanted to restore it to how it looked when his Crow ancestors lived and hunted there, staying true to that mission throughout Yellowstone.
Knowing that Thomas Rainwater has not one but two Crow ancestors makes Yellowstone’s ending all the more beautiful.
Yellowstone season 1 tells us that Thomas returned to Montana after studying at Harvard and working at places like Merrill Lynch. We know that Thomas wanted to gain stewardship of the Yellowstone Ranch to empower the people, restoring their connection to the land and, in turn, their way of life. Knowing that Thomas Rainwater has not one but two Crow ancestors, with Pete hailing from the same tribe as Teonna in 1923 season 1, makes Yellowstone’s ending all the more beautiful. It would mean that Thomas, regaining his ancestor’s land, honored his mother and father.