Wade Morrow is one of many enemies of the Duttons on Yellowstone but there is special hatred reserved for him as Wade stole something from John Dutton. Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, the generational owners of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in Montana. John Dutton, the patriarch of the family, contends with developers, Indian Reservations, and, occasionally, former allies who have since become enemies. Wade, played by Boots Southerland, was a former ranch hand working on the Yellowstone Ranch who left at some point but returns in season 3 to cause havoc for the Duttons.
Sometime in the past, Wade and John’s relationship became antagonistic and Wade left Yellowstone. Wade eventually became a neighboring rancher who would antagonize his former boss by doing things, like herding buffalo close to the fence that joins their lands. However, Wade and his son Clint up their aggression against Yellowstone Ranch when they join Roake Morris and try to provoke Dutton into doing something overtly criminal. Eventually, Wade’s actions catch up with him, and he’s hung by a mob of Yellowstone ranchers. John accuses Wade of “stealing the one thing a cowboy doesn’t steal,” and what that is, sheds some light on the deeper lore of Yellowstone.
Wade Morrow Steals The Brand From Yellowstone Ranch
Wade’s Betrayal Of The Brand’s Promise Leads To A Brutal Punishment
What exactly Wade steals from Yellowstone Ranch and John Dutton is never clearly explained, but most signs point to it being the brand. A branded man in Yellowstone is a rancher who has received a Y-shaped burn on their chest after proving themselves to be a loyal and capable member of the ranch, willing to restart their life after having committed some wrong in the past. It’s a promise that a rancher will be a part of Yellowstone until they die and in turn, the ranch will take care of them. As a branded man, a rancher is made to uphold the secrets of Yellowstone at all costs.
Because Wade left the Yellowstone Ranch, he, in effect, steals the brand from John and his family. Wade breaks his promise when he leaves the ranch and that’s something nobody forgives. When Wade goes too far in his fight against Yellowstone and is captured by the other ranch hands, they take back what he stole. Walker slices off the skin and brand on Wade’s chest in a brutal scene, and he’s then hung to death. While stealing the brand wasn’t enough to earn the death penalty alone, it was clearly still a sore subject for the ranchers on Yellowstone.
Other Theories On What Wade Morrow Could Have Stolen
The Duttons Take Stolen Horses Very Seriously As Well
Although it’s strongly hinted that John is referring to the brand when he accuses Wade of stealing from Yellowstone, there are a few other theories about what exactly it could be. The theft could be something as simple as cattle. Beyond pride and legacy, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is a prime piece of cattle-raising land, and livestock is their most valuable asset. John Dutton is a man who takes the well-being and ownership of his livestock very seriously and that is something that has been shared by generations of Duttons.
A flashback in Yellowstone season 4 shows James Dutton tacking down and killing horse thieves then putting their bodies on display as a warning to others. It wouldn’t be surprising if John Dutton was carrying on his ancestor’s harsh punishments over a century later.