“𝔼𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ‘𝕐𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖’ 𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕖: 𝔸 𝔹𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℍ𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℝ𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕙’𝕤 𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕪 𝕌𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕤”

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 5𝘽 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 ‘1883’ 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙚.

Yellowstone returned to its roots to provide a fitting conclusion.

As viewers approached the season 5B finale on Sunday, the immensely popular Taylor Sheridan series had yet to clarify whether the extended episode would serve as the series finale. However, for those who watched what Paramount Network billed as a special season finale event, it undeniably felt like a conclusion. At the same time, it laid the groundwork for potential future developments in the Yellowstone universe.

[Major spoilers ahead…]

In the one-hour-and-26-minute episode titled “Life Is A Promise,” directed and written by Sheridan, the fate of Yellowstone is unveiled as the Dutton family’s ranch is returned to the Broken Rock Reservation. This pivotal moment liberates Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) from his father’s legacy and paves the way for a brighter future for his own family. The episode also features a shocking revelation of Beth Dutton’s (Kelly Reilly) master plan, culminating in a dramatic scene where she fatally stabs her despised brother, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), in the heart.

“You made me promise not to sell a single inch, and I hope you see that I’m honoring that promise,” Beth says as she stands by the casket of her late father, John Dutton (played by the late Kevin Costner, who is not depicted), during his burial on Yellowstone land. “There may not be cattle grazing here, but there won’t be any condos either. We’ve won.”

Later, she softly vows, “I will avenge you.”

Beth fulfills that promise by orchestrating the perfect murder of Jamie, who is likely to be blamed for the death of their father, the former Governor of Montana, and is ultimately declared missing as the series concludes.

“The last words I will ever say to my father are this promise — I will keep it,” Beth told her husband, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), before asking him to take her brother to the Dutton “train station,” a place where their enemies disappear without a trace.

After the attack on her brother, Beth emerges bruised, battered, and concussed. However, she quickly recovers, and the episode shifts its focus to the future of the ensemble and the broader Yellowstone universe, setting the stage for the anticipated Beth and Rip spinoff (more details on that below). Beth purchases a new ranch for herself and Rip, located 40 miles west of Dillon, Montana, far enough from the airport, tourists, and any land developers’ ambitions. The conclusion also marks the beginning of a new legacy for Kayce, who expresses his desire to start his own brand and is seen buying cattle with his son, Tate (Brecken Merrill).

Following the heartbreaking loss of cowboy Colby (Denim Richards) and the sale of Yellowstone, the former ranch hands begin to move forward with their lives. Teeter (Jennifer Landon) secures a position at Bosque Ranch, which brings back Sheridan in the finale as horse trainer Travis Wheatley. Meanwhile, Ryan (Ian Bohen) rekindles his relationship with the woman he once lost, played by country music star Lainey Wilson.

The episode concludes with the fictional Broken Rock Tribe taking control of Yellowstone and starting to dismantle the ranch. However, their attempts to remove the headstones of the Dutton family ancestors buried on the land are interrupted by Mo (portrayed by Mo Brings Plenty), who also serves as the American Indian coordinator consultant for the series.

In a surprising voiceover cameo, Isabel May connects the entire series and franchise as Elsa Dutton from 1883 seemingly returns from the dead. This revelation regarding her “seventh generation” may also shed light on the theory concerning John Dutton’s grandfather. Here is her statement:

“One hundred and forty years ago, my father learned of this valley, and it is here that we have remained for seven generations. He was warned that others would seek this land, and he vowed to return it. That promise was never documented; it faded with my father’s passing, yet it somehow persisted in the essence of this land. True ownership of wild land is an illusion. To claim land, one must encase it in concrete, erect buildings upon it, and densely populate it to the point where neighbors can smell each other’s meals. It requires exploitation to monetize it. Untamed land, wild land, and free land can never be possessed. However, some individuals pay a high price for the honor of stewardship. They endure hardships and make sacrifices to coexist with it, hoping to impart these values to future generations. Should they waver, they must find another willing to uphold the promise.”

The concluding scenes depict the flowing landscapes of Montana, showcasing Kayce and Beth as they adapt to their new lives in pursuit of fresh beginnings. Kayce is situated in the former East Camp of Yellowstone, while Beth is seen with Rip in their newly established residence.

To fully grasp the significance of this concluding moment, it is essential to have background information regarding the conclusion of 1883.

The initial prequel series to Yellowstone, which was broadcast as a limited series from 2021 to 2022, included a pivotal dialogue between an elder Dutton, James Dutton (portrayed by Tim McGraw), and the Chief of the Crow Tribe, Spotted Eagle (played by Graham Greene).

Set in 1883, this prequel elucidated the Dutton family’s journey to establish what would eventually become their Yellowstone ranch, focusing on the character of Elsa Dutton (played by Isabel May), the daughter of James and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill). As the series progresses, Elsa succumbs to a poisoned arrow, leading to her gradual demise over the course of a week. In light of her impending death, James alters their plans and embarks on a horseback journey westward along the Bozeman trail to Montana’s Paradise Valley, expressing to Spotted Eagle his intention to settle the family where his daughter will be laid to rest, ensuring her eternal presence with them.

“The winters are harsh. However, the summers are bountiful, and a man who strategizes can prosper. You appear to be a man who strategizes,” Spotted Eagle remarks to James regarding what will eventually evolve into the Yellowstone ranch, the focal point of the current Yellowstone series.

“But be aware of this,” he adds, “that in seven generations, my people will rise and reclaim it from you.”

James responds, “You may possess it in seven generations.” He further assures that the Crow Tribe is permitted to hunt in his Paradise Valley, thus establishing the relationship between the Duttons and the Indigenous people of the land they occupied.

The finale of Yellowstone depicted Kayce (Grimes) honoring that promise made over a century prior, executing the strategy hinted at in the preceding episode when he informed his sister Beth (Reilly) that the sole means to preserve the ranch is to relinquish it.

In the season finale, and potentially the conclusion of the flagship series, Kayce decides to sell his family’s ranch to Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Burningham) of the Broken Rock tribe. Rainwater’s lineage can be traced back to 1923, the second prequel series of Yellowstone that explores the early Dutton family, featuring his ancestor Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves). The narrative of 1923 may also be intertwined with this storyline.

Kayce agrees to sell the ranch to Rainwater for $1.25 per acre, a price he notes reflects the original cost of the land when his ancestors first settled there. This modest offer alleviates their financial burdens, as neither the Dutton family nor Rainwater would have been able to manage the inheritance tax that would have arisen had the property been sold at its market value.

Rainwater remarks, “Congratulations on securing the most unfavorable land transaction since my ancestors relinquished Manhattan,” in reference to the $1.1 million agreement concerning the largest (fictional) ranch in Montana.

Kayce’s proposal includes two stipulations: first, that Rainwater transfer the deed for the East Camp back to him, ensuring that he, his wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille), and their son Tate (Merrill) have a permanent residence; and second, that Rainwater is prohibited from developing or selling the Yellowstone. Rainwater consents to these terms. The agreement is finalized in a ceremonial moment where Rainwater and Kayce seal the deal with a blood handshake, accompanied by Mo (Brings Plenty) singing a traditional song in his Native language. “I will safeguard this for you and for all our relations,” Rainwater assures the family.

Grimes expressed to THR at the beginning of the season that he felt like a “mess” upon reading the final script. “I delayed reading the last one [of season 5B] for as long as possible, until I could no longer resist. From the outset, Taylor informed me that he preferred I remain unaware of the ending until we reached this point, suggesting it might influence my performance. He remarked, ‘It’s probably best that you don’t know; I know how it ends.’ Given that I had already waited so long, I was reluctant to read it and wanted to postpone,” he stated.

In a separate conversation, Reilly hinted to THR that the finale would include a scene that encapsulates the entire series, which notably does not feature Beth and Rip. “The scene I refer to, which ties together the whole series for me, is one that does not involve us, and it appears in the final episode,” she noted. “I believe this scene is the reason behind the creation of this entire series.”

Since the exit of star Kevin Costner and the announcement that season 5B would mark the conclusion of Yellowstone, all attention has been directed towards Sheridan to determine the direction in which the co-creator, writer, and director would take his flagship Western saga, recognized as TV’s top series. Season 5B was confirmed as the final season back in May 2023. However, during the summer, reports emerged indicating that beloved characters Reilly and Hauser were in discussions to potentially extend Yellowstone into a sixth season.

Just days before the season finale, new reports indicated that the two individuals had secured agreements for their own spinoff series. Paramount Network did not confirm this information, as it would effectively reveal that Beth and Rip would survive the conclusion of season 5B on Sunday night.

“Taylor has the capability to continue the story if he chooses to do so. That’s simply a testament to Taylor’s brilliance as a writer. I am not asserting that it will continue; rather, he possesses the intelligence as a writer to pursue that direction if it aligns with his passion,” Hauser stated to THR at the beginning of season 5B. “I have confidence in his vision for her character, whether we leave her in her current situation or discover her in a new context; I trust his judgment,” Reilly remarked regarding their potential series future.

Prior to the finale on Sunday, Reilly expressed her farewell to the series on Instagram while simultaneously working on her upcoming role. She stated, “Whatever the future holds, this marks the conclusion of the show we have been creating for the past seven years.”

Christina Voros, the director and executive producer of Yellowstone, has indicated in various interviews with THR during this season that the finale of season 5B would indeed convey a sense of closure, while still allowing for the possibility of continuation in some capacity. “The level of secrecy surrounding it certainly contributed to the feeling that we were safeguarding a conclusion,” she remarked. “There is always a significant weight associated with any show approaching its conclusion. It is important for us that the audience appreciates it as much as we do. … This is what makes the end of the season thrilling — the manner in which Taylor has unexpectedly navigated towards a conclusion that leaves room for speculation about what may come next.”

Following the penultimate episode, I inquired about a potential reference to 1883, to which Voros elegantly remarked that “Taylor has taken Yellowstone and transformed it into an intergenerational narrative. The complexities arising from this approach significantly enrich and enhance the Dutton story. … Within the historical saga that Taylor has crafted, the context of Yellowstone serves as a central element, while the storylines branch out in various directions.”

These narrative threads will persist within the Yellowstone universe, even if this finale marks the conclusion of the flagship series. The second prequel series, 1923, is scheduled to return on February 23, and the contemporary spinoff, The Madison, is currently in production.