‘Yellowstone’ finale had a death and a love story
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — The beloved western saga “Yellowstone” ended Sunday night on a theme of love, though it was expressed in different ways.
The popular Taylor Sheridan-created series ended its run with the Dutton family ruling over everything.
In an earlier episode, the family’s patriarch, John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner, was murdered. That storyline wrapped up Costner’s time on the show after the actor had announced in June that he would not be returning. Dutton was killed in a scheme involving Sarah Atwood (played by Dawn Olivieri), who is romantically involved with his son, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley).
During the finale, another Dutton son, Kayce Dutton (played by Luke Grimes), fulfills his father’s dream of preserving their vast ranch by selling it to the indigenous people of the Broken Rock Reservation.
Kayce Dutton tells their chief, Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), that he is selling it to them for the same price his family paid for it more than a century before which was $1.25 an acre.
The pair cut themselves and make a blood oath with the promise that the tribe will allow the Dutton family to keep East Camp and never develop or sell the rest of the land.
“We are brothers now,” Rainwater tells the younger Dutton. “To each other and to the land.”
Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), meanwhile, makes a vow at their father’s funeral to avenge his death and makes her way to see her adopted brother, Jamie, who was involved in it. Her husband Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) races to the scene in time to save her as her brother attacks her upon learning the ranch is gone.
The siblings are engaged in a mortal battle when Wheeler bursts in on the scene.
“You know what you’re about to become?” Jamie Dutton tells his sister as he has her in a chokehold. “Another one of this family’s secrets.”
But before Wheeler can kill Jamie, Beth stabs him in the heart. The couple dispose of the body and tell the police Beth had come to his house when he was a no-show at their father’s funeral and he beat her unconscious before disappearing.
A romantic love comes full circle when cowboy Ryan (Ian Bohen) reunites with country music star Abby (played by real life country music sensation Lainey Wilson) and agrees to travel on tour with her.
The show ends with Beth and Rip on their new property, potentially setting up another “Yellowstone” spinoff.
The current spinoffs are the prequel series “1883,” starring country music legends Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill, and “1923,” starring movie stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
New spinoffs, including “The Madison,” starring actress Michelle Pfeiffer, as well as “1944” and “6666” have been announced as forthcoming.
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