While Yellowstone fans are rightly very excited about the impending conclusion to the epic TV show, there is an elephant in the room, and his name is Kevin Costner. But guess what? Yellowstone doesn’t even need John Dutton anymore – and it could potentially be even better without him, actually.
For over five years and across 47 episodes of fantastic television, Yellowstone and Kevin Costner have been synonymous with one another. Costner is the king of the Yellowstone cast, and every single narrative thread in the show so far has revolved around his character, John Dutton.
The problem is, with Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 on the way, there is still no concrete information regarding whether Costner is going to return at all. The actor has made it clear that he’s ready to wash his hands of the project entirely, and there is a very real chance that John Dutton doesn’t feature in these final episodes. But does that actually matter?
Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 doesn’t need John Dutton
On the one hand, it would be really nice to see John Dutton get the proper send off he deserves. He is a truly amazing character, and while he may not have exactly developed or changed much over the course of the Yellowstone timeline, he’s been a fascinating man to watch. From his stoic resistance and progress, to his formidable leadership of the ranchers and his family, and those little moments of tenderness that seep through, John really does feel like a fully formed, very authentic character.
There can be no denying that it is the mighty talent and gravitas Costner brings to the role that has made John Dutton so damn watchable, too. Credit where credit’s due, Costner has really nailed the character, and I’m sure even Taylor Sheridan would admit Yellowstone would not be the behemoth it is today were it not for its star man.
However, if Costner isn’t willing to play ball, there is no reason that transitioning from John’s story and turning the spotlight onto his children couldn’t be a successful endgame. Out with the old, in with the new, why not? The idea of legacies and the continuation of the Duttons’ power from generation to generation is the very essence of this Taylor Sheridan TV show (and its spin-offs), so it would be rather fitting to explore a world without John Dutton.
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The answer is simple: kill John Dutton. Imagine how interesting it would be to see Beth, Kayce, and Jamie handle the death of their father in their own, very different ways. Not only would the dynamic between the siblings come under intense strain, but the trio would have to deal with immense pressure from the outside world, too. Everyone who has ever wanted a piece of the Duttons’ empire would smell blood in the wake of the great king’s untimely demise, and the family would either unite and protect the kingdom, or grow even more divided. In trying times, people either thrive or crumble, and watching that unfold would be simply delicious.
Yellowstone should follow Succession
So how would this actually work? If Costner does agree to come back, there’s a good chance he will do so on the basis that he doesn’t need to feature as heavily as he has in the past. So, if a partial return is the play for Costner, Yellowstone should follow the example of Succession in killing the patriarch early doors and letting the glorious fallout begin. After all, Yellowstone is just Succession for cowboys, isn’t it?
But, if Costner can’t bring himself to return at all, Sheridan could blow everyone’s mind by dropping us straight into John Dutton’s funeral in the very first episode of Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2. You can just picture it now: Beth and Kayce leading the procession of mourning, the people of Montana coming together to grieve the loss of their Governor, and Jamie Dutton showing up to stir the pot. All the tension, pain, anxiety, and untethered emotions that come with a funeral could play out in real-time, as we watch the Dutton family tree descend into chaos during what is supposed to be a moment of peaceful reflection on John’s legacy.
While the idea of John Dutton being dead is unthinkable for some fans, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. So far, he’s been on death’s door on multiple occasions – be it via severe illness or being gunned down in the street – and the explanation that John would have fallen foul of natural causes or a mortal enemy would be more than viable at this point. That said, after everything he has survived already, we can’t rule out the fact that John is actually immortal.
At the end of the day, though, John Dutton is not really the answer to Yellowstone’s ultimate finale. He may not be among the best Yellowstone characters in our view, but Tate Dutton holds the key to the future of the Dutton Ranch, quite literally. Kayce’s son is the only legitimate heir to the empire, and for Tate to fulfill his destiny of bringing the Yellowstone land back to his Native American ancestors, John will need to pass on. So in truth, Kevin Costner’s exit from the show is not only a matter of practicality, it is fundamental to concluding this epic narrative in the manner Yellowstone deserves.