Thomas Rainwater’s Possible Connection to Another ‘Yellowstone’ Character Could Change Taylor Sheridan’s Flagship Western Series

There’s no denying that Gil Birmingham is one of Yellowstone‘s most exceptional cast members. Having played Chief Thomas Rainwater throughout all five seasons, our only complaint about the character was that we felt that Taylor Sheridan needed to give him more to do. But after the conclusion of the latest Dutton prequel, 1923, we may have discovered a connection between Rainwater and his long-time driver and companion, Mo (Moses Brings Plenty). Although Rainwater’s ancestor, Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves), ended the prequel series alone, her brief romance with Pete Plenty Clouds (Cole Brings Plenty, Jeremy Gauna) may just be what allows Birmingham’s character to exist decades down the line.

Thomas Rainwater Could Be Related To ‘1923’s Pete Plenty Clouds

Fans of 1923 were no doubt wrecked when Pete Plenty Clouds was killed off in the penultimate episode of the second and final season. It was a serious blow to Teonna, who had only just committed herself to Pete long-term, and the two desired to live a new life together, apart from their troubled past. So when Marshal Kent (Jamie McShane) gunned down the young Crow warrior, we were both shocked and heartbroken. For those more intimately familiar with Yellowstone and its larger universe, it seemed as if Teonna and Pete’s romance would eventually lead to Thomas Rainwater down the line, but with his death, many lost him. However, it’s still entirely possible that, following their afternoon together earlier that season, Teonna may have been pregnant with Pete’s child when 1923 ended. In fact, it seems highly likely that this is the case.

While this child is probably not Thomas Rainwater himself (not unlike how Spencer Dutton’s son isn’t the John Dutton that Kevin Costner plays), he is likely either the mother or father of the Yellowstone character. If this is indeed what happened, then it reframes the loyal friendship between Rainwater and his aide, Mo, on Yellowstone. It could be that these two have actually been blood-related this entire time. Even though Pete died in 1923, the name clearly did not die with him, and his own kin up north likely carried on the name throughout the 20th century. This would eventually lead to Mo, who would then be a distant cousin to Birmingham’s character. It’s no wonder they’re so close.

‘1923’ Leaves Teonna Rainwater’s Story Open-Ended, but May Explain Thomas’ Past

In this way, all the pain and suffering that Teonna went through in 1923 wasn’t for nothing. Even if the way her story ended in the show, with her wandering across the West alone with her father and lover both dead, is terribly depressing, it may eventually lead to what we know of her grandchild on Yellowstone. Although we don’t know if Teonna herself ever returned to Montana, her descendants would come to inherit the land that they once claimed as their own — and the Rainwater and Brings Plenty families would be reunited. There would be peace and justice served in time, even if it took another century to get there.

The open-endedness of Teonna’s story no doubt exists to add some additional mystery to Thomas Rainwater’s past. We don’t know much about Rainwater, but from the first season of Yellowstone, we know that he was given up for adoption and raised somewhere off the Broken Rock Indian Reservation. From there, he rediscovered his Native American heritage (after thinking he was Mexican for quite some time) and got back in touch with his roots. Perhaps Teonna went further south and settled in Mexico, raising her and Pete’s child under the impression that they weren’t Crow or any other tribal people, but Mexican, in order to get a fresh start. There are a lot of questions we still have about the time between Teonna and Thomas, but it’s possible that further Yellowstone prequels could answer them.

Thomas Rainwater’s Story Could Be Expanded in Another ‘Yellowstone’ Spin-Off

With the 1944 prequel currently in development, we may see more of Teonna’s story unfold at a different phase in her life. Much like how Yellowstone‘s own flashbacks feature different actors in popular roles — like Josh Lucas playing John Dutton instead of Costner — we could see an older Teonna, potentially raising said child in California. Beyond that, we can only speculate to fill in the blanks of the Rainwater family history.

Unlike the Dutton family tree, the Rainwaters are a bit muddier, though a potential Rez-based spin-off series could rectify that. If handled correctly, a Broken Rock-centered series could thrust Birmingham further into the Yellowstone spotlight, expand upon his childhood and character, and perhaps even (through the use of flashbacks) revisit his ancestor’s history, picking up where Teonna’s story left off. Alternatively, with Kayce Dutton’s (Luke Grimes) spin-off series, Y: Marshals, set to air on CBS at a date yet to be announced, perhaps Thomas could appear there, especially now that the Dutton land has been sold back to his people. There’s still a lot of potential in these characters; now, Taylor Sheridan just needs to see it realized.