The “Yellowstone” series finale aired Sunday, Dec. 15, wrapping up the hit Western in a neat bow while leaving room for spinoffs. If you couldn’t watch or simply followed along through clips and recaps and want to know what became of the ranch and its characters, we’ve detailed it all below. Warning: This article contains spoilers.
Continue reading to catch up and learn how “Yellowstone” ended.
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Warning: Spoilers begin now.
“Yellowstone” series finale recap:
These are the major plot points from episode 14, the “Yellowstone” series finale.
A final farewell to John Dutton
After several weeks investigating John’s real cause of death, he was finally laid to rest in a very small ceremony that included his family – minus Jamie, some ranch workers and few other friends. The patriarch was buried on family land with his ancestors who died before him. We saw his wife Evelyn and son Lee’s headstones beside his. During the final farewells, Beth made a chilling promise to John that she would avenge him.
Jamie’s brutal ending
In a true brother-sister showdown, Beth arrived at Jamie’s house and bear sprayed him in the face. The two wrestled back and forth until Jamie seemed to have the advantage over his sister. Rip arrived to save her just in time. Beth insisted on having the privilege of killing Jamie herself and stabbed him in the chest. As he bled out, she reminded him she was the last thing he would ever see.
Rip and Beth took Jamie’s body to the same place all Dutton enemies are discarded – the secret train station. With the help of lots of gasoline, a match and Rip’s efforts, Jamie’s car was destroyed. Beth cleared her and her husband’s tracks by telling police that Jamie beat her then fled when she asked about his role in John’s death.
The ranch is saved
The penultimate series finale left fans with the vague notion that Kayce was going to sell the ranch land to someone for incredibly cheap. Some of those theories were correct. He sold the property to Thomas Rainwater and the Broken Rock Tribes for the original cost his ancestors bought it for – $1.25 an acre. Monica, Kayce and their son will stay on a small portion of the land.
Thanks to Thomas Rainwater, the ranch land was saved from development because it has been designated as a wilderness area. No motorized vehicles or large corporation schemes allowed.
Fans who thought the ending theory would tie back to the “Yellowstone” prequel “1883” seem to be correct, with Elsa Dutton narrating the full-circle moment. She said “Men cannot truly own wild land. To own land, you must blanket it in concrete, cover it with buildings.” She goes on to say, “Raw land, wild land, free land can never be owned.”
Spinoff potential
There are rumors swirling about a new spinoff of the popular series. Instead of another prequel, this one might feature Beth and Rip on their new ranch near Dillon, Montana, where we saw them at the end of “Yellowstone.”
Find a complete recap of “Yellowstone” in its entirety in our MLive “Yellowstone” guide.
With the series now over, pick up watching “1923: A Yellowstone Origin Story” on Paramount Network on Sundays.
Where to watch “Yellowstone” Season 5 part 2:
Philo (start free trial) – For $28/month, ditch cable and unlock 70+ channels of reality TV, movies, and more. Get access to over 70,000 movies and shows on-demand, plus AMC+. Click here to watch.
Season 5 part 2 cast:
Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton
Wes Bentley as Jamie Dutton
Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
Kelsey Asbille as Monica Dutton
Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton
Finn Little as Carter
Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater
Dawn Olivieri as Sarah Atwood
Gareth Williams as Governor Steve
Moses J. Brings Plenty as Mo
