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The hit television showYellowstoneis nearing its conclusion this month. This neo-Western drama has captivated audiences in its successful run of five seasons spanning seven years. The dynamic storyline and nuanced characters have contributed heavily to the show’s success.
Apart from the power battle in the family dynamic, one of the show’s key characteristics is its intense environment, which does not ensure safety for anyone in the slightest. Killings, murders, and accidents are prevalent occurrences on the show. The writers never seemed to hesitate to kill off the show’s key characters and in the process, stomp on the fans’ hearts.
Yellowstonehas delivered several demises throughout five seasons, from casualties to outrageous killings. This has caused anger, grief, and heated debates. Here are some character deaths from the show and the reasons behind them.
Lee Dutton (Season 1)
Yellowstonehits it right off the bat by killing one of its major characters,Dave Annable‘s Lee Dutton, the eldest son ofKevin Costner‘s John Dutton III and the heir to the Yellowstone Ranch. In the pilot episode of the series, Lee Dutton is killed in a cattle dispute with the Broken Rock Reservation. It was easily the most unexpected death of the show.
Viewers were shocked by how quickly and easily one of the prominent family members exited the show. Many feel that although Lee’s death was the major point of conflict in the show, it came too early. The bond between the Dutton siblings should have been explored more.
Furthermore, Lee’s death is seldom referred to or mentioned in the following seasons which is a bit odd. This had audiences wondering about the potential of Annable’s character and how it could have influenced the further seasons ofYellowstone.
Fred Myers (Season 1)
Fred Myers, a ranch hand at Yellowstone met with death most quickly and mercilessly. Myers considers it his duty to give the new hire Jimmy Hurdstrom a hard time to toughen him up for the cowboy life. However, Myers does not seem to know when to stop. Even after multiple warnings, Hurdstorm continues to suffer at the hands of Fred Myers.
Even a confrontation with Rip does not help the case. Myers goes on to disrespect John Dutton and the brand. And then was taken to the “train station” not long after. His story sets an example of ranch hands should never disrespect the brand.
Samantha Long (Season 1)
Samantha Long’s death was not one of the usual violent acts inYellowstone.And it is not talked about enough Rather, it served as collateral damage to the battles that go on in the Dutton family. Samantha was left to raise her kids alone, after losing her husband, Robert.
This was not something one could cope easily with. And Samantha too was struggling. When the weight got too heavy to bear, she took her own life. This was one of the most heartbreaking deaths on the show and it added to Monica’s storyline. While navigating her strained relationship with the Duttons, she also had to deal with the loss of her brother and his wife.
Dan Jenkins (Season 2)
The death of big-time land developer Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston) left fans unsettled. Despite starting as a major antagonist, Jenkins evolved into a sympathetic and decent character over time. His death in season 2 and how it came out to be was particularly unsettling for the viewers’.
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To finally take Jenkins out of the picture, the Beck brothers hire hitmen. However, he puts up a fight. Jenkins deals with two of his attackers but a third one emerges out of nowhere and does the job he was assigned. Jenkins takes his final breath with the words (viaCBR):
I have every right to be here. I have every right. I have a right. This is America.
The character arc for Jenkins suggested a potential alliance with the Duttons, that never ended up happening.
Sarah Nguyen (Season 2)
The brutal murder of the investigative journalist Sarah Nguyen by Jamie Dutton (played byWes Bentley) was one ofYellowstone’smost gruesome deaths. Nguyen, who was set on her ambition to expose the Duttons, met her end when Jamie suffocated her during an argument. Jamie’s actions to cover up her death and what followed were just as disturbing.
Although with Nguyen’s mission to destroy the Duttons, her death was a likely outcome. But keeping her around might have contributed to the story as well. Furthermore, her death did not have to be at the hands of Jamie. His being the one who killed her marked Jamie going deeper into his dark side and going on a moral descent hereafter.
Dirk Hurdstram (Season 2)
The death of Dirk Hurdstram was one of the most heartbreaking moments inYellowstone.As Jimmy’s grandfather and practically the only family member of his who was not imprisoned, Dirk’s death marked a turning point in Jimmy’s life and an emotional moment for the viewers.
He made it possible for Jimmy to have another chance at life by asking John Dutton to give Jimmy a shot at doing something for himself. However, when some people to who Jimmy owed money did not get their return, targeted his grandpa, Dirk. At the shock and fear of being attacked, Dirk gets a stroke and dies.
Malcolm Beck (Season 2)
Malcolm Beck (Neal McDonough), was one half of the Beck Brothers, the ruthless primary antagonist of season two. In their dealings of land and estate, the Beck brothers were after the Dutton family ranch. They were powerful and cunning, going to despicable lengths to gain what they wanted.
Going against the Duttons, a demise or downfall was expected. However, the way both the Beck brothers met their end left viewers in a humorous sense of unsettlement. After Kayce had found his way to Malcolm’s location by killing his brother while he was sitting on a toilet seat, John Dutton took matters into his hands.
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The enemies got into a gunfight. However, Malcolm was no match for John Dutton’s impeccable firing skills and was shot by him in the stomach and wrist as he was trying to reach out for his pistol. Malcolm’s death was satisfactory but was another surprising death in the show.
Wade Morrow (Season 3)
The ranch hands at Yellowstone have always been expected to have unflinching loyalty towards the ranch and the Dutton family. Inclusive of this loyalty is keeping secrets at all costs. Bearing the Y as a representative of his loyalty on his chest, Wade Morrow went ahead and betrayed the Dutton family with his actions. As a consequence of which, Morrow met a gruesome death.
Upon being discovered, John Dutton accuses Wade Morrow of stealing“one thing a cowboy doesn’t steal”(via CBR). what happens to Wade Morrow after is easily one of the most graphic heinous acts the Duttons do throughout the series. Walker cuts Wade’s flesh, the brandYoff his chest as a symbol of his betrayal before hanging him to death.
Garrett Randall (Season 3)
Garrett Randall was an evil man. He had recently gotten out of prison after being sentenced for murdering his wife. His death at the hands of his biological son, Jamie Dutton was criticized not for its brutality, but rather for how it affected the narrative of the show.
After discovering the truth about his parentage, Jamie goes out of his way to win his biological father’s approval for some time. This complex father-son duo had fans invested. Hence it was immensely shocking when Jamie killed his biological dad.
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Furthermore, this death ruined Beth and Jamie’s dynamics forever. Beth, with video evidence of the gruesome act incessantly taunted Jamie. And the two had become sworn enemies thereafter.
Sheriff Donnie Haskell (Season 4)
Sheriff Donnie Haskell (Hugh Dillon) was easily one of the fan-favorite characters. His complex friendship with John Dutton and the family was greatly enjoyed. Naturally, his death upset viewers. Especially because no one truly saw it coming. Many felt that Haskell’s sudden death deprived them and the show of several directions the plot could have taken.
Donnie Haskell was attacked when he was eating at a cafe by some hitmen. He fought and John Dutton and Rip Wheeler were beside him trying to deal with the rest of the attackers. Amidst the gunfire, one of the assailants managed to shoot the Sherrif and by the time John Dutton and Rip Wheeler reached him, it was too late.
This death is made more heartbreaking as John Dutton calls Haskell’s daughter to have her talk to her father who is taking his last breath.
Emmett Walsh (Season 5)
With the violent gruesome environment of the show, a peaceful death almost feels wrong. Something that does not belong on the murderous landscape of the biggest ranch in Montana. However, this was the fate the beloved, handy, and loyal ranch hand met inYellowstone.
Due to the character being so fiercely loyal and loved, his death was the most heartbreaking one. The stark contrast between Walsh dying in his sleep with the violent killings of the show was almost strange and unsettling.
Emmett Walsh embodied all that it meant to be a cowboy. And his death can be read as a symbol of the end of the ranch.
Sarah Atwood (Season 5)
After orchestrating the killing of John Dutton III, Sarah Atwood was moving through the world with a target on her back. Her track record was not very good either. She had gone against the Duttons multiple times. Many would have liked to see Sarah suffer for all she did to the Duttons. But her end was a dramatic and swift one.
She was shot in the head and chest while on the phone with Jamie. She was shot by a couple. However, their identities were not revealed. Her death and who was responsible for it continue to be a mystery.
Speculations are being made that it was the hitmen she hired, who did so to have no connection from the crime. Or it could be Jamie and Beth, who both have a revenge to take from Sarah Atwood.
Kayce and Monica’s Baby (Season 5)
Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille) lose their baby before it is born. John Dutton IV had not become an official member of theYellowstoneseries but his death was just as tragic and inspired a strong reaction from the audience. In the first episode of Season 5, a pregnant Monica rushes to the hospital as she is getting into labor. As she is driving there, alone a cow emerges and the car crashes, causing her to lose the baby.
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Not only does this event not feel like a need for the plot but it was just another one of the deaths that stomped viewers’ hearts. Monica and Kayce, who had already suffered enough are put through another tragedy just for the sake of it.
Furthermore, the execution of the scene or the death of the baby seemed ill-planned.
John Dutton III (Season 5)
It was fairly known that the Dutton family patriarch will not be seen on the show anymoredue to the fallout Kevin Costner had with series creator,Taylor Sheridan.However, how this played out on screen had fans jaw-dropped, and not in a good way. The much-awaited second half of the final season opened up with John Dutton’s death was too much of a terrible surprise in itself. And that too being presented as a suicide was something that viewers were keen on.
The core character of the show deserved a grand end. Something that would be more impactful on the events that were set to unfold after such a major death. But how John Dutton’s death was orchestrated by the showmakers felt much of a rushed plot twist that a major tide of the storyline turning.
Safe to say, that the behind-the-scenes issues fully reflected in the way John Dutton’s death was executed on the show.
Colby Mayfield (Season 5)
The death of Colby Mayfieldis the most recent one inYellowstone.He was killed by a horse, a gut-wrenching accident of epic heroism. Young Carter was advised to stay away from one wild horse when working at the stable. However, somehow he ends up being attacked by the very horse. Colby intervenes and saves Carter’s life.
However, he ends up becoming the wild horse’s target. And is tragically killed by the animal. In a show where everyone dies of murder, Colby’s death is particularly tragic because of how simply and extremely surprisingly, it unfolds.
Evelyn Dutton (Flashbacks)
The death of a character who was dead from the beginning of the show was just as impactful. Evelyn Dutton, the Dutton family matriarch or to quote Beth Dutton, “the best part of John Dutton” was kept alive by her children and family in the upcoming seasons. Played byGretchen Mol, Evelyn Dutton’s death was portrayed through flashbacks in season 1. It is known that she is dead but the events that led to her passing were hidden.
She died while going horseback riding with her children. Her death also reveals the guilt that lingers deep within Beth of not being able to save her mother. And how it affects her relationship with her father.
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This is the death that happened long before the events of the series but it is probably the most impactful one. The loss of Evelyn shaped the Dutton family and their bonds with each other.
While these deaths inYellowstoneare the most impactful and controversial among its viewers, they are a crucial part of the show’s storytelling. They emphasize that in this show, no one is truly safe. However, does this add to the show’s intense narrative or does the tumultuousness of someone dying almost every episode take away from its narrative integrity? That’s still a question.
Yellowstoneis available to stream on Paramount+.
Arpita Joshi
Articles Published :73
Arpita Joshi is an Evergreen Content Writer at FandomWire. With almost two years of experience, she has learned intricate details of writing in different niches, particularly entertainment.
