Paramount Network’s hit series Yellowstone finally returned with the first of its final six
episodes on Sunday, revealing who was responsible for the death of Kevin Costner’s
beloved character John Dutton.
After the 69-year-old actor had a scheduling conflict over his Horizon movies, he bowed out of the show, with Paramount announcing Season 5 would be its last.
Given that Costner never filmed any part of Season 5 Part 2, many fans assumed he would be killed off quite quickly, and they were right.
Just minutes into the episode, it was revealed that Dutton was found dead in the governor’s mansion, with all initial signs pointing to a suicide.
However, as the episode progressed, it became clear one person was responsible: Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) Jamie Dutton’s (Wes Bentley) new girlfriend and a lawyer for Market Equities… the firm fighting for land against the Dutton ranch.
Atwood debuted in the second episode of Season 5, called in by Market Equities CEO Caroline Warner (Jacki Weaver).
She came to Montana and immediately set her sights on Jamie, the Montana attorney general who was initially going to run for Governor until John abruptly stepped in.
With Jamie still angered by his father’s election to the role he hoped to play himself, Sarah managed to work her way into Jamie’s life… and ultimately his bed.
Despite Jamie’s family going to figurative war with her company Market Equities, they continued to see each other.
Jamie even convinced himself that she was with him to try and hurt him, but she ultimately persuaded him that she was there for him, and him alone.
After his father John put the massive Yellowstone Dutton Ranch into a conservation easement, that infuriated Jamie because he knew that action would open the ranch up to lawsuits that could ultimately bankrupt the state.
That lead to Jamie calling for his father to be impeached, though he also discussed the possibility of perhaps having his father killed.
Sarah revealed she knew of companies who specialized in making murders look like accidents, a conversation she apparently thought was Jamie giving her the go-ahead to order the hit.
Sarah is seen meeting with a man named Grant (Matt Gerald) from one of those companies, who insists that suicide is the best option for her situation.
Towards the end of the episode, Jamie breaks down in tears when he gets home, when he finds Sarah, telling him, ‘That was not the reaction I expected,’ as Jamie realizes that she ordered the hit, which fans were not pleased with.
@SandraTrolinger said, ‘Sarah taking out John Dutton is a weak plot point out of ALL the enemies he had. But of course Jamie is still the true puppet.’
@ThaHustleMan330 said, ‘Ayo. That b***h Sarah hot but she evil. Both her and Jamie need to go. And John Dutton’s absence is felt all over this episode… I’m going to continue to watch to see how this plays out but there are better ways to write off Costner’s character. Suicide wasn’t it.’
@MsKayte95 said, ‘I almost forgot how much I detest Jamie and his dusty skank girlfriend Sarah. I need them both gone ASAP.’
@lizzloppp said, ‘Sarah & Jamie both messed up. they don’t know what’s coming for them.’
@BroGod4Life said, ‘Jamie is definitely whipped by Sarah ever since he decided to turn against the people that took him in even when he was going through hard times with them they still cared and this is how he repays them.’
@BroGod4Life added in another tweet, ‘Sarah if you think that Jamie is protected you don’t know the Dutton family like he does then they’re going to come after him and you too so you best to get some protection as well.’
With John Dutton now dead, it could set the stage for Jamie to be elected as the new Governor following a special election.
Whether or not the public finds out about Jamie and Sarah’s dalliance, or their involvement in John’s murder remains to be seen.
Season 5 Part 2 of Yellowstone will span six episodes in total, all airing Sunday nights at 8 PM ET on Paramount Network.
The series finale will air Sunday, December 15, with Paramount Network also eyeing a few new spin-offs to take over for the flagship series.
