Yellowstone season 5, part 2 was disappointing in many ways, but the finale got several things right. The decision to end the neo-Western came soon after the news broke that Kevin Costner was leaving Yellowstone. Thus, there was a lot of speculation about how Costner’s John Dutton III would be written out and what the final six episodes would look like. John’s exit was handled in the premiere episode when he was found dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but Beth and Kayce agreed that this was staged and set out in search of the truth.
The revelation that Yellowstone’s John Dutton was dead could have led to an exciting final season, but the series instead focused on seemingly meaningless flashbacks and life on the 6666 Ranch in Texas. Additionally, Taylor Sheridan’s decision to appear regularly as Travis was divisive, as Travis took screen time away from fan-favorite characters and from the story of avenging John’s death. Despite these missteps, Yellowstone wrapped things up well in the series finale, doing many of the things that most needed to be done for a satisfying ending.
5
Rip and Beth Got Their Happy Ending
The Two Moved to Dillon To Start A New Life
The worst thing that could have happened would have been if Rip or Beth had died during the finale, with their breaking up permanently being a close second. Fortunately, neither of these things happened. Instead, Beth and Rip finally got the peace they were looking for when they moved to Dillon after all the dust had settled. Their last scene involved both of them admitting they were finally happy, and Beth was especially thrilled that the bartender laughed at the idea of tourists coming through the area.
Of course, Beth and Rip’s happiness came at a great cost, as Rip helped Beth kill Jamie and then he and Lloyd disposed of the body in such a way that it will never be found or traced to them. They appear to have escaped legal problems as a result of the confrontation with Jamie, but it’s possible someone knows something and will cause trouble during Beth and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff. However, for now, they got the happy ending they deserved after all the heartache they’ve experienced throughout their lives.
4
Kayce Finally Got His Freedom From The Ranch
John’s Youngest Son Cried Tears of Joy After Selling The Property
Kayce’s joy after he sold the ranch was one of the most beautiful aspects of the Yellowstone finale. Although he seemed to be grieving after signing the papers, he hugged Monica and said that he was “finally free.” This resolution had been a long time coming, as Kayce struggled with dual loyalty to the Duttons and their Indigenous neighbors since the series’ first episode. Additionally, trying to help John meant getting caught up in shady and illegal activities which caused Kayce nothing but trouble, so gaining his freedom was a huge relief.
The vision symbolized the new prosperity Kayce would have as a result of selling the rest of the property to Rainwater.
The moment where Kayce cried over realizing that he was now free would have been a perfect ending, but Yellowstone made it even better by including the shared vision of a wolf digging in the field that Kayce, Monica, and Mo all saw. The vision symbolized the new prosperity Kayce would have as a result of selling the rest of the property to Rainwater. It also suggested that Kayce had completely embraced his identity as an honorary part of the tribe, as he was able to see the same things the Indigenous people did.
3
The Indigenous People Got Their Land Back
Mo Kept Rainwater’s Promise To Be John’s Protector
It was jarring to watch the Indigenous people removing the ranch house and other structures once they got the land back, but it was also a victory for them. Chief Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) has wanted to reclaim the property since Yellowstone’s first episode. Additionally, an 1883 prophecy foreshadowed Yellowstone’s ending, as it said that it would return to Indigenous control after seven generations. Fulfilling that prophecy connected Yellowstone to its spinoff and was thus the perfect way to wrap up the series.
Mo fulfilled Rainwater’s promise to Kayce to be John’s protector by ensuring that his resting place and that of his family members remained intact.
That said, one of the most powerful scenes in Yellowstone’s ending took place at the Dutton burial ground, which Rainwater had promised would remain undisturbed as both Indigenous people and Duttons were buried there. Several Indigenous people began knocking over the Duttons’ gravestones and laughing, but Mo put a stop to their behavior, telling them: “They protected this land. They died for this land. And this land is where they will stay.” Thus, Mo fulfilled Rainwater’s promise to Kayce to be John’s protector by ensuring that his resting place and that of his family members remained intact.
2
Jamie Got The Death He Deserved
There Was No Other Way His Story Could Have Ended After He Betrayed John
It was disappointing that Yellowstone’s war between Jamie and Beth was mostly saved for this one final battle, but there is no question that Jamie got what he deserved. During Yellowstone’s early seasons, Jamie was a complex character who was often on the outs with John because he refused to sacrifice his law license to protect him in illegal ways, but that version of the character was long gone by the time he died — Jamie had killed his biological father and had put things in motion to kill John so that he could help the developers get the land.
Thus, the only satisfying ending for Jamie was for him to be taken to the train station. Beth got the revenge she wanted since they were children and avenged her father’s murder, and Jamie’s body was disposed of in the way he deserved. While this means there is no hope for redemption for Jamie, there wouldn’t have been any way to believably redeem him after he went as far as he did, so his death is a victory for the Dutton family.
1
Ryan Got Back Together With His Girlfriend
He Reunited With Her After Listening To Her Sing In A Bar
Yellowstone could have ended without letting the audience know what had happened to many of the cowboys who worked on the ranch, but that would not have been true to the show’s spirit. At its heart, the Neo-Western was a love letter to the cowboy lifestyle that Rip feared was dying, and thus it took the time to follow several of the cowboys. Ryan’s (Ian Bohen) ending story was one of the best, as it appealed to the audience’s romantic side as well as reassuring them that he had a happy ending.
This ending also demonstrated that Ryan, much like Kayce, regained his freedom now that the ranch was gone and he didn’t have to tend to it.
Ryan had previously broken up with Abby (Lainey Wilson) because he needed to focus on his cowboy duties and couldn’t follow her all over the country while she established her music career. Thus, his ending was particularly poignant, as he sought out Abby while she was singing in a bar and listened to her entire concert before asking her for a second chance. This ending also demonstrated that Ryan, much like Kayce, regained his freedom now that the ranch was gone and he didn’t have to tend to it.