When it comes to legal troubles, most of the Yellowstone characters have seen their share. But this one might just cause a few plot holes.
When it comes to Yellowstone fans, we’re quick to point out when a character arc or plot point doesn’t quite make sense, because it happens so often. (We still love it, though.)
The most recent Yellowstone flub comes courtesy of the subreddit, where one viewer pointed out a legal issue surrounding one particularly troublesome Yellowstone character: Walker. Last we saw Walker prior to Yellowstone season 5 part 2, he was getting ready to head to Texas with some of the other hands to transport the cattle. However, this doesn’t quite make sense to some.
“The whole reason Walker is back working the ranch after striking a deal with Kayce to avoid the train station by “disappearing” is because he is on parole and can’t leave the state,” wrote weshardeniv.
“Unless his parole has ended, or he sought permission through the court to temporarily relocate due to employment requirements, he shouldn’t be able to go with Jake, Ryan, Teeter and Rip.”
To clarify, Walker first joined the Dutton ranch as a reluctant hand. He quickly became disinterested in the questionable ways of John Dutton and his crew, and threatened to leave. As such, Rip told Kayce to take him to the Train Station.
But Kayce, being the gentle soul he is, gave Walker the option of running from the state and never being seen again. Of course, they bump into him later on, given that Walker is on parole and is unable to leave Montana, so he winds back up on the Dutton ranch yet again.
Naturally, this raises questions regarding his ability to head out for Texas with the rest of the crew. Luckily, some fans have done some digging, and have a few viable reasons for his oncoming trip.
“He only has to answer to a parole officer,” says sameshitdfrntacct. “It’s not shown but they very well could’ve placed him into John or Kayce’s custody since they are members of the government (livestock Leos). Also they have a lot of pull. Wouldn’t be a stretch to say they could make a phone call and make it go away.”
“A person on probation can leave the state, for work, if they notify their probation officer. There are a lot of plot holes but this isn’t one of them,” says sameshitdfrntacct.
Of course, there’s always the magic key: John Dutton. “His boss is the governor and the governor can unilaterally issue a pardon,” fusionaddict pointed out.
A great point. We should know well enough by now that if John wants something done, he gets it done, regardless of what the “law” says. And besides, given how Yellowstone is abruptly coming to an end soon, it doesn’t really matter.
In all likelihood, we’ll probably end up skipping over the Texas trip altogether, so Walker’s legal troubles probably won’t come into effect. Lucky him!
If you’re looking to dip into Dutton history, check out our guides to the Yellowstone cast and the complete Yellowstone timeline. We’ve also got a guide on Yellowstone 6666, so you can see what’s next. Elsewhere, check out our breakdown of the best TV series around for some more top picks!