As “Yellowstone” diehards endlessly await the eventual conclusion of the series, the Sheridan-verse is experiencing another renaissance now that season 1 is being aired on network television for the very first time. That’s also breathing new life into one of the main characters that has unfortunately been relegated to the sidelines more and more with each passing season of the show. Wife to Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and longtime resident at the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, Monica Long (Kelsey Asbille) is a powerhouse in “Yellowstone” season 1.
Monica is one of the last true holdouts that keeps Kaycee away from the controlling arms of his father, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), and she’s a beacon of light as a school teacher in a community that desperately needs to hold onto their culture and remember the importance of a good education. Viewers currently watching the show on CBS can see that she’s easily one of the most compelling characters through the first half of season 1.
If one sudden and tragic accident would have never occurred, Monica would most likely have her own spinoff show by now. And fans could be enjoying that as well instead of waiting until November for the upcoming series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” to premiere. That, sadly, is not the case after season 1, episode 6, “The Remembering,” where Monica once again plays the hero only to be punished dearly for it. After what happened, Monica has never been the same since, and “Yellowstone” lost a vital member of its sizable roster.
When Yellowstone turned into a hospital drama for an episode
That’s the thing, actually. “Yellowstone” is bursting at the seams with interesting characters that suck up all the oxygen in the room. That being the case, it’s easier for noble types like Monica to suddenly become marginalized. Usually, the easiest way to do that is to have said character fall victim to a violent, yet completely avoidable fate.
Proving that teachers should be paid a lot more, Monica is punched in the face by a student when she attempts to break up a fight in episode 6. In the struggle, she cracks her head hard on the pavement, immediately rendering her unconscious. At first, Monica seems like she’ll pull through just fine, only to collapse in front of her home later on. Cue the credits in an effective but predictable cliffhanger leading up to season 1, episode 7, “A Monster Is Among Us.”
Fade in. The head injury is diagnosed as an epidural hematoma where doctors actually had to remove a piece of Monica’s skull to relieve the pressure. Ever since Monica suffered the ordeal, she has continued to fade into the background on “Yellowstone,” becoming more of a symbol of strength than an actual living, breathing character. Realistically, that kind of trauma would make Monica act differently and be more cautious, but in doing so, the power she had at the start of the series has dimmed considerably.
In “A Monster Is Among Us,” Monica begins to turn into an emotional prop for Kaycee. Something awful didn’t happen to Monica, it happened to him. Monica’s fate represents a core tenet in “Yellowstone”: Everyone is expendable unless your name is Dutton. Monica does become a Dutton, but at what cost?
There are a lot of loose ends to tie up when the final episodes of season 5 eventually air. Maybe, just maybe, Monica will get the sendoff she deserves.