Five seasons of blood, heartache, whisky and tears seal the fate of one family legacy, torn by a war within.
As we prepare for series’ final epic chapter, we’re recapping every season which has aired so far – including the beginning of the end, Season 5 Part 1.
You can also watch every episode in its entirety exclusively on Stan, which is exactly where you’ll find the brand new season when it premieres on November 11.
This ain’t our first rodeo, let the recap begin!
See below for a full recap of Season 5 Part 1:
We open with a poignant shot of John Dutton (Kevin Costner) moments before he is sworn in as the new Governor of Montana.
“It’s time, daddy,” Beth (Kelly Reilly) announces. Time for John to cut the airport funding and make his promise and protect the land.
In a surprise move, Jamie (Wes Bentley) introduces his father. Jamie stares into Beth’s eyes. Their game is not over yet.
Caroline Warner (Jacki Weaver), head of Market Equities is mad. Real mad. “I told you to go after the daughter!” she screams has she throws a glass.
But then her eyes wander to a new target: sad, lonely Jamie on what should be the happiest day of his life.
Meanwhile, Beth makes a visit to Schwartz & Meyer. She wants to put the Dutton land in a conservation easement meaning Market Equities would lose billions in investments and revenue. Tough move.
Where’s Kayce (Luke Grimes)? He’s at Canadian border, chasing thieves and rounding up stolen horses.
Pregnant Monica (Kelsey Asbille) is back home and about to give birth. Kayce sends for an ambulance but she’s racing in the car with Tate in the passenger side, contractions getting worse.
She’s swerving in pain, screaming. There’s a distracted driver and cow up ahead. In a sudden crash, Monica’s car goes tumbling off the edge.
She lost the baby. We found out they named him John.
“I had a brother for half an hour,” Tate mourns. This is all too much, our hearts can’t take it and we’re only in Episode 1?!
Kayce is shattered. In a vision, he sees the end of him and Monica. He chooses his family over his father and hands his badge back to John.
Among the heartache, Lloyd celebrates his birthday with a night out in town.
Aggravated, Beth glasses a married woman for hitting on Rip (Cole Hauser). She gets arrested but thanks to Jamie she escapes with minimal charges. Now, here’s where things take a real turn…
While hitching a ride from prison, Beth spots a baby seat in Jamie’s car. Jamie panics.
“So you have a child, Jamie?” Beth’s heart sinks. “You have my womb cut out of me and God gave you a boy?” She yells before attacking him.
“F–k you!” she screams.
Jamie fights back: “Taking you to that clinic is the greatest regret of my life.”
We’re torn and Beth makes the threat of a lifetime: “I’m going to rob you from fatherhood, Jamie. Next time you see him you can kiss him goodbye.”
Now she’s really upset him.
Meanwhile, Caroline has faced defeat and is sent back to New York, only to have new girl in town Sarah (Dawn Olivieri) hot on Jamie’s case.
Jamie and Sarah meet at a bar. She playing him and he’s falling for her every move.
For John’s second order of business, he’s commuted Summer to house arrest on his ranch. Beth gives her three months, tops.
It only takes Summer’s sulking at the dinner table for Beth and her to “take a walk”. They fight it out, literally, until a bloody Summer taps out.
With their scars healing and calf season well underway, Rip takes Beth to a secret field, the place he thought they were going to get married.
“I don’t need anything else,” Beth gently smiles. “Cigarettes, whisky, a meadow and you.”
From one romantic err… moment to the next, Jamie wakes after a night spent with Sarah. “Why aren’t you governor?” she teases.
Jamie questions her ulterior motives and she happily spells it out – to make him governor. There, she’s planted the seed.
“Help me win and I will give you the airport,” he bargains with her. Oooh he’s right where she wants him. Tourism is all Montana has, she argues, this is how they will save the ranch.
And right now, the ranch desperately needs saving with disease threatening their entire herd of cows.
Leasing off-site land could cost them $1.4 million a month – money the Dutton Ranch doesn’t have.
Beth fears their business model could be the end of them – until she has an idea. She argues they should be in the meat industry, not the cattle industry, which is exactly what the 6666 Ranch model is.
Things are looking hopeful… until Jamie finds out his dad put the ranch into an environmental trust. He’s fuming.
Sarah whispers in his ear, not doubt while they’re entangled in bed sheets: “Sounds like an impeachable offence.” Jamie calls an assembly and the press have a field day.
“He has declared war upon us,” says Beth with a cold, unforgiving tone.
Which brings us to the final episode…
There’s nothing John can do right now, he’s needed in Helena and says his goodbyes. Wait, we know John Dutton won’t be returning for the final installment, is this goodbye forever?!
Back in town, ominous music looms as Jamie addresses the court. He accuses John for violating state law, for not acting in the best interest of the state, for shutting down the airport and resort project.
“He has exposed the state to litigation,” Jamie declares. John has robbed the state of billions in tax revenue, threatening the state’s biggest source of income, tourism.
The bombshell spreads to Helena.
“That motherfu–ker,” scowls Beth. Check mate.
That night, Beth pays Jamie a visit. She’s banging on his door and storms into his house.
“Tomorrow, you will call the press office and you are resigning or I will print photos,” she threatens him. She’s talking about the photos of Jamie discarding his birth father’s body.
But Jamie has ammo. He tells Beth about a little place called the ‘train station’ and it’s almost laughable. Did she think he’d dump the body in a random place?!
“The greatest threat to our ranch is our father and you know it!” he slams.
For once, Beth is lost for words. She confronts her dad and the truth is a harsh shock. She worries Jamie will use their past against them.
“If there is a place our enemies go and they do not come back,” Beth slowly begins. “I think that’s the place for Jamie. What do you think, daddy?”
Jamie is onto her plan. He doesn’t’ assign himself security, he hires a professional (if you know what we mean).
In a war between family, who will fall first?
All be will revealed in Yellowstone’s epic final installment which premieres November 11, the same day as the U.S., only on Stan.
Yellowstone is co-created by Oscar®-nominated screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (Wind River, Hell or High Water and Sicario) and John Linson. Executive producers include John Linson, Art Linson, Taylor Sheridan, Kevin Costner, David C. Glasser, Bob Yari and Stephen Kay.