This article contains spoilers for the fifth season of Yellowstone.
Yellowstone fans are still reeling from the show’s first-ever midseason finale and the ways it wowed them and left them wanting more. The episode was certainly the way to leave fans guessing before signing off for a few months, from Beth’s discovering a family secret to death threats on the menu.
Some fans saw an emotional yet fitting way to hit pause (although no one is looking forward to a months-long wait for more episodes), but others were less than impressed with the temporary Dutton sendoff. One of the most popular complaints from fans of the series is that the hiatus is happening at all; they’re not all that excited that they’ve got to wait to watch the rest of the episodes.
With the stakes higher than ever, the Duttons are fighting a battle against enemies on the outside and those lurking in their own territory. Sibling vs. sibling, Dutton vs. Dutton, and the family against absolutely everybody with an agenda that would hurt their longevity and livelihood. It’s a power struggle at its most fundamental level, and an exciting prospect all rolled into one, but some fans are thinking it’s about time to jump as far as the struggle between Beth and Jamie is concerned.
Of course, the reason a power move hasn’t been played yet is likely because fans just discovered that Beth Dutton herself had no idea about the family’s secret spot, the train station. That’s right, the daughter of John Dutton had no idea that her father (and others at the ranch) had been taking enemies to their final destination for all of these years.
It looks like she’s not the only one keeping secrets.
Many fans began watching the episode with a sense of nervousness; Jamie was ready to destroy his family from the inside out, and with Sarah Atwood at his side, he’s found a new level of confidence.
Feeling brave as he walked on stage to get as many constituents against John Dutton as possible, he began waging a war. Of course, the Duttons are familiar with life-altering battles, but they see a different side of Jamie this time around. He’s out for blood, namely Beth’s, and he seems poised to take her life if it comes down to it.
In fact, he’s taking steps to find out just how he’d end the life of his sister, and he’s not the only one getting prepared. Once Beth confronted her father about the train station, she said she thought it was time Jamie took a ride on it himself. The camera pans out before we can hear John’s response, and before the events of the latest episode, we would have bet money on the fact that John would never agree with the sentiment, no matter how vile his actions, but we’re not so sure now.
Maybe John has recognized that what exists in Jamie is a threat to the family, and while we might not ever hear those words from his mouth, we saw the look on his face — and that meant something.
It’s not hard to see why some fans absolutely loved the season finale, but others couldn’t find the excitement they usually feel while watching the series, and that’s okay too. As a series evolves, along with its characters, there will be things fans love and some they don’t; but diehard fans are sticking out and finding something to do with their time until the new episodes begin airing.
This season certainly has been different, and it’s an ever-evolving story. John Dutton serving as governor leaves him less time to be at the ranch, which also means that his priorities have been different. We’ve seen a lot of moving pieces, ranch hands dealing with new troubles, and a more profound separation between even the closest characters than we’ve seen before. The second half of the fifth season will undoubtedly tie some of these things together, and with a more extended running season than ever, we’re sure it’ll be worth the wait.
The second half of Yellowstone‘s epic fifth season begins airing this summer. With lives on the line, a possible impeachment trial, and the image we’ve not yet forgotten of the incinerator being introduced, there’s a lot more zest and drama to come.