Spoilers for the Season 2 finale of Yellowstone (“Sins of the Father”) are discussed below.
Yellowstone set up a very different Season 3 with its emotional Season 2 finale. First off, the opening minutes were heartbreaking as viewers got to see another flashback. This one centered on John and his dad (guest star Dabney Coleman). John Dutton Sr. reflected on his life and what he would miss about it. To say it was emotional would be an understatement.
Then it was time to find out what would happen with Tate, the Becks, and Dan Jenkins. By the time the hour came to a close, there were a lot of shake-ups and deaths. Yellowstone will never be the same after this chapter. The Season 2 finale cleared a lot of characters and set the stage for a rebooted third season. Here’s how…
The Big Deaths
Malcolm Beck, his brother Teal, Dan Jenkins, and his bodyguard were all killed. Jenkins had been a series regular since Season 1 and his return for the second season came as a bit of a pleasant surprise. It seemed like Dan had gotten killed off in last season’s finale. In the end, it was the following finale that proved fatal.
The loss of Danny Huston will definitely be felt in Season 3 as he proved an intrepid foil for John Dutton. Similarly, the vile Beck brothers brought full-blown villainy to Yellowstone. Who will be the big bad next? Stay tuned.
Tate Is Heading Home
Kayce took his gloves off and Tate was rescued! John shared the glorious news with an emotional Monica and Beth. Monica responded by hugging her father-in-law for (what I think was) the first time. I was worried Tate getting kidnapped would drive a wedge between Monica and the Duttons.
Thankfully, that does not appear to be the case. Is the back and forth of Kayce and his family living on the ranch over? I hope so. Tate will probably need some counseling as he deals with the aftermath of his ordeal. All of the Duttons are behind him, though. They did everything it took to get him back.
John Finally Acknowledged Rip
If you had not already cried over the moving opening scene between John and his dad, Yellowstone kept at it. It turns out that John was not clearing out his son Lee’s house for himself. He was doing so for Rip. In a roundabout way, John finally acknowledged Rip as a son.
When Beth read the letter her father had written to Rip, he was overcome with emotion (in a brilliant moment from actor Cole Hauser), and Rip was not alone. At long last, John finally acknowledged all of Rip’s sacrifice and loyalty to the family. Earlier in Yellowstone Season 2, such a moment seemed out of reach. Patience pays off, and Rip’s dedication paid off.
Beth And Rip Had Another Moment
Will these two please get married, already! I will admit that I was hoping for a marriage proposal at the end of the Season 2 finale. Yellowstone even seemed to be prepping for a romantic one replete with picturesque scenery in the background. You cannot have everything. Okay, I still wanted everything!
Beth and Rip shared a close moment with her sharing her father’s letter with Rip, which meant a lot. Season 2 ends with them teetering on the brink of something official. It is more than fans got when Yellowstone ended its first season. I am hoping they continue to build on the progress they made.
Yellowstone is undoubtedly heading into its third season with a lot of different pieces in play. Losing Dan Jenkins is a massive loss for the show. Danny Huston brings “it” in everything he does, and his work on Yellowstone was no different.
Yellowstone Season 2 also benefited from Neal McDonough’s chilling performance as Malcolm Beck. The drama needed a big bad, and it got it. As for Rip, he officially knows he is a part of the Dutton family. Beth seems to finally realize that Rip is her one and only true love.
Why on earth Beth hates Jamie remains a frustrating mystery heading into Season 3. What is next for Colby and your other favorites? Stay tuned. Hopefully, fans do not have to wait too long see it!
A premiere date for Yellowstone Season 3 has not been set yet by Paramount Network, so stay tuned. There will be a lot of fall premieres to help fill the massive void.
