Unlock the Secrets of the Dutton Legacy: How ‘1923’ Sets the Stage for ‘1944’

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If you don’t quite have a handle on the sprawling Dutton family tree, that’s intentional.

Following the tremendous success of the flagship show Yellowstone, Taylor Sheridan delved into the past to uncover the roots of the family at the heart of the story, initially with prequel series 1883 and subsequently with 1923. The second season finale of this series, which broke records, aired on April 6.

Each installment of Paramount+ set before the original series, Yellowstone, has introduced a new branch of the Dutton family. The characters portrayed in 1883 are those who established the ranch that became known as Yellowstone, while 1923 focuses on the Duttons who struggled to hold onto it during difficult times. Similarly, the personalities depicted in 1883 eventually evolved into the ones featured in 1923, and now, with the arrival of 1944, this new series is expected to set the stage for yet another prequel series from Sheridan’s creative mind.

1944 was revealed as a potential prequel spin-off when Paramount Network first announced that Yellowstone would be concluding, without providing any details about the series at that time. Although creator Taylor Sheridan hasn’t officially commented on 1944 yet, the ending of 1923 leaves room for several storylines to develop while also keeping the enigma surrounding the mysterious grandfather of Kevin Costner’s character in Yellowstone, John Dutton III, a central question.

The John Dutton of 1923

Following the exploration of their cross-continental relationship over two seasons, the series 1923 concluded with both a death and a life, marking the poignant end to the epic love story between Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) and Alexandra Dutton (Julia Schlaepfer). In the aftermath of their separation at the end of season one, the subsequent season followed Spencer and Alex as they embarked on separate, yet equally perilous, paths towards returning to Montana. Upon finally reuniting in Bozeman, Alex gave birth prematurely to a 6-month-old baby, who she named John, in memory of the brother (John Sr., played by James Badge Dale) that Spencer had lost. Tragically, Alex passed away shortly after childbirth.

In the television series “Yellowstone” starring Costner, John III is the character. Is it possible that baby John could be the grandparent who starts the current generation? Sklenar hinted to The Hollywood Reporter that he had an answer, but both he and co-star Michelle Randolph have left it up to Sheridan to clarify in the upcoming 1944 installment.

In other words, the original text suggests that baby John could be a potential grandparent character in the series, and this question is yet to be officially confirmed by the creator in the forthcoming season of 1944.

It’s unclear what will happen at the end of the finale, as it hasn’t been definitively shown yet,” Sklenar explained. “So I guess we’ll need to tune in to 1944. Fingers crossed they’ll disclose John Dutton III’s grandfather in the first episode itself, sparing us from having to wait through an entire series for the confirmation.

1923 concluded with the visuals of Spencer’s aunt Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren) promising to nurture baby John, who lost his mother, while Spencer collaborated with uncle Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) in managing the ranch. If baby John manages to live, he would be around twenty when the story resumes in 1944, and the series might focus on this father-son duo maintaining the ranch. Sklenar ardently expressed his desire to reprise his role in 1944 (“He needs to learn. Someone needs to guide him,” he said about Spencer as a father), while Schlaepfer proposed the concept of Alexandra’s spirit tormenting the men she departed from.

The final scene’s conclusion, delivered in a voiceover by Elsa Dutton, a character from 1883 (played by Isabel May), offers insight into 1923. This voiceover is from beyond the grave, where she reveals that following Alexandra’s death, Spencer had another son born in mystery, sired by a widow. However, this widow eventually left him and he remained unmarried thereafter.

The Other Dutton Baby

In the season two finale of “1923”, Elizabeth Dutton (portrayed by Randolph), who was Jack Dutton’s widow (nephew of Spencer and great-niece of Jacob and Cara, played by Darren Mann), made the decision to abandon the ranch. In her final moments in “1923”, she bids farewell to Cara and discloses her intention to return to the city, likely Boston, where she originally hails from, while being pregnant with their unborn child.

Randolph shared with THR that she’s unsure about Sheridan’s plans for 1944 regarding Elizabeth, but she still believes Elizabeth isn’t completely out of the picture in the Dutton storyline. She expressed, “I think she’s more of a Dutton now than ever before.” Regarding Elizabeth, Randolph doesn’t believe she will abandon her life and be swept away by city living, as Cara suggested. Instead, she hopes Elizabeth experiences some respite – but she remains a Dutton at heart.

Speaking about Elizabeth’s future once she leaves the porch, Randolph expressed his hope that we might revisit her character again – either through the ongoing production of ‘The Madison’ series or by catching up with her and her Dutton child, whose gender is still a mystery in 1944.

She imagined herself being back in 1944, thanks to advanced prosthetics, she mentioned. Moreover, she believes that the identity of the grandfather remains unverified and a mystery, as Taylor Sheridan intentionally keeps it hidden.

The Rainwaters

Another figure from 1923, not yet officially identified as a mother, might have been expecting in the season finale, and this person is unrelated to any previously established family lineage.

There’s another character in the year 1923 who we don’t know if they had children or not (yet), but it seems possible that they were pregnant during the final episode of the season, and this character is from a completely different family background.

In a compelling twist, Teonna Rainwater – the Native teenager who broke free from an Indian assimilation school in a previous season – lays the groundwork for the illustrious Rainwater lineage within the fictional Broken Rock Tribe, which viewers encounter through Chief Rainwater (portrayed by Gil Birmingham) during the present day. The climactic episode of Yellowstone’s fifth season B (which may serve as the series finale; we are yet to find out) takes us back to 1883 and a vow exchanged between the Duttons and the elders of the Broken Rock Tribe, establishing these two families as the cornerstone of the Yellowstone legacy.

If you were to inquire about Aminah Nieves’ thoughts on her character, Teonna, she believes that Teonna might have been pregnant during the finale of “1923.” According to her interview with THR, she suggests that if Teonna is indeed pregnant, it would be Pete Plenty Clouds (portrayed by Jeremy Gauna) who is the father.

If Teonna had been pregnant in 1944, her child would now be around the same age as we are speaking about. Nieves firmly believes that Teonna, a remarkable survivor, would still be alive then as well. She deeply yearns for Teonna to have a long and fulfilling life, stating, “I so badly want her story not to end prematurely, as is often the case with Native historical narratives. I wish for her to experience a full life, because there are many Natives, along with members of other underrepresented communities, who continue to thrive despite adversity. I dream of Teonna living a long and prosperous life.

Head here for a more in-depth look at the Dutton family tree.

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2025-04-16 20:55