As a long-time ranch hand and storyteller from the heart of Montana, I’ve seen my fair share of loose ends, frayed ropes, and untied knots. But the one that’s left me scratchin’ my head the most is the fate of our dear ol’ Lloyd. A man who’s spent more time on that ranch than most can remember, he deserved a proper send-off, not just a drive away from the Yellowstone with Rip.
Contains spoilers for “Yellowstone” Season 5, Episode 14 — “Life Is A Promise”
Beginning in 2018, Taylor Sheridan’s critically acclaimed neo-Western series “Yellowstone” has captivated viewers nationwide, with Kevin Costner portraying John Dutton, the cattle baron and family head, for most of the show. However, during the break between the two halves of its fifth and last season, Costner departed from the Paramount Network drama. This left creator Taylor Sheridan scrambling to decide how to proceed. Remarkably, he managed to alter the plotline in the final six episodes, providing a fitting conclusion to the Dutton saga in the epic finale titled “Life Is A Promise.” Despite the segment’s extended two-hour length, there were still some lingering plot threads left unresolved.
In November 2024, Luke Grimes shared his feelings on the end of “Yellowstone,” stating that fans would be content with the series’ conclusion. Whether you appreciated the clever resolution of the Dutton family’s Market Equities predicament or were hoping for Kevin Costner (or perhaps Josh Lucas) to make a surprise appearance, there’s no denying that Season 5 marks the end of “Yellowstone.” There have been whispers about the possibility of a Season 6, and if it does happen, Taylor Sheridan might need to find a way to resolve the seven loose ends left by the finale episode, “Life Is A Promise.
What happened with Jamie’s son?
In the first season, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) developed a romantic relationship with his campaign manager, Christina (Katherine Cunningham), who sought to implement her progressive ideologies on the unaware residents of Montana. When Christina became pregnant in Season 2, and then disappeared from the show, many viewers believed she was gone for good. However, she reappeared in Season 4 to introduce Jamie to his own son, Jamie Jr., also known as James. This revelation served as Jamie’s motivation to continue pursuing politics. Unfortunately, when Beth (Kelly Reilly) learns about Jamie’s son, she swears to take everything away from him, intending to prevent him from ever having a life with that child.
In the second half of Season 5, Beth’s promise to kill her brother appears fulfilled, but the storyline involving her brother’s son seems to be abandoned. Although Christina reappears in the second-to-last episode, there’s minimal focus on James’ wellbeing. Notably, Beth no longer poses a threat to Jamie’s child, either because she undergoes a change or is too preoccupied with her father’s recent demise. The finale doesn’t delve into the whereabouts of young James Dutton, suggesting that this part of the Dutton family line has essentially been cut off in the context of “Yellowstone.
Clara Brewer never came back
In Season 5, John Dutton ascends to the governorship of Montana, and shortly afterward, Clara Brewer (Lilli Kay) arrives as his aide. Clara is adept, reliable, and plays an essential role in the latter stages of John’s political journey, demonstrating her worth both on the ranch and in politics. After John’s demise, Clara is presented with a role working alongside his successor, Governor Steven Rawlings (Gareth Williams). The catch? Clara strongly opposes Rawlings’ ideologies and policies, fearing the distortion of John’s legacy. Declining to collaborate with the new governor, Clara requests employment from Senator Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz-Grillo) instead. However, Perry offers her a job on the condition that Clara utilizes her temporary unemployment period to disseminate information about Rawlings and Jamie’s intentions.
In a surprising turn of events, Clara’s presence is noticeably absent from the second part of Season 5, neither warning Beth nor Kayce as initially expected. Moreover, she fails to attend John’s funeral in the finale, which was quite unexpected given her significant role in Part 1. This sudden absence and lack of consequence for the character seems unusual, especially considering that creator Taylor Sheridan had positioned Clara to potentially reveal Jamie and Rawlins to Montana. It leaves one questioning if this could be an oversight in the narrative.
What happened to Angela Blue Thunder?
Discussing the characters who didn’t leave a significant mark in the latter part of the extended fifth season, it’s worth noting Q’orianka Kilcher’s character Angela Blue Thunder was barely present. Unlike Clara, Angela didn’t make an appearance in Season 5, Part 2 whatsoever. Angela was initially introduced on the Broken Rock Indian Reservation during Season 3, and she was portrayed as a Native American counterpart to Beth’s formidable legal skills. After a conspicuous absence in Season 4, her character resurfaced for Season 5, Part 1, serving as a contrast to Thomas Rainwater (played by Gil Birmingham). In this part of the series, she represented a new pipeline project that aimed to cut through the reservation and, moreover, Dutton’s land. However, Angela was nowhere to be found after that initial appearance in Season 5, Part 1.
In the narrative, Rainwater’s Struggle with Pipeline Construction seems peculiar since neither he nor Angela Blue Thunder confront each other in the second part of Season 5, despite both taking direct action against pipeline development at the start of the finale. Interestingly, Angela remains absent throughout this period without any signs of protest or comment on John Dutton’s demise. As the Broken Rock tribe takes over the Dutton land in the series finale, Angela is nowhere to be found, and her absence lacks an explanation.
Why didn’t the assassins leak Jamie and Sarah’s sex tape?
In a surprising twist, the last season of “Yellowstone” sets off a series of events leading to John Dutton’s demise. In “A Knife and No Coin,” Jamie realizes that experts might be necessary to handle the danger his family poses to Market Equities’ plans for Paradise Valley. His girlfriend, Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), acknowledges this gravity. In “Desire Is All You Need,” Sarah engages Grant Horton (Matt Gerald) for this task. However, Grant insists on operating covertly and warns he’ll reveal her romantic involvement with Jamie if his company’s participation becomes public knowledge.
Following John Dutton’s murder, Grant and his associates avoid suspicion until Kayce discovers the killing was not self-defense. Once the truth comes to light, Grant orders Sarah’s death, making Jamie a suspect for both murders. In “Counting Coup,” when Kayce confronts Grant, he warns the assassin about his family. This tactic keeps Grant and his team from targeting Kayce or Beth, but it doesn’t clarify why they didn’t release Sarah and Jamie’s compromising video.
It could be that Grant thinks the danger has passed now that Sarah has died, and sees no need to link Jamie to anything suspicious. However, upon being challenged by Kayce, Grant might suspect that Jamie wasn’t just part of the operation but possibly the one who initially revealed Grant’s profession. A desire for revenge could motivate Jamie to release this footage, thereby exposing him as a liar and charlatan. But for some reason, this line of thought seems to have been abandoned altogether.
Wouldn’t Jamie’s murder be on camera?
As a devoted fan, I’ve got to ponder over something intriguing: Since it was clear that Grant’s team had eyes on Jamie’s abode, wouldn’t Beth’s act of killing her brother in the finale have been captured on camera? It seems plausible that after Sarah hired the assassin, his group might have deemed their surveillance equipment redundant and taken it down. Yet, it feels more logical that the gear would stay put as a safety measure, and the series “Yellowstone” hints at this possibility. When Sarah met her end in “Three-Fifty-Three,” the assassins only struck after she departed from Jamie’s house, suggesting they had been watching her all along. It’s not impossible that those cameras and listening devices were still active to keep a close eye on Market Equities’ lawyer Jamie, given Sarah’s frequent residence there until that point.
Even though Grant and his team have departed, “Yellowstone” implies that Jamie has surveillance cameras installed as well. It could be that Beth deactivates them upon entry or Jamie himself dismantled them following Sarah’s demise. If this is the case, it might explain the supposed unresolved aspect. However, a thorough inquiry into Jamie’s disappearance (and presumed death) would probably lead back to Beth and Rip, especially considering that his Yellowstone-marked vehicle was possibly spotted in the Attorney General’s parking area.
Where did Lloyd end up?
Among the cowboys from “Yellowstone”, it was Forrie J. Smith’s character Lloyd who seemed to warrant a more conclusive ending. Despite Rip’s assurance that Lloyd would remain at the Yellowstone if they manage to save the ranch, the series “Life Is A Promise” steers Lloyd’s narrative in a different path following the sale of the ranch to Broken Rock residents. Having worked on the Dutton Ranch for more than 40 years, Lloyd concludes that if he won’t be ranching at Yellowstone, then there’s no point in ranching at all. This change is intriguing, particularly after Rip extends an invitation for Lloyd to join him, Beth, and Carter (Finn Little) on their new property outside of Dillon, but it’s a decision we can’t really dispute.
Despite helping to dispose of Jamie’s body and assisting Rip in removing the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch signpost, Lloyd’s storyline seems to have been abruptly concluded. Unlike Ryan (Ian Bohen), Teeter (Jennifer Landon), and other Dutton family members, we don’t get to know what happens to Lloyd. This open-endedness might reflect the show’s uncertainty about how to wrap up Lloyd’s screen storyline. However, there’s a glimmer of hope that Lloyd may reappear in Rip’s new venture in western Montana on a potential spin-off within the Yellowstone Universe. Fingers crossed!
Will the Train Station get discovered?
Perhaps the biggest loose end in all of “Yellowstone” has always been the infamous Train Station. A literal graveyard for all those who have opposed the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch over the years, this is the closet where all the Dutton secrets are buried, now including Jamie Dutton himself. Jamie’s fate there is sort of poetic, given that it’s exactly what happens to Will Patton’s Garrett Randall, aka Jamie’s biological father, a season earlier. Located just over the Wyoming border, the Train Station is a turnout on the side of the small highway with a cliff that runs down to nowhere. But wouldn’t someone eventually find it?
If “Yellowstone” doesn’t continue for another season, many viewers might ponder about the safety and discretion of the Train Station, given that the Dutton family’s trash can is right on a major road, making it questionable as a secure location for secrets. At night, it appears to be an ideal spot to conceal a body, but during daylight, an unassuming tourist could accidentally discover these remains. It seems more prudent to bury the bodies discreetly somewhere far from public view, perhaps deep within the ranch (considering it’s as large as Rhode Island), rather than leaving them in a spot where they might be found.
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2024-12-19 01:00