You Won’t Believe the Tragic Secret Linking Yellowstone’s John Dutton and 1923’s Spencer Dutton

Warning: SPOILERS for 1923 Season 2’s Finale – “A Dream and a Memory”

In the television series 1923, we see a striking resemblance in the management style of John Dutton III (played by Kevin Costner) and one of his ancestors. John’s rule over the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, as portrayed in Yellowstone, came to an unfortunate end in season 5, part 2’s premiere when he was assassinated in the governor’s mansion. The primary antagonist, Market Equities, sought to construct an airport in the Paradise Valley, and John Dutton presented a significant obstacle to their plans. However, John’s children managed to safeguard the Dutton Ranch, preserving its pristine wilderness despite their father’s untimely demise.

Following John Dutton’s demise in season 5 of Yellowstone, his foresight lacked as his son Kayce (Luke Grimes) sold the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and the Broken Rock Tribe due to the high inheritance taxes. Consequently, we didn’t observe Kayce Dutton managing the ranch independently under John’s influence. However, in a twist, we might find Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) running the ranch instead, and the rule of the 1923 character could share notable parallels with John Dutton’s rule.

John And Spencer Dutton Had To Run The Yellowstone Ranch Solo

Evelyn And Alexandra Dutton Were Gone Too Soon

Following the finale of season 2 of “1923”, it’s clear that starting from spring of 1924, I, as a film enthusiast, eagerly anticipate seeing Spencer Dutton take charge at Yellowstone Ranch. After Spencer ends Donald Whitfield’s (Timothy Dalton) life, he assumes control over the Dutton Ranch, alleviating his uncle, Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford), from its day-to-day management. Regrettably, Spencer will lead the ranch alone as Alex Dutton (Julia Schlaepfer) passed away in 1923. Spencer’s wife perishes after spending an extended period in Montana’s harsh cold, eventually succumbing to complications from hypothermia.

It’s clear from Spencer Dutton’s time leap at the end of 1923 that he never remarried, even though he had a son with an unnamed widow. This fact indicates that for up to 45 years while running the ranch, Spencer had to handle everything on his own. Interestingly, John Dutton’s situation bears a striking resemblance, as his wife, Evelyn (portrayed by Gretchen Mol), met an untimely death in a flashback from Yellowstone season 1. In essence, John was left without his long-term partner just like Spencer.

How John And Spencer’s Circumstances Affect Running The Ranch

John Dutton Is Saddened By His Past Throughout Yellowstone

It’s clear that John Dutton’s experience with loss, such as the death of his wife and other family members, deeply impacted how he managed the ranch. The most poignant lines from the TV show “Yellowstone” reveal that John’s character was intimately acquainted with grief. His ties to loss often plunge him into melancholy, a feeling he has experienced due to the deaths of his son, Lee (Dave Annable), and his infant brother, Peter. This sorrow might influence John’s reluctance to embrace change, as seen when he resists his daughter’s suggestions for reform, given that Dutton appears to be fixated on the past.

So far, it’s unclear how Alex’s passing affects Spencer, given that “1923” concludes with the Dutton family gaining control of the ranch and then jumps ahead to 1969 when the patriarch dies. However, we do know that Spencer’s time at the ranch will be affected by losing his only wife, as Elsa Dutton’s narration in the finale hints that Spencer never remarried after her departure. His solitude likely impacted his work, even if not to the same extent as John Dutton’s. We also know that Spencer managed the ranch effectively throughout World War II and beyond, since it was eventually passed down to John Dutton in the contemporary era.

Spencer Dutton Will Likely Return To Yellowstone In Its 1944 Spinoff

Alex’s Spirit Could Help Spencer Run The Ranch Alone In 1944

In Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming prequel, “1944,” we might gain a deeper understanding of how the character Spencer is impacted by his loss. Since this story takes place 25 years before his death, Spencer Dutton would have been running the Yellowstone Ranch during wartime, a time period where the series will likely resume. However, it’s uncertain if Brandon Sklenar will reprise his role as Spencer Dutton in “1944.” Instead, there are suggestions that his co-star, Julia Schlaepfer, could return for this new chapter, possibly portraying Alex Dutton who may offer insights into Spencer’s management of the ranch, perhaps appearing to him as a spirit or in dreams.

With Schlaepfer’s potential return to the Yellowstone series, it might mean that Spencer won’t have to manage the ranch all by himself. His spiritual bond with Alex Dutton, as shown in the ending of 1923, through Spencer Dutton’s afterlife, could provide him the resilience to “shoulder the destiny of this family through the depression and every other hardship the 20th century brought upon them,” as Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) hints in the premiere of 1923.

2025-05-19 20:39