Yellowstone: 7 questions that remain after show finale, explored

Yellowstone finally ended its 6-year run with the season 5 finale airing on December 15, 2024. The finale brought together the storylines and mostly tied up all the loose ends that the narrative had.

While most of the characters and their fates were rounded up in the final season of Yellowstone, some lingering questions have remained to which no clear answers have been provided, and given the show has now ended, it is unlikely that those questions will ever be answered.

As Yellowstone ends with Beth and Kayce saving their ranch despite losing authority on it, let us now explore some storylines that were not completely resolved.

The following article contains spoilers.

7 questions that need an answer in the Yellowstone finale

What does Jamie’s death mean for Beth?

While it was clear since John Dutton’s death that Beth would avenge his murder, the final resolution came in the finale as Beth and Jamie got into a face-to-face confrontation as the latter caused the murder of John Dutton.

In the beginning, Jamie nearly murdered Beth when he beat her in a hand-to-hand battle. But Rip showed up on time, detained Jamie, and Beth stabbed him to death.

To save herself, Beth cooks up the story of being attacked by Jamie first and then attacking him for self-defense. Moreover, as she provides evidence that shows Jamie was associated with John’s murder, she is let go.

However, it cannot be said with certainty that this would be the end of this investigation, and in case Jamie’s death is re-investigated, that would mean trouble for Beth and Rip.

What will happen to Kayce and his family?

It is Kayce’s plan that saves the Dutton ranch in the end as he successfully makes a deal with Thomas Rainwater, to whom most of the Dutton ranch is sold. However, Kayce manages to keep the East Camp for himself, where he plans to start the ranch life with his family.

He decides on founding a brand and follows John Dutton’s footsteps, though he vows to not make the same mistakes as he did. Given how his arc turned out, Yellowstone’s finale could be the last time that viewers got to see Kayce, his wife Monica, and their son Tate.

This seems like a rather peaceful ending for the three of them and also gives Kayce a chance to live his life on his own terms after almost always getting entangled with his family affairs.

Nevertheless, it is impossible to say with certainty what will happen to Kayce and his family given how quickly things can change in Montana and the numerous changes in the state's power structure.

What will Lloyd do post the selling of the Yellowstone ranch?

Lloyd’s fate post the selling of the Dutton ranch remains another major unresolved point in Yellowstone. He was one of the best employees on the ranch, and though he is given an offer by Thomas Rainwater, the new ranch owner, to work there, Lloyd refuses him politely out of loyalty, saying he cannot work anywhere as a cowboy if it's not the Yellowstone ranch.

Lloyd’s further ventures are not made clear on the show, though he does mention something about a job outside the ranch. While the finale did not shed much light on Lloyd, and that’s unfortunate, he might be given appearances on the upcoming Yellowstone spinoff, which focuses on Beth and Rip.

How good is Thomas Rainwater for the Yellowstone ranch?

With the Yellowstone finale, Thomas Rainwater emerges as the new owner of the Dutton ranch and also promises to protect it. With Rainwater’s leadership, the ranch gets back to its Native American reservation status.

Though this sounds good, it has previously been revealed that Rainwater also has enemies within the reservation. We also come across Angela Blue Thunder, a fierce lawyer who plans to provide a candidate of her own to replace Rainwater as the chairman.

With such rivalries in place and Thunder being a worthy opponent, it cannot be said with confidence that the Duton ranches will forever be safe under the new ownership of Rainwater.

What does the future hold for the Four Sixes ranch?

A glimpse into the 6666 ranches is made in Yellowstone as Rip and other comrades from the Dutton ranch reunite with their brothers in the Texas ranch. However, besides certain references and showing how Travis Wheatley and his men helped the Duttons to sell off their horses from the ranch, not much is revealed about its status in Yellowstone.

However, though Yellowstone does not talk much about this ranch, fans can be assured to know more about it since a spin-off titled 6666 is already being developed by Taylor Sheridan, which will focus on this Texan ranch, as is clear from its name.

How will Stephen Rawlings handle the future of Montana as the new governor?

With John Dutton’s death after he was elected as the Montana state governor, his duties as a government official were extremely short-lived. In his absence, it was Stephen Rawlings who had to step up and take the role of active governor.

Rawlings’ character had never been shown under an evil light in Yellowstone, though it has been made clear that he does not share the passionate environmental views that were the foundation of John Dutton’s vision.

It is unclear if the projects that Dutton rejected because they were detrimental to Montana's environment would still be rejected or accepted under Rawlings' leadership because Rawlings and John Dutton have different opinions about industrialization.

What will happen to Beth and Rip after the Yellowstone ranch is sold?

Two of the main protagonists of Yellowstone, Beth and Rip, move out to their new ranch, built on a little piece of land that Beth bought. Throughout the show, both these characters have gone through significant transformations and have consistently been one of the strongest couples in the Yellowstone universe.

However, with the finale, not much is shown about how Beth and Rip’s life will be turning out as they start fresh. But that should not dishearten the fans, as a new spin-off with Beth and Rip as the leads is already announced, and that show might offer some insight into the couple’s life post selling the Dutton ranch.

Yellowstone can be streamed on Paramount+.