In order for Yellowstone season 5, part 2 to have a truly great ending, certain plot points need to happen, and a few key boxes need to be checked. Although Taylor Sheridan’s hugely popular neo-Western has broken viewership records, it may not stick the landing. The franchise hinges on the Dutton family — cattle ranchers whose Yellowstone Ranch property borders the national park of the same name as well as the Broken Rock Reservation. As various groups fight for the land, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), the family patriarch, finds himself without a clear successor, leaving the ranch’s legacy uncertain.

At the end of Yellowstone season 5, part 1, John is the governor of Montana — though he may be staring down an impeachment thanks to his duplicitous son, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley). As Jamie’s sister, Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), aligns herself more with their father, the siblings’ feud deepens. On the ranch, John’s other son, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), and his own son, Tate (Brecken Merrill), seem primed to carry on the family legacy. Elsewhere, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), Beth’s devoted husband and one of the Yellowstone franchise’s best characters, leads a group of cowboys to Texas.

Needless to say, Yellowstone season 5’s cast of characters is faced with tough decisions. In some cases, the series’ main players are navigating life-threatening circumstances. With just 6 episodes left, it’s hard to imagine Yellowstone wrapping up five years of storylines successfully. Even for a show that’s garnered so much critical acclaim and fan love, it’s a tall order. To bring the story of Yellowstone to a satisfying close, Sheridan will have to take some creative liberties. Most importantly, the series can’t rely on its upcoming Yellowstone spinoffs to tie up loose ends — it must stand alone.

John Dutton’s Exit Needs To Be Meaningful
Kevin Costner’s Protagonist’s Season 5, Part 1 Departure Leaves A Gaping Hole

The news that Kevin Costner would not be returning as the Dutton family patriarch was a real shock for long-time fans of the massively popular neo-Western. Without Costner, Yellowstone season 5, part 2 will have to find a way to satisfyingly conclude John Dutton’s story — perhaps off-screen. Reportedly, behind-the-scenes drama fueled Sheridan’s decision to bring Yellowstone to a close with its fifth outing. Costner, who has cited creative differences as the key reason for his departure, fully shifted his focus to his upcoming two-part Western epic, Horizon: An American Saga.

…it’s possible John could get caught in the crossfire.

Although there was some back-and-forth regarding Costner’s potential return to the world of Yellowstone, it seems like Sheridan and the rest of the team will be wrapping the series without the John Dutton actor. This has led fans to speculate that John is Yellowstone season 5, part 2’s most likely character death. At the end of part 1, Jamie hires “professionals” to take down his sister, Beth, so it’s possible John could get caught in the crossfire. If not, he’s also staring down the barrel of a potential impeachment, especially if Jamie reveals the true nature of Yellowstone’s train station.

Although Beth, Rip, and others have become Yellowstone’s most interesting characters, it’s hard to imagine a return to the ranch that doesn’t include Costner. After all, John Dutton is the axis; everything else seems to spin because of him. Still, the series has a unique opportunity to double down on its theme of legacy by passing the torch to the next generation of Duttons and wrapping up John’s story. Between John’s feud with Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) to his violence-prone children, anything could result in his tragic demise. Whatever happens, it had better be fitting for the iconic character.

Beth and Jamie’s Feud Needs to Conclude
The Dutton Sibling Rivalry Needs To Wrap Up

The Dutton family is full of rifts, but the rivalry between Jamie and Beth Dutton is perhaps the most compelling — and harrowing. It’s also the Dutton feud that absolutely needs to be resolved in Yellowstone season 5, part 2. At the end of season 5, part 1, Beth suggests that her father take Jamie out. The idea unnerves John, but Jamie is clearly aware of his sister’s schemes — and he’s more than ready to reciprocate. It seems like the Dutton siblings will be gunning for each other — quite literally — when Yellowstone season 5 returns in November.

Beth’s husband, Rip, hasn’t been clued into the feud’s origins.

While John is fully aware of the genesis of the siblings’ rift — Jamie had Beth sterilized without her consent — Beth’s husband, Rip, hasn’t been clued into the feud’s origins. It’s hard to imagine a Yellowstone season 5 that doesn’t involve Rip going to bat for Beth. It seems like one of the Dutton siblings is going to go down. While Yellowstone could opt for classic Western-style tragedy and kill off Beth before she and Rip really begin the next chapter of their lives together, it could just as easily end with Jamie’s death.

Yellowstone Must Pay Off 1883’s Prophecy
Thomas Rainwater’s Conflict With The Duttons Must Be Given A Satisfying Ending

Helmed by casino mogul and chief Thomas Rainwater, the people of the Broken Rock Reservation are crucial to Yellowstone’s intergenerational narrative. When the Duttons first came to the land that they would settle on, they were warned that it wouldn’t be theirs forever. In fact, 1883’s prophecy predicts Yellowstone’s ending, with Crow elder Spotted Eagle (Graham Greene) suggesting to John’s ancestors, James (Tim McGraw) and Elsa (Isabel May), that in “seven generations” Indigenous people reclaim the stolen land. With Thomas and John allied in season 5, part 1, Yellowstone must honor 1883’s prophecy while bringing closure to Thomas’ arc.

Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 Must Pay Homage To The Series’ Spinoffs
1883 & 1923 Deserve Full-Circle Moments In Yellowstone’s Series Finale

The Yellowstone spinoff shows, 1883 and 1923, might be even more compelling than the parent series. For starters, they delve into Yellowstone’s Dutton family tree and set up Yellowstone’s decades-long timeline. The first prequel series, 1883, chronicles the Dutton family’s journey west, while 1923 centers on the family’s efforts to protect their land — a theme that continues through to the present day. While all three Yellowstone TV shows are deeply interconnected, the Costner-led series is where everything began. That said, it would make sense for Yellowstone’s finale to pay homage to other moments from the Duttons’ history.

The Fate Of Yellowstone Ranch Must Be Decided Once & For All
Everyone Has Been Vying For The Duttons’ Land Since Before Yellowstone Began

The core premise of Yellowstone revolves around who will retain — or gain — ownership of the land that the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch stands on. John Dutton has no clear successor, and everyone from Thomas Rainwater to money-hungry real estate developers are vying for the property. John’s relationships with his adult children have changed vastly over the course of the five-season series. While the animosity between John and Jamie has deepened, Beth and John’s father-daughter bond has strengthened. Meanwhile, John and Kayce have reconciled — a huge step considering how things began in season 1.

…the fate of Yellowstone Ranch must be decided.

The rift between Kayce and John existed in part due to Kayce’s choice of a romantic partner: Monica Long (Kelsey Asbille), a member of Broken Rock. Notably, Kayce and Monica’s son, Tate, is the seventh generation of the Dutton family. Yellowstone seems like the kind of Western drama to romanticize the idea of Tate inheriting the ranch — and the legacy of both of his parents. Even if Tate (and, for now, regent Kayce) don’t end up taking on John’s ranch-leading legacy, the fate of Yellowstone Ranch must be decided in the Yellowstone series finale.