When Kevin Costner made it clear he would not return for the second half of Season 5 of ‘Yellowstone‘, fans were left wondering how series creator Taylor Sheridan would handle the exit of John Dutton, the stoic patriarch who had come to be the backbone of the show.
Still, instead of a great exit worthy of the legendary character, Sheridan has chosen a controversial farewell that had everyone’s head-scratching, including the fans and Costner himself. However, Costner did not leave without much fanfare. Here’s how it unfolded with layers of drama both on and off the screen.
Kevin Costner’s Character Dies A Death Without Honor In ‘Yellowstone’
Kevin Costner did not shy away from expressing his frustrations with the production team regarding scheduling conflicts in ‘Yellowstone‘, and even threatened to sue them. Obviously, things weren’t exactly on good terms between Costner and the ‘Yellowstone’ team. But the fans did not expect that the tension simmering off-screen would be harnessed in the way John Dutton’s tenure on the show would end. Let’s just say no one was graceful about it.
In a surprising and rather offbeat twist of fate, the great Dutton was seen out in a way that seems more like a slap than a sendoff. John’s death was revealed right out of the gate in one of the first episodes of the new season.
When Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) arrives at the governor’s mansion, she’s greeted by police cars, and the audience is immediately clued in about John Dutton’s death. But the circumstances of his death were anything but heroic. In fact, according to the show’s universe, John Dutton, the oversized rancher, allegedly shot himself in the head while in the bathroom. That’s right — in the bathroom. Now if that isn’t a bummer for a character that iconic, we don’t know what is.
His death is eventually reopened as a murder investigation. But John Dutton, the fearless leader, killing himself mere inches from the toilet is something that did not sit well with the fans of the show. Such a surreal plot twist has fans wondering whether it was more than just a narrative choice. Was it a pointed jab at Costner himself?
Costner seemed to think so. In an interview on SiriusXM’s ‘The Michael Smerconish Program‘, he voiced his disappointment. “I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it,” he said. While he correctly called the suicide plot a red herring, the damage had already been done – many viewers left believing that John Dutton’s last act was a self-inflicted tragedy, far from the strong, stoic figure they had come to admire over five seasons.
‘Yellowstone’ Paints John Dutton As A Deeply Flawed Character With No Regards To His Honor
But the digs don’t stop there. In a true head-scratcher of a twist in the second post-death episode, it turns out that Summer (Piper Perabo), John’s love interest, wasn’t actually under house arrest as she was led to believe — she was always free.
According to paperwork revealed by Beth, John convinced her otherwise to keep her around. John Dutton essentially kidnaps this woman in order to have a companion live with him. The move paints John rather badly — more manipulative than honorable — which feels jarringly out of character for the man who’s supposedly all about loyalty to land and family.
In case you missed it: Kevin Costner Is Willing To Reprise His Role In ‘Yellowstone’, But On One Condition
If that weren’t enough, Sheridan comes out swinging at Dutton, and by extension, Costner, in the third new episode. While Sarah (Dawn Olivieri) and Jamie (Wes Bentley) go over John’s injuries, Sarah waves away even the suggestion of murder with a nonchalant jab. “He could have fallen in the tub, for all we know. He was a 68-year-old man,” she says. It’s a cutting remark, given Costner’s real-life status as a robust leading man.
Costner, who just directed and stars in ‘Horizon‘, where his character romances a woman 32 years his junior, clearly does not see himself as the old man Sheridan portrays. And with the latest jabs at Dutton’s character within ‘Yellowstone‘, it’s hard not to wonder if Sheridan is taking one final shot at his former leading man.
As ‘Yellowstone’ continues without John Dutton, fans will be mulling over what swipes Sheridan has up his sleeve next. Would this mean more unflattering reveals from Dutton’s legacy? Or perhaps the show decides to move away from the patriarch of the show? Time will only tell, but one thing is for sure – John Dutton didn’t go without speaking a word.
