The latestYellowstoneupdate about Kevin Costner’s absence reveals a harsh truth about the modern Western series. For the past four and a half seasons, Costner has played John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family who fights to keep hold of his ranch and keep his family together.Yellowstoneis one of the best Westerns on televisionand has spawned several spinoffs about the Dutton family, demonstrating how important this family and Costner’s character are to the franchise.
Kevin Costner opted not to return for the final set ofYellowstoneepisodes, leading to widespread speculation about what is likely to happen to John Dutton. The final episodes will address his disappearance and explain what happened to him. There are severaltheories about howYellowstonewill explain John’s absence, though writer Taylor Sheridan has already shot one theory down, Regardless of how John’s disappearance is explained,this final storyline demonstrates an important truth about the series.
Kevin Costner’s John Dutton III Will Still Be Central To Yellowstone’s Ending
His Disappearance Upends The Family Dynamics
Although John Dutton won’t appear in the final batch of episodes, he will still be an important part of the series' ending. His disappearance will affect every member of the Dutton family, and some will likely search for him while others will attempt to take over the ranch themselves.The ending will involve a war between Jamie and Beth, with one of them likely killing the other; this happens because of John’s absence. Someone has to take over the ranch, and without John there to mediate, Beth will let all of her pent-up frustration with Jamie loose.
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The explanation of why John disappeared and where he went will also be central to the ending. John is too important a character for his fate to remain a mystery; additionally, Beth is very close to him. Thus,she will undoubtedly spend time searching for him in addition to attempting to continue his legacy by fighting for the ranch to remain in her possessionrather than allowing developers to take it over.
Costner’s Role Despite His Absence Proves Yellowstone Cannot Escape John
Even Though Costner Is Gone, His Character Is Central To The Finale
The fact that Costner is central toYellowstone’s finale without appearing in the final episodes proves thatYellowstonewill always be about John, regardless of whether he appears on-screen. If this were not the case,Yellowstonecould explain his absence in the first new episode by having characters explain that he’d gone to Boseman on business or had gone to visit family elsewhere, and then move on to the next part of the final story.
It would be a disappointing ending if John was given a mundane explanation for his absence rather than a story that explains it fully.
These types of explanations would not be satisfying, further proving how important John Dutton is toYellowstone. John’s absence leaves a large hole in the canvas, requiring the other characters to react to it. Additionally, it would be a disappointing ending if John was given a mundane explanation for his absence rather than a story that explains it fully. This type of ending would be disrespectful to the character, as it would simply eliminate him. Thus, Taylor Sheridan is instead crafting an ending storyline around John’s absence that will allow the series to have a satisfying send-off.
Why Yellowstone Cannot Escape Costner’s John (Even If It Wants To)
John Is Too Central To The Series For It To Work Without Him
John has been the protagonist sinceYellowstonebegan. Its opening scene was of him shooting a horse that needed to be put out of its misery, and he has been at the heart of every storyline since. Although there were stories about John’s children and the problems in their lives, John was always central to everything, whether it was Beth’s mental health issues after thedeath ofYellowstone’s Evelyn Duttonwhen she was a child, Kayce and Monica’s debate about whether to let John into Tate’s life, or John’s disapproval of Jamie.
The harsh truth about this series is that it was always about John.
Additionally,Yellowstonehas only a few episodes left before it wraps up. Thus, there is no time to properly transition from John’s presence in every story to a new lead actor. The harsh truth about this series is that it was always about John. There is no escaping that fact, which makes it questionable whether a proposed spinoff or new season featuring Beth and Rip without John would be successful.
Yellowstone
Cast
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on July 18, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
