🚨🚨🚨Warning: This story has major spoilers for the Season 5, Part 2 premiere episode of “Yellowstone.”

After nearly a two year hiatus, Paramount+'s riveting Western series, “Yellowstone,” finally returns to give its dramatic conclusion.

The popular Paramount+ show has captured audiences since 2018 with the ups and downs of the Dutton family, the owners of Montana's Yellowstone Dutton Ranch — the largest ranch in the United States. 

Six years later, “Yellowstone” is set to air its final episodes, but without the show's favorite land magnate, John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner. His last appearance on the show was during the first part of Season 5, which was released in 2022.

After reports emerged of scheduling issues and drama between Costner and “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, Costner confirmed in a June Instagram video that he would not be returning to the show.

So what happens to his John Dutton character, and will Costner make an appearance in Season 5, Part 2 of “Yellowstone”?

Read on to learn what happens in the Season 5, Part 2's premiere episode of “Yellowstone” and how the show writes off Costner's character of John Dutton.

The first episode finds viewers in the middle of major drama as emergency services and caution tape surround John Dutton’s mansion. As Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) runs to the house with Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) not far behind her, it becomes imminently clear that something is wrong with their father.

As the siblings enter the home, viewers find that Governor Dutton has supposedly died by suicide. Beth immediately accuses Jamie (Wes Bentley) of having killed their father. While this opener is a jarring way to start off the second half of Season 5 — the episode quickly pivots to another scene.

Viewers are now taken back to six weeks prior to Dutton's death as they follow Beth, Kayce, and their families in the days leading up to the tragedy. During the episode, time jumps back and forth between what led up to John Dutton’s death and its aftermath.

In an interview with TODAY.com, Wendy Moniz, who plays Governor Lynelle Perry, says she believes the series handled John Dutton's storyline “beautifully.”

“What I know of the story telling — because it was redacted and we only know certain parts — is brilliant, because Taylor's [Sheridan] writing is that,” she said.

She added that “the story that he had from the beginning is the story that he wanted to tell.”

Despite his character being a central figure in the episode — we never actually see Costner. When Beth and Kayce enter the gruesome scene where John Dutton was believed to have shot himself, the audience only sees a limp hand, and a pool of blood. 

As the first episode unravels, viewers quickly learn that John Dutton's death was not in fact suicide. Rather, it was a murder-for-hire scheme set forth by Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) who was in cahoots with Jamie Dutton. Sarah, a lawyer who has been an issue for John in previous episodes, says that she and Jamie agreed on the plan, but Jamie says he wasn't on board.

While John Dutton’s death is made clear in the first few minutes of the episode — viewers soon learn that his presence still looms in the minds of the Dutton family.

But, will we see actor Kevin Costner is one last scene? That is yet to be determined.

Paramount+ confirmed that this would be the final season for the Dutton family — but fans, and some of the show's stars, think that there could be room for more.

When asked if this was the last season for “Yellowstone” by TODAY.com, Ian Bohen, who plays Ryan, a Dutton family ranch hand, teases “it may not” be the end.

“I feel satisfied, and very happy with what we've done. You know stories can't go on forever,” he says. “We're going to position it to have some sort of conclusion in some of the relationships and this and that. But not necessarily over.”

The expanding “Yellowstone” universe already has two popular spinoffs within the franchise and more on the way. The various shows travel throughout time, chronicling the same family over the course of hundreds of years.

This prequel was packed with star power, including country stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and actor Sam Elliot. The show traveled back in time to chronicle how the Dutton family first settled in Montana.

Oscar winner Helen Mirren and legendary actor Harrison Ford led the cast of this prequel, which showed the next generation of Dutton family. Season 2 is currently in production.

Another prequel series, this “1944” edition is greenlit for production. Further details, including a release date, are unknown.

Formerly titled “2024,” this series will star Michelle Pfeiffer, and is set to follow the story of a New York family that moves to Montana. Currently, we don't know how the story will intertwine with the current characters of the Yellowstone universe.

Another series featured in the “Yellowstone” universe is “6666,” pronounced “Four Sixes,” based on the real Four Sixes ranch in Texas, which Sheridan now himself owns.

This spinoff will follow storylines on that ranch, however as of June that series was on hold. Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter that because it's a real ranch with real families, it needs a “unique level of special care.”

Odeya is an Associate Producer at The Kelly Clarkson Show, as well as contributing writer for TODAY.com. When she isn't producing or writing, she might be performing in a comedy show, hanging out with her cat named Pepperoni, or frantically trying to catch up on 10 seasons of Vanderpump Rules. Odeya graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor's degree in English Rhetoric. She also has a Master's degree in Broadcast & Digital Journalism from the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. She does not have a PhD, but she did spend a lot of time in improv classes.

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