Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season 4 (episode one and two) of Yellowstone!
Season 4 of Yellowstone picked up right where it left off, following devastating attacks on Kayce, Beth and John Dutton. The 2-hour season premiere, which aired Nov. 7 on the Paramount Network, answered our burning questions about the fate of the Dutton crew and introduced a whole new series of problems for the family. We're introduced to new characters Caroline Warner, CEO of Market Equities (Jacki Weaver), the latest in a long line of Dutton enemies, and Carter, who is reminiscent of a young Rip. We also get a glimpse of Tim McGraw as James Dutton and a hint at what's to come on Yellowstone spinoff 6666.
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Read on for our five main takeaways from episode one and episode two of season four of Yellowstone.
1. The Fate of the Dutton Family is Revealed
Following that season 3 finale cliffhanger, we can finally breathe easy. The Dutton family made it out alive following the attacks on their lives.
Rip (Cole Hauser) finds John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who was shot while helping a woman change her tire in the season 3 finale, on the side of the road. After being airlifted to a hospital, John recovers. He quickly rejects bed rest and (in true Dutton fashion) is back to riding horses and plotting revenge in no time.
Kayce (Luke Grimes) survives the shooting at his office, but was later hit in a shootout with those responsible for the attacks. Thankfully, he recovers.
Beth (Kelly Reilly) is seen cheating death as she leaves her office with severe burns and a taste for revenge.
2. We See Our First Glimpse of Tim McGraw as a Dutton Ancestor
Post credits, we see Tim McGraw make his Yellowstone debut. McGraw, who'll star in the Yellowstone prequel 1883, appears as John Dutton's ancestor James Dutton. An indigenous tribe approaches the senior Dutton to ask to bury a tribal member on the Montana land. We have a feeling that the original Dutton patriarch will play a significant role this season.
Read More: '1883': See the Trailer for the Upcoming 'Yellowstone' Prequel
3. Jamie Distances Himself From the Duttons
After reconnecting with his birth father last season, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) is asserting his independence from the Duttons, even going so far as to buy his own ranch.
Looks like Jamie is buying himself a ranch. #YellowstoneTV pic.twitter.com/k7qQ1Fu9Xs
— Yellowstone (@Yellowstone) November 8, 2021
4. A Young Rip
Beth meets 14-year-old Carter (Finn Little) outside the hospital where her father was recovering. She quickly feels a connection with the young boy, who just lost his father to a drug overdose. When she brings Carter back to the ranch she (very aptly) describes him to Rip as "you, 20 years ago." While Rip doesn't warm to the kid as quickly as Beth, he does reluctantly take on the role of mentor, giving Carter some helpful advice regarding his new job on the Dutton ranch: "Don't think that you deserve it."
We even see an incredibly sweet scene of all three of them at the dinner table. Beth and Rip fans rejoice!
Cue all the Rip and Beth swoons. #YellowstoneTV pic.twitter.com/tx6AbPZpUc
— Yellowstone (@Yellowstone) November 8, 2021
A Hint at the '6666' Spinoff?
Jimmy (Jefferson White), who's recovering after being thrown from a horse at the end of season three, faces a future away from the Dutton ranch.
John, upset that Jimmy broke his word after promising that he'd stop rodeoing, makes a plan to send Jimmy off with Travis (show creator, Taylor Sheridan), a horsetrader. Rip tells Jimmy this is his chance to finally become a real cowboy. But it means leaving behind the bunkhouse crew and his girlfriend Mia (Eden Brolin).
While it's not revealed where Jimmy is headed, we have a feeling he'll be part of the crew at the infamous Four Sixes ranch in Texas, the setting for the new Yellowstone spinoff 6666.
