In 1923, the Dutton family tree begins to take shape. Even though the Taylor Sheridan series has been confusing (actors in the Yellowstone franchise can’t even figure out how their characters are related), the shocking ending of 1923 Episode 3 seems to have cleared up the family tree.
John Dutton Sr., played by James Badge Dale, died in 1923 Episode 3. Until now, it was thought that John Dutton, III, played by Kevin Costner, was his great-grandfather. His death calls that into question, and Dale told TV Insider that he is just as confused as we are, saying he has “no idea” who John, Sr. is to John III. “If someone figures it out, they can tell me [laughs].”
He said, “We talked about this a lot on set, but we couldn’t figure it out.” “I know Luke Grimes, who played Kacey Dutton in Yellowstone. He would call me and say, ‘I don’t know how we’re related either.’ We tried to figure out what was going on. I think Taylor has a few more surprises in store for us.”
John’s death was a surprise that helped the story in Episode 1 of 1923 make sense. In the second scene of the prequel’s first episode, Elsa Dutton from 1883 talks from the grave (Isabel May). Her words say a lot about what will happen to John and Spencer, her two younger brothers (played by Dale and Brandon Sklenar in 1923).
John and Margaret Dutton, who is played by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in 1883 series, have three children: Elsa, John, and Spencer. In her story from 1923, Elsa said that only one of her parents’ three children would see their own kids grow up. Only one person could save this family from the Great Depression and all the other bad things that happened to them in the 20th century.
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As Spencer and his hunting partners walked through an African landscape with a dead lion in their hands, the voiceover played. This was the first sign that the family name would be kept by Spencer. And now that both Elsa and John Sr. are dead, it seems even more likely.
But Jack (Darren Mann), who was John’s son, could also carry on the line. Who turned John into a Sr.? Here, we explain what could happen.
Who is The Father of John Dutton III?
Most likely, the second John Dutton was born in 1923. At first, we thought that Emma Dutton (Marley Shelton) would say she’s pregnant after John dies, or that we’d find out that Jack is just a nickname for John and that Mann’s young cowboy is actually a Jr.
Then we remembered something important: John III’s dad wasn’t John Jr. He was John the Second (played by Dabney Coleman in Yellowstone Season 2). A junior is named after their parent, but a “II” could be a niece or nephew, grandchild, etc. of someone in the family.
Who is The Father of John Dutton II?
Spencer or Jack, who are both in passionate relationships right now, will probably have a son and name him John Dutton II after the late John. If Spencer is the father of John II, then he is the grandfather of John III. If Jack is John II’s dad, then John Sr. is John III’s great-grandfather.
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The shootout that killed John Sr. also hurt Jack and his fiancee, Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph), but it didn’t seem to be fatal. Even though he was hurt a lot, we don’t think Harrison Ford’s Jacob Dutton is going to die any time soon, but we don’t know yet if Elizabeth’s gunshot wound will affect her ability to get pregnant.
After Spencer’s brother was killed in Africa, Cara Dutton, played by Helen Mirren, wrote to him and asked him to come back to Montana. If/when he comes home, he’ll probably be with his new fiancee, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer). John II could be born from either of these two marriages.
In Elsa’s story, she says that one of James and Margaret’s children will carry on the family’s history over time. Even though it seems likely that it will be Spencer now, she could have been talking about John Sr.’s son. But because 1923 makes Spencer a more important character than Jack, we think Spencer is John III’s grandfather.
