Alexandra Dutton (Julia Schlaepfer) has already named her unborn child in 1923 season 2, and it solves a massive mystery surrounding John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) in Yellowstone. There has been a longstanding mystery surrounding the Dutton family tree since Yellowstone season 2. There’s a fairly clear line between James Dutton (Tim McGraw) in 1883 to John Dutton III in Yellowstone, but it’s not clear exactly who John Dutton II’s father was. Either Jack Dutton (Darren Mann) or Spencer’s (Brandon Sklenar) child could be the missing link in the Dutton lineage, but there’s no official confirmation yet.
Luckily, 1923 season 2 just took a major step in solving the mystery of John Dutton II’s father. In the premiere of 1923 season 2, Alexandra revealed that she was pregnant with Spencer’s child. It seemed like that child would be the answer to Yellowstone’s John II mystery. However, 1923 season 2, episode 2 debunked that theory and solved the mystery of Spencer’s child and his connection to John Dutton III.
1923 Season 2 Already Reveals Alexandra & Spencer’s Baby Isn’t John Dutton II
Alexandra Said Her Baby Would Have Spencer’s Name, Which Works For Both Boys & Girls
At the end of 1923 season 2, episode 2, Alexandra embarked on her journey to meet Spencer in America. While Alexandra was narrating a letter written to Spencer, she referred to her baby as “the child that shall bear your name.” Evidently, Alexandra is going to name their baby Spencer, which works for both boys and girls, meaning their first child together won’t be John Dutton II. While their first child isn’t the missing link in the Dutton lineage, it doesn’t mean they can’t be the source of John Dutton II.
The Dutton curse that Yellowstone centered around declared that the Duttons would lose the Yellowstone ranch within seven generations. Spencer is a second-generation Dutton, however, meaning that if his child was John Dutton II, Tate Dutton (Brecken Merrill) would only be a sixth-generation Dutton. If Spencer is a direct ancestor of John II, he has to be the grandfather, not the father. Spencer Dutton II could have a child as early as the 1940s, which would still leave enough time for John II to be an old man in Yellowstone’s flashbacks.
Why Jack Can’t Be John Dutton II
Jack Would Have Been Almost 120 Years Old When John Dutton II Died In Yellowstone
Even if John Dutton II doesn’t come from Spencer and Alexandra’s marriage, he simply can’t be Jack Dutton. Jack is often used as a nickname for John, especially when the child’s father is also named John. However, since John Dutton II died sometime prior to the start of Yellowstone in 2018, Jack Dutton is too old to be him. Jack is already in his 20s in 1923, so if he were John Dutton II, he would have been around 120 years old, which is an impossibly long life. John Dutton II must have been born after 1923, meaning he hasn’t appeared in the show yet.
If Jack were John II, he would also run into the same generation problem Spencer has, where Tate would only be a sixth-generation Dutton. However, since Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) has already miscarried, and since she wants to leave the Yellowstone and her life as a rancher’s wife behind, it seems doubtful that Jack will be the father of John II. Spencer may well prove to be John Dutton II’s grandfather, but the answer may also be left to one of the upcoming Yellowstone spinoffs. While 1923 has cleared up the mystery of Spencer’s child, it hasn’t fully solved John Dutton II’s parentage.
