From its explosive premiere, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone was never just a show about sprawling land or the dying breed of the cowboy. It was a visceral, bloody saga of family legacy, relentlessly passed down through generations. Sheridan himself cemented this undeniable truth with the acclaimed prequels, 1883 and 1923, tracing the Dutton lineage back to its brutal, pioneering roots. With more prequels on the horizon, bridging the gaps, and TWO new, HIGHLY anticipated modern spin-offs (one centered on Kayce, the other on Beth & Rip), a chilling question begs to be answered: Has Sheridan been meticulously planting seeds for one final, seismic generational shift all along?
The signs were always there. John Dutton’s singular, all-consuming goal was to pass the sacred ranch to either Kayce or Beth, ensuring it remained within the bloodline. But after the devastating, game-changing events of Season 5, the iconic Yellowstone Ranch is NO MORE! The land has shockingly reverted to the Broken Rock Reservation, its rightful owners. Beth and Rip have fled to Texas with their adopted son, Carter. And Kayce, the tormented son, now presides over his grandfather’s cabin, clinging to a sliver of ancestral land. If Yellowstone‘s beating heart truly lies in its generational story, then the most CRITICAL, UNDENIABLE, AND UTTERLY INDISPENSABLE characters left on the board are the two young men who MUST appear in the upcoming spin-offs, or face the ruination of everything Sheridan has built!
TATE DUTTON: The ONLY True Dutton Heir – The Union, The Legacy, The SOUL Of The West!
Make no mistake: Tate Dutton is not just a character; he is the UNDISPUTED BIOLOGICAL HEIR to the Dutton name, flowing directly through Kayce’s veins! He should have inherited the entire sprawling empire, had it remained in Dutton hands. Throughout Yellowstone‘s five brutal seasons, this young man repeatedly expressed a profound desire to be in control of the ranch. He not only cherished his time with his grandfather, John Dutton, but as he matured, he yearned to learn, to absorb, and perhaps, to someday TAKE JOHN’S PLACE!
What makes Tate’s position not just unique, but ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL, is his heritage. From the very inception of the Dutton story, every single generation has intertwined with the Native American people. In 1883, the Natives bravely fought to save Elsa, a pivotal moment that catalyzed the family’s settlement in Montana. Kayce Dutton’s soul-deep love for Monica, a Native American woman, irrevocably complicated John’s world, leading to Kayce’s exile, his Navy service, and ultimately, a life forged with Monica and their son, Tate, on the Reservation. Tate’s worldview isn’t just one of love; it’s a profound, living embodiment of unification—the ultimate bridge between the Dutton family and the Broken Rock Reservation!
To further CEMENT Tate’s INDISPENSABLE importance not just to the narrative but to John Dutton’s very core, consider the brutal kidnapping towards the end of Season 2. When the monstrous Beck brothers unleashed hell on the Duttons, they targeted Tate because he was the very THING JOHN LOVED MOST! At his heart, Tate possesses the pure wisdom of his mother, combined with the unbreakable strength and innate love for land and family that define his father, Kayce. In countless ways, he is the REINCARNATION OF JOHN DUTTON—but perhaps, a BETTER, MORE BALANCED VERSION, destined to carry a legacy of healing.
The upcoming Kayce Dutton spin-off, Y: Marshals, is touted as a show that will follow Kayce as he uses his cowboy and military skills to fight crime in Montana, grappling with family ties and the mental toll of violence. But here’s the SHATTERING TRUTH: The “family ties” are Tate and Monica! If this series, rumored to premiere in early 2026 with only Luke Grimes confirmed, DARES TO IGNORE Monica and Tate, it will IRREVOCABLY RUIN AND HINDER the very generational legacy that Sheridan has toiled so hard to build! While Y: Marshals might shift genres to become more procedural, it has a MAMMOTH, UNMISSIBLE OPPORTUNITY to explore Tate’s evolving worldview as he matures, pondering his place as the LAST BIOLOGICAL DUTTON in a changing world. Tate has endured unimaginable trauma for a young boy, yet his character arc is far from complete. He is one of the MOST CRUCIAL characters to emerge from the original Yellowstone saga!
CARTER: The Unexpected Wildcard – Beth’s Redemption, Rip’s Heir, And The Future’s Fiery Hope!
Carter’s dramatic introduction in Yellowstone Season 4 sent shockwaves through the narrative, but most profoundly, he gifted Beth Dutton the one thing she believed she could never have: a child. While not biologically hers, Carter’s harrowing arc MIRRORS RIP’S OWN JOURNEY into the Dutton fold. Beth, the venomous firebrand, slowly, grudgingly, but ultimately, takes on a fiercely maternal role in his life. Rip’s transition to fatherhood is similarly complex, but he, too, embraces this unexpected son. Carter is not just a character; he is Beth’s ultimate redemption, her reason to fight for a future she never dared to dream of!
What makes Carter a DRAMATIC COUNTERPOINT to Tate, beyond biology, is his unique set of mentors: Beth and Rip. His parents are two individuals who would go to UNIMAGINABLE LENGTHS to protect their own, even if those lengths mean SHATTERING EVERY MORAL BOUNDARY. This undeniably powerful influence will forge Carter into a complex, perhaps morally ambiguous, adult. Yet, despite this fiery tutelage, there’s one more Dutton who captivated Carter’s attention: the man at the head of the ranch, John Dutton himself!
Towards the explosive end of Yellowstone Season 4, Episode 6, “I Want to Be Him,” Carter witnesses John Dutton in his absolute prime—a relentless leader, a just man. After a brutal clash with Lloyd escalates, leading to a public fight, Carter watches as Rip fiercely punishes Lloyd, saving John from the burden. In that moment, Carter grasps the profound respect John commands. It leads him to a SHOCKING, HEARTFELT DECLARATION: John is who he wants to be when he grows up!
The upcoming Beth and Rip spin-off has a CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY to continue Carter’s powerful arc, echoing John’s legendary declaration of Rip as his son in Season 2. Carter can become a Dutton not by blood, but by sheer merit and the life he chooses to forge. With Carter’s story poised to be a pivotal coming-of-age narrative, to not include him in the upcoming spin-off would be a CATASTROPHIC MISTAKE! While there’s no official confirmation on whether the actor will return, it’s ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL that Carter reprises his role, for the very soul of Beth and Rip’s future!
THE ULTIMATE STAKE: Carter & Tate – Two Sides Of The Same Legacy, One Indispensable Future!
They come from vastly different worlds, yet Carter and Tate share a profound, almost spiritual reverence for John Dutton. Tate is John’s biological heir, but John embraced Carter with equal warmth, forging a series of heartwarming scenes that cemented their unique bond. There’s no official word yet on whether the two spin-offs will ever cross over, but it would be a MONUMENTAL MISSED OPPORTUNITY if they didn’t!
What remains STRANGELY UNEXPLORED is the fact that Tate and Carter have never once interacted, despite being around the same age! These two teenagers would have a treasure trove of experiences to share about their journeys on the Yellowstone Ranch. Through that raw exchange, they would inevitably realize that they ultimately represent TWO SIDES OF THE SAME INDISPENSABLE LEGACY! Carter isn’t a Dutton by blood, but neither was Rip! If John acknowledged Rip as his own, then WHY WOULDN’T CARTER DESERVE THE SAME SACRED TREATMENT?!
For the longest time, the Dutton legacy has been defined by loss, pain, and ruthless survival. But Carter and Tate hold the UNBELIEVABLE POTENTIAL to evolve that legacy into one of hope, redemption, and profound goodness! What Carter saw in John wasn’t his darker sides, but his honorable essence. The same holds true for Tate. If these two young men were to collectively carry that legacy forward, it could usher in a REVOLUTIONARY NEW CHAPTER for the Duttons, transforming centuries of conflict into a future of purpose. This is precisely what the spin-offs risk losing, DOOMING the very generational story Sheridan began telling from the very beginning.
John Dutton may have crossed countless moral lines to protect the ranch, but now that the ranch, as he knew it, is gone, this is the DAUNTING CHANCE for the Duttons to DO BETTER, to forge a legacy beyond blood and battle. Or will their family saga be condemned to fall back into destructive habits, especially if new terrors emerge to threaten their fragile peace? While they may not have been the central figures of the original series, Carter and Tate are, without a shadow of a doubt, two of the MOST CRITICAL characters because of the monumental weight they carry: the legacy of all the fights for Yellowstone, the endurance of staggering loss, and the fierce, enduring love of family that came before. Carter and Tate are the next generation of Duttons, and their story DESERVES a chance to continue—their exclusion would be a BETRAYAL of the highest order!