Even in death, John Dutton’s shadow casts a long and dangerous spell on those who wrong him, or so it seemed when fans watched another shocking murder take place on Paramount’s hit ranch drama, Yellowstone.

The show delivered yet another gut-punch in its eleventh episode of Season 5, proving that the Montana patriarch’s influence endures and can have deadly consequences.

[Spoilers ahead…]

This week’s episode shifted the narrative into overdrive. The Dutton family is seen shaken to the core by the revelation that John (played by Kevin Costner) didn’t die by suicide, but was in fact murdered.

The shocking twist that John (played by Kevin Costner) didn’t die by suicide but was murdered reignites tensions in the Dutton family

Image credits: Yellowstone

Image credits: Yellowstone

John’s son, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), is driven by suspicion and pushes a medical examiner to reexamine his father’s body. This leads to the discovery of restraint marks, followed by a a bombshell announcement: John’s death is officially ruled a homicide.

The revelation sends shockwaves, particularly to Sarah Atwood (played by Dawn Olivieri), who is Jamie Dutton’s manipulative girlfriend and the mastermind behind the hit on John.

Tensions flare as Kayce confronts Jamie—John’s adopted son (played by Wes Bentley)—and accuses him of complicity in their father’s death.

Jamie denies direct involvement, saying: “I had nothing to do with our father’s death. I was as shocked as you were… I love you, even if I hated him, which I never did. I could never do that to you.”

John’s son Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) pushes for a reexamination of this father’s body, leading to the bombshell revelation of foul play

Image credits: TVLine

Jamie’s troubles only escalate. As Montana’s attorney general, he’s officially recused from the murder investigation and ranch-related issues—an outcome he blames squarely on Sarah.

Their relationship takes a sour turn, and they even exchange slaps as tensions boil over.

Sarah, in an attempt to calm him, reassures Jamie that his legal consequences would be minimal, even if her role in John’s murder is exposed.

“The worst you face is accessory after the fact, and impeding justice,” she tells him.

Jamie faces accusations from Kayce and struggles to manage the fallout, including the crumbling of his relationship with Sarah Atwood

Image credits: Yellowstone

But Yellowstone doesn’t let villains linger long. As Sarah drives off, she meets a couple asking for directions along the way.

The interaction turns fatal as one of them shoots her execution-style. The mystery continues as fans wait to find out who hired the hitman that shot Sarah about two episodes after she orchestrated John’s murder.

“I always sort of know it’s coming,” said Dawn about the fate of her character, written by Taylor Sheridan.

Dawn is also known for playing Claire Dutton in the Yellowstone prequel called 1883. The prequel saw Claire having a death scene, also written by Taylor.

Sarah, the mastermind behind John’s murder, appears to meet a brutal end, leaving fans speculating about who ordered the hit

Image credits: Yellowstone

“I tend to play that character that you love to hate, and that character is always setting up the hero to win,” Dawn told The Hollywood Reporter. “And, how does the hero win? It’s sort of the symbiotic relationship that goes part and parcel with the villain, or the antagonist. I always sort of know it’s coming, and to read it [in the script] is like, ‘OK, here we go.’”

“Dying as an actor is really an interesting journey, because I really try to go as deep as I possibly can and I make it as real as I possibly can,” she continued. “And so to have died as many times as I have died in my career (laughs) — [the saying is to] ‘die before you die,’ I’m just getting a chance to do it professionally!”

She noted that Taylor moved her to another show called Lioness. 

“Dying as an actor is really an interesting journey, because I really try to go as deep as I possibly can and I make it as real as I possibly can,” said Dawn Olivieri, who played Sarah on the hit ranch drama

Image credits: Yellowstone

“Taylor is special, he has been for me, because a death for me just means a life somewhere else, and he immediately moved me to another show. So, it’s a fun thing to read and then be like, ‘Oh, I’m doing a different thing now,’” she added.

As for Hollywood heavyweight Kevin, his last appearance on the show was during the first part of Season 5. Reports claimed there was tension brewing between him and Taylor before Kevin confirmed he wouldn’t be returning to the show.

“I want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on ‘Horizon’ and doing all of the things that that’s required, and thinking about ‘Yellowstone,’ that beloved series that I love, that I know you love, I just realized I’m not going to be able to continue Season 5B or into the future,” he said in an Instagram video shared in June.

“It was something that really changed me. I loved it and I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning. I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop and I’ll see you at the movies,” he added.

Fans shared their reactions to the jaw-dropping twist, calling it an “intense episode”

I HATED Sarah with a passion no offense to Dawn though #Yellowstone #YellowstoneTV pic.twitter.com/iOyeV51lKe

— Casey (@CaseyBridget515) November 25, 2024

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