Yellowstone is synonymous with drama — the kind that gives you emotional whiplash from watching your favorite characters dance with death for the 17th time. But when the drama is so much and so frequent, seemingly important storylines can slip through the cracks.
As the stack of unresolved mysteries at the Dutton Ranch grows higher, so does the number of questions. Here are seven Yellowstone-sized plot holes that never got their due closure.
1. The Dinosaur Bones
Remember way back in season one when Tate (Brecken Merrill) and Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) discovered freaking dinosaur bones in their backyard? We spent practically an entire episode watching young Tate obsess over keeping their prehistoric finding safe, only to have them somehow be discovered by treasure hunters who inevitably stole them.
The identities of these treasure hunters were never revealed. But considering their expert knowledge of the land and their thieving skills, it's safe to assume they were more than average scavengers. So who were they, and whatever happened to the bones?
2. The Plane Bomb
We're all well aware that anyone who tries to cross the Dutton family will most likely meet their maker. The Beck brothers from season two were no exception. In fact, the longtime ranchers were so hell-bent on revenge that Kayce planted an explosive device on the brothers' private plane.
Unfortunately, the plan never got off the ground (pun intended) as John Dutton (Kevin Costner) shoots Malcolm Beck (Neal McDonough), leaving him for dead in the wilderness and Kayce infamously opens fire on Teal Beck (Terry Serpico) while he's on the toilet. For reasons still unknown, that plane bomb never makes a peep. Leaving fans to wonder what happened to the explosives and if they were ever discovered.
3. The Native American Burial Ground
The plans for Market Equities' Park City seemingly went up in flames in season four when a construction worker uncovers artifacts from an indigenous burial site. By Montana state law, this halts all construction — a big win for the Duttons. We see a flashback to John's ancestor, James Dutton (Tim McGraw), supposedly meeting the tribespeople as they are about to bury the body that will be uncovered centuries later.
It has all the makings of a massive moment and shift in power. But we hear nothing of this burial site or the tribespeople ever again. It's like the moment was written solely to preview Taylor Sheridan's prequel 1883 and nothing else.
4. Jaime's First Murder
Homicide is, unfortunately, a recurring theme throughout the series. But no one can forget the moment that turned the orderly Jaime Dutton (Wes Bentley) into a cold-blooded killer: the death of reporter Sarah Nguyen (Michaela Conlin) in season two.
With the help of Rip (Cole Hauser), Jaime makes it look like the reporter, who was going to blow up his father's ranch with a damning exposé, died in a freak kayaking accident. The discovery of her body was reported on the news as an accidental death. But are we really supposed to believe that no one suspected foul play?
5. Tate's Horse
After growing up watching his father tame wild stallions and turn them into dependable riding companions, it's no surprise that Tate wanted his own. But for the first season, he was told he was too young to handle a horse by himself. So when he finally got his wish in season two, everyone (or maybe just me) had tears in their eyes.
It's a beautiful moment, except for one thing: the horse — named "Lucky" — is never seen again. Presumably, he's at Dutton Ranch, but Tate's never shown riding him, and it's never mentioned. We know the Duttons love their horses, so you'd think we'd at least get some update on Tate's beloved companion, but no such luck.
6. Malcolm Beck's Demise
There's no denying that Teal Beck is dead. That point was made very clear when Kayce unloaded multiple rounds on the greedy real estate developer while he was slumped over the toilet. But his brother, Malcolm Beck, is another story.
In the epic season two finale, Malcolm finds himself in a showdown with the Dutton patriarch. While attempting to run away, John hits him with what is supposed to be a fatal blow. However, just to twist the knife, he leaves Malcolm to die alone — but we never actually see him die. You would think that maybe he'd have turned up by now. But what if Malcolm Beck is still alive and just waiting for the perfect moment to exact his revenge on the Duttons? Only time will tell.
7. Kayce's Vision
At the end of season four, Kayce returns from a vision quest where he tells Monica that he saw "the end of us." There's still a ton of speculation as to what "us" he's referring to. It could be the end of his relationship with Monica (Kelsey Asbille). Or it could be the end of the Dutton family as we know them.
Season five has (so far) brought more confusion than clarity on this front. After the traumatic car wreck that ended in the death of Monica's unborn child, Kayce tells his father that he's choosing his family over his position as livestock commissioner to prevent the end of "us." But the vision quest seemed more like a premonition of what was to come than a choice Kayce was able to make.
Will his decision to give up his influential role be the last we hear of his spiritual journey? Well, if these other unresolved storylines are any indication, we won't be getting an answer anytime soon.
READ MORE: 'Yellowstone' Fans Want a Spinoff with Josh Lucas As Young John Dutton
