We're only six episodes into the latest season of Yellowstone, and our favorite dysfunctional Montana family has already been blackmailed, arrested and beaten up. Actress Kelly Reilly — who plays the violently charming Beth Dutton — warned us all that "it's gonna be bloody." But other than the untimely death of the unborn second child of Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and Monica Long-Dutton (Kelsey Asbille), the season's been surprisingly devoid of bloodshed.
For now.
Every new preview and teaser seems to suggest that something sinister is on the horizon, and fans have been hard at work trying to decipher the show's secrets. Everything is speculative at this point, of course, but there are a few fan theories about the fifth season that could seriously shake things up.
Theory No. 1: John Dutton Dies
The Yellowstone patriarch has come so close to death so many times that, at this point, it's almost expected. Every season, he faces not only a new (and bigger) threat to his ranch but also to his own mortality. He's survived cancer, shootings and even a terrorist attack. Could his luck finally run out? Fans seem to think so. Back in season 3, when John Dutton (Kevin Costner) was busying himself with building a legacy, he enlisted horse trader Travis Wheatley (Taylor Sheridan) to help give the ranch a name outside of Montana. Travis recommended that John give him at least three years to "do it right," and John told him that he didn't have three years to give.
Some viewers, including Redditor ricky_bobby86, saw that comment as foreshadowing John's demise. When you pair that morbid remark with the fact that he was never really given a clean bill of health following the terrorist attack in season 3, it's not a stretch to imagine that John knows he's living on borrowed time.
Theory No. 2: The 'End of Us' Is Really The End Of Monica
I know, I know — Monica already had a pretty intense brush with death this season. But we still haven't had confirmation on what Kayce's vision quest revelation really meant. What if the "end of us" means the end of his wife?
This theory was presented by michael_1805 via Reddit well before Monica and Tate's (Brecken Merrill) fatal car accident that killed her unborn child, John. In continuing the theme of choosing sides, this fan believes Monica's death could be enough to push Kayce away from his father and bring him on to #TeamJamie in the "Dutton Civil War."
There's no denying that the vibrancy has been slowly drained from this once-fiery character. After experiencing tragedy after tragedy, Monica turned into somewhat of a shell of her former self. It's not impossible to think that her death could be the final straw that breaks Kayce's loyalty to the ranch.
Theory No. 3: The Ranch Becomes Part Of The Reservation
During Kayce's vision quest, he said he was presented with two paths. One of them famously led to "the end of us." Since then, fans have long debated about what that meant, and Redditor DarthVeX may have presented the most interesting explanation yet.
"This path ends with the Yellowstone being owned by Kayce and Monica's children (Tate and others), but because their children are part Native American and members of the tribe, the ranch could be owned by them and absorbed into the Reservation," the user posted. The logistics of how that would work are not entirely clear, but it would be a full-circle moment for Kayce, who has been playing both sides since the beginning of the series.
This theory is still very much up in the air, but one thing is for sure: We desperately need to know the meaning behind Kayce's vision before the fifth season ends.
Theory No. 4: Walker Is Somehow Related To Jamie
Here's where things get a little wild. Since Walker (Ryan Bingham) stepped onto the Dutton Ranch in season 1, everyone has questioned his intentions. After he spent so much time bellowing about his obvious dislike toward Rip (Cole Hauser), John and the whole Dutton operation, it was a little confusing that he agreed to stay on the ranch.
Redditor Stillwitty2 has a theory as to why: He's related to Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley).
No doubt this would be a total shocker, but the Redditor believes that Walker's shady past and mysterious connections could be tied to Jamie. Mainly because Jamie's birth father, Garrett Randall (Will Patton), mentions during their meeting in season 4 that he "has a half-brother somewhere." Walker, like Garrett, spent time in prison and has connections to the shady underworld, so it's not inconceivable that they could be related.
Theory No. 5: Jamie Will Win The Ranch
We're all wondering just how this crazy, emotional, and violent rollercoaster will come to an end. Just who will win control over the Dutton Ranch?
Everyone has an opinion, but the one that seems to be gaining more and more traction as this season unfolds is that Jamie will take the crown. Redditor Phattwoohie thinks that backing Jamie into a corner will eventually lead him to stand up against his family and take the ranch for himself.
"Think about it for just a minute and play it out in your head. Who do they always turn to when they need to be bailed out of a legal situation? Who knows all their secrets?" Phattwoohie wrote. Jamie does have an impressive legal background and enough dirty laundry on all of his relatives to leverage their complicity. If he has the opportunity — and can somehow get past his sister — he could be the one to win it all.
No matter what happens, it's clear that season 5 of Yellowstone will not disappoint. With a few episodes remaining in this half of the season, and the other half airing at an unknown date, all of these theories will soon be put to the test.
READ MORE: 3 New 'Yellowstone' Series Reportedly Planned, Including 1940s and 1960s Prequels
