'Yellowstone' Season 3: Are Beth and Rip endgame or will their relationship spell danger in the future?
What connects two lovers? It could be a similar personality streak or a shared passion or just pure adoration. In 'Yellowstone', it is a slice of regret and felony that binds Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) together. A flashback scene weaves the threads of an inexplicable bond between the two. They have their own demons to battle with. Skeletons tumble out of the closet when the young Rip (Kyle Red Silverstein) confesses to Beth (Kylie Rogers) in his teenage years: "I killed my family," and she responds, "I killed my mother." As they share a kiss soon after, a whirlwind of emotions envelops their complex relationship.
They've grown up in the same family together, but never really express their feelings. Stealthy glances and warm smiles speak more than words ever could. Through two seasons, the two have been seen in scarcely any intimate scenes, except a handful few. When the characters are first introduced, the two are seen in a car where Rip tells her, "You haven't aged a day. You might just cheat death." In another scene, the two waltz in each other's arms at a club. And the most endearing moment comes when Beth calls Rip on top of the roof where they "sip whiskey and stare at the stars".
As melodious chords of soft country music play in the background, it's the way Rip looks at her that says everything. Beth warns him: "Don't say it. Tell when it saves me." Rip finally says he loves her after she is brutally assaulted by Malcolm Beck's men (Neal McDonough) and comes to save her. He holds her disheveled face in his palms and helps her calm down murmuring in her ears, "I love you!" Since then, the two have found solace in each other's arms and the real romance seems to be finally brewing on the show.
At the end of the second season, one question reverberates through our minds: Will Rip and Beth end up with each other? The answer is not easy. Their relationship has been a hurly-burly of sorts and perhaps, that will move along as it has been — chaos and beauty intertwined. "It’s up and down, but it’s what Rip and Beth are," Cole told HollywoodLife in an interview. "That’s what makes them interesting. I’ve loved working with Kelly (Reilly). She’s just a spectacular actress and a wonderful person. In Season 3, we get to do some really good work together." For Cole, the two are "absolutely" meant for each other and he feels Rip knew that they would end up together more than Beth. "I would say that they didn't know that for a very long time," Cole said. "Maybe Rip thought that more than Beth did, but as they grew up into young adults and into their later years, I think they became a perfect match. They’re a powerful couple."
But, are they really a perfect match or will their relationship pose danger in the future, especially for Rip? Season 2 ended with Rip getting his ranch when John Dutton (Kevin Costner) sent a letter to him. Now that Rip has his own house, will Beth think of a future with him? Can you imagine Beth settling down? The two have their own monsters to deal with and connect deeply with each other through their own losses and mishaps. Beth is still broken after all these years. Rip is broken too but has hardened through the years. She depends on him and he stands by her.
Rip sees himself as being submissive to the Duttons. He's got anger, but no arrogance. He's got fire, but no passion. He loves Beth because he sees how broken she is and repairing her allows him to ignore his own cracks. But does Beth love him as much as Rip does? After the tragedies sowed deep into her heart, Beth has learned a way to not show her real feelings, and being inherently cruel has become a defense mechanism. Through the two seasons, she has always taken a stand for him, even if it means going against her own brothers, Kayce (Luke Grimes) and Jamie (Wes Bentley), or even her father. She thinks she loves Rip but is it just because he connects her to a past of innocence — before she became a cynical attack dog?
Some feel Beth doesn't deserve a man like Rip. "Someone love me the way Rip loves Beth because DANG she doesn’t deserve the type of love he has for her," one said and another wrote, "Beth leave Rip alone. YOU DO NOT DESERVE HIM!!!" But most fans are totally in awe of their relationship. "Aww talk about a long history + a heartbreaking relationship from the get-go," one said and another posted, "Well, #Yellowstone just keeps getting better and better each week. Beth and Rip are adorable."
However, there is a chance that Josh Holloway's entry as Roarke Carter may start a love triangle. One fan wrote, "The thing is, I'm a HUGE Beth/Rip fan. But of course, anyone who knows me knows I also love a good triangle. And let's face it: Beth Dutton is more woman than any one man can handle!" Another said, "Find a person who looks at you the way Rip looks at Beth." As the episodes of the next season roll out, Beth and Rip's love story will be a major part of it and may show how the two belong together. ‘Yellowstone’ is set to premiere on June 21, 2020, Father's Day, on Paramount Network.