'Yellowstone' Season 3 Ending Explained: Will Rip Wheeler be the new John Dutton in Season 4?
Spoilers for 'Yellowstone' Season 3 Episode 10 - 'The World is Purple'
'Yellowstone' is a ruthless place where blood is spilled in the name of land and family, and violence is perpetrated far and wide without any qualms. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is if you're able to save your land and home. John Dutton (Kevin Costner), the patriarch of the Dutton family, doesn't think twice before resorting to extreme methods in order to save his land and family. We have seen proof of this over the course of the three-season run of the show. And while things got really out of hand for him and his family, fans, who are on his side of the battle, are nervous.
In the Season 3 finale, John is shot multiple times on the side of the road as he is in the midst of helping a woman with her flat tire. This was due to happen. When John woke up that morning, he knew it wasn't going to be a good day. Moreover, the show had long foreshadowed the death of one of the Duttons. We will have to wait till Season 4 to find out who actually died. But if John were to really die, who would take over the ranch? There's no doubt that it'd be Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser). Of course not officially since Rip Wheeler doesn't even really exist according to law authorities, but there is no one else who can possibly take over the ranch throne but him.
If you recall, 'Yellowstone' Season 1 begins with John Dutton shooting an injured horse dead to put it out of its misery. The same visuals are repeated in Season 3 with Rip instead of John. Desperate to find either John or Beth (Kelly Reilly), he calls Jamie (Wes Bentley), who tells him to not call him anymore. Then he sees an injured horse feasted upon by ravens. He goes over there and takes aim to shoot it dead, muttering to himself that no matter the number of men he has killed, he can't bring himself to kill an animal. But it ends with the horse dying. As Rip is leaving, all he can see are bad omens around him.
This imagery is what, to us, indicates that Rip might be taking over from the many responsibilities of John in the upcoming season 4. There is little doubt that he can't do this. Because if anything John has taught Rip to be very much like him. Season 4 of 'Yellowstone' is a while away. But Rip has everything and more to be the John Dutton next season. Do you think he will take over? Rip is John's most loyal aide and will never betray him for anything. So where does the show go from here? We will have to wait till Season 4 airs.