'Yellowstone' Season 3 Episode 5: Kayce disapproves of dad John Dutton's ways but is his rightful successor
Spoilers for 'Yellowstone' Season 3 episode 5 titled 'Cowboys and Dreamers'
Kayce (Luke Grimes) and John Dutton (Kevin Costner) have not always seen eye to eye. In fact, when the Paramount Network hit show made its debut in 2018, the two shared a very tumultuous rapport with Kayce conveniently keeping his distance from not only his father and all his (brutal) methods but also the ranch. He was living on the reservation with his wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and son Tate (Brecken Merrill), until they gave in and finally moved in on the ranch by the end of Season 2.
It was revealed that one of the main reasons why John and Kayce have this problematic relationship was that John had once advised Kayce to abort Tate. Kayce wouldn't do it and hence lives with Monica on the reservation.
The father and son duo has since reconciled their broken relationship even fighting side by side against the Becks when they attacked the Duttons in their hearts.
After Lee's (Dave Annable) death, John had been ailed with constantly pressing question of who would take over the ranch. Jamie (Wes Bentley) is out of question given his political aspirations and general personality. His daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly) takes care of the business end of the Dutton ranch well and is a tad too unstable to really take over the ranch.
Kayce has long been John's only choice and in Season 3, he proves his father right.
A man dies by suicide by shooting himself in the head on his ranch. The bank had sent its final notice and was ready to grab his land, ranch and all assets. Kayce, the newly appointed Livestock Commissioner, cannot bear the thought of his young children and wife without any money.
His idea is selling the cattle and forwarding the proceeds to the wife of the deceased man. Only, he is warned, he will get into huge trouble if the banks were to find out of his involvement.
He wants to do the right thing but doesn't want to invite trouble on the ranch. He consults with his father who assures him of full support once he has made a decision. And so he does. The father, son, Rip (Cole Hauser) and the rest of the ranchers drive the cattle successfully selling it so that the proceeds can be forwarded to the widow, who is ever so grateful for the help. "Cowboys and Dreamers," she points out.
It is arguable if Kayce is really disapproving of his father's methods especially since he can employ the same brutality and violence in his methods. That said, we do think Kayce has a stronger guilty conscious than his father - that or he is yet to see the worst.
Running a ranch is not an easy business and running the Dutton Ranch is probably the most difficult task out there. But now in season 3, Kayce proves he is on the right path - with the blessings of his father, who desperately wishes to retire switching his mobile on in only spaces where there is no network.
Towards the end of the episode, as Kayce sits in the chair that John was seated in, it seems as though the makers want to hint at exactly that - Kayce is the rightful successor to John Dutton.
'Yellowstone' airs on Sundays at 9 pm ET/ PT on Paramount Network.
