'Yellowstone' Season 2: Monica is now a part of the Dutton family and its demons, whether she likes it or not
Spoilers ahead for 'Yellowstone' Season 2 finale 'Sins of the Father'
The finale episode of 'Yellowstone' titled 'Sins of the Father' is the most surreal episode the makers of the drama have delivered till now. In an episode that cleared out several characters, the finale has now ensured a fresh beginning in season 3. But the manner in which the makers have set the path for Monica's character is very interesting. Played by Kelsey Asbille, Monica teaches Native American History at the university. She is Kayce's (Luke Grimes) wife, John Dutton's (Kevin Costner) daughter-in-law and Tate's (Brecken Merrill) mother. Monica is also the only character to have any kind of moral standing on a show that revolves around people fiercely protecting what is their own.
That is why the ranch hurts Monica so much and that is why she has been living away from Kayce and the Dutton ranch (also, not to fully exclude the other reasons she stays clear). She cannot bear with how the ranch functions nor how John runs it. In season 2 though, after staying apart for what we could say was a long long time, Monica and Kayce finally reunited and moved back into the ranch with Tate. Just before things went downhill with Tate's disappearance, everything on the ranch was going on just like before. But, after the attack on Beth (Kelly Reilly) orchestrated by the now dead-for-good Beck brothers, Monica is forced to confront the fragility of life when living on the ranch. And so when Beth tells her they protect their land and their legacy any way possible, Monica knows what she means yet can't grasp what 'any way' entails. It is not until long that Monica asks the Duttons for help. In the penultimate episode, Monica asks Beth for help - something she has done never before - and knows what it means.
Even at the boutique, after the store manager racially profiles Monica and calls the police on her, the Dutton's daughter-in-law holds herself back. Beth wishes to get back at the manager and to punish her for what she did to Monica - vindication. But Monica retires from the situation by asking Beth to stop - "doing it to her doesn't change what she did to me," she says. The manager was lucky, as Beth points out, for Monica's morals else her ordeal wasn't coming to an end anytime soon. This vindication is the latest characteristic development for Monica.
After Tate is taken hostage by the Beck brothers, Monica makes Kayce promise her that he will kill the men responsible. This is a first-ever from Monica - she wants to be avenged. Later in the final episode, when Tate is finally found alive but traumatized, John shares the news with Monica, who hugs her father-in-law for what might as well be the first time on the show. There was a time when we had thought that must something happen to Tate, Monica would never return to the ranch or Kayce, but it looks like his kidnapping has only brought the family closer.
