'Yellowstone' Season 5: With John Dutton gone, we know one character who's perfect to take over the ranch
Contains spoilers for 'Yellowstone'
The loss of Dutton patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) continues to weigh heavily on the plotline of 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Part 2. The premiere episode of Taylor Sheridan's creative masterpiece kicks off with the turbulent end of John's life. Now, the thing is, John, who leads the large Montana ranch, has been the central character from the beginning of the show.
However, his tragic demise has left a leadership void, evidently felt through the ongoing season. While the storyline hints that Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) will lead the family inheritance, there is one character who not only deserves this position but also fits the bill perfectly to carry the 'Yellowstone' legacy.
Who should lead the Dutton ranch in 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Part 2?
If you've seen 'Yellowstone', you'll undoubtedly agree that Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) is the best candidate to run the Montana ranch. Rip has been on the show since season 1 debuted back in 2018. As a loyal member of the Dutton Ranch, Rip serves as the foreman and also has a steady and strong relationship with Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly).
Rip has time and again showcased his loyalty to the Dutton family, and his love for the ranch is an open secret. Not only that but since John took Rip under his wing as a boy, Rip has committed his life to the ranch and is perhaps the most suited man to know the ins and outs of it, making him an ideal choice to run the ranch.
Rip Wheeler is the perfect man to lead Dutton ranch in 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Part 2
The ranch should be led by someone who is compassionate about it and there is no character better than Rip for that. None of the Dutton siblings have a thorough understanding of their ranch. The man also has his priorities sorted, which include his wife Beth and the ranch. Not only that, but Rip believes in loyalty and has always been grateful to John for taking him in at a young age. With his old-school thinking, we have seen Rip often pondering that cowboy culture is dying, which reinforces the notion that he is a worthy heir to the Yellowstone ranch.
Not only that, but the Dutton prophecy is one of the reasons that makes me believe that the ranch will be ruled by someone without the Dutton surname. If you remember correctly in the final episode of '1883', where Dutton's ancestor James Dutton was permitted by Spotted Eagle to bury his daughter and settle his family in Yellowstone. However, it was also mentioned that in seven generations, Spotted Eagle’s people would rise and take it back. While Part 2 is made as a final season of 'Yellowstone', there are no signs of Spotted Eagle's people, which I guess could be a metaphor for the fact that the ranch will be taken away from the Duttons. So, who could be a better leader than Rip to carry on the family legacy with Beth by his side?
'Yellowstone' Season 5 Part 2 trailer
