'Yellowstone' Season 6: John Dutton's death leaves a gaping plot hole that fans can't seem to ignore
Contains spoilers for 'Yellowstone'
One cannot deny the fact that John Dutton's (Kevin Costner) death had a profound impact on the storyline of 'Yellowstone,' altering the entire course of the celebrated series. From being a show synonymous with high-stakes storylines to delivering a character-driven narrative, Yellowstone's finale season had everything going against it.
Not only that but there is a particular plotline in the 'Yellowstone' finale that has yielded a satisfactory conclusion, but it also leaves a sour aftertaste. Ardent fans cannot ignore the fact that this major plot point is essentially a loophole.
'Yellowstone' finale employs a glaring plot hole
The finale of 'Yellowstone' concluded with a satisfactory conclusion with the Dutton ranch being sold to an indigenous group, driven by Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), thus honoring the Dutton prophecy. However, this plot development also screams major oversight, as in reality, it's nearly impossible to sell such a large-scale property in such a short period.
While the show omits the behind-the-scenes legalities and quickly jumps to the aftermath of the ranch being sold, in reality, if you're planning something similar, you’ll need more than just 'Yellowstone' for inspiration. Selling large-scale property takes months, if not years, to navigate all the legalities involved. The sudden transfer of the ranch to the Native American reservation feels legally impossible within the time constraints shown, as we have also witnessed a complex history of land disputes in the series. So, this development is indeed a glaring plot hole.
Fans bash glaring plot hole in 'Yellowstone' finale
As the 'Yellowstone' finale made its premiere, ardent fans quickly shared their two cents under a Reddit thread.
One fan wrote, "I am not sure about Montana but the IRS would be knocking on Beth’s door. The land would be valued at the time of John’s death not at the time of the sale to the Indians. They couldn’t avoid any taxes at all either estate or capital gains. It would be a very large amount. Federal tax would be the killer amount and while what they did would protect the land, it would still leave them with a large tax liability. Beth would have a IRS agent knocking on her door for trying to avoid paying. Someone would be in trouble."
Another added, "This season turned into Fantasy Island 2.0." A fan shared, "Seriously. Don't expect high legalistic accuracy from Taylor Sheridan lol."
Meanwhile, one wrote, "Yellowstone is fictional. it had slivers of truth regarding cowboy culture, Montana, Native Americans, and more. If anything, Yellowstone showed total disregard to the rule of Law and inspired those in real life to use violence to get what you want."
A fan commented, "It's a Disney TV show logic for sure. If you believe something hard enough, then that is what happened in the plot."
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