Why Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2's Major Death Had To Happen

This article contains spoilers for the "Yellowstone" season 5, part 2 premiere.

The "Yellowstone" season 5 part 2 premiere opens with the startling revelation that John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is dead. Viewers are initially led to believe that the rancher-turned-politician shot himself in the governor's mansion, but it turns out he was assassinated by Sarah Atwood's (Dawn Olivieri) murderers-for-hire. It's a shocking development, but the show's creators felt it was important to write Dutton off with such shocking immediacy.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, producer Christina Voros revealed that prolonging Dutton's death would have delayed the inevitable, but confirming it so early on has created more room for surprises. "I think there are people who are anticipating the season and wondering if it could all be about solving the mystery, right? But if you lay it out straight out of the gate, then the mystery becomes: What is the rest of the show going to be, since we've already let the cat out of the bag, and I think it's kind of ingenious."

Some fans might argue Dutton being offed so suddenly was Taylor Sheridan's way of getting back at Costner for leaving "Yellowstone" and creating legal drama. However, many viewers anticipated the character being killed off anyway, even though the shocking storyline was kept very close to the vest.

While John Dutton's death always seemed like a foregone conclusion following Kevin Costner's departure from "Yellowstone," the creators didn't want their plans being leaked to the public. Christina Voros explained to The Hollywood Reporter that certain details about the incident were omitted from the script, and coded writing was used to throw crew members off the scent.

"We didn't talk about it as a death. Any time there is a death or some sort of event, we called it an 'arrival,'" Voros noted. "And we gave John's character a pseudonym. We called him 'Crosby.' We were calling the opening scene, 'Beth discovers that Crosby has arrived.'" That said, history buffs who are familiar with the politics of Montana might have deciphered the clues, as Dutton's alias was inspired by former state governor John Schuyler Crosby.

The already-polarizing reaction to Dutton's death suggests that fans weren't expecting it to happen so soon, as many were still hopeful that Costner would return to the saddle in some capacity. At the same time, the way in which the character was expunged from existence shouldn't negatively impact his overall legacy on "Yellowstone."

Considering that "Yellowstone" viewers are accustomed to John Dutton being a stoic, competent cowboy in the face of danger, it's surprising to see him given a sudden and anticlimactic death. The show's creators arguably did the best job they could based on the circumstances, but the season 5 part 2 premiere suggest that his legacy and teachings will be honored.

Dutton always opposed people taking their own lives. In season 2's "Resurrection Day" episode, he tells Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) that doing so is the equivalent of quitting and destroying your memory. This is why Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) knows that foul play was involved in his death, and she seems determined to go out of her way to ensure that her father's true memory is preserved.

Of course, we also shouldn't forget that Costner reportedly has a clause in his "Yellowstone" contract that ensures Dutton's noble legacy remains intact. So, if you're worried about the show ruining his good name, bear in mind that the creators are legally required to handle the character's death with grace in the rest of the season.