Yellowstone’s Beth Dutton is going to die, unless this theory is true

Why do we all love Yellowstone so much? It’s largely to do with its stunning Montana setting, its quasi-nostalgic view of the American West and the preservation of that way of life, and a combination of some truly astonishing characters.

And, of course, you can’t talk about those brilliant Yellowstone characters without mentioning Beth Dutton. A genuine force of nature, Yellowstone cast star Kelly Reilly’s portrayal of the character is instantly iconic and she’s integral to the show’s status as one of the best TV series around.

In fact, ask anyone for their picks of the best Yellowstone characters, and Beth Dutton‘s bound to be in the mix. Unfortunately, her death also seems inevitable. Sorry to bring the tone down. At the end of Yellowstone season 5 part 1 (we’re still waiting not-so-patiently for Yellowstone season 5 part 2 to conclude it all) Beth Dutton and Jamie Dutton simultaneously put out a hit on each other, wanting to see each other dead. Yes, the Dutton family is pretty dysfunctional.

That effectively makes it seem like Beth’s death is inevitable, but one theory might end up saving her life, though it comes at the expense of another character’s own. In the aftermath of the mid-season finale, fans of the show (Duttonites? Yellowstoners? Sheridan-istas?) shared one theory on Reddit that could keep her alive.

“With Piper Perabo[‘s Summer Higgins] being stuck there on house arrest, I feel this hit that’s coming is going to kill her thinking she’s Beth,” said one user. Then, a whole thread was dedicated to that theory, expanding on it more.

“Since Summer is living in the main house, I really think Jamie’s hitman will mistakenly kill her instead of Beth. That is the only reason I can see why she is in John’s house,” said another fan. “I can’t see Beth getting killed just yet.”

The general consensus was that this analysis of the situation was spot-on, and as Yellowstone experts we also agree. Since John Dutton became Governor and saved her from her prison cell, placing her under house arrest at his own home instead, his semi-girlfriend Summer Higgins hasn’t exactly been integral to the plot. That’s fine: not every character needs to serve a specific purpose (that’s not how real life works, after all) and they can just be present to add flavor or alter dynamics, and it’s fair to say that Summer has definitely succeeded there.

However, the fact that she is specifically unable to leave John’s house (and that she vaguely resembles Beth) places her directly in the line of danger and would be a huge pay-off to that particular plot point. We don’t necessarily watch Yellowstone for the intricate plot (it’s ditched that in the latter seasons, as we explain here, and that’s fine) but this would be a neat way to tie things up.

If you want to learn more about which other characters could meet their end, see our thoughts on the five characters most likely to die when Yellowstone returns. Or, see our ranking of the three Yellowstone series as well as our thoughts on what will happen if Taylor Sheridan can’t bring Costner back.

You can also keep up with the status of the 1923 season 2 release date, and see what else is new on Paramount Plus.