Yellowstone’s John Dutton is like the proverbial cat with nine lives. Going by the number of close shaves he has had with death, it is no wonder fans of the show are wondering whether he is still alive. He came extremely close towards the end of season 3 when hired assassins shot and left him for dead by the roadside. And like the cat we compared him to, he got another chance at life after he was saved by his “son” Rip.
However, there are certain things that not even John Dutton can control, and that is the fact that Kevin Costner, who embodied the character might be leaving the show. Rumors are that his decision to leave is forcing the producers of the show to creatively write out the character in a way that does not necessarily kill him off. But since the series is already almost at an end there might be no need to do that.
Does John Dutton Die in Yellowstone?
Yellowstone is still an ongoing series, with the second part of the finale season (i.e., season 5) set to be aired sometime in November 2023. Until that happens, we will not know the real fate of the characters. However, we can say that John Dutton has not died in Yellowstone. There have been some attempts on his life, though, and this is not surprising given his position.
John Dutton, or more appropriately John Dutton III, heads the Dutton family that controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States of America, and they have to contend with several adversaries, including Native Americans, environmental groups as well as real estate developers, all seeking to reduce the size of their homestead. One of these groups eventually makes an attempt on John Dutton’s life in the Season 3 finale of Yellowstone.
John Dutton Survived Multiple Gunshot Wounds in The Season 3 Finale
John Dutton nearly died following an armed attack in Yellowstone Season 3 finale. The Season 3 finale witnessed attacks on the key members of the Dutton family, including Beth (John Dutton’s daughter), who gets bombed in her office, and Kayce (Dutton’s son), who is a victim of an armed attack. John Dutton himself is also attacked.
He had stopped over to help a stranded lady and her son change their flat tire when a vehicle rolled over, and one of the occupants asked him if he was John Dutton. Immediately he replied in the affirmative, multiple gunshots were fired at him, and his assailants immediately drove away. The Season 3 finale ended on this cliffhanger, and as such many people assumed that John Dutton must have died, but this was not the case when Season 4 Episode 1 premiered.
In Episode 1 of Season 4 of Yellowstone, we find out that Dutton sustained some serious injuries, but his saving grace is that his cell phone in his pocket prevented what would have been a fatal bullet shot from hitting his chest. He is taken to the hospital and is treated for his wounds. He is able to recover completely and bounces back to resume control of his empire.
Key Facts About John Dutton
| Full Name | John Dutton |
| Portrayed By | Kevin Costner |
| Show | Yellowstone |
| Role | Patriarch of the Dutton family and owner of Yellowstone Dutton Ranch |
| Family Legacy | Represents a multi-generational ranching family, fighting to preserve their land and heritage |
| Occupation | Rancher, businessman, and at times, a political figure |
| Personality Traits | Stoic, determined, protective, morally complex |
| Notable Relationships | Married to Evelyn Dutton (deceased); father to Beth, Kayce, Jamie, and Lee Dutton |
| Key Conflict | Struggles to protect the Yellowstone Ranch from developers, corporations, and government entities |
| Signature Style | Cowboy hat, rugged attire, and horseback riding |
| Motto/Philosophy | Family loyalty and the importance of land ownership |
| Notable Quotes | “Leverage is knowing if someone had all the money in the world, this is what they’d buy.” |
| Physical Location | Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, Montana |
| Biggest Challenge | Balancing family loyalty, ethical dilemmas, and external threats to the ranch |
| First Appearance | Yellowstone Season 1, Episode 1 |
John Dutton’s Character Could Still Be Killed Off Due To Kevin Costner’s Departure
It is not news that sometimes actors who bring a show to life might disagree with the creators of the show on certain aspects of the show, especially as regards creative parts of a character and how they are to be played. Sometime before the end of the fifth season of Yellowstone, its lead star Kevin Costner let slip that he will not be returning for another season. Apparently, he had issues of creative differences with Taylor Sheridan, the creator of the show.
It has already been confirmed that Yellowstone would end after the second part of Season 5, but it is thought that Kevin Costner may even refuse to film the second installment of Season 5. If that happens, then the character of John Dutton will have to be written out of the show, and one of the ways to achieve this is through him being killed off.
Does John Dutton Die in Yellowstone 1923?
John Dutton died in Episode 3, Season 1 of 1923, after being shot by Banner Creighton, an Irish sheepherder who had a long-running dispute with the Duttons because he wanted to graze his sheep on their field. The Duttons had earlier clashed with Banner in Episode 2, Season 1, and were able to deal with him and his fellow Irishmen.
He later ambushed them in Episode 3 and was able to get the upper hand, killing John. The John Dutton who died in 1923 is not John Dutton III in Yellowstone. 1923 is a sequel series to Yellowstone, and as such, the “John Dutton” in 1923 is the great grand uncle of John Dutton in Yellowstone.
