Contains spoilers for “Yellowstone” Season 5B, Episode 9 — “Desire is All You Need”

And so the curtain draws closed on the reign of John Dutton (the exiting Kevin Costner). The ranching patriarch and Governor finally meets his doom in “Desire is All You Need” — and it’s a controversial conclusion that points toward the next phase of the series.

It’s revealed in the first 10 minutes of the episode that John has died. His body is found in the Governor’s mansion on the bathroom floor, and he was shot in the head. While authorities decline to reveal a specific cause of death, “Yellowstone” mainstay Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) immediately blames Jamie (Wes Bentley) for their father’s passing. Beth, naturally, has thought that Jamie deserves to die for a very long time. She gets Kayce (Luke Grimes) on board and they plot a way to get evidence and eventually kill him. 

But Jamie’s actually innocent in this case — his shark of a girlfriend, Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), is the one who had the hit ordered as a result of a previous conversation they had about taking John to the train station. A preview trailer that covers the entirety of the rest of Season 5, which aired after “Desire is All You Need,” suggests Sarah and Jamie will make up. But it looks like the rest of the season is headed toward an undeniable flashpoint.

What lies ahead of the Dutton clan at the tail end of Season 5? Toward a range war, it seems — one that might put the future of the Dutton Ranch in question. During that Season 5B preview, Jamie can be seen saying that the only way to resolve a problem is to sell the ranch. Also in the footage? Kayce and Jamie tussling, Beth vowing to take out Jamie, and a frustrated Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) trying to manage it all from afar. Beth’s biggest target understandably seems to be Sarah, who is seen smashing her smartphone with a hammer. 

The wildcard player here seems to be Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), who offers Beth a deal during the trailer. What could he ask for in return? Perhaps the Duttons’ hundred-year deal to keep their property before it reverts to Mo and Monica’s (Kelsey Asbille) tribe at the Broken Rock Reservation may be at play here. 

While it’s no longer guaranteed that Season 5 will be the end of “Yellowstone” — Variety reported back in August that a Rip-and-Beth-centered Season 6 may be in the cards now — it definitely seems to be the end of the line for multiple fan-favorite characters.