If you watch the hit western series Yellowstone, you know there’s no shortage of unexpected twists and turns — as a matter of fact, it’s almost what creator Taylor Sheridan does best. When it comes to character deaths, we know what it’s like to have our heart broken here and there, however, we can’t deny that there were a few times in which we celebrated a character’s demise. Who can blame us? A threat to the Dutton Ranch is not to be taken lightly!
From heartbreaking goodbyes to jaw dropping demises, take a look at our ranking of the seven most shocking Yellowstone deaths.
Yellowstone deaths ranked by shock factor
7. Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston)
One of the earliest villains introduced to the series was Dan Jenkins, a real estate developer with grand plans of building a casino in the midst of the natural beauty of Montana. It comes as no surprise that this didn’t sit too well with John and the Dutton clan. In the end, a group of hitmen put an end to the threat that Dan Jenkins posed.
6. Roarke Morris (Josh Holloway)
Fans of Lost may have recognized Josh Holloway when he came onto the Yellowstone scene, and it’s fair to say he brought the same charm as he did on the series that brought him fame. Unfortunately, he too was no match for the Duttons, and Roarke Morris met his end via snake.
5. Garrett Randall (Will Patton)
Garrett Randall was as controversial as they come. We come to discover he is the biological father of Jamie Dutton, and in the end, Jamie must make a choice as to who he is loyal to: His father by blood, or the father that raised him. When all is said and done, Jamie ends his life before any more damage can ensue.
4. Emmett Walsh (Buck Taylor)
One of the few deaths on this list that wasn’t particularly tragic, Emmett Walsh was a friend of John’s who passed away peacefully in his sleep during the cattle drive.
3. Sarah Nguyen (Michaela Conlin) Yellowstone deaths
The death of journalist Sarah Nguyen was a messy one. Wanting to investigate corruption relating to the Duttons, Jamie gets roped into her scheme before he tries to undo the damage. When she refuses to budge, Jamie ultimately eliminates the threat she posed by strangling her to death.
2. Dirk Hurdstrom (Stanley Peternel)
As we approach the top of the list, Dirk Hurdstrom deserves his spot as one of the most unfortunate. Jimmy’s grandfather, who got him the job at the ranch by pulling a few strings, met his unfortunate end when old associates of Jimmy whom he owed money to jumped the innocent man who then suffers a stroke and dies. This was a pivotal moment for Jimmy, and a truly sad end for the man who helped get him a second chance in life.
1. Lee Dutton (Dave Annable) Yellowstone deaths
While we didn’t know Lee very long, the death of the Dutton son at the end of the very first episode of the series set the scene for a series full of drama and twists that would put us on the edge of our seat time after time.
