Previously on Yellowstone:
I know who tried to kill me.
Officer down! We got an officer down!
You're father will instantly say it was your idea.
You're a good man, son, and I love ya.
Now you own him, Daddy.
Female News Anchor: Summer Higgins has been charged
with felony aggravated assault.
You will be eligible for parole in 14 years.
It's a long fight and it starts now.
I got 'em.
Look who went off and become a cowboy.
Texas was good for you. You don't owe me a thing.
Thank you, sir.
- What's your name? - Carter.
I think he might be our kid, baby.
I, Rip Wheeler, take Beth Dutton
to be my lawful wedded bride.
When you see the wolf and your wife together
what are you doing?
She told me she's pregnant.
Cry for her vision.
What did you see?
I saw the end of us.
I don't care how much we spend.
I'm gonna chop down every tree and dam every creek.
And you are going to prison.
It is my great honor to introduce you to my choice
as the next governor of Montana...
John Dutton.
I am the opposite of progress.
I am the wall that it bashes against
Tears is how I feel.
They're tears of joy, daddy.
Well, joy ain't what I'm feeling.
Yeah.
Yeah. Well, he's right here.
I wanna listen.
Hello, Scott.
You ran a good campaign. I congratulate you...
Thank you.
I hope you'll fight as hard for my supporters
as you fight for yours.
I fight for what's right.
I don't really... care who supports it.
Okay, well... I drink a toast to you, sir.
And please, try to keep all of Montana in mind
when you're facing those tough decisions.
That's the plan.
Enjoy the night. It's yours.
I want to watch that.
You're gonna have to make a speech after.
I'll come get you.
Bring me a drink, would you?
After your speech, I'm pouring you a double.
Female News Anchor: This just in, CBS now projecting
John Dutton winning the race for Montana's governor
with 53 percent of the vote.
Male News Anchor: Much closer than expected in some circles,
but the rejection of what projected winner John Dutton Beth: Thank you.
I a be led East Coast politics invading the mountains
has now been soundly defeated on all fronts.
That's right. Now, let's head over to
the campaign headquarters of gubernatorial candidate
Scott McMullen, who is planning to speak at the podium.
I have spoken John Dutton and I congratulated him
on a well-run campaign...
I've conceded the election to Mister Dutton.
- He's now our governor.
And, uh, he's promised to represent all of Montana.
And we are going to hold him to that promise.
You know, when I moved to Montana nine years ago,
I fell in love.
I fell in love with its mountains
Its rivers, its big skies.
I fell in love with its people. Its people...
My goal with this campaign was to protect those things.
But now we're just going to have to trust Governor Dutton
to do the same and to hold him to account
if he veers from that purpose.
Hold him to account!
We've taken our last call from you, buddy.
You can go back to New York, and take those fucking babies with you.
Clearly, a conciliatory speech
before a dejected group of supporters.
We now want to head over to the campaign headquarters
of John Dutton.
It's time, Daddy.
Four years start now! Four years start now!
Short. Sweet. To the point.
Less than two minutes.
Then the whole thing is a sound bite.
I think he's mastered the art of not wearing out his welcome.
I'll speak, then introduce you.
You know, there's two Senators,
there's only one Governor.
Then we'll do it together.
Hey.
Um, congratulations. To the both of you.
Montana is in a better place today than it was yesterday.
I mean that.
Would you allow me the honor of introducing you
to your constituents?
The honor is ours, Jamie.
Well, that was very big of him.
I know how much your office meant to him.
He's not doing it for you.
He's doing it to get on the stage.
Aren't we all, Beth?
Let's go.
Wow, wow!
Well, the future of Montana is here.
The future of Montana is today.
The future of Montana is a fifth generation rancher
whose family moved here six years
before Montana became a state.
It is fitting that a founding member
of this state a century later, now leads it.
And defending you in Washington is another
fifth generation rancher who has served Montana
in the house of representatives,
and two terms as your governor.
Allow me the honor of introducing
your next Governor John Dutton and U.S. Senator Lynelle Perry.
Well, the open bar was my daughter's idea.
I see it worked.
We have a lot of work to do.
And a lot of work to undo.
The question we all have to answer,
the one that I will look to every day is...
what will Montana look like in a hundred years?
Much of that is dictated by the way the world sees us today.
Right now, we are seen as the rich man's play thing.
We are New York's novelty and California's toy.
Not anymore.
You've elected me to be a steward of this state,
of its land, and its people,
and that's exactly what I will be.
You know, environmentalists, they just love to debate
what's Montana's most valuable resource.
Is it the water, is it the wolves,
is it trees?
The answer is actually pretty simple.
It's you.
The farmers and ranchers who live with the land, not on it.
Protecting you now is how Montana
still looks like Montana
when none of us here tonight are here to see it.
Thank you.
How do you follow that? I don't know.
Uh, ditto.
The wars that Montana faces here at home,
those will be my wars in Washington.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
He'll kill the hotel.
He'll kill the airport.
It's a good thing for the land...
But I don't see how it's good for us.
Not yet anyway.
That's it.
This fucking family!
Caroline.
I told you to go after the daughter.
And now he's governor... he will shut us down on day one.
Caroline.
Look at him.
His father is the governor.
He'll be next.
Should be the happiest day of his life.
So why isn't he smiling?
Get Sarah Atwood out here.
You sure?
We're taking the gloves off, Ellis.
I'm tired of playing with these fucking hillbillies.
You're really embracing this low-man thing.
I'm in no mood, Beth.
Yeah, I wouldn't be either.
They even let you ride a horse yet?
They let me ride the buck out of the two year-olds,
that's about it.
Some day I'm gonna be top hand, you watch.
Wow, so much ambition.
I mean, that's like dreaming of running the grill at McDonald's.
That's what it's like to you.
Still here?
Barely.
I leave for college tomorrow.
- Gonna study finance.
What's that?
How to make money off other people's money.
Seems like quite the trick.
Gonna find out.
You wanna go out?
Out?
A date. Before I leave.
Beth, you leave tomorrow.
Your window's closing.
I'll be done in a couple hours.
Meet you at the barn.
What the hell is that? What is that?
Gotta get you a felt hat for town.
Yeah, with all my extra money.
Where you headed?
Out.
Not one good thing happens in town, Rip.
Not one good thing.
We'll see.
Four a.m. comes early.
When did his balls drop?
Today, I guess.
I'll let you play "man".
You do know how to drive, don't you?
R means reverse, D means...
I know what they mean.
This should be interesting.
Ever been here before?
I ain't been nowhere before.
This is where everybody comes.
- Hope your father don't come here.
My father doesn't go anywhere.
You want to slide down for me?
They have a great martini.
You like martinis?
Don't know what one is.
Educating you is going to be fun.
Evening. Can I get you something to drink?
Vodka martini, three olives.
You want a beer?
Just water.
You have I.D.?
I have two.
You like that martini dirty?
What do you think?
You got your hands full, buddy.
That bother you?
Yeah.
Why?
You let him look at you like...
Like what, like he wants to fuck me?
You look at me that way.
So does every man on earth to every woman
they find attractive, and some they don't.
I can be a victim of it, or a beneficiary.
I choose the latter.
I don't know what the hell you're talking about.
Yeah, you do.
You may be stronger than me, but make no mistake...
Men are the weaker sex.
You're doing it again.
What am I doing?
Saying shit I don't understand.
You understand it, you just don't want it to be true.
I don't want to fight with you...
Then stop acting like a pussy.
I'm not yours to be jealous over.
This was a mistake.
Looking that way.
I think we should leave.
You go. I'll find my own way.
I can't just leave you here with no way home.
Look, your options are enjoy dinner or go.
But deciding what I do is not one of your choices.
I'll thumb a ride.
Where you going?
Don't know. Back to the ranch, I guess.
Where's your ride?
Ride's staying here.
Listen, if she's bucking that hard from the beginning,
smartest thing you can do is just jump off.
You're gonna walk back?
Ain't got much choice.
Hell, come have a beer with us.
Ain't in the mood.
All right. Take this truck back to the ranch.
We'll clown car our way back.
You sure?
Ain't nuthin', pard.
- See you back at the ranch. - Thanks.
You're up early.
Yeah, big day.
When's that getting started?
Around five, I think.
Is he going to be able to stick around?
I need him back in Helena tomorrow so...
We're calving, Beth. When is he coming back?
In four years. Maybe eight.
Okay.
You want some coffee?
I'm sorry.
What did you do?
Nothing recently, but...
For what I did then, I'm sorry.
When then, Beth?
This is a sort of a... blanket apology to
generally, you know, cover the past.
- The past. - Yeah.
All right.
Like everything before right now.
- That's what I'm sorry for. - Mm.
Honey...
and I mean this with love,
but it's way too early for this shit.
I was fucking awful to you.
I was terrible, and I...
If it is any consolation, I was worse on myself.
You know what your problem is?
It's this.
It's almost as big as this.
And I'm the only one that knows that you have this,
but you do, and baby, it's big...
But when this gets going and then this gets going too...
I robbed us of so much time together, because I was...
It's still robbing us.
Whatever it took, I don't need.
I'm happy, Beth.
With you. With life. Everything's good.
But we needed what it took.
Come here.
Baby...
You need to find somebody new to fight,
or you're gonna sit around this house
and you're just gonna beat the shit out of yourself.
Okay?
You did put me through hell, though.
Yeah.
But you're all mine now though, aren't you? Hm?
Every last fucking inch of me.
You need to let yourself be happy.
That's the goal for you today.
I want you to find something that makes you happy.
Can you do that for me?
Vodka makes me happy.
Come on, now, I mean it.
I promise. I will find something that makes me happy.
I love you. See you in a bit.
Jesus Christ.
Can you believe this fucking shit show?
It's gonna be quite a party.
The party ain't for us, Lloyd. We got calves on the ground.
Take that shit and go around the other side.
Listen up.
You see a coyote prowling our calves I want you to shoot it.
You see a wolf prowling one of our calves,
I want you to shoot it.
If you see a bear let's try to haze him off.
Now if he's on a carcass, we call it in.
Just take a picture with your phones. Let's go to work.
Why not shoot it?
Take a picture and run it off.
You can't shoot a bear unless he's chasing livestock.
Makes no fucking sense.
You know, politicians are always talking
about feeding the poor.
That breakfast buffet could do it.
Mm-hmm.
You know, in half an hour, this entire room is going
- to be filled with your staff. - Yeah.
And they're going to eat and they're going to discuss
the issues of the day.
And then they will scheme and barter and bargain
to decide which issues deserve your attention.
Yeah.
You have no friends in this building, John.
You're going to need to bring your own.
And I could kill you for putting me in this building
with my bare hands, Lynelle.
You offered. I wanted your son.
I could've controlled him, you know.
Now, I gotta deal with you.
Well, I'm... I'm pretty easy to bribe.
Oh, I'm well aware.
Every time I want a bill pushed through
I'm going to find myself in a coat closet.
It's going to be an interesting four years.
Four years is a long time.
This is not where I want to spend it.
Are you going to run again in 2026?
Not on your life.
All right. Think about the power in that, John:
A governor that doesn't care about being re-elected.
That doesn't have to make friends with his enemies
for some future compromise.
You don't have to compromise at all.
You can build a legal wall around this state.
And maybe in the next hundred years,
this place looks the same.
But in the meantime, you have a friend in Washington.
And you're gonna need one.
Hold 'em up. Hold 'em up.
Shit.
Move 'em! Move 'em! Move 'em!
What do we do?
Get across the river! You want to go to jail in America?
Get back!
Hey! You're on the wrong side!
Get back!
On the other side, now.
Get back.
You rode on our side!
Yeah.
You have no authority on this side.
- Take care of him. - Yep.
Those horses belong on this side.
The thieves belong over here.
They didn't make it into Canada.
They haven't committed a crime on that side yet.
Yeah, they didn't commit this crime.
They committed plenty others.
We trade.
They didn't look too worried about Canadian prison.
They seemed pretty worried about ours, though.
You want a feather in your cap
or do you wanna see these sons of bitches in prison
for the next ten years?
Sergeant, bring the horses across.
Great. Now we gotta herd them up.
It might be the wild west on that side, but on this side
rules are the foundation of order,
and order holds the flanks of a civilized society.
Yeah. It's also how you herd sheep.
You calling us sheep?
I didn't call you nuthin'.
You said it yourself.
What a shit show.
It's a show. That's a fact.
But it's our show now.
What are you going to do first?
What do you think I'm gonna do?
They're ready, Dad.
Here we go.
Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated.
Mr. Dutton, face me and raise your right hand.
Place your left hand on the Bible.
I... State your name...
State your name.
Daddy?
I, John Dutton...
- Do solemnly swear... - Do solemnly swear...
To uphold the Constitution of the United States...
And the Constitution of the State of Montana...
- Against all enemies... - Against all enemies...
- Foreign and domestic... - Foreign and domestic.
Congratulations.
You had a chance to be rid of him.
You did nothing and he grew stronger.
It's slave rules for you now and it's all your fault.
I present to you the 26th Governor
of the great state of Montana, John Dutton.
Well, I am not a politician.
This was never my plan.
My only plan was to preserve my family's way of life
and the land where they make it.
The fact that you're...
The fact that you're sitting here,
the fact that you voted for a man
who does not want this job to lead this state,
means we share the same goals.
My first act as Governor will be to cancel funding
for the Paradise Valley airport project
and the surrounding commercial and housing developments.
God isn't making any more land
and he certainly isn't filling any more rivers.
Next I will propose to the State Assembly
to double property taxes for non-residents.
I will also add a 6 percent state sales tax
to all goods sold for non-residents.
I will charge vehicle registration fees
to non-residents.
The message is this: We are not your playground,
we are not your haven from the pollution and traffic
and mismanagement of your home states.
This is our home.
Perhaps if you choose to make Montana your home,
you will start treating it like a home
and not a vacation rental.
Thank you.
Did you know about this?
This is going to set the state back thirty years.
That's a pretty good start, Jamie.
The plan is set it back a hundred.
I'm not even sure he has the authority.
I'm not even sure it's legal.
When did something being legal bother you, Jamie? Hm?
If it isn't legal you're going to help him make it legal.
You're gonna push all this through.
I'm about to work you like a rented mule, brother.
It's time for your pound of flesh.
- Can you get me out of here? - Yeah, let's go.
Want a whiskey, Daddy?
Why not?
Can I get one of those?
Go fuck yourself.
Make your brother a whiskey.
I. Will. Not.
Here. Here.
Make me another one.
Dad, you should think twice
about canceling the airport funding.
Oh, shit, I've thought plenty about it.
It's five million a year to the ranch.
For a ranch that loses three... Do the math.
You know, there's other revenue streams
for the ranch, Jamie.
Oh, name one.
Well, I'm getting a mil-five for the party.
You're charging the State a million dollars
for his inauguration party.
Actually, I'm charging his campaign.
Oh, is that it? Well, that's worse, Beth.
He can't benefit from campaign funding,
that's how he gets impeached on his first day in office.
He's not benefitting from it, Jamie.
A Utah LLC is benefitting from it.
We're all going to prison.
You know, it is the eighth wonder of the world
you aren't already there.
Will you two just shut the fuck up
and let me enjoy the last hour of quiet
I'm gonna experience in the next four years?
- This is all your fault. - That's right.
This was never supposed to be me.
It was supposed to be you.
It could have been me. It should've been me.
No.
I could've won.
Oh, of that I have, uh, I have no doubt.
But then what?
You know, it must break my wife's heart to look down
and see what a mess I have made of this family.
What an embarrassment we are to the sacrifice
it took to give us a home.
But I tell you what...
Sacrifice is exactly what we are going to do.
It's what you're going to do, Jamie.
You are going to sacrifice your ambition.
You are going to sacrifice your fear,
your weak, self-loathing heart.
You're going to kill all that and you're going to get strong.
And no matter how it scares you or how much you disagree,
you are going to do exactly what the fuck I tell you
for the next four years.
Exactly.
Make no mistake, I love Montana,
But I am doing this for our ranch.
We measure every decision
against what is good for the ranch.
The ranch comes first. Do you understand me?
I understand.
Always, Daddy.
What's said between us stays between us.
You understand?
They sign confidentiality agreements, Dad.
I won't say a word, Governor.
Except this...
If I had your ranch, I'd do the same thing.
You make sure this is my driver every time.
Hey, how dressy is this, Dale?
I don't know.
It's a party for the fucking Governor.
So pretty dressy, I guess.
But since you don't have any dresses
it doesn't really matter how dressy it is.
Screw you, I got dresses.
You have dresses?
I've got dresses.
You have dresses?
Is there a fucking echo in here?
Hey Teeter, Jake's got dresses too
if you need to borrow one.
That's a little out of left field.
What the hell you messing with me for?
I'd love to see the dress that Jake could fit into.
Be about the size of a fucking bed sheet.
What the hell are you all on my ass for?
Ah, hell, Jake, something frilly might look good on you.
You know? A little lace in there.
What the hell are you laughing at?
Hey.
I don't need you all drunk, this party ain't for you.
Ethan, you want to tell me what is so fucking funny?
Jake's trying to pick out his dress for tonight.
His what?
He wants to wear a dress, sir.
He wants to wear...
Jake, hey, you got a bet to settle,
you settle it somewhere else.
You put on a fucking dress
and go to the Governor's ball tonight
I'm gonna hang you in it, you understand me?
You understand what I fucking say?
I ain't wearing no damn dress.
Just be... whoa, whoa.
Just behave.
And don't be an idiot.
Now let's go, put your show shirts on.
Let's go. Get your shit together.
Go put your show dress on.
Don't be an idiot, Jake.
Now y'all got me in trouble.
Gosh damn, boys, look at this.
They ought to have a party like this every year.
Actually, Jake, they throw it every four years
when there's a new governor.
Well, excuse me for not studying government in college.
The Diesel Academy is not a college.
The more you talk to him, the more he talks back.
Just in case you haven't caught on to the pattern.
They is on your ass tonight.
He's being a prick.
Look at this here, guys.
Hey, can I get a double Buffalo Trace on the rocks, please?
How much do I owe you?
It's an open bar, sir.
Uh, could you make another one of those?
- Two. - Three.
- Four. - Five, please.
I get the picture.
Hell, while you're making em.
How bout I just make one for anybody in a cowboy hat?
That'll work.
Hey, it's the Bar M boys.
- Hey, Stetson, what do ya know. - I don't know it.
I do know there's a cowboy in the Capitol.
Look at all this...
It's gonna be hell to clean up tomorrow, I bet.
- Ryan. - Stet.
Hope they don't make us sit in there and eat supper.
I'll never figure out them damn forks.
Well, you know what?
They can't make us do nothing if they can't find us, huh?
Come on, guys.
Best news I've heard all day.
Hi. Hi, how you been?
Great to see you.
Hi, thanks for coming. I really appreciate it.
Hi.
More like a wedding reception
than your first night in office, huh?
My wedding reception was in my living room
with thirty people.
This looks like exactly what it is: Work.
Hi, so nice to see you.
Congratulations.
Well, this is more like a wedding reception
than you think, because you are married to Montana
for better or for worse.
Yeah, so everyone keeps telling me.
All right, I'm gonna wander.
Wait. You're not gonna eat?
In this dress? Are you fucking kidding me?
I'll see you later.
Have a good night.
You know, I took over running this ranch from my father
when I was... 34 years-old.
For the next thirty years
I never spent one night away from this place
until this year.
First time I've been here in a month.
What's up, everybody, we are Shane Smith and the Saints
from Austin, Texas.
We'd like to thank Mr. Dutton and your family.
For having us and congratulations.
We're going to play you a dancing number now.
Hey!
That was rough.
Oh! $20! $20!
Oh, he's a dragger!
I hate them draggers!
That one yours?
None of 'em are mine.
I'm too smart to date a cowboy.
I like looking at em though.
You're wearing an orange jumpsuit
with tassels, and you're saying you're too smart?
I sing later.
Gotta wear something flashy on stage.
Something fun.
Crowd likes it.
Well, mission accomplished.
Why no cowboys?
'Cause they'll always love the life more.
And the horse more.
And the job more.
The rodeo more.
I wanna be first.
You do?
I prefer a man whose life is already full.
That way he's got something to share with me.
You know what I mean?
If I want blind adoration, I'll get me a dog.
I'm gonna go sit with my cowboy now.
Ain't gonna work.
What ain't gonna work?
I'm just window shopping.
Oh.
So no interest in a dance?
None.
You sure?
I'm pretty sure.
What if I insisted?
How you plan on doing that?
That was pretty slick.
One dance.
What are you doing hiding up here?
Just keeping an eye on things.
Making sure everybody's behaving.
Come on. We can go have some fun.
That party ain't for me, Beth.
Ain't for any of us.
It is. It's for everyone.
You know what?
I never think about what happens a year from now
or ten years from now.
I always worried about today with an eye on tomorrow.
But when I look down there, Beth,
ten years worries me.
He only became governor so we don't have to worry
about the next ten years.
- Really? - Yeah.
Nobody else could've done that?
In this whole state. Nobody?
That's what worries me.
What was the, um...
the name of Emperor that played the fiddle
when Rome was burning?
Nero?
This reminds me of that.
He's gonna lose this place.
Here. I'm going to turn in.
I love you.
Yes, sir, we got them wrangled.
We're just sitting tight here.
All night if we have to, sir.
- Okay, yes, sir.
I've talked to about half of the owners.
They're sending out trucks.
The rest we can just send back to Billings,
sort 'em out there.
All right. Let me talk to the wife.
Okay.
Hey. You coming home?
Looks like we're going to have to take these horses
back to Billings.
Okay.
I'm thinking maybe I should meet you there.
The cramps are getting worse.
That's three weeks early.
They're really bad, Kayce.
Shit... I'm leaving now. You don't think you can wait?
I don't think I should.
Okay, well, I don't want you giving birth
on the side of the road.
I'll send an ambulance south, okay, to meet you on the road.
- Okay. - Okay.
Tate!
Hey, Hendon, I'm meeting Monica at the hospital.
Yeah, I'll handle this. Go!
You okay, Mom?
Yeah, I'm okay.
You sure?
- Want me to drive, mama? - You can't drive.
I can drive better than this.
It just comes in waves.
- You sure? - Yeah.
Haven't seen you in a while.
It's Carter.
I know who you are.
Jesus Christ, it's been a while.
You want me to saddle one?
Wish I had the time, but I don't.
You're the Governor now.
Yep.
The big man.
So they say.
I miss our rides.
Yeah, I miss 'em too.
We'll do 'em again.
Quit eating the fertilizer.
Huh?
Quit growing.
Why?
Because it... Because it freaks me out.
You're a living reminder of how much time I don't have.
If you grow a beard, you're fired.
No beards. Got it.
Take me to Helena.
We need to go to Billings.
Why, what's in Billings?
I had a brother.
For an hour, anyway.
A brother, huh?
John.
John?
They named him John.
Next time on an all-new Yellowstone...
You could be a really good leader, John,
but if you don't play the game
the game plays you.
Hey, when he says jump, you don't ask how high.
You just start hoppin'.
You are signing a declaration of war.
Market Equities will not just go away.
This will be a fight.
A big one.
You don't tell a soul. This never happened.