1923 Actor Brandon Sklenar (Spencer Dutton) Says Finale Did NOT Reveal Family Tree: “We Still Can’t Confirm 100%”

Well, someone messed up here…

Over the weekend, the 1923 season two finale occurred, leaving fans more perplexed than ever. Of course, the prequels to Yellowstone are to highlight the Dutton family lineage, leading us to the generation right before John Dutton was born, who would become the ruler of the famed Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, which Beth and Kayce would sell back to the Native Americans during the 7th generation of Duttons.

However, even from the start of 1883, there was always a question about how the Dutton lineage would lead to John Dutton III (Kevin Costner in Yellowstone). Does the line run through James’ son John Dutton and his son Jack Dutton, or does the line run through James’ son Spencer?

Going into the finale, we at Whiskey Riff thought the line would run through John and Jack because that added generation would make for 7. We know that John Dutton III (Kevin Costner in Yellowstone) was a “5th generation rancher” and that the land would be returned to the Native Americans after “7 generations,” fulfilling the prophecy from 1883.

However, after the finale, fans are left more confused than ever, because many believe the show confirmed in the final episode that Spencer Dutton was the grandfather of John Dutton III. Since Taylor Sheridan hasn’t been the best in continuity, fans feel like there was a huge mess up in this finale, given that it makes John Dutton III only a fourth generation of Duttons, and Tate would be the 6th.

Sure, Sheridan keeps some things close to his chest so he doesn’t have to abide by things set in stone when writing subsequent spinoffs, allowing him to keep the plot going. However, after the series finale, fans are beyond confused, and a recent interview with Brandon Sklenar, who stars as Spencer Dutton, is leaving fans even more perplexed.

During a sit-down with TV Fanatic after the finale, the interviewer asked Brandon about his character being confirmed as John Dutton III’s grandfather and how that lineage plays into Beth’s inherited fire.

“The ‘Yellowstone’ fans have wanted to know for a long time, who was John Dutton’s grandparents and now we know that it was indeed Spencer and Alex. Does it knowing that Beth Dutton has the fire from Alex in side of her kind of help that story, in your mind?”

After the finale, you’d think that his answer would be a “yes.” However, Brandon’s answer just made this whole saga even messier.

“Well, at this point, we still can’t confirm 100% that John Dutton is THE John Dutton.” 

The interviewer shares the same frustration as all of the fans, responding with:

“Oh, come on! You’re raining on my parade.”

Brandon then elaborates.

“There’s a lot of Johns out there. Yeah, if she were to be a descendant, I would say that she is for sure. I mean, there are some strong genes here in the Dutton and Alexandra lineage. Really strong genetics, and they are both powerhouse people in their own right, and have a tremendous amount of drive and conviction, and force in them as human beings. If it were to be passed down, I’d say that’s where it would come from… potentially.”

So we are all even more confused, right?

Taylor Sheridan, I know you like to keep some things close to your chest, given that you announced another spinoff, The Madison, which might clear up some things. But please give the people something to work with in the meantime so that we can connect all of these family lines.

Check out the entire interview while you’re here.

The Dutton Family Tree

It all really comes down to one particular point… does the Dutton family line run through Spencer Dutton, or does it run through Jack Dutton? My personal belief is that it runs through Jack, even though Spencer and Alex named their son John. That, or Taylor Sheridan messed something up.

I’ll explain why shortly…

So without further ado… mapping out the entire Dutton family, from 1883, to today:

The Dutton Family

1883:

James Dutton

The original patriarch of the Dutton Family, James (Tim McGraw) was a farmer from Tennessee who took his family out west in search of a new life. The husband of Margaret Dutton and father of Elsa, John and Spencer, he chose to establish the modern day Dutton Ranch where his daughter Elsa passed away.

Margaret Dutton

The original matriarch of the Dutton Family, Margaret (Faith Hill) is married to James Dutton and the mother of Elsa, John and Spencer Dutton.

Elsa Dutton

Elsa (Isabel May) was the eldest child of James and Margaret Dutton. She also serves as the narrator of both 1883 and 1923. She was going to marry a cowboy named Ennis, however, he was killed on the journey West. She vowed to return to a Comanche warrior named Sam once her family reached its destination, however she was killed in an attack on the wagon train. The Dutton Ranch property was established where she died, and she was the first to be buried there.

John Dutton 

John Dutton (Audie Rick in 1883, James Badge Dale in 1923) is the son of James and Margaret Dutton, brother to Elsa and Spencer. He was just a young boy during the events of 1883, however in 1923, he works alongside his uncle Jacob on the Dutton Ranch. He is married to Emma Dutton, and they have at least one son, Jack. John is tragically killed (in 1923) during an attack from Banner Creighton and his men.

Claire Dutton

Claire (Dawn Olivieri) is James Dutton’s sister, who joins the journey west with her daughter Mary Abel. A widow, she kills herself once her daughter is killed on the trail.

1923

Jacob Dutton

Jacob (Harrison Ford) is the brother of James Dutton, who becomes the leader of the family once James passes away. He and his wife, Cara Dutton, work to run the ranch with their nephews, John and Spencer, and John’s son Jack.

Cara Dutton

Cara (Helen Mirren) is the wife of Jacob Dutton. A hard-nosed Irish immigrant, she becomes the matriarch of the Dutton family in 1923, following the passing of Margaret and James.

Emma Dutton

Emma (Marley Shelton) is the wife of John Dutton Sr. and the mother of Jack Dutton. Perhaps even more tragically, she kills herself following the death of her husband John.

Spencer Dutton

Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) is the second son of James and Margaret Dutton. Born after the Duttons settled in Montana (and the death of his sister, Elsa), Spencer is a WWI vet who spends time hunting in Africa before returning back to Montana to help save the ranch. While in Africa, he meets Alexandra, who he marries at sea. They have a baby named John.

Jack Dutton

Jack (Darren Mann) works on the Dutton Ranch alongside his father, John Dutton Sr. and great-uncle, Jacob Dutton. He is engaged to Elizabeth Strafford, the daughter of another notable rancher.

Here’s the one part of the family tree we are still unsure about… the line runs through Jack and Elizabeth, or it runs through Spencer and Alex…. that’s the one missing piece of this puzzle.

My suspicion is that Jack may be the father of John Dutton II since the “II” title is generally used when the child is named after another relative, not the father. My initial guess was that John Dutton wouldn’t survive 1923 (and he didn’t), and Jack will name his first born son after his late father… John Dutton II. Only problem is that Jack died (Elizabeth was pregnant when she moved back to Boston), and Spencer had a boy named John. See where this doesn’t make sense?

Because of the “7 Generations” prophecy in 1883, and the fact that it came true in Yellowstone, if the line were to run through Spencer, that would make Tate Dutton the 6th generation of the family. So all that being said, I maintain my hunch that the line runs through Jack. The alternative is that John Dutton has another son before John Dutton III’s (Kevin Costner) dad is born… but that would mean there are 4 Johns, not 3. Of course, continuity isn’t always Taylor Sheridan’s strong suit so who knows… maybe we’ll just throw that out the window.

Elizabeth Strafford-Dutton

Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) is Jack’s fiancée. The two end up postponing their wedding briefly, but are planning on marrying very soon. She miscarries in Season 1 and gets pregnant again in Season 2.

Alexandra Dutton

An extremely wealthy English socialite, she leaves her fiancé, the the son of the Earl of Sussex, in Africa and runs away with Spencer Dutton. The pair are married at sea on their way back to Montana. Alex gets pregnant but dies of frostbite after the birth.

Yellowstone

John Dutton III

The modern day leader of the Dutton family and the current Governor of Montana. He is the father of Lee Dutton, Beth Dutton and Kayce Dutton, and the adoptive father of Jamie Dutton.

Evelyn Dutton

Evelyn (Gretchen Mol) is the wife of John Dutton III who passed away in a horseback riding accident when her children were young. She is the mother of Lee, Beth and Kayce Dutton.

Lee Dutton

Lee (Dave Annable) is the oldest son of John and Evelyn Dutton. The heir to the Dutton Ranch, Lee was killed by Robert Long (Monica’s brother) after an argument broke out over stolen cattle.

Beth Dutton

Beth (Kelly Reilly) is the daughter of John Dutton III and wife of Rip Wheeler, her father’s ranch foreman and right-hand man. Unable to have children of her own, her and Rip have taken in teenage Carter.

Rip Wheeler

Rip (Cole Hauser) is the Yellowstone foreman and right-hand man of John Dutton III. He came to the Dutton Ranch as an orphaned teenager after he killed his own father (who killed his mother and brother). Teenage sweethearts, he eventually marries John’s daughter, Beth Dutton.

Kayce Dutton

Kayce (Luke Grimes) is the youngest of the Dutton siblings, and a former Navy SEAL. He’s married to Monica Dutton and the father of Tate Dutton and John Dutton IV (deceased).

Monica Dutton

Monica (Kelsea Asbille) was raised on the Broken Rock Reservation. She is married to Kayce Dutton and the mother of Tate Dutton and John Dutton IV.

Tate Dutton

Tate (Brecken Merrill) is the oldest son of Kayce and Monica Dutton, the eldest of the 7th generation of Duttons.

John Dutton IV

John Dutton IV is the second son of Kayce and Monica Dutton, who tragically only lived a few hours following complications from an early birth and a car accident.

Jamie Dutton

Jamie (Wes Bentley) is the adopted son of John Dutton III and the black sheep of the Dutton family.

Christina

Christina is Jamie’s ex assistant and the mother of his child.

James Dutton Jr.

The son of Jamie Dutton and his ex-girlfriend Christina, Jamie finds out he has a son after the birth.

7 Generations

In that 1893 flashback from Yellowstone Season 4, we see that James has two sons with him, John Sr. and Spencer (the major characters in 1923)… Generation Two.

They should be in their forties or so by the time 1923 rolls around and will have children of their own (Generation Three), and John Sr. and Spencer might even have young grandchildren (people got married pretty young back then), so that’s Generation Four. Now, here’s where it get’s interesting… John Dutton III (born sometime in the 1950s) of Yellowstone would be Generation Five, which means Kayce, Jamie (adopted), the late Lee Dutton, and Beth Dutton would all be Generation Six, and young Tate would be Generation 7.

And that’s exactly what Tim McGraw himself has confirmed.

Tim says he plays the great-great-grandfather of John Dutton in the bonus Blu-ray content:

“I play John Dutton’s great-great-grandfather. Our family is the first to discover Yellowstone and settle it. And in doing that, we are the first to really defend it and fight people off, and try to establish it and then survive.

J.D.’s the patriarch of the family. He’s the guy that had the balls, I guess, to set out and take his family across the country and head up to Montana, and sorta settle this unknown land, this untamed land up there, and turn it into something.”

Of course, which generation of Dutton has implications for the show because in the Season Finale of 1883, Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) is on the verge of death and her father, James Dutton (Tim McGraw) needs to find a place to bury her because wherever they bury her body is where the Dutton family is going to settle.

So Spotted Eagle, a Crow elder, recommends a spot called the Paradise Valley.

But, there’s a catch… the Duttons can’t have it forever.

“Yes, Paradise. Good name. But you know this: that in seven generations, my people will rise up and take it back from you.”

To which James says:

“In seven generations, you can have it.”

And have it… they do.

All that to say, we shall find out soon enough. In the meantime, check out the entire 29 minute recap of 1923 Season 1:

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