After eight years, Taylor Sheridan still hasn’t solved a mystery from the series premiere of Yellowstone, involving John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and the deaths of two unknown family members. Although Yellowstone introduced a puzzle surrounding the Dutton family tree, it never solved it, despite the show ending with Yellowstone season 5 at the end of 2024.
After Yellowstone’s series finale, the next show that could solve John Dutton’s mystery was 1923, the second Yellowstone prequel, the final chapter of which premiered in early 2025. 1923 seemed primed to complete the picture, since it reached into the past where the Dutton family’s mysteries lie. Now we must hope 1944 will put the pieces together instead.
John Dutton’s Yellowstone Mystery Explained: Who Are Chance & Ned Dutton?
In the series premiere of Yellowstone, John Dutton meditates on the memory of Chance and Ned Dutton. He closes his eyes on the lawn of the Dutton Ranch and, for a moment, the gravestones of Chance and Ned appear on the screen. They are weathered and aged, certainly from the previous century, based on what the audience can see.
After a moment, the gravestones are gone, John Dutton opening his eyes and mentally rejoining the ceremony. The moment happens while John is at his oldest son’s funeral, after Lee Dutton dies in Yellowstone’s premiere. For whatever reason, the occasion reminds him of two particular ancestors, though John Dutton never directly or indirectly explains who Chance and Ned are.
The only clue that we have about Chance and Ned is a date carved into Ned Dutton’s headstone. The inscription reads March 16, 1863, and is presumably Ned Dutton’s date of birth. Considering whatever happened to Chance and Ned was so far in the past, it made sense that 1923 would reveal their identities, but the show ignored the mystery.
1944 Can Reveal The Identities Of Chance & Ned Dutton
Sheridan’s upcoming Yellowstone prequel, titled 1944, is the next best place to reveal who the mystery Duttons are. The series will pick up 20 years after 1923 season 2’s timeline. 1944 will take place 80 years after Chance and Ned were born, but it’s the best opportunity to connect Chance and Ned now, since it’s still a bygone era.
I initially thought that Chance and Ned were Cara (Helen Mirren) and Jacob Dutton’s (Harrison Ford) children, boys who hadn’t survived but were memorialized at the Dutton ranch when the couple arrived in 1894. That could still be the case, but if so, 1944 would have to explain both who they are and why 1923 failed to reveal the connection.
We know that Chance and Ned Dutton aren’t Margaret (Faith Hill) and James Dutton’s (Tim McGraw) children, since James was in a Union war prison in 1863. Still, Chance and Ned Dutton are clearly tied to the past, so maybe a character in 1944 can finally explain how Chance and Ned connect to the Duttons, perhaps uncovering a family secret.
What We Can Definitely Expect From Taylor Sheridan’s Next Yellowstone Prequel
It’s unclear yet if the enigmatic characters will be brought to light, but there are a couple of things we know about 1944’s upcoming story based on the events of its predecessor. In the finale of 1923 season 2, Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) saves the Yellowstone Ranch from a developer trying to take it from the family, setting up 1944.
In Spencer Dutton’s time jump at the end of 1923, we learn that Spencer lived for 45 more years. Therefore, James’ son will presumably be running the ranch in 1944, probably leading the saga. We also know that Spencer has two sons. While his kin aren’t Chance and Ned, perhaps Spencer will explain the oldest tombstones in Yellowstone’s graveyard.
- Created by
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Taylor Sheridan
- First Episode Air Date
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June 20, 2018
- Cast
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Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Gil Birmingham, Brecken Merrill, Jefferson White, Danny Huston