The Dutton family ofYellowstonesure has creative ways of dispensing with their enemies, including the ill-fate Roarke Carter (Josh Holloway).Yellowstoneis coming to an end, and throughout five intense seasons, the Duttons have defended their majestic Montana ranch against everyone from a nearby Indigenous reservation to greedy land developers, all amidst various infighting amongst the family itself. Those loyal to the Yellowstone Ranch, be they Duttons or one of their many branded allies, are not afraid to get their hands dirty, making frequent trips toYellowstone’s “train station"with their foes' bodies in tow.
A major thorn in the Duttons' sides throughout most ofYellowstoneis the Fortune 500 real estate company, Market Equities. Introduced in season 3, Market Equities seeks to acquire the Duttons' land to build an airport on it, with the hopes of turning this area of Montana into a ski resort city.Roarke Carter is the smooth-talking stockholder for Market Equities, and makes it his personal mission to make life miserable for the Duttons. Unfortunately for him, he completely underestimated who he was messing with, and paid with his life as a result.
Roarke Died From A Rattlesnake Bite In The Yellowstone Season 4 Premiere
Rip Sought Revenge For Roarke’s Attacks On The Duttons
Yellowstoneseason 3 ended on a major cliffhanger, with violent attacks on almost every member of the Dutton family, and patriarch John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) life in the balance after being shot. The perpetrator of these attacks was unknown at the time, though many thought it could be Roarke. Alas, Roarke was innocent, and the culprit was none other than Garrett Randall (Will Patton), the birth father of Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley).
“You’re the Indian Now”
Season 4, Episode 1
“Half the Money”
But Roarke still very much has blood on his hands. In season 3,he hires Wade Morrow (Boots Southerland) and his son Clint (Brent Walker), rival ranchers to the Duttons, to stir up trouble for the Yellowstone Ranchin the hopes of provoking John Dutton to do something illegal in retaliation. Among other misdeeds, Wade and Clint are behind the brutal attack on ranch hands Colby (Denim Richards) and Teeter (Jen Landon).
This will not stand with Yellowstone’s enforcer Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), who enacts revenge on Roarke in brutal fashion. Rip tracks Roarke down to his local fly fishing spot, and confronts him with a cooler, asking Roarke if it’s his. Roarke insists it’s not and senses Rip’s hostility, but there’s ultimately no escape.Rip shakes open the cooler to reveal a rattlesnake, which promptly bites Roarke in the face. In futility, Roarke flees into the woods, but eventually succumbs to the venom and dies with Rip standing over him.
This is very much in keeping with the brutality of the Duttons and their allies when threatened. Rip and co. also sought vengeance against the Morrows by lynching them for what they did to Colby and Teeter. ButRoarke’sshockingYellowstonedeathwas particularly symbolic, as he was very much a snake in the grass, striking out against anyone affiliated with the Yellowstonewith little regard for consequence or morality. It’s also fitting that the Market Equities stockholder died in one of the most country ways possible.
What Actor Josh Holloway Said About Playing Roarke On Yellowstone
He Loves The Show But Wishes He Got To Play A Cowboy
Roarke actor Josh Holloway was thrilled to join the cast ofYellowstone, as he was a big fan of the show and dreamed of being part of such a high-caliber series. However,Holloway was less than thrilled that he didn’t get to play a cowboy, as this type of role has eluded him throughout his entire acting career. He toldUSA Today,
When I got the call, I was so excited that I was finally going to get to be a cowboy, because in 18 years of acting, no one has cast me as the cowboy, for God’s sake. I was like, finally. Thank you, Taylor [Sheridan,Yellowstoneco-creator]. And nope. He cast me as a Wall Street guy. I was like, ‘Taylor? Really?’ He thought that was the funniest thing.
Holloway may not have gotten to fulfill his cowboy dreams onYellowstone, but he certainly made Roarke a unique character. Roarke may be a “Wall Street guy”, but he’s no run-of-the-mill suit. His family owns the Cross Creek Ranch, and Roarke makes it very clear that he’s only in Market Equities for the money, and would much rather spend his days enjoying ranch life. It almost becomes a running joke when his various schemes against the Duttons take Roarke away from his fly fishing. Plus, Holloway, who’s best known for playing theantagonistic Sawyer onLost, makes the perfect villain.
Where Roarke Actor Josh Holloway Is Now
His Next Role Will Be In Duster, A Crime Series On Max
Josh Holloway hasn’t appeared in anything since his role as Roarke onYellowstone, but he’s got a big project coming. In fact, that project may be why he left Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western series in the first place.Holloway is set to lead the upcoming Max crime drama,Duster, co-created by LaToya Morgan and J.J. Abrams, whom Holloway knows fromLost. The show centers on a getaway driver named Joe (Holloway) who teams up with the first Black female FBI agent to take down a crime syndicate in 1970s Southwest (viaVariety).
Holloway was cast inDusterin March 2021, and filmed the pilot in October of that same year. WithYellowstoneseason 4 airing in November 2021, it’s very possible that the shooting schedules for the shows conflicted, leaving Holloway to make a choice. And while, like Roarke inYellowstone, Holloway’sDustercharacter isn’t a cowboy, he is somewhat of an outlaw, thus getting the actor one step closer to his Wild West dreams.Dusteris set for release in 2025.
Yellowstone
Cast
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on June 08, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
