Warning! SPOILERS ahead forYellowstoneseason 5, episode 10, “The Apocalypse of Change.”
This article contains mentions of suicide.
Yellowstoneseason 5, episode 10, entitled “The Apocalypse of Change,” opens with a scene that could have cheapened John Dutton’s death.John’s fate inYellowstonewas written in because of star Kevin Costner’s departure from the popular neo-Western, necessitating his character’s absence be explained. The discovery of his apparent suicide (later revealed to be murder) in episode 9 set off an explosive storyline in which Beth (Kelly Reilly) declared war on Jamie (Wes Bentley).
However, this storyline was not immediately followed up on during “The Apocalypse of Change.” The newest episode ofYellowstoneseason 5, part 2eventually returns to the present, where Beth threatens Jamie in his office and then calls Kayce (Luke Grimes) to say that she has all the confirmation she needs about their adopted brother’s involvement in John’s death. However,the first half of the episode again takes place in Texas and does not appear to have any relevance to John’s murder,although one key event seems symbolic of the fight ahead.
Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 10 Started With A Flashback
The First Scene Involved A Disaster For The Duttons During The Texas Trip
The Apocalypse of Change" begins in Texas; though the timeline is not immediately clear, it is a flashback to several weeks before John’s death. In the opening sequence, Teeter (Jennifer Landon) is paralyzed with fear when she awakens to find a rattlesnake on her chest. The men help rid Teeter’s tent of the snake and quickly discover that they set up camp on top of a viper’s nest; several crew members elect to sleep in the truck. Additionally, Rip (Cole Hauser) lectures Teeter about allowing the viper’s nest in by leaving her tent flap open instead of protecting herself.
Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 10’s Bizarre Opening Has A Deeper Meaning
Yellowstone season 5, episode 10 started with a strange scenario, but there was a deeper meaning behind the seemingly irrelevant opening scene.
This scene is not tied directly to John’s murder but has symbolic importance. Instead,it plays out like a typicalYellowstonescene prior to John’s death, with Gator (Gabriel Guilbeau) offering to cook the snakes and the crew members teasing Teeter about what could have been a fatal situation. This might have been more effective if “The Apocalypse of Change” had immediately jumped to the present, but instead, it spends the next half hour in Texas, depicting Beth’s insistence on taking Rip away from the crew for a date night and the couple’s discussion of their future.
Starting With An Unrelated Flashback Almost Cheapened John Dutton III’s Death
It Made It Feel Like John’s Death Never Happened (Which It Hadn’t Yet)
Yellowstoneseason 5, episode 9 ends with a strong cliffhanger, as Beth tells Kayce she believes Jamie is responsible for John’s death while Jamie confronts Sarah (Dawn Olivieri), shocked and horrified that she’d taken out a hit on his father to further their shared goals. It makes little sense to flashback to Texas instead of following up on these tense developments, especially because it isn’t immediately clear that this is taking place in the past. Rip and Beth are engaged in their usual activities before John’s death, making it seem less important.
John’s death is not part of the first half hour, making it seem like the series has moved on without him instead of it being the seismic event that drives the action throughout the final season.
The flashback scenes taking up half the episode seem like a betrayal ofYellowstone’s central premise.Throughout the series, John Dutton III is the protagonist, and his death is supposed to turn the Dutton family’s lives upside downwhile leaving an opportunity for his enemies to gain a foothold in their quest to seize the ranch. However, John’s death is not part of the first half hour, making it seem like the series has moved on without him instead of it being the seismic event that drives the action throughout the final season.
Yellowstone Season 5 Should Stop With Its Complicated Time Jumping
Yellowstone’s Time Jumps Cause Confusion & Wastes Time
These flashbacks might be more tolerable ifYellowstonedidn’t have limited time to tell the story of John’s death. There are only 14 episodes in the final season total, so after “The Apocalypse of Change,” there are only four installments left. Therefore, there is no time to waste, andevery minute spent in Texas in the weeks before John’s death is a minute not spent moving toward the climax of this story and wrapping up the series.
All Episodes in Yellowstone season 14, part 2
“The Apocalypse of Change”
TBA
August 07, 2025
Additionally, jumping back and forth in time makes it difficult to keep track of where the story is in the timeline, especially if jumps aren’t clearly labeled. This is a serious problem duringYellowstoneseason 5, episode 10, asthe scenes in Texas don’t make sense without understanding that John is still alive during them. For example, Beth’s thoughts about giving up the ranch and moving to Texas contradict her fierce desire to protect John’s legacy and are, therefore, confusing without the context that they occurred in the past.
Continually jumping back and forth in time will dilute the story’s power and end the series on a confusing note.
The flashbacks with Beth and Rip would make sense if the rumoredYellowstoneseason 6/sequelcomes to fruition, as it could be set up for the new season or series following these two characters. However,Yellowstone’s main focus in the little time remaining should be on Kayce’s investigation into John’s death and thewar between Beth and Jamie. Making this intense storyline more central will help usher in a satisfying conclusion to the neo-Western, while continually jumping back and forth in time will dilute the story’s power and end the series on a confusing note.
Yellowstone
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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 Jun 22, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
