1923 revealed an unexpected facet of Spencer Dutton’s (Brandon Sklenar) story that could explain how The Madison relates to the Yellowstone franchise’s Dutton family.

The Madison is Taylor Sheridan’s next Yellowstone spinoff. It’s a modern-day story, taking place in present-day Montana. However, The Madison’s story will shift its focus away from the Dutton family tree and home in on the Clyburn family, led by Michelle Pfeiffer’s Stacy Clyburn.

With production and casting underway, The Madison might be the next Yellowstone spinoff we see after 1923’s finale.

The Prohibition-era Dutton saga wrapped up with a massive finish, including 1923 season 2’s finale’s five major character deaths. One of the most significant and tragic deaths was Alex Dutton’s (Julia Schlaepfer), with Spencer Dutton’s wife dying from complications of hypothermia after delivering her baby, John. 1923’s finale also reveals what happened to Spencer after he lost his soulmate.

Spencer’s late sister, Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) says Spencer never remarried, but had another child with a widow. Spencer’s unresolved development could certainly rear its head in Yellowstone’s future.

Spencer Dutton’s 1923 Ending Could Have Set Up Yellowstone’s Spinoff The Madison

The Madison Is Taylor Sheridan’s Next Yellowstone Spinoff

Spencer Dutton fathering a second child is big news for the Yellowstone franchise. In her narration at the end of 1923 season 2, Elsa says the following about how her younger brother processed Alex Dutton’s death:

“Spencer never remarried. Took the comfort of a widow and made another boy… refused to marry her, and one day, the widow was gone.” So, Spencer actually has two children: Alex’s son, John, and another son by an unnamed woman. As with Elsa Dutton’s other narrations in the Yellowstone franchise, this development is a prophecy of what’s to come.

Spencer Dutton’s descendant, emerging in Taylor Sheridan’s next spinoff, would explain an inconsistency in the Yellowstone franchise.

1923 left the identity of Spencer’s mystery son unresolved. Elsa explained that Alex’s memory never faded in Spencer’s mind, implying she was all he thought of, even decades after her death, before flashing to Spencer and Alex’s Titanic-style ending, where they reunite in their version of Heaven.

That said, Spencer’s descendant could appear in another Yellowstone spinoff, potentially in The Madison. While there’s a century between 1923 and The Madison, Spencer Dutton’s descendant, emerging in Taylor Sheridan’s next spinoff, would explain an inconsistency in the Yellowstone franchise.

Spencer Dutton’s Descendant Emerging In The Madison Would Explain Its Yellowstone Connection

The Madison Does Not Connect To The Dutton Family, Uncharacteristically

From what we understand, The Madison doesn’t have a connection to Yellowstone, which has focused solely on the Dutton family and their endeavors through time.

Taylor Sheridan’s original Yellowstone series introduces John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his children, who fight for the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in the modern era, eventually selling it to the Broken Rock Tribe.

 Sheridan’s other Yellowstone shows act as prequels, setting up Kevin Costner’s series, explaining how the Dutton family navigated America after the Civil War and World War I, witnessing their journey on the Oregon Trail in 1883 and into the Great Depression in 1923.

1923 season 2 concludes with an epic 2-hour finale as Spencer Dutton leads the war for Yellowstone. We break down every triumph and tragedy.

It doesn’t make sense that a franchise solely dedicated to the Dutton family would completely disconnect from their story. It’s possible that Spencer Dutton’s descendant will emerge in The Madison, tying the story back to the Dutton family.

Sheridan could be shifting to focus on how life progressed for Spencer’s other descendants, now that Yellowstone season 5, part 2, has wrapped up the Dutton family’s main story.

Life would have been much different for a Dutton ancestor not benefiting from the family’s stewardship of the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. The Madison can potentially explore that.

Who Could Spencer Dutton’s Descendant Be In The Madison Cast?

Spencer Could Be The Ancestor Of These Spinoff Characters

While Spencer’s family could also appear in Taylor Sheridan’s teased Yellowstone prequel that would follow 1923, 1944, The Madison is a better place for the reveal since it would tie Michelle Pfeiffer’s show back to the Dutton family. If that’s the case, The Madison could have already cast Spencer’s estranged grandchild.

While the full scope of The Madison’s cast remains unclear, some supporting characters could relate to Spencer. That said, I don’t suppose that Spencer’s descendant will be part of Michelle Pfeiffer’s Clyburn family, who would move to Montana from New York after the death of their patriarch.

1923 season 2’s epic finale revealed the fate of Spencer Dutton and how long he ran the Yellowstone with a surprising time jump into another decade.

There are three male actors cast in various roles in The Madison that are tied to Montana, and I believe they are the most likely to relate to Spencer. Kevin Zegers will play Cade, Stacy’s neighbor and the former caretaker of her new home in Montana. The spinoff has also cast Lost’s Matthew Fox as Paul, described as an outdoorsy, self-reliant man.

Lastly, The Madison will include Ben Schnetzer as Van, a kind rancher and Stacy’s neighbor. Any of these characters could be Spencer’s long-lost descendant from 1923, enriching the Yellowstone franchise and tying The Madison to the Dutton family.