One villainous Yellowstone character was responsible for two of Beth Dutton’s greatest tragedies, and these experiences define Kelly Reilly’s portrayal of Beth in Yellowstone.

Tragedy informs Beth’s complex personality, affinity for vodka, and bitter, mean streak. While Taylor Sheridan’s original Dutton saga is over after Yellowstone season 5, part 2, Beth Dutton’s story will continue in a spinoff about Beth and her husband, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), which will presumably pick up where their stories left off.

While the battle for the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is behind her, Beth Dutton’s past will doubtlessly continue to haunt her in the spinoff.

At the end of Yellowstone season 5, Beth moves to a ranch in Dillon, Montana, where she and Rip will presumably launch their own cattle endeavor. While little is known about Beth and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff story so far, the offshoot can build on the characters’ rich history in the original series, including the grief they have experienced.

Jamie Dutton Caused Beth’s Greatest Tragedies In Yellowstone

Jamie Caused Beth’s Greatest Tragedies In Childhood And Adulthood

Sadly, it was Beth’s brother, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), who caused two of her three greatest tragedies: losing her father, and losing the ability to have her own family.

We learn in a flashback in Yellowstone season 3 that Jamie was responsible for Beth’s hysterectomy, signing off on the procedure to remove Beth’s uterus when he took her to the Broken Rock Tribe clinic. Beth had confided in her brother, but Jamie breached her trust.

While some would argue that Jamie was doing the best he could, given his young age, Jamie also contributed to Beth’s greatest tragedy as an adult.

While he was not directly responsible for planning or orchestrating the attack, Jamie conspired with Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) to murder John Dutton (Kevin Costner).

Jamie’s betrayal of his adoptive family not only led to the removal of the acting governor, which was his plan as attorney general, but it also resulted in the loss of Beth’s father, prompting her to retaliate.

Beth & Jamie Dutton’s War May Still Not Be Over After Yellowstone Season 5

Jamie Dutton’s Death Is Still Unsolved

In the sibling war between Beth and Jamie, Beth got the last word after John Dutton’s death. Still, it might not be over yet. Beth had suspected from the beginning that her adopted brother was behind John’s attack.

Even before then, Beth had declared war on Jamie over his impeachment of their father, the governor of Montana. After John Dutton died in the premiere of Yellowstone season 5, part 2, Beth was even more resolute, vowing to kill Jamie.

In Yellowstone’s series finale, Beth follows through. After John Dutton’s funeral, Beth drives to Jamie’s home and murders him, stabbing him in cold blood after an ultraviolent brawl. The crime is all part of Beth’s elaborate plan.

She calls 9-11 and gives the investigators a fake version of the events. While Beth got the cops off her tail and steered them toward Sarah’s involvement in John’s death, the crime could come back to get her in Beth and Rip’s spinoff, should the investigators vet her story.

Beth Can Never Forgive Herself For Her Third Greatest Tragedy

Evelyn Dutton’s Death Still Haunts Beth

While she can never bring back her father, Beth’s revenge on her brother provided John’s daughter with some closure amid her grief. Beth had also long held Jamie’s decisions about her reproductive health against him.

She must feel a sense of relief, part of Jamie’s murder serving her own need for vengeance.

That said, with Jamie’s death, Beth can begin to cathartically move past her past trauma, free of its source, notwithstanding that Beth should be in prison for her Yellowstone finale crime.

Beth has no way to redeem her third great tragedy.

Still, Beth has no way to redeem her third great tragedy. In a flashback in Yellowstone season 1 to when Beth was just a girl, she goes horse riding with her mom and Kayce on the ranch, and Evelyn Dutton (Gretchen Mol) falls off her horse and breaks her spine, causing her to die shortly after.

Hauntingly, Beth’s mother blames her daughter for her death with the last words she ever says to her. Beth getting closure about her mother’s death is much harder, though she could work on it in her and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff.