Warning: SPOILERS Ahead for 1923 Season 2 Finale – “A Dream and a Memory”
In a surprising twist, Yellowstone screenwriter Taylor Sheridan shattered the Dutton family tree in the finale of 1923. However, a narrow opportunity remains for him to mend it in the upcoming prequel, 1944.
Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara Dutton’s (Helen Mirren) fierce battle to protect the Yellowstone Ranch reached a dramatic conclusion in 1923 season 2.
Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) at last returned home to Montana, where he coincidentally reunited with his wife, Alexandra of Sussex (Julia Schlaepfer), on the train bound for Livingston—saving her from freezing beside the railroad tracks.
Upon reaching the hospital in Bozeman, Alex Dutton gave birth to a son named John, as Spencer eliminated the remaining men loyal to Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) and Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn).
Spencer’s wife chose to deliver their child instead of submitting to a life-saving amputation of her necrotic legs and arm, ravaged by prolonged exposure to Montana’s brutal cold.
Alex’s death in the 1923 finale was heartbreaking, yet she secured hope for the future by bringing John Dutton into the world—though the birth of her son may have irreparably fractured the family tree.
John Dutton III’s Status As A Fifth-Generation Dutton in Yellowstone Explained
Generations are central to Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe, where ranching remains a deeply rooted family legacy. The Yellowstone Ranch has belonged to the Dutton family for over a century, and Sheridan illustrates this enduring heritage by tracing multiple generations across his interconnected series.
In the flagship series Yellowstone, Jamie Dutton proudly introduces his father, John Dutton III, as a fifth-generation rancher. This lineage begins with the earliest Duttons depicted in the prequel 1883, who journey northwest along the Oregon Trail from Texas to Montana, laying the foundation for the family’s claim to the land.
The saga unfolds the first and second generations of the Dutton family tree, prominently featured in the prequel series 1883. This installment not only traces their origins but also establishes Taylor Sheridan’s prophetic vision for the Yellowstone universe: a foretelling that the family will relinquish the ranch to Native Americans after seven generations.
In Yellowstone season 5, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) underscores this lineage during his father’s gubernatorial introduction, proudly declaring John Dutton III a fifth-generation rancher of Montana.
Consequently, John Dutton II—whom we encounter in Yellowstone season 2—holds the mantle as a fourth-generation rancher. John III’s position further implies that his children, Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Kayce (Luke Grimes), embody the sixth generation of Duttons who have stewarded the Montana lands.
This lineage positions Tate Dutton (Brecken Merrill) as a seventh-generation Dutton, aligning perfectly with the prophecy. It culminates in Kayce ultimately selling the Yellowstone Ranch to the Broken Rock Tribe after exactly seven generations.
How Spencer As John Dutton III’s Grandfather Breaks Taylor Sheridan’s Story
One of the most pressing unresolved questions leading into 1923 season 2 centered on the connection between John Dutton III and his father, John Dutton II (Dabney Coleman), and the earlier Dutton generations portrayed in 1883 and 1923. Yellowstone had already established that John Dutton II and John Dutton III were fourth- and fifth-generation ranchers, respectively.
However, positioning 1923’s Spencer Dutton as John Dutton II’s father creates a significant logistical inconsistency in the timeline and family tree.
We could assume that John Dutton III’s grandfather—mentioned in Yellowstone season 4—is a third-generation Dutton.
Yet, with Spencer and Alex naming their newborn John in the 1923 season 2 finale, many Yellowstone fans now presume Spencer is John Dutton III’s grandfather. This conclusion, however, contains a glaring inconsistency.
If Spencer were John Dutton II’s father, it would skip an entire generation in the established lineage.
While Alex does give birth to a son named John, it defies logic for this child to be John Dutton II or for Spencer and Alex to be grandparents to Kevin Costner’s character. Spencer, as John Dutton II’s father, would improperly leap from second to fourth generation, breaking the family tree. As the youngest child of first-generation Duttons James (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill), Spencer is second-generation—meaning his children must be third-generation, not fourth.
It’s possible that Taylor Sheridan deliberately skipped a generation to align 1923 seamlessly with the broader Yellowstone universe. In Yellowstone season 2, John Dutton II appears extremely aged in a flashback to his death, likely set in the late 1990s or early 2000s.
This timeline suggests John Dutton II was born around 1924—the very year Spencer’s son enters the world. The child even bears the name John Dutton, adding to the apparent connection.
Yet, upon closer examination, dedicated Yellowstone fans remain unconvinced that Spencer is John’s direct ancestor, as the lineage still skips an entire generation.
Taylor Sheridan & 1923’s Cast Have Not Confirmed Alex & Spencer’s Baby Is John Dutton
Spencer And Alex’s Status As John Dutton II’s Parents Is Inconclusive
Although the 1923 finale strongly implies that Spencer and Alex’s newborn is John Dutton II—especially when Alex names him John—no official confirmation has come from Taylor Sheridan or the actors portraying the couple.
In an interview with USA Today, Brandon Sklenar and Julia Schlaepfer tackled the lingering mystery of baby John Dutton’s place within the broader Yellowstone family tree.
The actors, portraying Spencer and Alex Dutton, were notably reserved about whether their characters serve as the parents of John Dutton II. Their responses hinted at deliberate ambiguity, leaving room for multiple interpretations.
Schlaepfer emphasized that only Taylor Sheridan could definitively clarify the connection, stating, “The only person who could confirm that is Taylor Sheridan himself, out of his mouth.” Sklenar echoed the caution with a light-hearted quip: “John’s a popular name.” This exchange underscores the open-ended nature of the 1923 finale, fueling speculation ahead of future prequels.
Julia Schlaepfer: “The only person who could confirm that is Taylor Sheridan himself, out of his mouth.”
Brandon Sklenar: “John’s a popular name.”
Schlaepfer and Sklenar offer no confirmation—however faint—that they are the parents of John Dutton II, a role that would position them as direct ancestors of Kevin Costner’s patriarch in Yellowstone.
While a large team of skilled professionals contributes to Taylor Sheridan’s series, he remains the sole writer, lending weight to Schlaepfer’s deference to his authority on the matter.
Schlaepfer’s insistence that only Taylor Sheridan can confirm John Dutton II’s parents signals that the writer has kept crucial details secret, likely reserving a reveal for the upcoming prequel 1944—where a surprising twist could reshape the lineage.
Elizabeth Strafford Could Be The Genuine Mother Of John Dutton II
With no confirmation that Spencer and Alex are John Dutton III’s direct ancestors, Sheridan has room to realign the family tree in 1944. For the generations to align properly, Alex and Spencer’s son—born in the 1923 finale—cannot be John Dutton II.
As a third-generation Dutton, their child is too early in the timeline to father fifth-generation John Dutton III. However, Jack Dutton’s wife, Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph), is also pregnant by the end of 1923 season 2. Her unborn child could serve as the critical missing link, restoring continuity to the Dutton legacy.
Elizabeth Strafford could name her child John in honor of her late father-in-law, Jack’s father, creating another John Dutton in the lineage. This child would be a fourth-generation Dutton, as Jack—son of John Dutton I (James Badge Dale)—belongs to the third generation.
If Elizabeth’s son bears the name John, the timeline aligns perfectly: a fourth-generation John Dutton could plausibly father Kevin Costner’s fifth-generation John Dutton III without skipping any generations.
Brandon Sklenar’s comment that “John’s a popular name” gains new significance, as both Alex and Elizabeth have strong emotional ties to the name, allowing multiple Johns to coexist without contradicting the family tree.
Revealing Elizabeth’s son as the true father of John Dutton III would deliver a compelling twist in 1944. At twenty years old in the prequel’s setting, this young John Dutton II would be ideally positioned to take center stage in Taylor Sheridan’s next chapter.
1923 leaves Elizabeth’s fate open-ended—viewers remain uncertain of her whereabouts or whether she still carries Jack’s child. By withholding this resolution, Sheridan preserves the mystery, setting the stage for her son’s emergence as the authentic link to the modern Dutton legacy in 1944.