The 1920s Dutton saga details the tribulations of John Dutton III’s (Kevin Costner) ancestors, explaining that life protecting the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch has never been easy.

Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara’s (Helen Mirren) family face grave circumstances in 1923 season 2, braving the brutal winter of 1924, as they await the war on the family waged by Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) and Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn). Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) comes home in the finale, and his victory against the ranch’s opponents buys the family more time.

It was safe to assume Jacob’s family would win 1923‘s war, since John Dutton III possessed the land in modern times. Still, it was impossible to imagine how awful the Prohibition Era would be for the Dutton family, with Spencer experiencing a tragedy at the end of 1923 season 2 despite his triumph.

After she reunited with Spencer in 1923 season 2’s finale, Alex Dutton (Julia Schlaepfer) died of hypothermia, refusing the amputation procedure that would save her life. Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) also loses Jack Dutton (Darren Mann), and Elizabeth and Spencer’s tragedies highlight a key Yellowstone aspect.

Beth & Rip’s Lovestory Is Uncompromised In Yellowstone (& That’s Special After 1923)

Yellowstone’s Best Romances Are Typically Short-Lived

In Yellowstone, we get to enjoy Beth and Rip’s love story without complication, and 1923 season 2 makes that an even rarer prospect in the overall Dutton saga.

Neither Elizabeth and Jack, nor Alex and Spencer were together at the end of 1923. On the flip side, Beth and Rip’s romance plays out over five seasons in Yellowstone, even lasting through the finale.

Better yet, Beth and Rip’s romance will continue in a Yellowstone offshoot on Paramount Network that the couple will lead, which was recently titled Dutton Ranch. Yellowstone’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, built Beth and Rip’s romance to last.

What’s vital is that Beth and Rip live to work through their romance.

Beth and Rip’s romance is far from smooth-sailing, but its highs and lows make it even more satisfying to witness. What’s vital is that Beth and Rip live to work through their romance, and that’s partly due to Dutton’s intelligence and Wheeler’s grit, which keep them out of harm’s way, for the most part.

Moreover, their survival gets Beth and Rip out of the honeymoon phase, into the meat of their relationship, and that’s been gratifying to watch. They seemingly face fewer environmental dangers than their 1923 predecessors. That said, Beth and Rip face no lack of life-threatening circumstances.

Alex & Spencer And Elizabeth & Jack Dutton’s Romances End Sadly In 1923 Season 2

Alex And Spencer’s Was One Of Yellowstone’s Best Romances

None of 1923’s younger characters have lasting romances as rich and full as Beth and Rip’s in Yellowstone. Jack Dutton is killed by Clyde (Brian Konowal), Banner’s dirty livestock agent. The development brings Elizabeth and Jack’s love story to an abrupt and unceremonious end, with Cara barely comforting Liz as she departs the ranch in the finale.

While theirs wasn’t the main attraction, Elizabeth and Jack’s romance was still a bright spot. When Alex reads Cara Dutton’s letters to Spencer in 1923 season 1, his aunt says that watching the lovebirds was one of her favorite pastimes.

While the end of Jack and Elizabeth’s romance was a downhearted occasion, fans were devastated by Alex and Spencer Dutton’s separation in a way that didn’t compare.

The Sussex-native wasn’t able to join Spencer at the Yellowstone Ranch to help him run it after their reunion. In fact, Alex and Spencer barely saw each other in 1923 season 2. Considering fans wanted more of Alex and Spencer’s romance as 1923 season 2 drew out their stories, Alex’s death exacerbated this, with her fate officially marking the end of Brandon Sklenar and Julia Schlaepfer’s on-screen 1923 chemistry. Sadly, neither couple made it.

Tragedy Plagues The Dutton Family’s Love Lives In Each Yellowstone Series

1923’s relationships aren’t the first Yellowstone romances that have come to an untimely end, but the sad endings to Spencer and Elizabeth’s love stories tip the franchise’s romance trends further towards tragedy.

For instance, unfulfilled dreams are the bedrock of 1883, Taylor Sheridan’s earliest-set Yellowstone prequel about the first-known members of the Dutton family tree, James (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill), and their Oregon Trail journey.

Their daughter, Elsa Dutton (Isabel May), dies along the way, cutting short her romance with Sam (Martin Sensmeier), a kind and resilient Comanche warrior.

Can Beth & Rip’s Love Story Survive Their Yellowstone Spinoff

Sadly, No Yellowstone Character Is Safe

A silver lining of Alex and Spencer’s romance is that it allows us to appreciate Beth and Rip more. Still, it also gives Yellowstone audiences a reason to be a bit concerned.

Characters in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone are no strangers to tragedy, with the screenwriter using heartbreaking endings to up the stakes and drama in his neo-Western series.

While it’s great that their romance survived Kevin Costner’s series, Beth and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff could be bad news for the couple, since the continuation will compromise their happy Yellowstone season 5 epilogue, which sees Beth and Rip settling outside Dillon.

Beth and Rip’s show will require new challenges to give the story meat, and that could compromise an otherwise peaceful ending.