Beth Dutton (played by the excellent Kelly Reilly) is headed into her swan song in

Season 5 Part 2 of Yellowstone. John Dutton is dead, and after Kevin Costner’s

shocking departure, his absence has gifted the series with a second wind in its last few

episodes. Costner’s exit has given Reilly the chance to lead the series, as she’s long deserved to do so. It’s also reunited Beth with her little brother, Kayce (Luke Grimes), who’s going full military modein an all-out war against their brother, Jamie (Wes Bentley). But, another man is stepping into the ring to help the Duttons take down their murderous brother, and we couldn’t be more pleased about it.

Gil Birmingham’s Thomas Rainwater is entering the arena for the final showdown in Yellowstone. He and John Dutton have always had an important partnership based on respect, despite their fight to own the Yellowstone property. Although Rainwater is a character that creator and writer Taylor Sheridan has not always seemed sure of what to do with these past several seasons, that’s all poised to change. In the show’s latest episode, “Three Fifty-Three,”Chief Rainwater offers Beth a peace offering and an alliance, trying to save any scrap of the Yellowstone property. Jamie should be very, very afraid.

Beth Dutton and Thomas Rainwater Are Forming The Ultimate Alliance Against Jamie

Season 5, Episode 11, “Three-Fifty Three,” is the best episode of the back half of the season so far. It furthers the demise of Jamie’s power and severs his toxic relationship with Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) in a shocking assassination at the episode’s end. Beth then finds an unexpected new partnership in a season dedicated to violent ends. Birmingham, with his powerful, commanding performance, has long been underutilized in Yellowstone. His fantastic scene with Reilly in Episode 11 feels like a victory as he reenters the spotlight. In a soul-searching conversation about the ranch’s legacy, the developing partnership between their characters may be the key to taking Jamie down.

In the episode, Rainwater arrives at the Dutton property to pay his respects to Beth after her father’s death, and it’s a moment that’s long overdue for both parties. Birmingham is an incredible actor who has always grounded the series, and Sheridan writes some of Rainwater’s best dialogue in the scene. He delivers a timeless speech about men’s greed, remarking on the inevitable takedown, “It is a snake that speaks from its tail, so it may save its mouth for striking… I have spent my time in your world. If you have ideas, I am available, if you want help fleshing them out.”

It seems obvious now that Beth and Rainwater are the perfect pair to fight together to save the ranch. They’re two like-minded people who share a common interest: to save at least a portion of the Yellowstone. Moreover, Rainwater is extremely well-versed in the political landscape within the Department of the Interior. His background and expertise are a perfect accompaniment to Beth’s business-savvy arsenal; together, they are a dangerous weapon against Jamie. Also, wherever Rainwater goes, Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), his tactful right-hand man, follows, someone who has become a crucial help to the Dutton family.

John Dutton’s Death Unites Everyone Against Jamie on ‘Yellowstone’

What ultimately unites Beth and Rainwater is John Dutton’s death, and their conversation on the porch acknowledges what has been foreshadowed since the beginning of the show. As Beth states: “There is no preserving this place, there is preserving its collapse.” John Dutton’s defiance and pride in accepting compromise became poison to the land itself. It also became the literal death of him and the possible death of the Yellowstone. Beth and Rainwater’s acknowledgment of their loss in saving the Yellowstone in its entirety is a condemnation of John Dutton’s greed, but it’s not a total loss. Their treaty of sorts, in which they plot ways to save portions of the ranch, forms yet another brick in the wall of bringing Jamie down.

John Dutton’s death has also united Beth with Kayce, who has come to her aid in proving Jamie’s guilt in their father’s death. With all of these partnerships forming, there’s a clear theme unfolding as these final episodes continue to roll out. It seems poetic justice that as Jamie starts his fall, Beth rises, with new allies arriving in each episode. While Jamie loses more and more in his descent into evil, including a violent end to his girlfriend and co-conspirator, Sarah, Beth gains. With Rainwater offering a calm to Beth’s storm, they may just have a chance to save the Yellowstone — and defeat Jamie in the process.