With great characters and violent conflicts, Yellowstone has had several shocking moments. Fans are still recovering from these surprising deaths.

Yellowstone deaths can be shocking due to the random and unexpected nature of events leading up to them.

Deaths on the show are often portrayed with violence and brutality, adding to the shock value.The deaths have narrative implications for the characters who carry out the killings, impacting their storylines.

Yellowstone has become one of the most popular shows in recent years, and with its ensemble cast and tumultuous conflicts come some shocking deaths. Taylor Sheridan’s series offers a modern take on the Western genre that isn’t any less vicious than classic movies about gunslingers in the Wild West. Despite taking place in modern civilized society, characters die left and right on Yellowstone as Kevin Costner’s John Dutton fights to defend the land his family has owned for over a century. As various threats oppose the Dutton Ranch, there have been casualties on all sides.

A death in Yellowstone can be shocking for several reasons. The series boasts many characters and spends time developing as many as possible. Even supporting cast members offer something distinct and memorable, and losing an enjoyable character is hard to get over. Yellowstone deaths can also be shocking due to the violence and brutality leading to the fatality, be it a shootout, a hanging, or something even more gruesome. The show also often uses deaths to have narrative implications for the person who carried out the killing, with Jamie Dutton being a prime example.

Sheriff Donnie Haskell wasn’t the most vital character in Yellowstone. Still, his complicated relationship with John Dutton and other players in the Montana area made him an engaging personality in limited screentime. His death near the end of season 4 was mainly shocking due to the seemingly random nature of events leading up to it – a robbery occurring at a diner that he happened to be eating at. Symbolically, Haskell being shot establishes a sense of lawlessness in the valley, but the weaker Yellowstone season 5 has yet to pay off on this death.

9, Roarke Morris
Died in season 4, episode 1.

Played by the consistently excellent Josh Holloway, Roarke served as an exciting new antagonist in season 3. Compared to the violent, uncompromising Beck brothers, Roarke’s conniving representation of the larger Market Equities body made him refreshing. Everyone knew Roarke was eventually going to get what was coming to him the moment he chose to tussle with Beth and the Duttons, but the violent nature of his death was still surprising. Roarke met his end in the season 4 finale as a snake was tossed on him and devoured him.

8, John Dutton IV
Died in season 5, episode 1.

While never truly a character on Yellowstone, the unborn child of Kayce and Monica is announced as being dead in the season 5 premiere after a car crash. The moment is tied to Kayce’s visions in season 4, with major implications for the future of his troubled relationship with Monica. The two have been through a ton, separating and nearly separating multiple times throughout the series, but the loss of a baby could be the beginning of the end for the couple.

7, Lee Dutton
Died in season 1, episode 1.

While the loss of Lee Dutton is a necessary spark to the events of Yellowstone, the first significant death in the series is still shocking. During a dispute with the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, John sends Lee to reclaim cattle, resulting in his death in a shootout. The moment speaks more to John Dutton’s villainous nature than it does to anything about Lee, who was barely developed before his death. The fact that John and much of the family seem to have largely disregarded the event is the most surprising aspect of Lee’s violent end.

6, Dirk Hurdstram
Died in season 2, episode 9.

Jimmy Hurdstram deserves to be mentioned among the most likable Yellowstone characters, as he’s had some of the most emotionally contrived storylines in the series. Dirk Hurdstram was Jimmy’s grandfather and his only relative who was not in prison. He’s the one who initially reached out to John to recruit Jimmy. Unfortunately, Jimmy’s decision-making incidentally gets Dirk killed in season 2, when people he owes money to jump his grandfather to get back at him. Dirk undoubtedly deserved better, and his death was saddening on its own, but also for its effect on Jimmy.

5, Samantha Long
Died in season 1, episode 3.

Yellowstone season 1 is all over the place and melodramatic, and it’s possible many audiences could’ve forgotten about Robert and Samantha Long. Robert was Monica’s brother, who was killed in a shootout. Left with the overwhelming circumstances of taking care of their kids on her own, Samantha takes her own life. It’s one of the more serious moments in the early episodes where Yellowstone struggled to find a fitting tone, but it’s still a shocking and horrifying death.

4, Wade Morrow
Died in season 3, episode 9.

While Roarke established a new type of antagonist in Yellowstone, Wade Morrow was his hired muscle throughout season 3. Wade was a branded rancher with the Duttons years prior who was accused of stealing, developing a rivalry with John Dutton. His death in season 3 ties in with his past, as John demands that his Yellowstone branding be removed from him, and audiences are subjected to hearing his cries of pain as Rip and company do the deed. To top off the brutality, he’s lynched after he’s tortured.

3, Sarah Nguyen
Died in season 2, episode 6.

Introduced in season 1, Sarah is a journalist investigating the corruption of the Dutton family. She does this by infiltrating Jamie’s campaign, and in his moment of turning against the family, he shares incriminating information with her. After being intimidated by John and Beth, Jamie backtracks, attempting to get Sarah to retract his comments from her story. After she refuses, Jamie brutally murders her. It’s a defining moment for Jamie, but surprisingly, not his most shocking kill.

2, Dan Jenkins
Died in season 2, episode 10.

Dan Jenkins was a TV villain who wasn’t as smart as he thought, with a massive ego in his approach to business in Montana. A significant player in the power struggle in seasons 1 & 2, Jenkins is revealed to be way out of his depth. He can’t handle the viciousness of characters like John, Beth, and the Becks, resulting in his brutal death. His last words are possibly the most shocking, saying, “I have every right to be here. I have every right. I have a right. This is America,” moments before drawing his last breath. While he was never a serious contender, he died believing he had a right to try.

1, Garrett Randall
Died in season 4, episode 10.

Another death largely tied to Jamie’s narrative is the killing of his father, Garrett Randall. Introduced in season 3 as Jamie’s biological parent, Jamie is once again left to prove his loyalty to the Duttons by killing his own father. Whether or not Randall had Jamie’s best interests at heart, seeing him executed is tough. Jamie shoots his father in the head and attempts to dispose of his body before being caught. This shocking event has led to a final confrontation between Jamie and Beth, which will define Yellowstone season 5, part 2.