As Yellowstone wraps up its final season, the hit western drama is racing toward … something! For five seasons, the series followed John Dutton (Kevin Costner)—a Montana ranching patriarch who fights for the last vestiges of the American dream. That is, until creator Taylor Sheridan killed him off following an off-camera feud. Now it seems that Sheridan won’t even let the family keep the ranch. Even worse? The series is killing off characters left and right.
In season 5, episode 12, Yellowstone shocked fans with a truly random death. Colby (Denim Richards), a cowboy on the Dutton family ranch since the very first season, dies when he’s kicked in his chest by a horse. Really, Yellowstone? Kicked by a horse? Colby’s exit also ends a romantic plot with another ranch hand named Teeter (Jennifer Landon). Sadly, it’s just one blow after another for Yellowstone fans.
Why Did Yellowstone Kill Colby?
You would think that Yellowstone season 5 had more important storylines to finish before spending extra time killing off random cowboys. Colby certainly didn’t deserve such a shoehorned ending. But if you ask Yellowstone director Christina Voros, Colby’s death kept the setting grounded.
“In a season where there are all these twists and turns and dark forces and giant narrative swings, Colby’s death is so powerful because it’s so simple,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “For anyone who really understands the lifestyle of cowboys and working with animals and the risks of the jobs—and Rip says it about himself—it’s a dangerous job, and this kind of thing happens, and it happens in a split second.”
Voros has a good point. Colby’s death may feel awkwardly placed in the final three episodes of the series, but at least he dies in a more believable way than season 5’s multiple assassinations. As we wait for the epic conclusion, it seems no one is leaving the series unscathed.