The fifth and final season of Yellowstone is almost complete, with the final six episodes expected to release in mid-2023 — yet the events of Season 4 still have some audience members scratching their heads. The fourth season ended with Jamie Dutton, the adopted son of the powerful Dutton family, killing his biological father. The murder baffled viewers who had seen Jamie begin to flourish under his biological father’s guidance. Why did Jamie get rid of the only person who truly cared about him, and what does that mean for him now?
Played by Wes Bentley, Jamie is one of the most hated characters on Yellowstone. He consistently makes decisions that not only hurt the Dutton family, but also endanger their legacy. He continually claims that he does what’s best for the family, but that’s never the case; he does what is best for him and his personal glory. In Season 4, his biological father even tried to have the Duttons killed in order to make room for Jamie to shine. It seemingly made little sense for the self-serving Jamie to murder his only ally.
Jamie Dutton Killed His Dad to Save Himself
Jamie has always been a black sheep within the Dutton family, and his sister Beth Dutton has particularly hated him since he took her to an abortion clinic that sterilized women. His life has been one mistake after another, and he has a pattern of angry outbursts and childish behavior. His father wanted to free him from the Duttons — but John, Beth and Kayce Dutton were all caught in the crossfire. When Jamie finally took action, it was an attempt to side with the Duttons and preserve his own standing.
However, the murder turned him into a slave to Beth. When she found out about the murder, Beth got evidence of him burying the body. In Season 5, she is using that evidence to ensure that Jamie does everything he is told now that John is Governor of Montana. Jamie wanted to prove his loyalty and become a member of the family again — even at the cost of his biological family. However, the plan may have backfired on him. His allegiance has been bought through blackmail and after he’s killed his biological dad, at least Beth will never believe he’d freely stay loyal to anyone.
Jamie Dutton Is on the Edge in Yellowstone Season 5
Beth’s actions at the end of Yellowstone Season 4 and up to Season 5, Episode 8, “A Knife and No Coin” have pushed Jamie too far. He lost all his biological family and now he is nothing but a commodity to his adoptive family. Having nothing left to lose makes Jamie Dutton incredibly dangerous. Beth’s continued threats toward Jamie show no signs of abating and he could bring the entire Dutton family down by revealing his own crimes. While he would go down with them, he would have the last laugh because he’d destroy their dynasty.
Jamie Dutton is a sad, sorry character whose fate is unlikely to improve. He is unlikeable and a glory hound who pretends like he’s acting in everyone’s best interest when that couldn’t be further from the truth. He killed the one man who loved and supported him, and because of that act, he is now a slave to Beth — who has been bullying him constantly. Jamie is also being targeted by John’s rivals, meaning that his choice to kill his father may not have benefited him at all. If anything, it may have set him up for further disaster.