Yellowstone: Every Major Character Who Died

5. John Dutton II Left a Mark on His Son

While we never got to meet John Dutton II as he died years before the events of Yellowstone, he was still a major character, if a behind-the-scenes one. He raised his son and the main protagonist of the show, John Dutton III, and heavily influenced him — especially with his dying words. What he told his son would largely define his behavior for decades to come: “Never allow anyone to take an inch of this land.”

4. Lee Dutton Started an Internal War

If there was an award for the one Yellowstone character we’re bugged to not have learned better, that would definitely be Lee Dutton. The oldest son of John Dutton III, he was well-trained and experienced — and supposed to inherit the ranch. Unfortunately, Leed was shot dead in the very first episode, thus beginning the internal succession war in the Dutton clan and robbing us of his intriguing company.

3. Sarah Nguyen Revealed a Hidden Monster

Brave and inspirational, Sarah was a journalist tasked with investigating the Dutton family. She went undercover and did reasonably well, even getting a statement from John’s son Jaime that would have drowned the patriarch’s reputation. Unfortunately for her, Jaime changed his mind and strangled her to hide his involvement with the investigation, and Sarah’s murder marked the beginning of Jaime’s dark path.

2. Donnie Haskell Stayed Loyal to the End

The good ol’ Sheriff didn’t feel like an ally to the Dutton family at first, but soon became one of their most notable and powerful friends. Donnie Haskell stood by John through storms, and his death came as a heartbreak: the Sheriff was mortally shot during an attack on the diner, but John was near his friend to the end. Thanks to their friendship, Haskell even got to give his daughter one last call before dying.

1. Emmett Walsh

Some might say that Emmet Walsh wasn’t even remotely important in Yellowstone, but we’d argue that his death alone made him a major character. Walsh died peacefully, blessed with a true rancher’s end: in his sleep, gazing upon the beautiful stars above. Walsh’s demise got John Dutton thinking about his own way of life, filled with violence and brutality, and where his bloody path might take him, in the end.