Lee Dutton, played by Dave Annable, could have been a central character in Yellowstone. Instead, he completely disappeared after a tragic event.
Family is a core element of Yellowstone. The Dutton family is the central force in the franchise, having started the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. With wealth generated by owning the largest ranch in Montana, the entire family has unimaginable power, which often leads to conflict with surrounding communities. Generally, the only people that the Duttons can trust are their own. Even then, Jamie has proven that even Duttons can turn on Duttons.
Yet there was one Dutton that secured the respect of every member of the family. Lee (Dave Annable) was a character who has endured in his family’s memory, but who left the show after Yellowstone season 1, episode 1, “Daybreak”. He has since appeared in several other major episodes, but he has never enjoyed the prominent role that he had in the first episode. Unfortunately, Lee’s fate meant that Annable would need to leave the hit show incredibly early.
Who Was Lee Dutton?
Lee Dutton was the eldest son of John and Evelyn Dutton.
As the eldest-born child of John and Evelyn Dutton, Lee had an exceptional amount of power. He was the heir to the Dutton fortune and was in line to inherit the largest ranch in all of Montana. He never left the ranch and worked closely with his father to maintain the source of the family’s power. In many ways, he never had a life outside of the ranch, as his very existence was dedicated to protecting the livestock and his family. He never intended to get married or to have children. Instead, he could rely on his siblings to continue the Dutton line.
Because the Duttons had nothing until they took the ranch, Lee was always well aware of the importance of preserving its existence. With his father always at his side, Lee worked faithfully to ensure that the livestock always remained within the boundary of their ranch. After all, they are the source of the family’s wealth. Even his death was directly caused by his endless desire to protect everything that his ancestors built.
What Happened To Lee Dutton?
Lee was killed by Robert Long while trying to take back grazing cattle from the Broken Rock Indian Reservation.
As John’s heir, Lee was always dedicated to protecting the family’s livestock. On one seemingly typical night, some of the livestock wandered away from the ranch and into the Broken Rock Indian Reservation’s territory. Unwilling to let the cattle get away, Lee wandered into enemy territory. His brother, Kayce, worked to keep the cattle away from the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. His decision would have tragic consequences. While John tries to instruct Lee to return to the ranch, the Broken Rock police arrive. Among them was Robert Long.
Seeing Lee there, Robert shot at the rancher. Kayce forced him to stop before he could fire again, but it was too late. Though Kayce shot and killed Robert in the aftermath, it was too late. Tragically, Lee had been shot in the throat, and his wound was fatal. To save his brother, Kayce had to kill his brother-in-law, and it still failed to save Lee. The eldest Dutton brother was written out of the show, leaving the family in complete turmoil. The death turned Yellowstone into a Shakespearean drama, as Kayce was forced to deal with the realization that his actions contributed to Lee’s death.
Lee Was Supposed To Lead the Duttons
As the eldest brother, it was Lee’s responsibility to lead the family through the modern era. As all people do, John Dutton will eventually die. He always expected that, when he did, the ranch would be passed down to Lee. If not for his death, Lee might have inherited the ranch after Kevin Costner left Yellowstone, which would have provided a much clearer path for succession.
Instead of a peaceful transition of power from John to Lee, there has been no clarity about the future of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Lee’s death meant that the family would need to find a new leader, and there has been no clear answer. Beth and Jamie have always been at each other’s throats, and Jamie has been outright scheming to destroy the Dutton family name. Beth and Rip are the likeliest options to take over the Ranch, but Beth’s scheming against Jamie has put the family in a difficult position. With Jamie working to take the family down, Beth may be dragged down into his war. That could spell out a dangerous end for the entire family, especially since Beth is determined to destroy everything associated with Jamie.
Yellowstone’s sequel, which may be led by Matthew McConaughey and Michelle Pfeiffer, could very well focus on the aftermath of the Yellowstone succession plan. Had Lee been alive, he might have been present to ensure that easy transition. Instead, every member of the family is likely to suffer for decades in the aftermath of his death. It proved that the Dutton family is not untouchable and took away the man that John was grooming to be the leader of their household.
Since Lee’s death, Rip has been trying to take his place as the eventual patriarch of the family. John has boundless respect for Rip, and he stands as one of the few allies who has no reason to ever turn on the Dutton family. He has even moved into Lee’s old home, where he continues to protect the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. By protecting the family, Rip is honoring Lee’s legacy and working to repair the wounds created by his death.
Lee Dutton’s Death Broke the Dutton Family
Before Lee’s death, Lee, Jamie, and Beth all had roles on the farm. Lee was the leader of the next generation, Beth handled the Ranch’s finances, and Jamie was in charge of anything related to the law. Kayce spent years estranged from the family, which strained their relationship already. The death of Lee, however, ensured that the last opportunity to right their path was eliminated. Ever since the family has been embroiled in an everlasting conflict, and it doesn’t look like there will ever be a peaceful resolution.
The Dutton family dynamic was forever changed by his death. Jamie and Beth’s slow-simmering hatred has evolved into a full-scale war that will inevitably lead to deaths. The Duttons have done horrible things, and they have been turning their worst impulses on each other. Their existing dynamic, which existed before Lee’s demise, was poisonous, but it was a less fatal poison. If not for his death, he could have brought the family together. It is possible that Lee could have ensured that Jamie would not turn against the rest of the family.
There is no way to know what would happen if Lee had not been killed. Because he died so early in the show, it is difficult to know too much about his character. He has reappeared occasionally to warn the family not to forget him, but Lee’s presence has largely been relegated to the background. Had he lived, Lee would have played a much bigger role. Instead, his early death changed Yellowstone forever, while sacrificing his memory.
