The season 4 ending implies that Yellowstone season 5 will be the best installment yet - but this can only happen if the story ends in the next season. So far, Yellowstone has justified its long run on television not just through its consistently stellar ratings, but also through its compelling story of land disputes in the gorgeous valleys of Montana. The perfect ending to the show's overarching plot was already teased in the Yellowstone season 4 finale.
For starters, Kayce Dutton's visions indicate that he will be faced with the hardest decision of his life: finally choosing between being a Dutton and his duties as a fully accepted member of the Broken Rock Indian Reservation. Meanwhile, John and Beth Dutton have forced Jamie into the fold, consolidating power for the final showdown against the billionaire-backed Market Equities. Though Broken Rock chief Thomas Rainwater may be able to set aside his rivalry with John Dutton in order to face the bigger enemy in the valley, it's not too late for Thomas to end up on top, especially if Kayce chooses to stay loyal to Broken Rock instead of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
Yellowstone season 5 needs to settle and reveal the final outcomes of these plot lines instead of delaying them to season 6. Curiously, Kayce's visions in the Yellowstone season 4 ending confer a sense of finality, suggesting that Yellowstone season 5 might see the conclusion of the story. While delaying the conclusion to Yellowstone season 6 would undoubtedly rake in millions more views for the show's already impressive numbers, it's ultimately unnecessary, and could water down the final parts of the story that were already set up in Yellowstone season 4.
Why Yellowstone Season 5 Should Be The Show's Last
Indeed, Yellowstone has already explored every possible angle of its core concept: the struggles between white landowners, business developers, and Indigenous American communities. The main plot will be reaching its organic ending in Yellowstone season 5. As both the Broken Rock Reservation and the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch face their biggest possible enemy in Market Equities, season 5 could deliver a truly memorable ending for arguably the best Neo-Western series in contemporary television.
Besides, Yellowstone concluding in season 5 won't be the end of the "Sheridanverse," nor of the Duttons. Every upcoming Taylor Sheridan show, including the new Yellowstone prequel spinoffs, are all similarly driven by the same political themes that made Yellowstone great. If Yellowstone season 5 ends the show, Sheridan can better focus on telling these new stories, some of which actually reveal more about the Dutton family.