‘1923’ Delivers Another Shocking Dutton Death [Spoilers Alert]
1923 delivered the shocking death of yet another Dutton as it returned from a mid-season break with Episode 5 on Sunday (Feb. 5), and yet another Dutton's life hangs in the balance by the end of the show.
What Happens to the Duttons in Episode 5 of 1923?
Episode 5 of 1923 Season 1 opens with the Duttons stuck in a cycle of grief, anger and pain after the attacks that killed John Dutton, Sr. (James Badge Dale) and Elizabeth Strafford's (Michelle Randoph) father and left Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and Jack Dutton (Darren Mann) wounded. Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren) is basically living her entire life around caring for Jacob, who is gravely wounded, and Jack is filled with rage that has taken the joy out of his relationship with Elizabeth, while John's widow, Emma (Marley Shelton) is completely devastated by her husband's death.
Who Dies in Episode 5 of 1923?
After telling Cara that she feels no sense of purpose, Emma shoots herself in the middle of the night, taking her own life and leaving the family with yet another loss.
What Happens With Jack and Elizabeth in Episode 5 of 1923?
Jack becomes more and more mired in bitterness and helpless anger, to the point where it's all-consuming, until Elizabeth confronts him and tells him that if loving her isn't more important than hating the family's attackers, he'll have to let her go. After she runs out, he follows her and spontaneously marries her in the yard, albeit without an officiant or any witnesses. By the end of the episode, an embarrassed Elizabeth tells Cara it's time to set a date for a formal wedding, since she is pregnant.
"That is the first good news these ears have heard in months," Cara declares, assuring Elizabeth that backdating a wedding certificate "has saved many a reputation."
What Happens With Spencer and Alexanda in Episode 5 of 1923?
Spencer Dutton and his bride-to-be, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) have decided to return to America in haste after getting the news of the attack, but they're unable to find traditional passage that's fast enough. They book passage on a tugboat to take them part of the way, but the already perilous situation goes from bad to worse as the captain of the boat dies in the middle of the night, leaving the boat adrift, where it's struck by an abandoned "ghost ship."
What Happens With Teonna Rainwater in 1923 Episode 5?
Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) killed Sister Mary (Jennifer Ehle) at the end of Episode 4, and we find that she also killed her other abuser, Sister Alice (Kerry O'Malley) with a letter opener before fleeing the Indian School. Father Renaud (Sebastian Roche) abuses more of the other native girls to try to find information about her whereabouts, finally murdering one who was closest to her after she warns him in her native language about her people's coming vengeance.
Teonna is on the run on foot in very difficult terrain, but she has the skills to survive, and she manages to stay safe until she's run across by a native man who is familiar with her father. After she explains her situation, he offers to take her to his home and send word to her family, but he warns her she can't go home, because "that's the first place they'll look for you."
How Does 1923 Episode 5 End?
Episode 5 ends with Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) purchasing the land right next to the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, which is part of an attempt to squeeze the Duttons out so he can buy their land for the mine he wants to build. He's in cahoots with the man who attacked them, Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn), and it's clear that Cara can sense something is off with her new neighbor by her frosty response when they meet.
There is some good news as Cara finally receives a cable from Spencer telling her he is coming home ... but the episode ends with a sense of foreboding as the camera pulls away from the capsized wreckage of the tugboat, with he and Alexandra seemingly nowhere to be found.
What Can We Expect From the Rest of 1923?
1923 airs each Sunday on the Paramount+ streaming service. The show — which serves to connect the original Yellowstone prequel 1883 with the modern-day Duttons — will run for two seasons, and Paramount+ recently confirmed 1923's Season 2, with details forthcoming.
As part of Taste of Country's comprehensive coverage of all things Yellowstone, check out our Dutton Rules podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.