Yellowstone Fans Share Dark Theory About Branded Wranglers | Television & Radio | Showbiz and television

Yellowstone viewers have taken to social media to discuss the show ahead of its final episodes, set to air next month on Paramount Network and Paramount Plus.

Ahead of the neo-Western drama's series finale on November 10, fans have been looking back at the series' various characters and unresolved storylines.

Before Yellowstone season 5 finally wraps up the story, the Branded Wranglers are a group of characters that fans have been wondering about.

This intimidating group, which includes Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), is forever committed to the Dutton family ranch and committed to protecting the land.

However, some fans have pondered the fate of the Branded Wranglers after watching a flashback to Rip's childhood.

On Reddit, a viewer with the username @EntertainmentAny4368 shared the following: “Question about the branded wranglers…

“I'm sure the answer to that is just lazy writing, but if you get branded you should stay on the ranch forever, right?

“When Rip is a kid, there are a lot of cowboys in the flashbacks, but none are there except for Lloyd. So where are all the old Wranglers??” (sic)

Fans quickly took to the comments section to share their theories – and some of them are pretty dark.

Some viewers pointed to “the train station,” a rural canyon area across the Montana border into Wyoming, where the Duttons and their followers dispatch their enemies.

“At the train station,” one fan replied ominously, while another replied: “Oh shit! That would make John Dutton a mass murderer.”

A third fan suggested: “Dead. Without all the shooting and intrigue, life is dangerous as hell.”

However, other viewers argued that a simpler solution is that not all Wranglers are branded and therefore not tied to the ranch forever.

“Not every cowboy is branded, just the ones with a shady, dark past,” one commented, while another agreed: “Not all of them were branded. Only those who needed a second chance in life.” (sic)

Another fan gave a rather nuanced response, writing, “Not every one of them is branded. Plus, we've seen him relieve people, like Jimmy, of their responsibilities before. It's not hard to imagine that the regular turnover caught some of them out, some ended up at the station and maybe one or two were allowed to move on.” (sic)

Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 is scheduled to debut on Sunday, November 10th at 8:00 pm ET on Paramount Network, while the first episode will also air on CBS at 10:00 pm on the same day. UK fans can also watch on Paramount+.