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"Yellowstone" Season 5 Premiere Recap: John Dutton Becomes Governor And Montana Bears Devastating Loss

Spoiler Alert! Do not proceed if you have not watched Episodes 1 and 2 of "Yellowstone" Season 5.

Paramount Network's hit drama series "Yellowstone" made its triumphant return to the small screen Sunday (Nov.13) evening for the Season 5 premiere. The two-hour debut featured episode 1, "One Hundred Years is Nothing," and Episode 2, "The Sting of Wisdom." In a short amount of time, the "Yellowstone" universe, created by Taylor Sheridan, was left in disbelief.

In the opening scene, John Dutton [Kevin Costner] and his dysfunctional family fearlessly stepped into the cut-throat world of politics. Dutton claims his new position as governor of Montana and makes clear that every decision moving forward will benefit the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, whether or not it's in the state's best interest.

In a conversation with senator Lynelle Perry [Wendy Moniz], he declared that he would only stay in the job for four years. Dutton confirmed that he's withdrawing the funding for the planned airport and will be doubling property taxes for non-residents. Dutton blames Jamie for his new responsibilities, as it should have been him taking on the role of governor.

Beth Dutton [Kelly Reilly] and Jamie Dutton [Wes Bentley] serve as Montana's Attorney General. During Dutton's acceptance speech – Beth is beaming with joy standing alongside her father, as Jamie is visibly miserable. The cryptic interaction between the so-called siblings reminds fans of the choke-hold agreement Beth and Jamie have since she forced him to kill his biological father in Season 4 to protect their future.

The Flashback

After the victory, Sheridan incorporates a flashback that displays Beth and her husband, Rip [Cole Hauser] on their first date. Viewers quickly recognized that their relationship wasn't always picture-perfect, as they played toxic games before marriage.

The old memory gave TV Junkies a taste of who Beth was as a teenager – a bold blondie with no filter. Before leaving for college to study finance, Beth convinced Rip to bring her out on a date. The night out took a sudden turn when Rip disagreed with her flirtatious behavior. After a hostile conversation, Rip leaves Beth at the bar. The flashback ended with Beth flaunting another ranch hand in front of Rip at home and sealing the deal with a spiteful kiss.

The memory forced Beth to apologize for her unsettling behavior. Her loving cowboy accepted her unexpected confession.

The Celebration

A-listers and notable names in town flocked to the Yellowstone Ranch to celebrate Dutton's victory as governor. While preparing for the party, Rip had a funny feeling and warned his family to be aware and not to have too much fun.

As a Texan band, Shane Smith & the Saints entertain party-goers, country music star Lainey Wilson made her acting debut as her character Abby. Before intermingling and dancing with one of the ranchers, Abby had an unfriendly exchange with Beth.

The Shocking End of Episode 1

Towards the end of Episode 1, Kayce Dutton [Luke Grimes] appears after handling a mission with the Canadian police and livestock agents to capture horse thieves. Following the suspenseful scenes that display his impressive cowboy skills, he receives a phone call from Monica [Kelsey Asbille] – his pregnant wife.

Monica confirms she's going into labor three weeks early and is driving herself to the hospital with their son Tate [Brecken Merrill]. While frantically rushing to give birth down a deserted road, the mother and son get into a devastating car crash. Sheridan leaves watchers on a cliffhanger as the scene cuts to a hospital waiting room.

Both Tate and Monica survived,  but the baby didn't.

"I had a brother…for an hour anyway," Tate tells John Dutton [the grandfather]. "They named him John."

Episode 2 – "The Sting of Wisdom"

The bonus episode begins with a recap of the horrific accident. With Monica unconscious in the driver seat and the man from the truck dead on impact. Tate was forced to dial 911, as Monica quickly lost blood and fought for not just her life, but her babies. 

With Monica resting at home and coping, Taste is consumed with concern.

"Is she going to be okay?" Tate asked Kayce. "She's a strong woman, son. We're all going to be okay. It's just going to take time. You lost a brother. I lost a son, but she lost more. He was part of her so she lost a part of herself, if that makes sense," he replied.

In Season 4, Kayce told Monica that he had an unusual vision of "the end of us." As they discussed funeral arrangements, she questioned if the death of their child was the vision he saw. Kayce assured his wife that he "never saw this coming" and confirmed their relationship is not in jeopardy.

In The Governor's Office

In the second episode, John Dutton is placed in a position where he has to start making difficult decisions that will affect public policy. Lynelle Perry expressed her concern about cutting the funding for the pending airport and relationship with market Equities. Dutton plans to force the company out of Montana, which Jamie disagrees with. Beth threatens to share the blackmail she has on Jamie, if he decides to fight against and question Dutton's decision-making.

The Crippling Foreshadow

The episode concludes with the Bunkhouse Boys hunting the wolves attacking the Yellowstone cattle. The hour-long episode foreshadows an uncertain future for cowboys Ryan and Colby. They soon find out that the aggressive animals are from the neighboring national park and are marked. Hunting wolves is illegal in Montana, and the two seek help from Rip to stay out of trouble.

While the back-to-back episodes answered several questions and introduced new characters, it sparked new speculations. CMT is slated to recap "Yellowstone" Season 5 weekly.

Yellowstone airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Paramount Network. Fans can now subscribe to the official "Yellowstone Newsletter," which will feature exclusive snapshots, episodes, never-before-seen clips, in-depth recaps, and giveaways. To join, visit @Yellowstone on Twitter.

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