Is There Hope for the Dutton Ranch? Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton Proposes Bold Plan to Save the Family Property in Yellowstone's Semi-Finale Episode

As Yellowstone heads into its semi-finale, Kayce Dutton unveils a bold plan that could be the last hope for saving the Dutton ranch. Will it be enough to preserve the family legacy?

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Dec 09, 2024 | 06:20 PM IST | 85.6K

Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton in Yellowstone (Paramount Network)

The only thought living rent-free in the minds of Yellowstone fans these days is whether or not the Duttons will be able to save the iconic Dutton ranch. As the beloved show’s finale episode approaches, the plot is starting to streamline a bit, giving viewers an idea of what the last episode of the concluding season could entail.

The content ahead contains spoilers for Episode 13 of Season 5 of Yellowstone.

Amid Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) raising over $30 million from selling off the ranch’s livestock and machinery in the wake of the ongoing auction, her brother Kayce (Luke Grimes) comes up with a master plan, leaving even a notorious mastermind like his sister baffled and questioning why the idea didn’t tap her brain.

“Let’s take your car. How much is that worth?” Kayce asks his sister, referring to her Bentley in the Yellowstone episode that aired on Sunday, December 8. She responds, “It’s a lease, so it’s not worth anything.”

Kayce pushes her for an answer, leading her to quote $30,000 as the vehicle’s price. Kayce counter-questions, “And if you sold that to me for $1, would that be illegal?” Beth responds in negation.

Kayce then delves deeper into his potential plan to save the family ranch, examining the tax framework and concluding that he would pay the government only for the price he paid for the car, not its actual value. The same theory applies to their ranch as well, which is up for sale.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Beth wonders as she chases him to his truck, asking him who the potential trusted buyer of their farm might be. He gives her an unsatisfactory reply.

Regardless, Beth praises her brother for his intelligence, jesting, “You are smarter than you look, little brother.”

When Kayce’s wife, Monica, attempts to get an answer out of him, he keeps mum, emphasizing, “The only way to save this place, you gotta give it away.”

For those still clueless about Kayce’s plan to save the ranch, he is implying that the family stage a sale to a trusted party for an amount much less than its actual cost, which would reprieve any personal tax burden and risk of losing the land entirely.

The series finale of Yellowstone, set to air on Sunday, December 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Paramount, will answer who Kayce enlists in his simple tax loophole scheme to help save the Dutton ranch for the foreseeable future.