Despite 1883 telling a largely standalone story that doesn’t require constant callbacks and references to its parent series Yellowstone, Paramount’s prequel does have the interesting duty of setting up not only familiar locations but also branches of a family tree that eventually leads to Kevin Costner’s John Dutton and his strong-willed offspring.
There will likely always be dots that remain unconnected between the two timelines. However, the latest episode, titled “The Weep of Surrender,” seemingly shined some vital new light on the personal history between the Dutton family and nearby native tribes.
1883 Theory Sets Up Future Yellowstone Clashes
1883 has not overtly set up the origins of Yellowstone’s Broken Rock Reservation. It’s also not at all clear if that will actually happen at any point. However, Episode 108 introduced a more direct line of connection. It brought together the ranching family and the franchise’s indigenous communities. Elsa Dutton and Sam (played by Yellowstone vet Martin Sensemeier) are now in love. Even if they’ve only known each other for a very short period of time.
They’re deeply in love and apparently trying to procreate at every turn. It’s that last part that has Elsa mom a bit on edge, to say the least. It’s possible that last bit could be what eventually makes the Dutton clan in “present” time have the relationship they do with Thomas Rainwater and his people.
At the end of the latest episode of the show, Sam is going to stick around in Colorado as Elsa sets off to accompany her parents and the rest of the group to Oregon. She does have plans to come back to her love at some point.
Considering how thrown off Margaret Dutton is by her daughter’s relationship, it’s entirely possible that Elsa and Sam’s marriage eventually causes irreconcilable differences between the two women. One fan theory thinks the younger Dutton becomes an estranged member of the family outside of their eventual Montana home.
The theory continues that the estrangement could be passed down for generations.
Of course, for this theory to work, one other shoe has to drop.
James Dutton Exit Stage Right
There have already been flash-forwards that seem to show that James Dutton is going to meet the end of his 1883 run by being killed. That would leave his wife as the head of the family.
This is where the estrangement comes back into play.
Margaret Dutton’s animus towards Native Americans gets passed down. The other side has an inherent distrust for the Dutton clan. Until we finally arrive at the clash between John Dutton and Thomas Rainwater.
This theory isn’t set in stone. But it is one that could be demonstrated. 1883 is laying the groundwork for Yellowstone. Depending on how detailed that groundwork becomes, it makes a level of sense that the feud between two old rivals started right at the beginning.
