'1923' Season 1 Ending, Explained: How It Sets The Stage For '1944', 'The Madison' And 'Yellowstone'
1923 sees the Dutton family's story defined by sacrifice, resilience and their unyielding determination to protect their land and legacy. From Spencer's exhausting journey back to Montana, to Teonna's harrowing life on the run and industrialists that threaten to dismantle the Yellowstone ranch, the storylines perfectly connect characters across time and also echo struggles that several generations of the Dutton family and Broken Rock Reservation natives have faced.
Below, we piece how Sheridan has connected the ending of season one of 1923 to storylines and characters across generations.
By the end of first season of 1923, Elizabeth suffers a miscarriage. Jack gently suggests that perhaps her destiny isn't to have children of her own, but to care for someone else's. This mirrors Beth Dutton's storyline in Yellowstone — where she is unable to have children due to a life-altering decision made by Jamie without her consent. Later in the series, Beth essentially adopts a young boy named Carter, continuing the theme of motherhood taking unconventional forms, which is the case with Cara and Spencer.
Spencer is haunted by vivid flashbacks from his time fighting in WWI, and trauma plays a large role in shaping his character. These flashbacks also foreshadow the upcoming spinoff series, 1944; having fought in WWI, before the events of 1923, it is entirely possible that Spencer may be called to serve again in WWII.
Financial hardship is a reoccurring challenge for the Dutton family in 1923. In Yellowstone, the family constantly battles to keep up with the rising taxes and overdue payments on the land. These same pressures exist in 1923, and by the end of the season, Whitfield sneakily pays off the Dutton ranch's tax debt, which put the family in debt to him. Similarly, the struggle of being in arrears is known all too well by John and Beth, who struggle to make payments in present day.
One of the longest-running struggles in the Dutton universe is the relentless fight to keep the Yellowstone ranch in the family. In 1923, that threat comes to a head when Donald Whitfield (a wealthy, evil mining tycoon) uses violence, manipulation, money and legal influence to take the Dutton land. He represents the beginning of new age industrialists who don't care for tradition and wish to use the land for business purposes.
In Yellowstone, it's a similar story as forces such as Dan Jenkins, the state government and market equities all pressure the Dutton family into selling their land or taking it by force. The Dutton family's fight for Yellowstone is ultimately one that sees them preserve their identity and way of life after fighting so hard to earn it.
A large part of season one saw Teonna Rainwater endure horrific abuse at an American Indian boarding school for girls, which causes her to kill two nuns and flee the school. Now on the run, her fight for survival is filled with danger and despair as she nearly gives up on several occasions.
While her fate in season two is still yet to unfold, it's likely that her determination and efforts led to the continuation of her family tree to live on. Ultimately, this leads to Chief Thomas Rainwater in Yellowstone. Like Teonna, Thomas carries the same resilience as her, as he is chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock.
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