The Yellowstone Fan Theory That Points To Beth's Land Deal As A Huge Power Play

For several years, "Yellowstone" has kept audiences enthralled with its mixture of soapy storylines, bloody twists and turns, and gorgeous scenery. The show follows the Dutton family, who sit on a massive ranch and an extensive property. They use every weapon in their arsenal to hold on to the land as they fight their enemies, including the local Native Americans and coastal developers. Scoring record ratings in its fourth season (via Deadline), the show's fifth season is becoming even more explosive as John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is set for a gubernatorial run.

One of the breakout characters of the series is undoubtedly Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly). The only daughter of John Dutton, Beth is a corporate killer known among fans for her acidic one-liners, ruthlessness, and devotion to her father. Yet, what makes her a fully-formed character is also her softness and vulnerability, rarely on display except for around her now-husband, ranch foreman Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser).

For four seasons now, Beth has done the bidding of her father, who frequently asks her to take whatever measures are necessary to preserve the ranch. And Beth, ever the devoted daughter, does just that. One theory now proposes that Beth's underhanded schemes may be about to pay off in the upcoming "Yellowstone" Season 5.

Reddit user u/AtomikTird5432 proposed a theory that's making Beth's power plays come into focus. They write in their Reddit post:

"So you know how Beth bought a bunch of land through Schwartz and Mayer? The "two hundred square mile moat"? Well, after she did all that and got fired from Schwartz and Mayer, they then made the terms and conditions of being hired at market equities to be that she get a controlling interest ... Does that mean that she now owns that controlling portion, even tho she gets fired from market equities? So she now owns all the land around the Yellowstone? Does my logic make sense?"

It raises a good point and potentially puts into perspective many of Beth's moves in the fourth season, such as why she wanted to join Market Equities in the first place. Her ownership of the land around the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch would undoubtedly be a problem for Market Equities. With Beth's unshakeable loyalty, it's almost unimaginable that she would be willing to give it up for anything.

While some in the Reddit post question whether or not Market Equities takes back their shares in Schwartz & Meyer after she was fired, u/That_Operation_9977 likens the shares to a starting bonus at a firm —something the company wouldn't be able to take back after they fired you.

We'll have to see how it shakes out, but for now, Kelly Reilly promises that "it's gonna be bloody."