‘Yellowstone’ Season 3 Finale: Will Kevin Costner Return for Season 4?

When Yellowstone’s third season came to an end on Sunday night, fans were left with several questions. Multiple characters were in mortal danger and on death’s doorstep, which made some fans frantically rush to the internet for answers. They wanted to know if John Dutton would return for Season 4. Spoilers ahead for Yellowstone Season 3, Episode 10.

The reason for this question is that the final episode showed John — played by Kevin Costner — on the side of the road. A paid gunman had attacked him while he was trying to help a stranded motorist and her son. The man shot John several times and then the fleeing woman. Costner’s character did not die on screen, however, as he actually had a final line and moment that teased his return.

As the episode came to an end, John pulled a destroyed cell phone out of his breast pocket. There was a bullet pockmark showing how the device had prevented the shot from reaching his heart. The episode then came to an end, but he did not die. This guaranteed that the patriarch will return in the future.

Despite having John alive on the side of the road, the fans still wondered how he would survive. Would he be able to get into the cab of his Ram pickup and drive to the hospital? This scenario seems unlikely given the damage to his body, but there is another option.

The episode specifically showed the gunman shooting the stranded motorist, but it did not show her 8-year-old son. The youngster had gone into the bushes to search for lost lug nuts before the attack, and he did not resurface before the finale came to an end. This means that the kid is alive and will likely help John to his truck. It’s also possible that he will take a “crash course” on the art of driving en route to the hospital.

Another reason why John will return in Season 4 is that he and Jamie Dutton have some issues to work on. Season 3 revealed that the attorney general was actually adopted after his birth father (Will Patton) murdered his mother. This revelation led to a confrontation with John in front of the fireplace, and then Jamie later tracked down his birth father.

As the finale showed, there was considerable tension between John and Jamie during their meeting with the governor and several other prominent figures. There is also the small matter of the attack. The finale made it appear that Jamie orchestrated the attack after having a conversation with his real father about “taking over an empire” by killing those in charge of it. John will have to address this issue with his adopted son.

While it is almost sure that John will return in Season 4, the fans will still have to wait for confirmation. Writer Taylor Sheridan and the rest of the cast and crew are currently ramping up production while following CDC guidelines to keep everyone safe and healthy. Yellowstone will not return until 2021, and fans will continue to await the first episode eagerly.