1923’s finale stole the best moment from the end of 1883, Yellowstone screenwriter Taylor Sheridan’s earliest Dutton prequel. It was the perfect sendoff for Alex Dutton (Julia Schlaepfer), who otherwise had a tragic and devastating conclusion. Still, beyond the scope of what happened to Alexandra of Sussex, 1923 season 2’s finale was a triumphant finish for the Dutton family. Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) finally arrived home by train, serendipitously encountering and saving his wife, who was stranded on the side of the railroad after nearly freezing to death. Moments later, Spencer heroically saved the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
When Spencer got home, relieving his aunt, Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren), Zane Davis (Brian Geraghty), and the rest of the ranch hands, he wiped out the remainder of Banner Creighton’s (Jerome Flynn) men with an elephant gun, making for an explosive end to Donald Whitfield’s (Timothy Dalton) war against the 1923 Dutton family. While Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) and Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph) had bittersweet endings, they were able to live past the tribulations they faced in 1923. On the other hand, although Spencer lived to the ripe old age of 80, Alex Dutton died tragically young at 23.
Alex Dutton’s 1923 Story Ends With Her & Spencer In Heaven: Alex And Spencer Dutton Reunite In 1923’s Ending
Still, Alex’s story had a silver lining. 1923’s finale shows Alex and Spencer in the afterlife after Spencer’s death. Alex chides Spencer, saying, “Took you long enough,” implying that she has been waiting. They are in elegant formal wear, dancing on an ocean liner similar to the one in 1923 season 1, with Taylor Sheridan shamelessly stealing Titanic’s ending, allowing Alex and Spencer to be together in Heaven like Rose and Jack. Since the majority of viewers would have preferred to see their romance continue, and Alex’s happy ending was cut short, Alex and Spencer Dutton’s ethereal ending was needed.
1883 Ended With Elsa Dutton’s Version Of Heaven: Elsa Dutton Reunites With Sam At The End Of 1883
Taylor Sheridan took a play out of 1883‘s playbook for 1923’s ending. After her death, 1883 shows us Elsa Dutton’s version of Heaven, which she describes as “where your dreams and your memories merge together, and form a perfect world.” In Elsa Dutton’s afterlife, she rides horses with Sam. She tells 1883 viewers that it’s always sunrise in her world, and there are no storms, because she is the only lightning. Elsa describes her perfect world, saying, “My Heaven is filled with good horses and open plains and wild cattle and a man who loves me.”
Considering Elsa’s tragic death in 1883, her reunion with Sam after their heart-wrenching separation was consolatory, like Alex and Spencer’s.
Like Alex and Spencer’s 1923 ending, Elsa’s heavenly moment is 1883’s closing scene. Elsa Dutton’s narration contextualizes her reunion with Sam, where they exchange a meaningful glance and ride off into the hills of the Great Plains. The scene recreates Elsa and Sam’s best moments. Furthermore, they are unburdened by the tribulations they face, and those who don’t want to see them together. Considering Elsa’s tragic death in 1883, her reunion with Sam after their heart-wrenching separation was consolatory, like Alex and Spencer’s. However, unlike Alex Dutton’s death, Elsa Dutton’s death in 1883 was cushioned by a genuinely beautiful journey.
Why Alex Dutton Needed 1923’s Final Scene More Than Elsa: Alex Dutton Suffered Trauma And Abuse In 1923 Season 2
When reflecting on 1883 and 1923, we needed Alex and Spencer’s happy ending more than we needed Elsa and Sam’s. While Elsa’s 1883 death was quite possibly the saddest in the Yellowstone franchise, her untimely ending was earned. Elsa has a fantastic journey in 1883 before dying, and it makes her fate more satisfying. In contrast, Alex Dutton encountered a series of bleak and disparaging events in 1923 season 2, leading up to her death, marking it as a truly dejected occasion. If Alex had died at the end of 1923 season 1, that would have been one thing.
