The following contains spoilers for the Yellowstone season 5 finale.Gil Birmingham, who plays Chief Thomas Rainwater inYellowstone, talks about whether they’ll honor the treaty between him and Kayce. The series finale brings the story at large in a full cycle, tracing back to the Dutton ancestors who settled on the land 141 years ago in the prequel series1883, fulfilling the promise to return the land to the Indigenous people. IntheYellowstoneseries finale, theYellowstone Ranch is sold back to Rainwater and the Broken Rock Reservationwith the condition to keep the land undeveloped, while Kayce and his family get to live on a small portion.
In an exclusive interview withScreen Rant,Birmingham assures that Rainwater will honor the treaty like they “always have.” The actor points out that the Natives have always honored agreements they made “out of respect.” Talking about the Duttons who live on the East Campus, Birmingham hopes thatthere’ll be more “engagement” between the tribe and the Duttons, especially with Tate “coming from both worlds,” with Native’s blood running in his veins. The actor also believes that it’ll be “an interesting growing-up experience” for Tate to see how the Natives hold their land and learn from it. Check out what he said below:
I think Thomas will honor the treaty. [Chuckles] I’ll just say that much, we’ll honor the treaty like we always have. It’s never been us who have broken any of our treaties, and that’s out of respect. And, hopefully, [it leads to] engagement, because Tate is half-Native, as well, and I would hope that him and Monica, his mother, would want to especially be engaged with any of the activities on the reservation, especially for Tate. He’s coming from both worlds, right? Tthe holding of the land was on one side ,the Duttons, and now the holding on the land is on his other side. So, it’ll be an interesting, growing-up experience for him.
What Gil Birmingham’s Comment Means For Yellowstone
There Are Still Stories To Explore PastYellowstoneSeries Finale
Since season 5B’s arrival, many have been asking whetherYellowstoneseason 6will happen. Birmingham’s comment indicates that while season 5 brings the story into a full cycle, there are still areas to explore, especially with the Duttons now living in the Reservation, which is a new angle that the series hasn’t yet tackled. So far,there have been no official words about season 6, but the star’s comment points out a way the series can continue its story. On the other hand, severalYellowstone-related projects are in the works.
What Would Yellowstone’s Ending Have Looked Like If Kevin Costner Hadn’t Left The Show?
Kevin Costner exited Yellowstone ahead of season 5, part 2, and following its finale, one can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if he stayed.
Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser have recently closed deals to leada Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler spinoff. A Michelle Pfeiffer-led sequel that follows a New York family who settle in the Madison River valley of central Montana is currently in production. The series recently added four new casts. Meanwhile,theYellowstoneprequel1923, which explores the Dutton family tree, will return for season 2 on June 09, 2025. Therefore, theYellowstoneuniverse is far from closing, even if the main series has concluded many of the arcs for its primary cast.
Our Take On Yellowstone 5B Finale
It’s Always Been The Vision
Yellowstoneseason 5 brings a nice touch to the end of a seven-generation story, tying up with the promise made by the Duttons in1883.Birmingham has previously talked aboutthe full-circle ending being the endgame show creator Taylor Sheridan envisioned forYellowstone.In another interview, the actor explained thatSheridan’s personal life experience with the Lakota Nation"spoke to him spiritually" about how the original inhabitants' story never gets discussed in American history books, which inspired the Native representation in the series.
Elsa died on the frontier journey, trying to bring peace to conflicts and misunderstandings. The series finale speaks to her legacy and seesa unity flourish between the Duttons and the Native tribesin a brand-new way based on their shared vision and respect for the land, which is beautiful and significant. With multipleYellowstoneprojects on the board, Tate’s growing-up story is also worth exploring.
Yellowstone
Cast
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on July 16, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
