For the past four years, Yellowstone has dominated mainstream media, but How Are The Characters In 1923 Related To Yellowstone?
Its incredible lineup of actors, an astonishingly beautiful backdrop that’s easy to mistake for CGI, and a storyline that has been able to combine the love of cowboys and murder in a way that’s reminiscent of days of old.
Whether you’re new to Taylor Sheridan’s world of cowboys or have been around from the beginning, Yellowstone is the gift that keeps giving, and the latest installment is 1923.
What Is 1923 About?
1923 follows a generation of Duttons. They have settled in Montana and are looking at how they can find their footing in a world riddled with the start of prohibition, cattle rustling, and famine, unlike others.
While it can feel confusing, 1923 is a prequel to Yellowstone and 1883. Before there was John Dutton and Beth Dutton, there was John Dutton Sr. (played by James Badge Dale) and his wife Margaret Dutton (played by Faith Hill).
The whole premise of 1923 follows our favorite Duttons as they try to navigate their new life in Montana.
Should I Watch 1923 Before Yellowstone?
You can go either way, depending on the type of movie fanatic you are. Following the show’s lineage can prove mind-boggling.
However, the acting is superb, the locations and scenery beautiful, and the action sequences and drama will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Whether you start with the first episode of 1923 and end with Yellowstone or go either way, you won’t be disappointed.
Taylor Sheridan has done a great job of intertwining the timelines without losing the authenticity that has made the Yellowstone Universe a hit with many people worldwide.
The Dutton Family Tree
James Dutton
We first meet James Dutton, the family’s patriarch, in 1883. He was a farmer in Tennessee, and he traveled west with his wife Margaret, sister Claire and her daughter Mary Abel daughter Elsa, and son John Dutton Sr.
He served as a Confederate army soldier in Tennessee during the Battle of Antietam. Later he became a prisoner of war. All these experiences haunted him, and he decided to set a new path for himself and his family.
While there’s a possibility that Taylor Sheridan might expand the Yellowstone universe into more prequels, James Dutton is the starting point for the Duttons.
Margaret Dutton
The matriarch of the family, Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill), is the wife of James and the mother to Elsa, Spencer, and John Dutton Sr. In addition, she was a nurse for the Confederate army.
Afterward, she became a farmer beside her husband in Tennessee. She is strong-willed and assertive and the starting point for the bravery that Dutton women have become known and feared for.
We learned of her grim fate in 1923; she succumbs to the first winter without James. However, her boys survive.
Claire Dutton
James Dutton’s sister, Claire, was present on the carriage in 1883 as they traveled from Tennessee in search of a better life. She became a widow after her husband’s passing, whereby she decided to join her brother in his travels.
Claire has a daughter, Mary Abel. However, she dies from an arrow shoot wound after rebels attack their carriage.
Jacob Dutton
James Dutton’s brother, Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford), becomes the Dutton ranch’s caretaker after James’s tragic passing.
He receives a letter from Margaret urging him to come to the property, and he takes her up and moves to the ranch with his wife. He and his wife don’t have any children.
Cara Dutton
Played by Hellen Mirren, Cara Dutton is Jacob Dutton’s wife and the other half of the ranch.
She runs the ranch, and after Margaret’s death, she becomes the official matriarch of the family, and together with her husband, they look over the ranch together with John Dutton Sr.
Elsa Dutton
The narrator of 1883, Elsa Dutton, is James and Margaret Dutton’s eldest daughter and the reason for their settlement in Montana. She was 17 when the series 1883 started.
However, by the end of the season, she dies, and the family decides to honor her by homesteading, where she takes her last breath.
During her travels, she was smitten by two men: a cowboy named Ennis (bandits killed him) and a Comanche warrior named Sam, whom she vowed to return to after her family homesteaded.
John Dutton I
The oldest Dutton son and present-day John Dutton namesake, John Dutton I (James Badge Dale), is the son of Margaret and James Dutton. His first appearance was in 1883 as a kid and later as a grownup in 1923.
He works with his uncle on the ranch and has a family. He marries Emma, and together they have a son named Jack Dutton.
Even though this is yet to be confirmed, it’s presumed that Jack is a nickname and that his real name is John Dutton II, who, in turn, is the father of the present-day John Dutton.
Spencer Dutton
The youngest child of James and Margaret, Spencer Dutton, lived his life on the Yellowstone before becoming a soldier in WW 1 like his father.
After returning home, he’s tormented by his past and chooses to go to Africa, where he becomes a big game hunter. During his exploits, he meets Alexandra, and the two form a bond.
Emma Dutton
Now, only a little is known about Emma Dutton, played by Marley Shelton. However, we know that she is John Dutton I wife and the mother to Jack Dutton, who is set to inherit the Yellowstone Ranch.
Jack Dutton
Played by Darren Mann, Jack Dutton is John and Emma’s son. He’s the first Dutton in this timeline to struggle with his loyalty to the ranch and his wife.
In addition, he’s considered present-day John Dutton’s great-grandfather or his first cousin through his uncle Spencer.
While it’s still too soon to know how the two are related, there’s no doubt that the blood that courses through them is the same.
Elizabeth Dutton
An incredibly strong-willed woman, Elizabeth is Jack’s wife. As of now, she and Jack don’t have any kids. However, that might change in the future. At the moment, she’s connected to the Duttons through her marriage to Jack.
John Dutton III
Played by Dabney Coleman; we have seen him in previous Yellowstone flashbacks. He’s presumably Jack and Elizabeth’s son. While it’s not confirmed that he is their son, we will learn of his actual descent in later episodes.
While these characters weren’t exhaustive of the cast in 1923, these are the major players in the series.
In one way or another, they are interconnected with modern-day Duttons—every play they take influences the future of their great-grandchildren and the Yellowstone ranch.
Unknown Brother
In a flashback in Yellowstone, we see an old John Dutton II talking to the modern-day John, telling him he misses his wife and John’s brother.
At the same time, we know that John has a brother, but it’s still very unclear whether he abandoned the family to strike out on his own or died.
While the former would make for a fantastic season in Yellowstone, it would also mean doom for the family. The upcoming episodes of 1923 will resolve all this.
We finally get the answers to the numerous questions concerning the Dutton lineage.
Who Is John Dutton, The III Father
The possible conclusion is that Jack “John” Dutton is his father. Some fans, however, speculate that since Tim Mcgraw stated that he was playing John Dutton’s great-great-grandfather.
John Dutton Sr was the only living child to see his kids grow, and John Dutton ii father may be the only Jack.
Similarities Between Yellowstone And 1923
Their love for the ranch and land lands them opposite some serious villains and opponents. In 1923, we saw the Duttons come head to head with some local sheep herders led by Banner Creighton, who felt the land belonged to them.
They also meet eccentric billionaire Donald Whitefield (Timothy Dalton), a man who, from the outside looking in, seems to be the main villain for the season.
He, similar to the Duttons, isn’t afraid to play dirty and, in his own words, own the entire valley, including where the Duttons currently call home.
Love for the ranch will send them to skirt the law. The Duttons are famous for their brutality, especially regarding family and their ranch, which is the same thing in their world.
Cara (Hellen Mirren) isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, especially when a threat from outsiders is posed so freely.
Conclusion
The characters from 1923 all have a specific part to play. In addition, they are interconnected with their modern-day counterparts in one way or another.
The family tree might seem complicated and confusing to all the Johns, even the cast. However, it’s only a matter of time before we get to see the full extent of the family legacy and what they might be hiding in their closets.
