Dutton Ranch spoilers follow.
Dutton Ranch, the spin-off sequel to Yellowstone, concluded its first season with a shocking moment that confirmed the exit of a major character. In a huge twist, Rob-Will Jackson (Jai Courtney) was found dead by his daughter, Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind), after being shot off-screen.
The murder was seemingly committed by Joaquin Jackson Reyes (Juan Pablo Raba), who was instructed to kill his adopted brother earlier in the episode by his disgruntled father, Mariano (Raoul Max Trujillo).
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The drug lord was unhappy that matriarch Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) had named Rob-Will as her successor to take over the ranch - overlooking Joaquin for the prominent position.
With his father's demand ringing in his ears, Joaquin parked up outside the house, accompanied by a gun on his passenger seat. Following the shooting, a vehicle was seen speeding away, leaving viewers to put the pieces together for themselves.
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While all signs point to Joaquin, Raba has defended his character by highlighting that viewers didn't actually see the fatal shot, with the actor telling Entertainment Weekly: "I don't think he did it, because he's not a killer."
"He's not even a cowboy, for Christ's sake. He has never shot anyone in his life. Until we have a scene where we see him do it, I wouldn't be so sure," added the actor, who said it was "unfeasible" for Joaquin to murder his half-brother as he was not a "professional killer".
"Rob-Will says bye to Oreana, and then we stay on her, and then not even 30 seconds later, we hear a gunshot," he noted. "So that means that whoever did it literally went ding dong, Rob-Will opened the door, and shot him."
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"It takes a lot of cold blood to do that. You have to be a professional killer to do that. Mariano being Mariano, do we really think that he thinks his son is going to go through that? Or would he have a backup plan? Who knows," he teased.
Viewers will soon get some answers, as it has already been confirmed that the drama will return for a second season after it was renewed by Paramount+. There will be a change behind the scenes, however, as Benjamin Cavell takes over as showrunner from Chad Feehan.
Dutton Ranch is available to stream now on Paramount+.
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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a "telly addict" since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.
