Remember When Graham Greene’s Character In “1883” Predicted How “Yellowstone” Would End?
on Sep 02, 2025
The Late Actor Graham Greene Had A Crucial Scene With Tim McGraw In 1883
One of Graham Greene’s last performances was in a 2022 episode of the Yellowstone prequel 1883. The series followed the Duttons’ ancestors as they made the perilous journey across the American West.
Before you continue reading, consider this your spoiler alert for 1883 and the Yellowstone series finale.
The Duttons, consisting of James (Tim McGraw), Margaret (Faith Hill), Elsa (Isabel May), and John (Audie Rick), originally planned to settle in Oregon. But they had to change course after Elsa was struck by an arrow in a battle and developed an infection.
Knowing that Elsa was dying, James vowed to establish his new home wherever she took her last breath. That’s when he met Spotted Eagle (played by Greene).
Spotted Eagle directed James to settle in an area known as Paradise Valley. But he told the Dutton family patriarch that the land wouldn’t be theirs forever.
He said, “In seven generations, my people will rise up and take it back from you.”
To which James responded, “In seven generations you can have it.”
Watch that pivotal scene below.
The Duttons made it to Paradise Valley shortly before Elsa passed away. As promised, James built his family’s home on the land, and that was the beginning of the Yellowstone ranch.
Did The Seven Generations Prophecy Come True In Yellowstone?
Those who’ve seen Yellowstone, 1883, and the other prequel, 1923, know about the many hardships the Duttons faced to hold onto their land. But after being in the family for seven generations, the ranch left the Duttons’ hands.
In the Yellowstone finale, Beth and Kayce Dutton sold the ranch back to the Indigenous people (specifically Chief Thomas Rainwater) for $1.25 an acre.
Beth remarked, “There may not be cows on it, but there won’t be condos either. We won,”
However, we still don’t know how the Duttons eventually reached seven generations. There are some gaps in the timeline, and questions remain about the identity of John Dutton‘s grandfather.
There are two potential family trees (unless Taylor Sheridan throws us a major curveball). The first family tree looks like this:
- Generation 1 – James Dutton
- Generation 2 – John Dutton (played by Audie Rick in 1883 and James Badge Dale in 1923)
- Generation 3 – Jack Dutton
- Generation 4 – John Dutton (played by Dabney Coleman)
- Generation 5 – John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner)
- Generation 6 – Kayce Dutton
- Generation 7 – Tate Dutton
The second Dutton family tree looks like this:
- Generation 1 – James Dutton
- Generation 2 – Spencer Dutton
- Generation 3 – Unknown Male (Spencer has 2 sons, one named John, the other’s name is not known yet)
- Generation 4 – John Dutton (played by Dabney Coleman)
- Generation 5 – John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner)
- Generation 6 – Kayce Dutton
- Generation 7 – Tate Dutton
Regardless, it’s widely accepted that Tate represents the seventh generation, signaling that Spotted Eagle’s prophecy in 1883 came true.
We may finally get the answer about who represents the second and third generations when the next Yellowstone prequel, 1944, debuts. Stay tuned for that.
In the meantime, we honor and celebrate the late Graham Greene. Although he only appeared in 1883 for a few minutes, his character arguably played the most important role in the Yellowstone universe.
Simply put, without Spotted Eagle, there would be no Yellowstone.
