Set on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the neo-Western seriesYellowstonefollows patriarch John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) and his children as they tend to the largest cattle ranch in the United States. More often than not, they wind up in conflicts with their bordering neighbors, the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, and even Yellowstone National Park. But John doesn’t deal with the drama alone; he has his children and ranch hands, aka one ofthe most dysfunctional families on television. One of those children, and arguably the best character in the series, John’s sole daughter, Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), is often there to stir the pot and make things interesting.
A solid character that breaks TV female stereotypes, Beth has an intense personality that really isn’t for everyone, as seen throughout the show with the fights she gets into. Even through everything in her life, including watching her mother die and being sterilized against her knowledge,Beth never plays the victim and doesn’t act like anyone but herself. She just enjoys playing both the anti-hero and the villain most of the time! But even so, Beth is one of the best characters in the series.
Yellowstone
10Ditching The Femme Fatale Stereotype
In a family full of guys, Beth is the lone female on the ranch. As such, people might think she’d takethe route of a femme fatale to get her way. It is a typical trope writers use when one of the main characters is the only female, someone who would use feminine charm to get whatever she wants in life. The thing is, Beth couldn’t be more opposite than the stereotype.
Not only was Beth born and raised on a ranch, being hardened by the work and trauma life has thrown at her, but she also grew up with brothers. She knows that in order for a person to get what they want in life, it will take more than charm; it will take intensity, grit, hard work, and, perhaps, a bit of yelling, manipulation, and rage.Beth breaks the female stereotype, kicking it down with her cowboy boots and a slew of colorful wordsin order to showcase a new type of female character, a strong one who knows what she wants and takes it without asking. While she is a deadly woman, Beth doesn’t use her sexuality or allure to achieve her end goals.
9A Life-Long Romance
While Beth might be a strong-willed character, she is also a broken one with a heartbreaking backstory and a mother who died when she was young. Throughout it all, though, there was a constant: Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser). Her childhood sweetheart turned into an adult lover. Rip and Beth have been through a lot with one another. Sadly, Beth doesn’t really believe she deserves any sort of happiness, so when viewers see her and rip together, it is a celebratory moment that proves Beth does have an emotion other than rage.
The thing about Beth and Rip’s relationship is that while it is toxic in its own right, throwing out the concept of a fairytale TV romance, they are perfect for one another. Strong-willed yet closed-off, each of these characters would most likely self-sabotage any relationship they were a part of. But because these two arguablymessed up individuals who are cut from a very similar clothare together, it works even though it would be a bit of fun to see Beth in another relationship for the sole purpose of watching her eat a guy alive.
8A Heartbreaking Backstory That Defines Her Character
From the very first episode ofYellowstone, viewers aren’t blind to notice Beth’s cold and angry demeanor toward her family, specifically her brother Jamie (Wes Bentley). It isn’t until the third season of the show that fans finally learn why she harbors such hate and resentment, something that really defines Beth’s character throughout the series. This trait isn’t just seen in her family but also in her everyday life and personality.
Fans learn the heartbreaking truth that when Beth was 15 years old, Rip got her pregnant. She went to Jamie for help, and he scheduled an abortion at the Indian Health Services. But there was a cost of the service –Beth would be sterilized and never be able to have children. It is unclear if Beth knew of this before moving forward with the procedure, but one thing is sure: she never forgave Jamie, her entire personality changed, andJamie is the villain in her story. The heartbreaking backstory defines her character’s traits and actions moving forward, as it is apparent she hates her brother and pretty much the entire world, becoming cold and angry toward everyone and everything.
7An Interesting “Black and White” View Of The World
ThroughoutYellowstone, it is apparent that Beth has a weird sense of self. She struggles with relationships, finding her place in the world, and behaving according to what others would perceive as “rationally.” She has a very black-and-white view of the world, a pessimistic view that doesn’t leave much, if any, room for a gray area.
Even though it is a difficult thing for other people to comprehend, her views are kind of what makes the character so interesting.The concept of “it is this or that” makes Beth a bit irrational, something that makes for very interesting television. She doesn’t believe in compromise, and when she believes in something, others best bet they are not going to change her mind easily or at all. Her worldviews bring a complexity to Beth that isn’t often seen in female characters, people who are often portrayed as being the rational ones with kind hearts.
6Balances Being An Anti-Hero & Villain
It is no secret that Beth is definitely a terror to those she doesn’t like, taking on largely villainous characteristics. Fans still can’t help but think of her as a kind of anti-hero, too, as, deep down, she can’t help but protect people. This is seen when Beth protects Monica (Kelsey Asbille) from a boutique owner in town. Even though the two aren’t insanely close, Beth doesn’t hesitate to throw a jewelry case into a display because if anyone is going to harass her sister-in-law, it will be her.
This scene, along with others, shows thatwhile Beth is an evil character who doesn’t really have a “think this one through” mentality, it has a purpose. She balances her villainous doings out of a sense of righteousness, such as defending a member of her family. It is an odd balance that Reilly is able to bring to the character, making Beth someone to root for because even while she is doing the wrong thing, it is most likely for the right reason. At least, most of the time, it is for the right reason. She isan antihero fans can’t help but root for(at least at times).
5A Master Of Revenge
Headstrong and vengeful when she wants to be, Beth is a character who isn’t afraid to play the long game. Even though she is known to explode in anger and rage at times, Beth is an extremely intelligent character. When someone wrongs her, she isn’t afraid to use her brain instead of firepower to get her desired result. Viewers see this in the first season when she goes after Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston).
Yes, it is true Beth really has no boundaries, making her unpredictable and diabolical, but she is able to devise a devious plan using nothing more than her imagination and manipulation. She makes personal attacks alongside business maneuvers, leveraging every aspect of her plan in order to come out on top, including pretending to be Dan’s wife’s friend and getting Dan beaten up in a bar. It is a refreshing take on the Femme Fatale stereotype and shows that Beth is a master at revenge, not caring what she has to do in order to get it, making it look like burning the show’s antagonists is as easy as breathing.
4Beth Refuses To Be a Victim
ThroughoutYellowstoneand between backstories and the present day, Beth’s life comes into clarity. She has had a difficult life. She lives with a bunch of manipulating people striving to keep what is theirs, had her body invaded as a teenager, and doesn’t have many friends. Even so, she refuses to be the victim, even in the face of enemies who are trying to destroy her life even further. She is strong-willed and determined to keep a brave face, never showing others weakness, even herself.
Viewers see this determination when she is attacked by the Beck brothers’ henchmen. Even in the face of a brutal attack,Beth never lets her guard down or shows the men that she is scared. Instead, she plots. She plans to get revenge on those who wronged her, no matter what. It is an interesting take on a female character who has had so many hardships, things that tend to come up in conversation at least every once in a while. Instead, Beth buries everything, leaving a cold front that no one can really penetrate. It makes her a complex character with a strength few can even think about mustering.
3When She Proves She Has a Heart
Beth has her own demons and definitely has a troubled past and present. Her cold demeanor and hurtful attitude make it seem as though she doesn’t have a heart. ButBeth’s complex character grew a little more when she met Carter(Finn Little), a troubled teenager who loses his father to a heroin overdose. Best realizes they are kindred souls, two people who are in the hospital hoping for their fathers to wake up.
Maybe it is because Beth can’t have children of her own, or maybe it is because of the circumstances in which she finds herself at the hospital, but fans see a different side to Beth when she meets the 14-year-old boy. Eventually, she takes him in, and Carter begins to work on the ranch with Beth acting as a pseudo-mom. It is definitely a new personality for Beth and an interesting thing to see as a strange boy is able to thaw her heart just a little.
2She Took A Bath In the Front Yard Like A Boss Lady
While Beth’s decision to take a bath in Yellowstone’s front yard is very entertaining, it actually has a much deeper meaning. It was the anniversary of her mother’s death, a horse riding accident that Beth was a part of when she was younger. The accident and death are a defining moment in her life, something that haunts her and dictates how she’s acted ever since. Due to the fact that in her last moments, Beth’s mother blamed her for the accident, Beth copes by lashing out and doing things that sane people would probably think twice about.
She later explains thatshe doesn’t let fear dictate what she does with her life anymorebecause it was fear that caused her to lose two very important things in her life already. Her statement alludes to her mother and her ability to carry a child of her own. The bath is one of those times that viewers get to get a look into Beth’s character, finally understanding one of the reasons she does certain things, acts a certain way, and pretty much lets everyone around her know that she doesn’t care.
1Impulsivity Doesn’t Scare Her
Beth is very good at crafting master plans in order to play the long game. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t impulsive when it means getting quick results. It is one of the reasons her character is so fun to watch!She does things that normal people wouldn’t, and she doesn’t ask for forgiveness, such as kidnapping a priest for her and Rip’s impromptu wedding at the ranch.
At first, Beth was waiting for the perfect venue. Finally, in the season four finale, she pretty much says screw it, kidnapping a local Catholic priest and bringing him in for the ceremony. It is a defining moment for not only Beth but also Rip as they learn who their real allies are as they stand and say their vows in front of John, Carter, and Lloyd.Jamie is absent and for good reasons. In a rare moment of comedy, John questions how the priest even got there. When Beth told him, without any sense of remorse, she told him the truth but quickly stated that he shouldn’t worry because the priest had already forgiven her, something he would never actually ask for.
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