SPOILER ALERT: This submit accommodates spoilers from the Season 5, Episode 11 episode of “Yellowstone,” “Three Fifty-Three,” which premiered Sunday, Nov. 24 on Paramount Community.

As soon as it grew to become clear that Kevin Costner wouldn’t return for the second half of Season 5 of “Yellowstone,” followers puzzled how sequence creator Taylor Sheridan would write off his character, John Dutton. The break up appeared lower than amicable, together with Costner saying he was unable to get on the identical web page with the remainder of manufacturing about taking pictures schedules and even mentioning that authorized motion might come because of his departure.

But it surely’s onerous to think about followers imagining John Dutton’s farewell would go down prefer it did. As an alternative of a becoming send-off for the patriarch of the central household, it looks as if Sheridan is making an attempt to throw mud on the principle character’s in-show legacy, whereas additionally needling Costner in actual life.

Sheridan has been the only real credited author on the season to this point, and issues took a wierd flip instantly within the first of the brand new episodes. As John’s daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly) tore as much as the governor’s mansion in her Bentley and noticed police automobiles, it was clear the viewers wouldn’t have to attend to see how John died. Given his stoicism and manliness within the sequence, it appeared the reply could be one thing extra noble, in step with how he lived. As an alternative, the folks of Montana are led to consider that Dutton shot himself within the head whereas within the lavatory.

Positive, it was staged as a part of a nefarious plan by Sarah (Daybreak Olivieri) whereas making an attempt to raise John’s son Jamie (Wes Bentley) throughout a land dispute. However the truth stays that within the universe of the present, it’s believed that the omnipotent John Dutton killed himself inches from the bathroom. Granted, the demise is reopened to a murder investigation within the third new episode, however to ship out the preliminary message of John’s demise in such a approach appears to be calibrated to poke at Costner and his powerful man persona.

The actor himself even lamented it, saying in an interview on SiriusXM’s “The Michael Smerconish Program” that “I heard it’s a suicide, in order that doesn’t make me wish to rush to go see it.” Whereas he additionally appropriately guessed that it was a crimson herring, it’s possible that in each the present and actual life, many extra folks consider it was a suicide quite than know the total story.

The transfer evokes different pointed deaths in sequence the place an actor left the present and angered the sequence creators. In 2006, Isaac Hayes stop “South Park” after denouncing the present’s satire of non secular organizations. Creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker then wrote off his character Chef by having him be part of a pedophile cult, which seemed to be impressed by his involvement in Scientology, earlier than being ripped aside by animals and, lastly, pooping his pants. In 2015, “Two and a Half Males” dropped a piano on Charlie Sheen’s character Charlie throughout the sequence finale, after Sheen, who was fired in 2011, declined to make an look over the past episode. (The 2 have since had a rapprochement.)

Maybe the strangest shot taken at John Dutton got here within the second post-death episode, the place it was revealed that his love curiosity Summer time (Piper Perabo) — who had lived on the Dutton Ranch since her home arrest — wasn’t really underneath home arrest, however had paperwork mendacity on a front room desk saying that she was free all alongside! What?!

“He advised you home arrest so you’ll stick with him, and also you have been dimwitted sufficient to do it,” Beth snarls at Summer time, grabbing the paperwork. “You by no means bothered to talk to an lawyer, you by no means bothered to take a look at your individual launch doc — the one stamped ‘launched.’”

When Summer time asks why John would do that, Beth paraphrases “Lonesome Dove,” saying, “If a person isn’t keen to cheat for a poke, he doesn’t need one dangerous sufficient.”

So John successfully kidnapped this girl and held her towards her will simply so he might have a live-in intercourse pal? This doesn’t appear to be the straight-shooting John Dutton we’ve come to know over 5 seasons — certain, generally his morals are malleable, however his previous crimes have been in service of the land, ranch and his household.

Positive, Summer time wanted to be written out of the present, however…couldn’t certainly one of John’s {powerful} sons make a name and get her sprung? Or another possibility moreover abduction? It looks as if an odd method to tear aside John’s character.

In the latest episode, Sheridan goes three for 3 in dunking on John, and in flip, Costner. Whereas Sarah and Jamie are debating the chance that wrestle marks and bruises on John’s physique might result in a homicide conviction, Sarah dismisses it, saying, “The marks on his physique … He might have gotten these when he fell to the ground. He was a 68-year-old man. He might have fallen within the tub, for all we all know.”

Whereas she’s not incorrect, that have to be a troublesome factor for Costner to listen to. In spite of everything, he made his profession as a intercourse image in motion pictures equivalent to “Bull Durham” and “The Bodyguard.” And John himself is a powerful, virile man keen to take management of any scenario. Now he’s being lumped in the identical class because the “I’ve fallen, and I can’t stand up!” LifeCall commercials from the ’80s.

Whereas time marches on for everybody, this dig looks as if it might significantly upset Costner — particularly because it comes months after the discharge of the primary movie in his epic vainness challenge “Horizon,” which options Costner’s character having intercourse with a girl performed by an actress 32 years youthful than him. Provided that he co-wrote and directed the movie, it’s clear he doesn’t take a look at his age in the identical approach Sheridan does.

Will probably be attention-grabbing to see what swipes Sheridan takes in future episodes. Will Kayce (Luke Grimes) reveal that his father had legendarily dangerous flatulence? Will Jamie discover paperwork saying that he gambled away all the ranch’s again taxes on the on line casino? Will Summer time name Beth from her new life to thank her for releasing her from an existence crammed with horrible intercourse with John, who was terrible at doing the deed? Solely time will inform.

(Pictured above: Sheridan and Costner collectively in happier days.)