the Dutton family tree that Taylor Sheridan has left mysterious. One of which is the bridge between John Dutton II, the father of Kevin Costner's John Dutton III, and the generation shown in the 1923 prequel series.

1923's season 1 ending saw the newly married Spencer Dutton and Alex separated after an altercation aboard their ship, forcing Alex to return to her family in London. Spencer has begun his journey back to Montana and the Dutton ranch, hoping to save his family from the onslaught brought on by Banner Creighton and Donald Whitfield. However, his priorities are likely still on the well-being of his wife, and this will be enforced further upon his discovery of their child together, a child whose fate will determine the future of the Yellowstone.

Alex Dutton’s Pregnancy Can Answer Who Is John Dutton II, Kevin Costner’s Father In Yellowstone

Do Spencer & Alex Continue The Dutton Family Line?

1883's James Dutton is the ultimate patriarch of the Dutton family, as the first to settle on the ranch in Montana. From there, the family's future gets a bit choppy, as there are still gaps left unknown that connect 1923 and Yellowstone. Audiences have met John Dutton I, James Dutton's son and Spencer's older brother, but he perished in 1923's first season, leaving behind his son, Jack Dutton. This leaves two possibilities for who John Dutton II could be; he's either the son of Spencer and Alex or the son of Jack and Elizabeth.

1923 is expected to reveal the answer to this question, and Alex's pregnancy will be a major aspect to watch. If she survives the trip to Montana and through the end of the show, Spencer and Alex's star-crossed romance in Africa could be the path to the main characters in Yellowstone. Jack Dutton seems more likely to name his son John, given that it's the name of his father, who died in battle defending the Ranch, but Spencer could just as easily name his son after his older brother.

What Yellowstone Has Revealed About John Dutton II

John Dutton II Died Before The Series Started

There's not much known about John Dutton II from his limited scenes in Yellowstone, so 1923 will have an opportunity to provide some curious exposition. John Dutton II was the owner of the ranch prior to Costner's John III, though he eventually suffered from cancer. John Dutton II and John Dutton III went for a final ride in the mountains of their ranch, and Costner's John waited with his father until he died.