With Christine Brown finally leaving Kody Brown on Sister Wives, Kody's answer was to reinstate the patriarchy to keep his other three wives in line. Though Christine has been living on her own since November 2021, the show is nearly a year behind real-life events and is still catching up. Meri, Janelle, and Robyn Brown all knew that Kody and Christine were going through a rough patch, but none of them thought it would come to them ending their relationship. While the other wives were visibly upset at learning the news, Kody looked angry and started discussing what the future would look like for the family in his eyes.
Christine's separation announcement was finally released on Sister Wives season 17, episode 4. Kody's frown stayed permanently on his face upon listening to Christine speak, while Robyn's reputation for crying crocodile tears continued with her reaction to the news. Fans instantly noticed the shift when Janelle Brown asked Christine about her and Kody's 12-year-old daughter Truely Brown, with Kody suddenly looking for control again. The patriarch started by saying to Christine, "I never said it was okay that you were moving" and "you never asked if you could move." As Kody realized he wouldn't have control over Christine's life, he addressed the other three wives and said they would need to start conforming to his wishes under the patriarchy.
Sister Wives' Kody Brown Wants Power Over Wives
Towards the end of the discussion on Sister Wives, Kody said, "I'm going to be the head of my household again." He added that he is looking to see "if everybody's willing to conform to patriarchy" and that he has been fighting to make his wives happy, which many fans of the show find laughable. Kody, who chose money over his kids, is known for his selfish actions on Sister Wives and is always thinking about what serves him best, leaving many viewers wondering how he sees himself as the selfless one in the family.
The discussion on Sister Wives showed many fans that Kody has not evolved or grown at all since the start of the show. After 17 seasons, Kody still loses his temper when he thinks things are out of his control and gets angry when someone makes a decision without asking him. Kody said, "my bitterness is out of trying to do that and not having the family I thought about and designed." After hearing Kody's unexpected plan for the family, Janelle, who might be planning to leave Kody, did not look pleased, while the father of 18 felt Janelle knew what she was getting into when she married him. He said that she agreed to "run her will into mine," showing that he felt it was fair to ask of his wives.
Kody's obsession with being the head of the household has hit new levels, as he threatened to keep the family apart if he did not feel like he had sole control. Kody's solution to losing one wife appears to be tightening the reins on his other wives, giving them less freedom and control over their own lives. Sister Wives fans are eager to see whether that becomes a catalyst for Janelle and Meri to finally follow Christine and leave Kody as well.