In Just 2 Minutes, 'Marshals' Most Brutal Twist Proves Kayce Can’t Escape His Dark 'Yellowstone' Past
Jeffrey is a freelance features writer at Collider. He is an MPA-accredited entertainment journalist and a Tomatometer-approved critic based in the LA area. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Radio, TV, & Film and a Bachelor of Arts in Theater.
Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Marshals Episode 2.In the debut episode of the new Yellowstone spin-off, Marshals, the series set up a fresh start for Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), who is looking for a new path and to reinvent his life beyond his tarnished family name. In the series premiere, "Piya Wiconi," Kayce accepts an offer from his former Navy SEAL buddy, Pete Calvin (Logan Marshall-Green), to join the U.S. Marshals, believing that is what he needs to change his life for the better on his own terms and to set a better example for his son, Tate (Brecken Merrill), who are both grieving the recent loss of Kayce's wife and Tate's mother, Monica (Kelsey Asbille). Unfortunately, the latest episode, "Zone of Death," showcased that Kayce's past and old family habits are hard to put to bed, as his redemption arc took an incredibly dark turn.
Kayce Dutton Still Plays by the Dutton Playbook After Joining the Marshals
In "Piya Wiconi," things already appeared ominous when Kayce joined Pete's team to track down the anti-government extremists, the Trail Keepers, who kidnapped a young girl to set up her father to take the fall for their crimes. Kayce oversteps a clear moral boundary when he tortures one of the Trail Keepers to get him to reveal the location of Owen Kilborn (Chad Michael Collins) and the missing girl. Peter chastises Kayce's behavior, pointing out that the "Marshal badge means we fight clean." Kayce grouses in response, "You can fight clean. I'll fight to win," showing that he still possesses the brutality and ruthlessness instilled in him by his family, especially his father, John Dutton (Kevin Costner).
Things grow even darker for Kayce in the next episode, appropriately titled "Zone of Death," as the Marshals team seeks to take down a drug deal taking place in the Zone of Death. It's familiar territory for Yellowstone fans, as the Dutton family would use the remote canyon, famously nicknamed the "train station," as a dumping ground for various enemies and the ranch's secrets they would prefer to keep buried. Later, Kayce takes part in the raid on the drug deal between the Aryan Brotherhood and the 406 Royals and runs down one of the suspects trying to escape, blowing up his getaway vehicle. Kayce executes the mortally wounded suspect, shooting him in cold blood before dumping him off at the old train station from Yellowstone. It's a shockingly brutal moment for Kayce, as the shadows of his family's brutal past still loom heavily over him. Kayce's more extreme methods will assuredly cause problems for him in the future.
Kayce's Past and Extreme Methods Will Likely Come Back To Haunt Him Later
After the team returns to their headquarters from their mission, Pete questions Kayce about the whereabouts of the fifth member of the Aryans, whom Kayce killed earlier in the episode, who was left unaccounted for. Kayce simply passes it off as disappearing into the "Zone of Death." The issue is left hanging, hinting that the Zone of Death and the Duttons' past involvement in the area could return to haunt Kayce later in the series. Not to mention, Kayce's new boss, Harry Gifford (Brett Cullen), who has a longstanding grudge against the Dutton family, already has it out for his new Marshal, pointing out in "Zone of Death" that the disappearance of Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) and the death of patriarch John Dutton are the biggest cold cases in the state and remain unsolved.
Of course, Kayce's own sister, Beth (Kelly Reilly), was the one who killed Jamie, with his body dumped into the neighboring train station. The way Marshals seeds these subplots in the show suggests that these secrets won't stay buried forever. For now, Pete and his fellow Marshals appear to be letting Kayce's more extreme methods slide, but they will eventually reach a tipping point. Additionally, Gifford would easily exploit an opportunity to make an example of Kayce and put him behind bars, as he views all Duttons as lawbreaking criminals.
Kayce's Actions Feel Like a Step Backward
Kayce's actions and brutal behavior in "Zone of Death" encapsulate the character's internal conflict. Outwardly, Kayce appears to be seeking to redeem his past and find a better way forward in his life, but still seems spiritually at odds between the positive influences of Monica and Tate versus the darker influence of the Duttons. That internal conflict is built into the series, yet Kayce acts more like a mobster than a cowboy while executing the Aryan gang member. His behavior represents a step back from his progress at the end of Yellowstone, proving that Kayce will be unable to escape the ghosts of his past and the skeletons in his family's closet.
Near the end of "Piya Wiconi," Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), the Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock, tells Kayce that he's not a "killer," but a "protector." Rainwater's right-hand man, Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), agrees, explaining, "All the wolves out there, we need sheepdogs more than ever, Kayce." Kayce should embrace the role Rainwater and Mo advised him to take, that of a protector of the newly united Broken Rock and the people. Otherwise, he will never achieve "the new beginning" that he seeks as he continues his journey in Marshals.
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