Who Dies and Who Survives in 1923 Season 2 Finale?

The second season of Paramount+’s Western drama ‘1923’ ends with a series of showdowns that threaten the lives of nearly all the major characters. Spencer Dutton finally arrives in Montana to face the army of Donald Whitfield, who is hell-bent on acquiring the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch after killing the “prodigal son.” Meanwhile, Cara Dutton and Elizabeth Dutton join hands together with the ranch foreman, Zane Davis, to deal with the group that arrives at their house to kill them. In the middle of these developments, a tragedy hits the Dutton family in the form of a heartrending sacrifice! SPOILERS AHEAD.

Jacob Dutton: Survives

After resisting the forces of Donald Whitfield and Banner Creighton for a year by putting his life on the line, Jacob Dutton finally accepts his old age and waits for his nephew, Spencer Dutton, to fight the war against their family’s enemies. However, it does not mean that he shies away from a showdown. He puts his life on the line once again to kill the stooges who arrive at Livingston railway station to murder the World War I soldier and accompanies the latter to confront Donald. Jacob even deals with an injury in his abdomen, which the doctors fear will result in his death if untreated. Still, he remains alive and retires from looking after the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to spend his remaining years with his wife, Cara, and their grandnephew, John.

Cara Dutton: Survives

Cara Dutton is a personification of boundless courage and determination. That is why she picks up a rifle and shoots down the men who arrive at her home to kill her and her loved ones. Even though one may not expect her to fight the war ruthlessly, she surprises not only the viewers but also the people around her with her shooting abilities to save her family. Donald’s men shoot at her several times but fail to strike her when she retaliates through a small window on the upper floor of her house. By the time these men enter the establishment to kill her, Spencer arrives to save his aunt from her death.

Spencer Dutton: Dies After 45 Years

By the time Spencer arrives in Livingston, a major part of the war against the Duttons has ended. He then rushes to his house to kill the remaining men, who aim their guns at his family members. The veteran also walks away from Donald’s humongous mansion without even a scratch. He then accepts the Dutton Ranch’s responsibilities from his uncle, Jacob, following the latter’s retirement. Spencer then goes on to live another 45 years, protecting the land built by his father, James Dutton, and his uncle. He also welcomes a second son with an unnamed widow he never marries. The veteran finally dies while lying on the surface of the grave of the love of his life.

Alexandra “Alex” Dutton: Dies

Alexandra “Alex” Dutton stays away from death multiple times before she finally reunites with Spencer Dutton in the middle of a frozen wasteland. She is then taken to a hospital in Bozeman to undergo surgery to amputate her hands and feet, which is necessary for her to remain alive. However, she decides against undergoing the procedure since she does not want to live as an “adult child” who will be nothing but a burden to her husband and his family. She also chooses death after a doctor tells her that her son, John, will only live an hour. As a mother, she lets her dead cells kill her rather than leaving her newborn child to die on his own.

John Dutton II: Survives

One hour is the time a doctor gives Spencer and Alex’s son, John Dutton II, to remain alive. Since he has only spent six months inside his mother’s womb, his premature birth convinces the physician that he will die soon. Surprisingly, he cries, breathes, and even nourishes breastmilk, leaving the doctor dumbfounded. Even after Alex’s death, John stays alive. He gains health and nourishment by drinking a lot of goat’s milk, leaving his grandaunt in shock. Years after his birth, he will welcome a son of his own named John Dutton III, Kevin Costner’s protagonist in ‘Yellowstone.’

Donald Whitfield: Dies

Donald Whitfield sends several of his men to kill the Duttons without really thinking about his own mortality. His plans to capture the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch fail when his enemies retaliate better than he ever anticipates. Furthermore, Spencer’s arrival in Montana ensures that his time left on Earth is numbered. The war veteran appears before the businessman and shoots him without even waiting to speak a word. Even though Donald tries to escape from the wrath of Spencer and Jacob by asking the latter to uphold the law, it turns out to be the least of the veteran’s concerns after losing his wife, Alex. The “prodigal son” himself kills the businessman for starting a war that indirectly causes the death of the love of his life.

Banner Creighton: Dies

The second season finale of ‘1923’ features a Banner Creighton we are unfamiliar with. He immerses himself in the guilt of committing abominable crimes after joining hands with Donald Whitfield. He tries to escape from Montana with his wife and son to start a new chapter in their lives, but Jacob stops him from quitting the war he started. Banner accepts his fate and ensures that his loved ones will be able to disappear from the land after boarding a train. When the shootout between Jacob and Donald’s groups begins, Sheriff McDowell mistakes him to be an enemy and shoots him down. Banner then dies on the railway station’s platform after seeing his family escape from the consequences of his actions.

Elizabeth Dutton: Survives

One of the individuals who has suffered a lot leading up to the second season finale of ‘1923’ is Elizabeth “Liz” Dutton, Jack Dutton’s wife. She experiences the harshness of life on a ranch after getting bitten by a rabid wolf. This time, she is forced to hide under a table with a gun when several men continue to rain bullets at her house to kill her and her family members. Still, she manages to stay away from these murderers until the shootout ends with the arrival of Spencer Dutton. Even though she survives the predicament, the news of her husband’s death severely unsettles her. Elizabeth then decides to leave the ranch to open a new chapter of her life away from the Duttons.

Zane Davis: Survives

Zane Davis, the foreman of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, fights the men who arrive at the place to kill the Duttons exceptionally, especially in the absence of his boss, Jacob. He teams up with ranch hands such as Jasper, Dennis, and Randy to retaliate against the shooters and makes the gang retreat to the hills until the day ends. Although he faces the possibility of dying at one point, specifically after getting shot once, Elizabeth shoots down the men after him to save his life. Zane eventually recovers from his gunshot injury to remain an integral part of the Dutton Ranch.

Sheriff William McDowell: Survives

Sheriff William McDowell is another individual who gets shot by one of the men sent by Donald Whitfield to kill Spencer Dutton. The experienced lawman teams up with Jacob Dutton to protect the World War I veteran when the latter arrives at the Livingston railway station. As the train arrives, a shootout ensues between the groups of Jacob and the businessman. One of the men who belong to the latter gang shoots at McDowell. Still, since the injury is in the shoulder part of his body, he does not die. He even boards Spencer’s train to leave for Bozeman, where he can remove the bullet and start his recovery.

Teonna Rainwater: Survives

Teonna Rainwater faces the possibility of her execution ever since she kills the people who torture and beat her up in the name of education and transformation. Her efforts to escape from the authorities end when Marshal Mamie Fossett finds her with another officer. The law-woman understands her plight and takes her to court to grant her the due process she deserves. When the judge is informed that there is no evidence or witnesses in the case, he scraps the same, making Teonna a free woman. Fossett also does not try to report the death of the marshal who accompanied her when she tried to find Teonna. Instead of a noose, Teonna is given a horse to have a fresh start to her life in the West.

Lindy: Dies

Ever since joining hands with Donald Whitfield, Lindy slowly becomes a monstrous woman who revels in torturing others without any compassion. That is why she is not even moved by the death of her companion and colleague, Christy. Her brutality is punished by Spencer Dutton, who arrives at Donald’s mansion to exact his revenge on the person who has been targeting his family. When Lindy confronts Spencer for her master, he eliminates her threat by killing her with just one bullet. The sex worker dies because she chooses to align herself with a barbarous man instead of escaping from the place the moment she gets an opportunity to do so.

Mabel: Survives

Mabel arrives at the mansion of Donald Whitfield as the replacement for Christy, who dies after suffering severe torture at the hands of the businessman and Lindy. Naturally, her life has been hanging by a thread from the time the master and her ruthless puppet hired her. By the second season finale, she is raped, assaulted, and beaten up severely by both Donald and Lindy. However, she does not meet the same fate as her predecessor. Her suffering ends not with her death but with the intervention of Spencer, who allows her to escape from the mansion before he kills her two torturers and burns the establishment down.