‘Yellowstone’ serves up a Beth Dutton vs. Summer Higgins showdown

Warning: this article contains spoilers for season five of Yellowstone

It’s Beth vs. Summer in the latest episode of Yellowstone, but this Dutton beatdown ended differently than the last time we saw Beth throw a punch. In fact, we’d say that alongside the strike-for-strike standoff, the two characters learned something about each other and themselves in the process.

Yellowstone is known for bringing the heat, sizzling romances, and packing one hell of a punch, and season five seems to be upping the ante in each of those categories and adding a new one: self-discovery and reflection. Beth was less than thrilled to see Summer back at the ranch after her shortened stint in prison, and she wasn’t afraid to show it, sneaking in a snide remark whenever possible. However, after her father asked her to keep quiet at the dinner table, she stopped talking altogether and handled the situation with a bit more grit.

That’s right — after asking Summer to take a walk, Beth resorted to throwing a punch, and the women were soon rolling around on the ground like angry teenagers. Rip Wheeler knew whatever was going on outside wasn’t ideal, so he went outside to check on them. Instead of jumping to his wife’s defense, Rip scolded them both for their immaturity and told them if they wanted to handle the situation like adults, they needed to stand up and do this right.

That’s when they began throwing punches at one another, taking them right in the face. It was getting painful for both women, but they had to keep going until one called it quits. We’ll let you guess who caved first.

The fight between Summer and Beth was going to happen no matter what, but the way they settled things took it to the next level. Dare we say, they found common ground to stand on somehow, and while they’re not going to be painting each other’s nails and braiding their hair together anytime soon, they’re working towards a future where they can be in the same room together without acting like children.

While some fans thought Beth was acting out of rage and immaturity, most still sing her praises. She channels something we all wish we could be: Free.

Their all-out brawl was undeniably a big moment for the future of Yellowstone, as was the conversation that took place after — setting a clear path for more struggle and fights headed toward the Dutton family in upcoming episodes.

Before the ranch hands head out for a big job, Rip and John have a drink together in the main house, and John comments on the fight between Summer and Beth, but it has more to do with the Duttons as a whole and their legacy than the showdown that took place in the front yard.

“The first Duttons to settle this valley; fighting was all they knew. It’s how they got here and kept the land once they did. Today, it seems like it’s a liability; cowards rule the world these days, Rip, with coward rules and coward customs. To succeed today, all you gotta know is how to blame and how to complain. I truly believe it’s a survival of the unfittest these days.”

Poignant for this episode, John’s statement also says a lot about the series as a whole and how John sees those who dare confront his family. It’s a game of the weak vs. the strong and cowards vs. warriors — we all know which side the Duttons stand on.