Warning: This article contains spoilers for season five of Yellowstone.
Fans watched with bated breath when tuning into Yellowstone’s episode titled “Cigarettes, Whiskey, a Meadow, and You” on Sunday evening. A shadow of fear had been looming over all of us as we anticipated the loss of a character.
As things began taking place during the spring gathering, it all seemed to be going swimmingly. They were able to round the cattle up without issue, and everyone felt connected, relaxed, and in awe of the scenery and way of life. So when John Dutton and Emmett Walsh sat down together after gathering the cattle together, their conversation was short and sweet.
Old friends, Walsh and Dutton, knew a lot about one another, and more than that — they respected each other to the fullest extent. There was a sense of love, though it wasn’t spoken aloud. No, they shared jokes and stabs out loud, and Dutton even told him he better not snore too loudly, but Walsh was already asleep.
“My dad used to say, ‘If you can’t sleep through a man’s snoring, you’re not tired enough,'” he said as he rolled over to fall asleep. As the morning came, fans saw everyone begin to get their gear together to prepare for the ride home; but Walsh wouldn’t be making the ride back.
John called for an EMT helicopter to get Walsh out of the beautiful valley where he passed away. He died “the way a cowboy would want to,” John said — on the trail after a good day’s work with his head pointed towards the sky. Heaven indeed greeted Walsh as soon as he got to the gates, but fans weren’t ready to see him go. In addition to his loss, which caused us to cry our own tears, the scene when John was tasked with telling Walsh’s wife was heartbreaking.
Fans took to social media with heavy emotions as Walsh’s death played out and John informed his wife of his loss. While he lived a long life, it never feels long enough when death comes knocking.
Emmett had been part of the series since season one, and fans will undeniably miss the character.
Did anyone make it out of that scene without tears in their eyes? We think not.
If he had to go, we do imagine that passing away surrounded by the nature that he loved, after doing the work that he enjoyed, was an admirable way to lay his hat down for the last time.
“His ended good,” Dutton said about his friend — and yep, those tears kept flowing.
It’s worth noting that Walsh was brought to life by cowboy and acting legend Buck Taylor, who has always been as talented as he is dedicated to the western way of life. Yellowstone benefited greatly from having Taylor on the series, and he’ll certainly be missed in the realm.
