When the fourth season of Yellowstone premiered on Paramount Network, fans were treated to a healthy dose of shocking plots and dramatic twists, including the departure of Garrett Randall.
Not only was Garrett’s exit shocking, but it also poked holes into the story’s plot. Even though he stayed on the show for a little over a season, his role as a grizzly ex-con and grand schemer had a big impact on the entire Yellowstone storyline.
So, who is Garrett Randall on Yellowstone, and what happened to him after the fourth season? Here is everything we know.
Who Is Garrett Randall in Yellowstone?
Garrett Randall is an ex-prisoner convicted of murder
Garrett Randall was introduced to fans in season three of Yellowstone. In episode seven, we discover he is Jamie Dutton’s biological father. The two have a strenuous start, but Garrett and Jamie finally ease into each other and start to bond.
In the series, Garrett is revealed as an ex-convict arrested in 1980 and who subsequently spent thirty years in prison for murdering his wife, Phyllis. According to Garrett, he beat his wife to death when he came home, only to find her unfaithful to him.
Jamie, born ‘Michael,’ found out that when his father was sent to prison, he was adopted by John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner) and his now-deceased wife, Evelyn (played by Gretchen Mol).
Randall justifies killing his wife by explaining to Jamie that he didn’t want his son to go his mother’s way of drugs. He tries to convince Jamie that it was in his best interest that he killed Phyllis.
Although Jamie is angry at his dad initially, he eventually warms up to him, and by the season three finale, he and his biological father begin to find common ground.
Still, Garrett’s appearance at the farm was never good news for the Duttons. Garrett tried hard to portray Beth, Kayce, and John Dutton as the villains. All this time, Garret was planning assassination attempts on all three.
Garrett Randall Was Cellmates With Riggins
At the end of the third season, Jamie finds out that his dad commissioned a fellow ex-con, Riggin, to take the lives of John, Kayce, and Beth Dutton. But, Riggin was not just a former prisoner; he actually shared a cell with Randall.
When Jamie finds out that his biological father is behind the assassination plot, he opts not to tell anyone, including members of his adopted family.
Unfortunately, Beth found out the truth about Garrett’s involvement in the unsuccessful attempt on their lives and confronted Jamie.
Jamie begged her to keep the whole thing a secret. But, Beth gave her adopted brother three options: Rip Wheeler(played by Cile Hauser) would be told about the assassination plot and go after Jamie and Garrett. Or, Jamie and his father would be arrested, or Jamie would have to kill his father.
Garrett Randall Is John Dutton’s Arch Enemy
For reasons not revealed in the series, Garrett Randall wants John Dutton dead and for his biological son, Jamie, to take over the Yellowstone ranch.
After trying to build a bond with Jamie, Garrett sees this as the perfect opportunity to use his son to take out his arch enemy. Before he manipulates Jamie, he first uses Riggin to eliminate John and his family, and we begin to see Garrett as the true villain.
As the series progresses, Jamie considers the options Beth laid out for him and decided to kill his father. In an emotional scene, we see Garrett telling his son that he isn’t a bad man and loves him.
Jamie responds, “I love you too, dad,” before getting a gun out and shooting him, immediately killing Garrett.
This is right before Jamie gets out a gun behind his dad’s back and pulls the trigger, killing Garrett instantly.
What Happened to Garrett Randall on Yellowstone?
Garrett Randall’s character is terminated when Jamie shoots him. There was a lot of speculation about why the character was eliminated soon, yet he was central to the storyline.
But, perhaps the reason for Garrett’s departure is nothing more than the fact that this scene was part of the arc storyline.
Will Patton plays Garrett Randall. Will was likely brought to the series to play a temporary role; he probably was not meant to stay there for the long term. This way, the show’s creators could bring up the astonishing narrative of the Duttons’ failed assassination and bring up Jamie’s past without getting distracted from the main storyline.
After exiting Yellowstone, Patton worked on several projects, including the 1920s drama You Can’t Win, portraying him as Foot and A Half George. He is also set to be in Outer Range, a Western sci-fi drama currently in post-production.
