Shocking Revelation: ‘Yellowstone’ Secretly Referenced Spencer from ‘1923’ 4 Years Ago! Uncover the Mind-Blowing Connection That Fans Missed—How Did This Hidden Clue Slip Under the Radar for So Long? Dive Into the Mystery That’s Rewriting the Dutton Family Legacy!

yellowstone 1923

The Yellowstone universe has just wrapped up 1923, the second of its prequels. With the conclusion of season 2, the saga closes this series and is already looking ahead to new spin-offs that will be released in the coming months and years. One of them will be 1944, where Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer Dutton is expected to return. But although this character has been a revelation in the project led by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, the franchise actually mentioned him years ago in a detail that fans are only now discovering.

Kevin Costner mentioned Spencer Dutton in season 4

In the fourth season of Yellowstone, the main series mentioned Spencer Dutton. Although at that time, no fan noticed it. It’s only now, with the finale of 1923, that everyone has understood that hidden reference that Taylor Sheridan cleverly included in Kevin Costner’s dialogue. It all happens in the second episode of season 4, which aired in late 2021.

In this episode, John Dutton III tells Jimmy an anecdote about his grandfather. Jimmy had endangered his life riding bulls in the rodeo, then hurting himself again by trying to get back on a horse during his recovery. Jefferson White’s character doesn’t understand what’s happening to him, as he can’t even feel his fingers but they still hurt. John then explains that his grandfather lost a leg and that, despite this, the worst pain he ever felt was in the toes of the foot he no longer had.

“My grandfather lost a leg. He said the worst pain was in the toes of the leg he didn’t have anymore. They call it ‘phantom pain’,” explains the Yellowstone protagonist. Back then, in 2021, the 1923 series hadn’t even premiered. And, until now, it wasn’t clear who John was talking about in that moment.

Spencer is confirmed as John Dutton III’s grandfather

Throughout the broadcast of 1923, fans have wondered whether John Dutton III’s grandfather would be Spencer or Jack. Either could have been the ancestor of Kevin Costner’s character in Yellowstone. Both men’s wives were pregnant in the series, and it wasn’t clear which baby would eventually become John Dutton II. But now the question has been answered.

The final episode of 1923 revealed that Alex, Spencer’s wife, gave birth to little John Dutton II. A sacrifice that cost the young woman her life, leaving Spencer a widower. That baby would become the future father of the Yellowstone protagonist. Therefore, Brandon Sklenar’s character is the grandfather. And while there’s a possibility that it was his maternal grandfather who lost his leg, everything suggests it was Spencer himself, who we know lived until 1969.

The Dutton family tree becomes clearer

With this revelation, the complex Dutton family tree finally starts to make more sense. Let’s break down what we now know:

James Dutton (Tim McGraw in 1883) is the original settler of the Yellowstone ranch
Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) is James’s son and John Dutton III’s grandfather
John Dutton II was born to Spencer and Alex
John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) is the current patriarch in the main Yellowstone timeline

What this means for future spin-offs

This connection between Spencer and John III through the phantom limb reference isn’t just a clever Easter egg—it may also hint at what’s to come in the planned 1944 spin-off. If Spencer did indeed lose a leg at some point after the events of 1923, this would be a significant plot point for the character.

Have you been keeping up with all the Yellowstone timeline connections? I’ve been watching since the beginning, and even I missed this reference on the first viewing. That’s what makes Taylor Sheridan’s universe so rewarding for dedicated viewers.

The expanding Yellowstone universe

The Yellowstone franchise has grown into one of TV’s most successful modern westerns, with Taylor Sheridan creating an intricate web of interconnected stories spanning multiple generations. What started as a single series about the modern-day struggles of a Montana ranching family has expanded into a detailed exploration of the American West across nearly 150 years.

From 1883 to the present day

The franchise now spans several key periods:

1883 – Following James and Margaret Dutton’s journey to Montana
1923 – Focusing on Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren) during Prohibition and the Great Depression
1944 – The upcoming series likely following Spencer Dutton’s later years
Yellowstone – The flagship series set in present day

This multi-generational storytelling approach has allowed Sheridan to explore how the Dutton legacy was built and maintained through various historical challenges. The phantom limb reference is exactly the kind of subtle connection that rewards viewers who follow the entire saga.

With the conclusion of 1923, fans are eagerly anticipating how 1944 will bridge more of these historical gaps. Will we see an older Spencer dealing with his phantom limb pain? Will we learn exactly how he lost his leg? These questions make the wait for the new spin-off all the more exciting.

For now, this subtle reference from Yellowstone season 4 stands as a testament to how carefully planned this franchise has been from the beginning. Even throwaway lines from years ago can become significant plot points as the universe expands.