The Yellowstone prequel 1923 has come to the end of its season 2 run, and fans have never been more invested in the epic universe created by Taylor Sheridan.
With both Yellowstone prequel shows, 1923 and 1883 performing incredibly well for Paramount+ and picking up numerous award nominations and wins, viewers are keen to find out which direction future sequels and prequels are headed.
Before we look at what to expect from the Dutton dynasty in the future, we break down everything that happened in the edge-of-your seat 1923 season finale.
1923 ending explained
A freezing Alex is stranded in the car of the Brits who have now succumbed to the freezing temperatures and is forced to salvage and burn anything in her vicinity to keep warm.
In a bid to get the attention of any passing trains, Alex eventually sets fire to the car itself. By a stroke of luck, a train carrying Spencer whizzes by and he's able to see his new wife from the window.
Wasting no time, Spencer jumps from the train to reunite with his love, who delivers the news that she's six months pregnant.
With another lucky turn, the train stops to let the pair back on, and a doctor is sought to tend to the quite unwell Alex - things aren't looking good when she's undressed for assessment and appears to have extensive frostbite.
The train reaches Livingston but Jacob Dutton and Sheriff McDowell are eagerly waiting for Spencer to arrive, and Jacob and his crew are heavily armed.
It doesn't take long to work out why Spencer's family wanted to be an armed chaperone for him, its because Donald Whitfield and his unruly gang are out to get Spencer, making it clear they'll take out anyone who gets in their way of stopping them getting to their target.
The shooting starts before Spencer has even left the train, and men are falling like dominoes in the ensuing chaos. Banner, at the station hoping to escape Whitfield and head to Portland, takes a bullet for Jacob amid the disorder.
Amazingly, Spencer remains uninjured and makes his way to the Dutton ranch while Jacob accompanies Alex to the hospital.
Whitfield has more men waiting at the ranch, with Cara shooting whoever she can reach with a rifle from an upstairs window and Zane doing his best to fend off their assailants from the ground.
As more attackers arrive in their droves, their volume becomes too much for Zane and Cara, and the men manage to gain entry to the house. Spencer arrives just in time to take down the mob like a one-man killing machine.
Once he's seen the invaders off, Spencer reunites with Cara while rising concern for Jack erupts, who is yet to return to the house now the shooting has stopped - he is of course deceased, having been murdered in the previous episode.
Back at Boseman Hospital, Jacob is patched up and his wounds are found to be minor, but Alex has gone into premature labour.
Despite his very early arrival into the world, her son survives and is John Dutton Jr, father of John Dutton in Yellowstone.
With her frostbite wounds and having gone through labour, Alex isn't in a good way. Spencer arrives at the hospital and falls asleep by his wife's side.
Does Alex die in 1923?
Yes, sadly Alex's body could not sustain the frostbite injuries and the stress of giving birth. When Spencer wakes up from sleeping beside his wife, Alex is dead.
Handing his newborn son to Cara, Spencer and Jacob head off to get revenge on Whitfield. Arriving at his house to find him eating breakfast, Spencer doesn't hesitate to shoot him in the head, and he dies on the spot.
As 1923 comes to a close, Liz leaves the ranch to make a life for herself elsewhere - she doesn't have good memories of the place. Jack and Alex are buried in the family plot and Spencer takes over the ranch - Jacob and Cara are to look after his and Alex's son while he's working.
Teonah is captured after killing the priest but walks free when the case is dismissed due to lack of witnesses.
A voiceover from Elsa Dutton tells viewers Spencer lives for another 45 more years and doesn't remarry - although he does father another child with an unnamed woman.
Spencer is then seen laying down on Alex’s grave to die, where he reunites with her in a heavenly party sequence, with the pair dancing at a ball.
Will there be a 1923 season 3?
No, 1923 has reached the end of its run and won't be returning for season 3. However, there's no need to be disheartened, as all eyes turn to the next Yellowstone prequel, 1944.
Details relating to the show's potential storylines have yet to be revealed, but there is speculation circulating they could focus on Alex and Spencer's son, John.
John II would be 21 years old in 1944, and we also know Spencer is still alive in this timeline, meaning he could also appear - Brandon Sklenar is also open to reprising his role as an older Spencer if he was asked.
Speaking to Variety, the actor said, "Listen, I know that 1944 is a thing that they are planning on doing here, and maybe we see Spencer in 1944. That is something I would be interested in doing."
