The Yellowstone is preparing for the biggest yard sale you’ve ever seen in Yellowstone season 5 episode 13. Beth (Kelly Reilly) is auctioning off just about everything from the ranch that she can in order to be able to pay off mortgages and loans that will in turn help pay off the inheritance tax for the ranch. That includes the horses that Travis (Taylor Sheridan) is training in Texas. But since Beth doesn’t know or trust Travis, she books a flight so she can oversee the sale. Rip (Cole Hauser) warns her about what Travis is like, but she reminds him she can protect herself.
We get a few quick looks at plotlines away from the Yellowstone as well. The first involves Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) lamenting that there is nothing he can do (legally) to stop the pipeline, saying his people have to go to war. Elsewhere, the fallout from Sarah Atwood’s death and involvement in John’s murder hits Market Equities. Meanwhile, Jamie (Wes Betnley) is shocked to hear that evidence he and Sarah were romantically involved has been leaked, but he quickly realizes that it was Beth. He calls his sister/mortal enemy, but despite his threats that exposing him will destroy the Dutton family legacy, Beth reminds him she promised to destroy him, and she keeps her promises.
Read on for our full recap of Yellowstone season 5 episode 13.
Leaving the ranch?
Kayce (Luke Grimes) arrives back at the ranch from his successful mission to scare Grant, telling Monica (Kelsey Asbille) that it was to make sure no one follows them when they walk away from the ranch. Monica is surprised to hear Kayce say they’re leaving, but Kayce says he's been trying to leave the ranch behind his whole life, now he’s determined to do it.
The Yellowstone cowboys that were in Texas also get back to the ranch. Teeter (Jen Landon) immediately goes to the bunkhouse to see what’s left behind of Colby’s. Ryan (Ian Bohen) attempts to follow her, but Walker (Ryan Bingham) offers to go instead, knowing this is not an easy situation for him either as Colby was his best friend.
Teeter is upset that the bunk is empty and at the horse that killed Colby. Walker tells her it won’t help; instead, he offers her the peaceful thought that Colby is getting to do what he loves forever. Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith), meanwhile, gives Colby’s hat to Teeter.
Ryan then talks with Rip, asking if they should be looking for jobs with the ranch selling everything off. Only expecting daywork for the foreseeable future, Rip tells him that’s probably a good idea (he plans to keep Lloyd and Carter [Finn Litte] on to try and rebuild the ranch). When Ryan asks for more details about what happened with Colby, Rip says he was just doing his job, being a cowboy.
The art of the deal
In Texas, Beth meets Travis as he is playing strip poker with a bunch of women. Not a great first impression, especially as Travis has missed multiple calls that there are buyers waiting to see the Dutton's horse.
Once at the arena though, Travis shows what value he brings to Beth. In addition to putting on an impressive performance, he shrewdly gets the buyers to pay $3 million for the horse (up from a starting price of $2 million) by using his maintenance crew as decoy buyers.
After seeing this, Beth wants Travis to come up and put on a similar kind of show at the auction on the ranch. Travis points out that he doesn’t make a commission from an auction, but his 10% rate is too steep for Beth. With Beth revealing the tough state they’re in, Travis offers to play strip poker for it: if Beth wins, he comes up to help, no commission; if he wins, Beth takes her clothes off. Beth agrees. She gets a full house, three queens and two nines, but Travis has four aces, meaning he wins. While Beth threatens that Rip will kill him for this, she starts to undress to honor the bet. Travis stops her, saying he was just messing around; of course, he’ll come and help.
When Beth gets back to Montana she asks Rip how he could be friends with a guy like Travis? He explains that years ago Travis was training horses for John and they went to a bar one night. Rip got into a fight with a load of railroad workers, but Travis came to his aid. They still got the crap kicked out of them, but Travis kept a good disposition and then afterward, walked right back into the bar and got his and Rip’s hat, earning the respect (or perhaps fear) of the railroad workers. How many people have friends like that?
Jamie seeks counsel
With the new info connecting him to Sarah out in the world, Jamie goes to talk with Christina (Katherine Cunningham), his ex-girlfriend and mother to his son. He admits that he slept with Sarah, but says he had nothing to do with John’s death. Christina asks if Sarah was involved in John’s death; yes, but Jamie only knew that after it happened. Christina scolds him for not arresting her. But Jamie says he was worried about what the people she hired would do as well as him looking complicit. Christina points out it doesn’t look like it, Jamie is complicit in all this.
Knowing what happens to Jamie could impact their son, Christina offers to help. After getting a complete rundown of the potential pitfalls, Christina tells him to hold a press conference to announce an investigation into Sarah and John’s murders, clarify that he only worked with Sarah on the Market Equities deal and deny reports of their affair, praise John’s work and the greater meaning of his death and promise to do everything to avenge it. He has to do everything he can to show Sarah was guilty, because if she did it, then it all dies with her. She is sure to emphasize to Jamie that this speech will determine his entire future.
Acts of kindness
As the auction gets underway, Monica asks Beth if this will raise enough for the inheritance tax? Beth admits no, but it’ll help with the mortgage payment. However, even that is only temporary. She says they just need to string it along until they can find the right solution. Kayce then tells them that John’s body is ready to be picked up for the funeral. Monica offers to handle it, saying no child should have to do that.
Later, Beth sees Lynelle (Wendy Moniz) at the auction. Knowing the relationship she had with John, she invites her to the funeral, joining the family and the Yellowstone cowboys for an intimate proceeding. Lynelle accepts.
Beth continues her generous overtures with Teeter, inviting her out to the bar to mess with tourists so she can take her mind off Colby for a bit. Beth has lost none of her touch, quickly eviscerating a guy who attempts to pick her up. When Teeter gives it a try, she goes for a more aggressive approach, stepping up on and cussing a guy out until he backs off. Beth realizes this might not be the best game for Teeter. Still, Teeter thanks Beth for taking her out, but the pain remains. Beth says it never goes away; they both have holes in their hearts. How can they fix it, Teeter asks? When Beth figures it out she’ll let her know.
Kayce’s plan
Kayce seems rather upbeat at the auction, which surprises Monica. He explains it’s because he has a plan, one that he believes guarantees the future of the ranch. But he’s not telling anyone just yet.
The official bidding for the auction begins after a nice memorial for John and Colby. All told, the Duttons make $30 million dollars from everything. That’s enough to buy them another year, Beth tells Kayce.
Kayce then has a business question for her: if she sold him her car, which is worth $300,000, for just $1, would that be illegal? She says it’s stupid, but no, it's not illegal. Kayce continues, asking if the sales tax would be based on the worth of the car or the price paid? Beth confirms what it was paid for.
She’s confused by these questions until it hits her — Kayce plans to give the ranch to someone who will presumably keep it preserved as it is. But who? That’s something he’s keeping a secret for now, though I’m sure most of us have a guess (mine is Rainwater). We’ll find out soon enough though.
New episodes of Yellowstone premiere Sundays on Paramount Network in the US; they stream Mondays on Paramount Plus in the UK.
