All Of Beth Dutton’s Scars, Explained

While Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) is swift with her right hook in Yellowstone, the fan-favorite character has been bloodied and bruised several times as well, resulting in some very distinct scars. The flagship show in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe is heavily male-driven, as, up until season 5, part 2, its protagonist was ranch owner John Dutton (Kevin Costner). However, his only daughter, Beth Dutton, is the scene stealer. Defined by her fierce loyalty to her family and husband, Beth is fearless in defending them by any means necessary.

When Beth isn’t attacking with her fists, she’s using her shark-like business acumen to take down her enemies — and she amassed a great deal of them throughout Yellowstone‘s run. However, her most contentious relationship by far is with her adopted brother, Jamie (Wes Bentley). Beth and Jamie’s rivalry goes back years, starting from when Jamie had Beth sterilized as a teenager, and Beth never lets Jamie forget he isn’t really part of the family. In fact, Jamie’s biological family is the reason why the Duttons almost don’t make it out of season 3 alive — and why Beth got her scars.

Beth Dutton Got Her Scars From A Bomb Attack In Yellowstone Season 3

The Attack Was Orchestrated By Jamie’s Biological Father, Garrett Randall

Though Beth Dutton was born into a world of immense privilege, she’s certainly bled for her family’s Yellowstone Ranch. One of the most disturbing scenes in Yellowstone history occurs in season 2, episode 7, “Resurrection Day”, Dutton family enemy Malcolm Beck (Neal McDonough) sends his men to rape and kill Beth. Though they don’t succeed, they give her a brutal beating which leaves her heavily bruised throughout most of season 3. However, this isn’t where Beth got her scars.

It wouldn’t be Yellowstone if the Duttons didn’t end a season a little worse for wear, and the season 3 finale, “The World is Purple” sees Jamie’s biological father, Garrett Randall (Will Patton), orchestrate the most dangerous attack on the Duttons yet. Imprisoned for the murder of his wife, Garrett carried a hatred of John Dutton for years for not defending him in court. With Jamie alienated from the family, Garrett decides it’s the perfect time to order hits on John, Kayce (Luke Grimes), and Beth.

The hit on Beth is a planted bomb in her Bozeman office, which detonates in the finale. The Yellowstone season 4 premiere, “Half the Money” reveals that Beth miraculously survives the bombing, as she stumbles into the streets with singed clothes, completely covered in burns. The premiere flashes forward, and though Beth has made a full recovery, the bombing left her heavily scarred. Her entire back is covered in scars, and she also has a prominent scar running down her right cheek, as well as a fainter scar under her left eye.

The explosive ending of Yellowstone also saw Beth acquiring some new scars. The whole series had been leading up to an epic confrontation between her and Jamie, with Beth promising that she would be the last thing he saw when he died. Following John’s funeral, Beth attacks Jamie in his home, spraying pepper spray into his eyes and repeatedly beating him with a crowbar. Jamie is able to get the upper hand and beats Beth to a bloody pulp, almost killing her, before Rip bursts in and incapacitates him, giving Beth her long-awaited opportunity to plunge a knife into her brother’s chest.

And while she won the war, it wasn’t without battle scars. The show’s final scene sees Beth sporting new scars — another scar on her right cheek that crisscrosses with the one from the bombing, a more prominent scar under her left eye, and a smaller one on top of it.

Beth Dutton is a beautiful woman who wields her good looks as a weapon, and while many would attempt to cover their scars, Beth wears her like a badge of honor. She is a proud Dutton and will always defend and stand by her family, even when her last name has almost gotten her killed more than once. Whereas some characters, like Jamie, head for the hills at the first sign of trouble, Beth is more than willing to go down with her family’s ship. Anyone who questions that need look no further than her scars.

What Kelly Reilly & The Yellowstone Makeup Artist Have Said About Beth’s Scars

Beth’s Scar Under Her Left Eye Is Abigail Steele’s Favorite

The talented Yellowstone makeup artist, Abigail Steele, certainly had her work cut out for her with this series, which sees the characters amass all sorts of scrapes, burns, bruises, and scars. She does an expert job, particularly on Beth’s iconic scars, and while Beth is most recognizable for the large scar on her right cheek, Steele’s favorite of the scars is actually the subtle one under Beth’s left eye. Steele said in a behind-the-scenes Yellowstone featurette,

It had to be slight enough that even with the nuance of her expression, that it would move with her face like a real scar would. And it was one of my favorite pieces because she wore it through the whole season… This scar tells a story. That the pain she bore still remains on the outside

It’s worth noting that while Beth makes no attempts at hiding her scars, she rarely talks about them, save for one heated argument with her father. Of Beth’s scars, actress Kelly Reilly said,

There’s such dignity in Beth. She doesn’t really talk about what happened to her. We saw in Season 2 how much of a survivor she is, and for Season 3 [she] still has the bruises, so they sort of start to fade throughout the show. But it’s the emotional scars that take a longer time to heal.

Beth’s Emotional Scars Explained

Her Life As A Dutton Has Emotionally Scarred Beth For Life

Beth may love her family more than life itself, but being a Dutton has sure caused Beth a lot of emotional scars, which run much deeper than those of her body. First, Beth had a very complicated relationship with her mother, Evelyn (Gretchen Mol), whose passing traumatized the teenage Beth even deeper as she blamed herself for Evelyn’s death. Her ugly history with Jamie has also scarred Beth emotionally, as she has never fully been able to get over that she can’t have kids with her husband, Rip (Cole Hauser), because her brother stole her fertility.

Then there’s the damage caused by the patriarch himself, John Dutton. Though John loved his daughter the most of his children, this is what caused Beth’s blind loyalty. Not only did John’s stubbornness in hanging onto his precious ranch cost his children a lot of money, but it also almost cost them their lives.

Beyond Beth’s scars from the bombing, she realizes that she has an unhealthy tether to the Yellowstone Ranch because of her love for her father. She frequently compared it to a prison and would only do what her father said, despite knowing that his orders went against the ranch’s best interest. With John dying in the latter half of Yellowstone season 5, Beth now has the emotional scar of his passing added to her trauma.

Related

Yellowstone Beth & Rip Spinoff: Cast, Story & Everything We Know

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe is continuing to grow with the announcement of a spinoff that centers on Beth and Rip.

However, there is hope for the headstrong Beth Dutton. In the Yellowstone series finale, Beth and Rip leave the Yellowstone behind and open a new ranch in Dillon, Montana. This is the first opportunity for a fresh start in Beth’s entire life, and if anything is likely to heal those emotional scars, it’s this. Fortunately for Beth fans, they will get to watch her journey continue, as a Beth and Rip Yellowstone spinoff was announced mere days before the series finale. Hopefully, she finds some healing in between throwing punches.

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Yellowstone

Yellowstone stars Kevin Costner and centers on his character John Dutton. Dutton and his family live on a cattle ranch just a few hours away from Yellowstone National Park. The series chronicles the family’s struggle to defend their home from an Indian reservation and land developers. As if their life wasn’t complicated enough, the Duttons also have medical issues, political aspirations, and family secrets stacked against them.

Release Date

June 20, 2018

Cast

Kevin Costner , Finn Little , Brecken Merrill , Gil Birmingham , Denim Richards , Ian Bohen , Danny Huston , Kelly Reilly , Forrie J. Smith , Cole Hauser , Kelsey Asbille , Wes Bentley , Jefferson White , Luke Grimes , Ryan Bingham

Creator(s)

Taylor Sheridan , John Linson

Seasons

5

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