Spencer Dutton is like this important Yellowstone character and one 1923 scene proves it

The Dutton family tree is a complicated thing, but when it comes to Spencer Dutton, there’s one Yellowstone character he’s definitely related to.

Trying to work out the threads in the Dutton lineage is a bit like trying to untangle a tricky knot. You might think you have it all worked out, but then you find another tangle down the line. 

Everyone wants to know who John Dutton III’s grandparents were and how each era of the Dutton family connects. But when it comes to our favorite characters, it’s almost impossible not to spot the similarities between these ancestors and descendants. 

For one, the determined Spencer Dutton in 1923 definitely has ties to one of the most morally upright members of the family in the modern age. And no scene proves that as much as one in Season 2 Episode 4.

Spencer Dutton is a good man

During the new episode, Spencer is tracked down by police after he narrowly escapes a blockade that killed Luca. They know he was involved with the bootlegging operation somehow, but he insists he’s just a man trying to get home to his family.

In exchange for his freedom (maybe), they tell him to deliver the whiskey to Fort Worth anyway so they can track down the buyer. When they arrive, Spencer is suddenly caught in a shootout as the police and bootleggers go to war in the middle of the town.

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Spencer escapes, breaking free from his handcuffs and jumping from the truck. He runs through the streets and passes by a scene we saw earlier – a sex worker, tarred and feathered, being paraded and taunted through the streets by the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. 

Although Spencer is running for his life, knowing it’s make-or-break for him to get back to the ranch at this point, he runs through the crowd and up to the humiliated woman. He pauses to slice through the ropes holding her hands, giving her the chance to run free from the jeering crowd. Then, he’s off again.

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It’s a brief moment, but gives a glimpse into why Spencer is vastly different from some of the other Duttons. Typically, members of the family will rarely get involved in business outside of their own, and while they’d do anything for those loyal to them, they’re very much bystanders outside of their cattle-based world.

In that scene (and in the first episode of Season 2, in which he saves Luca from a sexual predator), Spencer proves himself as a man who steps in. His family comes first; there’s no doubt about that, but he will put a right to all the wrongs he witnesses. 

And frankly, doesn’t this all sound a little familiar? 

The Spencer to Kayce Dutton pipeline 

There’s one other Yellowstone character who feels like they’re spiritually connected to Spencer, and that’s Kayce. The youngest member of the modern-day Dutton family, Kayce is a man of few words and big actions.

Frankly, the similarities between Spencer and Kayce are ever-growing as we get to know Spencer as a person. For one, they both served in the army, an experience which left them both with altered world views and deep-rooted trauma.

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Secondly, both men ended up temporarily abandoning their families – Spencer ran away to Africa post-war, and Kayce distanced himself after his father disagreed with him and Monica having a baby.

Eventually, both men make the decision to return to their families and take up a place on the ranch, knowing they’re needed in the ongoing fight to protect their history and future.

But even deeper than their shared life experiences, both have a similar heart. Much like Spencer shows in his Fort Worth scene, Kayce has often stepped into the line of fire to defend and protect innocent people.

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In one instance, he steps in to tend to a man who gets blown up in a meth lab fire, making the decision to end his life to bring his horrific pain to an end. In another, he pursues two kidnappers after finding a young woman kidnapped and tied up in the back of a van in the wilderness.

Both Spencer and Kayce are determined and focused characters, but they’ve both also shown bravery and humility for strangers that sets them apart from their respective families. 

They’re both quiet, thoughtful, and less outrageous versions of the big personalities they’re often surrounded by. And in that regard, they’re two Yellowstone characters who we love a little more than the rest. 

For more, check out our rankings of the most emotional Yellowstone moments and best Yellowstone episodes. You can also keep an eye on the 1923 Season 2 release schedule, so you don’t miss an episode.