Fans may have been forced to wait, but 1923 has returned to Paramount+ with more joy and tragedy for the Dutton family.
Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and the rest of the cast returned for a bumper 70-minute episode of the Yellowstone prequel. Episode 4 ended with several characters starting a new journey, and Episode 5, “Ghost of Zebrina,” revealed just how challenging their quests would be.
Teonna is on the run, Spencer and Alex are battling to get back to America, while the Duttons on the Yellowstone Ranch are still reeling from the shootout.
Here’s everything that happened in Episode 5 of Taylor Sheridan’s 1923.
Cara’s daily routine
A solemn Cara rides to the post office, as she appears to do every day, to see if there’s word from Spencer. Once again, nothing.
Through narration, Elsa Dutton informs the audience how tough life had become for the Duttons while they wait for Spencer. Cara tends to the wounds of Jacob, who seems to be looking better but is still struggling. Jack and Elizabeth have both seemingly recovered from their respective wounds, though Jack is on alert, taking the spark away from their relationship.
Emma Dutton is still grieving, furious with the hand she’s been dealt. In the final exchange we see from her, she snaps at Cara, before a flash of gunshot shows she took her own life.
Narrator Elsa points out rightly that the Dutton numbers are dwindling, or “going extinct.” We next see Spencer, who spends the episode attempting to return to Montana to “seek vengeance.” For her brother, Spencer, Elsa ominously suggests this will be his final journey, implying he’ll either never arrive, or never leave Montana again.
Back in Africa, Spencer and his fiancée Alex are on a boat, approaching Mombasa, Kenya. Spencer’s popularity in Africa is evident as the captain of the boat gives him his final ride for free.
With limited options available to them, Alex and Spencer have to start their journey to America by first getting to the Suez Canal in Egypt, then to London. They meet a sickly captain named Lucca, played by Peter Stormare.
On the morning of their trip, Spencer had planned to leave without Alex, telling her the journey is too dangerous. She refuses his attempts to leave and comes with him. It’s lucky she’s there, as she informs him he can send messages from ships to America. They board a naval ship to send said message and inform the Duttons of their intention to return.
Once they arrive at their tugboat, it looks in dire straits. Alex is unimpressed but they board anyway to start the first leg of their journey. The vacation is over, “but the adventure is just beginning.”
Teonna’s actions
In the last episode we saw Teonna take vengeance on Sister Mary, beating her to death. Back at the School for American Indians, the nuns realize what’s happened. Father Renaud sees what happened to Sister Mary, but then another nun is found dead in her bed, with a knife plunged through her chest. This was the nun that forced herself on Teonna a few episodes ago.
Renaud knows it was Teonna, and starts beating and interrogating one of the remaining girls, Baapuxti to find out where she went. Baapuxti stands firm and starts communicating in her own language, which infuriates Renaud into knocking her out.
The audience catches up with Teonna, who has made it to rockier terrain. Later that night, as she rests, a wolf crosses her path, and for protection she screams at the animal, startling it so it runs away. It suddenly pounces, forcing her to go on the run, climbing to high ground for safety. Stuck in a precarious position, she starts to cry before trying to sleep.
When she wakes the next morning, she’s surrounded by sheep. They are being herded by a Native American, who helps her. During their introductions, we discover Teonna’s surname for the first time: “Rain Water.”
Teonna admits her crimes to the man, who takes her side. He offers to help get her back to her father.
Banner and Whitfield
Continuing to plot against the Duttons, Banner Creighton and Don Whitfield meet to discuss mining the land above Yellowstone. We’re informed that the Strafford Ranch, formerly belonging to Elizabeth’s family, has now been bought. Whitfield plans to choke the Duttons out of their lands, as he wants the whole valley.
Don shows off his mod-cons like light switches, gas cookers and faucets to Banner, before gifting him the house, seemingly further buying his loyalty.
Back at the ranch, Jack is selling off the heifers from the herd to make quick money. It seems other cowboys, like those from the Strafford ranch, are heading off to Hollywood as the movie industry is booming.
Jacob continues his rehabilitation, with the doctors leading him outside so he can take in some sunlight. In a brief exchange, Jacob tells Jack they need a leader, but he’s not the man for the job—not yet.
Detailing his injuries, Jacob says he’s going to have to learn how to shoot left-handed. The doctor informs him he can eat solids from tomorrow, and that the cowboys need to help him walk around. Jacob tells Cara the cowboys can’t see him so weak.
Jacob also tells Cara to keep a close eye on Jack, and not to let him go into town. Starting up their livestock agency, he tells her she needs to interview the agents as Banner’s men will try and infiltrate. Jacob also deduces that a wealthy gold miner will be financing Banner’s efforts.
As Jack, now orphaned, has a breakdown in the kitchen, Elizabeth passionately asks him to remove the hate from his heart. The gambit works and it lifts the weight off his back. He tells her he’s marrying her in front of God, which makes her cry tears of joy. Cara sees them making up, which also warms her heart.
The final moments of Episode 5
As Spencer, Alex and Lucca are sailing, they see a larger ship, which troubles the captain. It’s a “ghost ship” floating idly across the seas.
Later that night, Spencer and Alex are on first watch as the captain sleeps and between them they attempt to learn the basics. As Alex lightens the mood, Spencer thanks her, once again happy that he fell in love with her.
Later that night, as they glide through the pitch-black ocean, Spencer is on watch as Alex sleeps. Swapping shifts, he wakes the captain but worries as he’s evidently ill, constantly coughing up blood.
Back at the ranch, Jacob is attempting to climb the stairs alone, but visibly struggles. He appears to be going back and forth, potentially to build his strength.
In the kitchen, Elizabeth nervously tells Cara she wants to move the wedding up, to a time she’ll still fit in her dress.
Despite suffering a gunshot wound to the abdomen, she’s managed to fall pregnant. Great timing, as the Dutton numbers were getting low. This supports the theory held by many fans, that Jack Dutton is John Dutton III’s grandfather, making the late John Dutton Sr. his great grandfather, and the late James Dutton his great-great grandfather.
Back at sea, Spencer and Alex both wake as morning breaks. Spencer notices the engines aren’t running and rushes upstairs to find the captain dead at the wheel. He attempts to steer the ship again as they’re on course to hit another ghost ship, almost toppling them.
Back at the ranch, Don Whitfield arrives with Banner, introducing himself to Cara. He offers her the Strafford land, to which she firmly refuses. He then asks for time to see Jacob, and again she turns him down. Don suggests he’ll just stop by the ranch instead.
After Cara leaves, Don predicts that by spring she’ll be begging him to buy it.
Starting her day again, Cara arrives at the post office, but this time finally receives a cable from Spencer. His message simply reads, “Aunt Cara… I’ve received your letter and I am coming home. Spencer.”
However, the last shot we see is of the upturned tugboat, with nothing to be seen of Spencer and Alex.
1923 is now back on a weekly basis, and Episode 6 will air on Paramount+ on Sunday, February 12.
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