Marshals just unearthed dark secrets from Kayce Dutton’s past by revisiting a notorious Yellowstone location.
In the second episode, Kayce officially joins the Montana U.S. Marshals unit, but his first assignment with the team takes him straight to the Zone of Death.
While Kayce insists he knows nothing about the infamous criminal hotspot, Yellowstone fans already know he has a history with it.
Highlights
- Kayce’s first case in Marshals unexpectedly connects to one of the darkest secrets from the Dutton family’s past.
- A notorious Yellowstone landmark resurfaces in the spin-off, tying to unresolved plot points from the original show.
- However, the showrunner’s comments strongly suggest that the infamous location won’t be a recurring presence.
After the episode aired, the show’s creator explained why the spin-off revisited unresolved Yellowstone plot points tied to the site. But fans shouldn’t expect the Zone of Death to become a recurring element.
What is the Zone of Death in the Yellowstone universe?
Image credits: CBS
The Zone of Death is a recurring setting in Yellowstone, otherwise known as the dreaded Train Station. It first appeared in the fourth episode of season 1, where it was revealed to be completely uninhabited and without any law enforcement.
The Dutton family has been using the location to dump the bodies of their enemies because of the legal loopholes it provides. In the season 5 finale, Kayce’s brother, Jamie Dutton, was sent to the “train station” after a fatal altercation with his sister, Beth, and her husband, Rip.
It is loosely based on the real-life Zone of Death, a 50-square-mile uninhabited section of Yellowstone National Park in Idaho.
In the spin-off, the location is described as a local legend that serves as “a dumping ground for the region's most depraved criminals.”
How Marshals will address unresolved Yellowstone storylines
Image credits: Paramount+/YouTube
While the location is a fun easter egg for fans of the original show, it is also a reminder of some major unresolved storylines from Yellowstone.
During an interview with TV Line, showrunner Spencer Hudnut revealed the location was revisited because of its ties to Kayce’s backstory and the Dutton family’s lore.
"I think Kayce's father's death and brother's demise will always hang over him. It plays into all of the tragedy that Kayce has dealt with," he said.
Image credits: CBS
As viewers might remember, Jamie was responsible for John’s demise, but Kayce spared him. Hudnut teased that Kayce’s decision will haunt him in the spin-off.
However, the creator admitted he did not want to “start retelling stories that Taylor [Sheridan] finished."
Why Marshals must leave the Zone of Death behind
Image credits: Paramount Network
Hudnut’s comments suggest that the spin-off won’t answer unresolved questions from the original show. Instead, elements such as the Zone will only be revisited to explore Kayce’s traumatic past.
In the original series, it was used to protect the Dutton family from facing legal consequences. As a result, fans have long argued that it creates plot holes that make the narrative feel unrealistic.
If the spin-off keeps returning to the site, it will eventually have to address those plot holes. That would inadvertently go against Hudnut’s rule of not repeating past storylines.
Image credits: CBS
Its recurring presence could pull focus away from Kayce’s missions with his new team and disrupt the show’s procedural format, which relies on only a thin narrative thread between episodes.
Meanwhile, the creative team could still explore Kayce’s trauma by expanding upon the passing of his wife, Monica Dutton.
In episode 2, the Zone serves as a point of conflict between Kayce and his new teammates. By the end, Kayce earns his team’s trust.
Therefore, there is little narrative purpose for the Zone going forward, making it best for the Yellowstone universe to leave the Train Station behind.
Marshals is currently streaming on Paramount+.