Why Is Elsa Dutton Never Mentioned On Yellowstone?
Despite honoring his ancestors on every suitable occasion, John Dutton never mentioned his distant relative.
Paramount +'s biggest television series is centered around the theme of family, with each of the five seasons delving deeper into the life and history of the Dutton dynasty.
The fictional Montana ranchers occupy land that their ancestors claimed back in the 19th century, making millions through intrigue and securing their power regardless of the price. People love watching the Duttons as they protect their land and family, and Paramount has already aired two successful spin-offs about their ancestors, one taking place in 1883 and the other, in 1923.
One of the most prominent characters in those series is Elsa Dutton, the original John Dutton's only daughter, who travels with her family to Oregon, hoping to escape poverty and start afresh.
Having survived a lot on this journey, Elsa has behaved like a true hero, always caring for her parents and the many characters they meet along the way. Despite her best intentions, she is killed by a stray arrow after a huge misunderstanding with the Lakota tribe.
John Dutton decided to build his ranch on the very spot where his daughter died, saying goodbye to his dreams of Oregon and choosing to stay in Montana. The 21st-century Duttons became who they are only because of her, but surprisingly, this fact never comes up in the original series. Fans wonder why John never mentions Elsa and doesn't have a picture of her in his house.
Although Elsa had a huge influence on the Duttons, some fans expressed doubt that her family's descendants knew or fully understood the role she played in the formation of their dynasty.
Firstly, Elsa died in 1883, and given that her family was poor, it's unlikely there were any photographs of her taken. Secondly, even in 1923, there weren't many people who knew Elsa personally, so memories of her were mostly preserved as family legends.
Thus, as fans on Reddit have concluded, John Dutton may indeed know nothing about his distant relative Elsa, given that 140 years have passed since her death. But hopefully, in future seasons, John will give Elsa the credit by mentioning her in one of his speeches.