Why Cowboy from Yellowstone might have more meaning than you realize

Now, before we get too far into that juicy theory, we should take a moment to note that Cowboy was seldom seen in Yellowstone‘s white-knuckle second season. Consequently, we didn’t spend much time with the man. As Cowboy exited the show after such a brief stay, the series never really offered legit insight as to where he came from, why he was there, or if he answered to anybody other than the Duttons.

That being said, Cowboy’s enigmatic presence alone is enough to make one think he had ulterior motives for joining the Dutton Ranch crew. The character did, after all, arrive at the gate seemingly out of the blue, and gave only the cryptic name Cowboy to his new employers. That he arrived an episode ahead of the Becks (who also never alluded to having a spy encamped with the Duttons) would seem to quash any “Cowboy was a spy” theory, but it’s worth noting that Malcolm Beck in particular seemed a step ahead of the Duttons as the season’s increasingly violent shenanigans unfurled. Having an inside man would obviously help explain how.

More damningly, those Redditors point out that Cowboy made his Dutton Ranch exit at a peculiar time — right as tensions were coming to a head between the Duttons and Becks — and that his departure was clearly played up by the series’ writers. That may not be quite enough to support the “Cowboy was a spy” logic, but we can’t help but think that the character had more meaning within the show’s narrative than he apparently did, especially as Yellowstone producers cast such a familiar face in the role. Whatever the case, it seems Cowboy will remain one of Yellowstone‘s greatest unsolved mysteries… for now.

Written by: Looper